Sri Lanka 2013
Episode 11: Negombo: Birds, Beaches, Fish
Click the photo above of Negombo Market to see an album of photos. Close the window to return to this page
Read Previous Episode 10: Anuradhapura|
January 27-30 2013 Negombo
Why go to Negombo? For most people the answer is simple. It is a
lot closer to the Colombo airport and much lower key than
Colombo. We booked a simple guesthouse for our last two nights
when we arrived in Colombo and by the time we were in
Anuradhapura, we decided three nights would be more relaxing. It
was a good decision.
There was a direct bus from Anuradhapura to Colombo, stopping in Negombo. We were at the bus stop in plenty of time and got seats for the four hour trip. After filling the bus in Anuradhapura, we made one short stop. The ticket seller stepped out at a small roadside shrine to make a donation and give a short prayer. He should have left more money or said more prayers for better luck. About 1 hr later the bus stopped and the driver and ticket seller got out. I thought it was bio-break time but it was a flat tire. We seem to be prone to unscheduled stops. It took almost an hour to fix and change the tire, all without emptying the bus. After that the driver laid on the horn, passing every vehicle in sight and travelling at maximum speed, trying to make up time. It was a bit hairy at times but we arrived in Negombo just a little late. We got a tuk-tuk to Sachal Mir’s Bed and Breakfast in an old bungalow, renovated very simply to accommodate guests in six bedrooms. The price was right and there were several free extras to keep the guests happy. They don’t do lunch but both breakfast and dinner are free; so is water, tea coffee, beer and laundry. There were about 12 tourists at the popular dinners, both guests of Sachal Mir and guests in related spots nearby. It was fun meeting people from all over the world and sharing experiences.
The Lonely Planet recommended a birding trip to the Muthurajawela Marsh, several km south of Negombo on the coast. Our host, Sachal, had phoned and booked us into a canal boat trip for Tuesday morning and arranged a tuk-tuk to take us there, wait and return for us after the boat tour. It took about 40 minutes to get to the small nature center where an older English lady was waiting to join us. We set out with the boat driver, our very knowledgeable guide and the tuk-tuk driver who had been invited along as the boat had plenty of room. LP said that this area was originally the rice bowl of Sri Lanka until the Portuguese built a canal that turned the rice paddies brackish and ruined the crops. The good part was that the wetlands were created that are home to many species of water fowl and other animals. Our tour was on Hamilton Canal, built by the Dutch and finished by the British in 1802. We did see quite a few birds, including egrets, herons, bee eaters, kingfishers, cormorants, darters, terns, a small grebe, swamp hens and others. A baby crocodile lay in the sun next to the canal. Our guide said that the canal was only deep enough for baby crocs. Bigger ones lived in the lagoon, where we were headed, or in deeper rivers leading to the sea. The lagoon is protected from any development along its shoreline, at least so far. It is bordered by mangroves and provides good fishing for prawns and other fish, which get sold in markets in Negombo or elsewhere. We had a good visit. Later in the day we went for a long walk on the broad, sandy beach. Some people were swimming but the water wasn’t as clear and inviting as the south coast. We just walked north as far as we could. There were several wooden dugouts with a single outrigger offering Catamaran tours, but we were not tempted. On our return we passed several family groups who came to swim, fully dressed, before dinner. Negombo Town is notable for fish and churches. Conversion to Catholicism by the Portuguese left a legacy of Churches and schools all along the coast. Negomba has its fair share as well as a colourful Southern India Hindu temple. Negombo fishermen go out in outrigger canoes to fish in the open ocean for tuna and other large fish and to catch prawns, lobster and crabs from the lagoon we visited yesterday that ends in Negombo. We walked the 2 km into town from our guesthouse on Wednesday morning to see the big Fish Market in full swing. Boats were still arriving and fishermen and their wives were emptying their nets of the day’s catch. Small fish, larger fillets and squid were laid out on long mats to dry in the sun. The main covered market area was crowded with fish mongers gutting, filleting and cutting steaks for their customers. I bought some fresh tuna and brought it home for our host to include with tonight’s curry dinner. Next to the market was a large playing field, called the Esplanade, where cricket matches are held. Today it was filled with school girls out for their physical education day. We had passed a school the previous morning on our birding trip where the children were all outside watching some of the boys run a 1500m race. Our birding guide said that was where he went to school and the children were practising for the various events. The girls we saw were not running or jumping. Their activities consisted of marching behind a banner holder with the name of their school. Some groups had a band of drums and a few horns and small pipes. They looked as if they were enjoying their outing. There are also ruins of an old Dutch Fort next to a seawall. We found the old clock tower, minus the clock and the stone gates, dated 1678, that guarded the fort. Touring the fort is not possible as it now the town prison. Several Sri Lankans were waiting in front of the prison gates, probably to visit relatives or to escort them home on their release. And so ends our visit to Sri Lanka. We fly tomorrow afternoon, Thursday the 31st of January, to Chennai. Our trip went well. We enjoyed the southern beaches, saw many animals, walked some of the hill trails and explored ancient cities and temples. The people were friendly and helpful. The accommodation was good and it was easy to get from one place to the other on public transportation. Tourism is growing and Sri Lankans are preparing to accommodate tourists from all over the world. We were glad we went this year. Read Previous Episode 10: Anaruadhapura Read India 2013 Return to Sri Lanka Intro Return to Travels or Introduction |
