Sri Lanka - Galle Fort

Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was really fun to explore. It is an old trading port filled with Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, mansions and musuems. The fort is filled with cafes, boutiques, restored hotels and countless jewelry stores. Built by the Dutch beginning in 1663, Galle's core is the Fort which is surrounded on three sides by the ocean.

Fort Entrance

The Portugese were the first Europeans to arrive in 1505 and built a small fort in 1589. The Portugese were ousted by the Dutch in 1640. After construction of the fort in the 17th cenury, Galle was the main port in Sri Lanka for more than 200 years. Galle passed into British hands in 1796 but by then Colombo had turned into the commercial interest and Galle became a secondary port.

As Ceylon, the country gained independence from the British in 1948 and it's name changed to Sri Lanka in 1972.

What did we do?

A self-guided walking tour of Galle Fort. We started near the entrance of the fort at the famous Galle Fort Clock Tower. The clock tower was built by the British in the 19th century and serves as a reminder of Sri Lanka's colonial past. From the clock tower, we walked to the Dutch Reformed Church, one of the oldest Protestant churches in Sri Lanka. The church was built by the Dutch in 1755 and is known for its impressive architecture and historic graveyard.

Bell Tower

Galle Library 
Established 1832

We checked out the Galle Fort Lighthouse which was built by the British in 1848. The lighthouse is still in use today. The Old Dutch Hospital has been converted into a shopping and dining complex. The hospital was built in the 18th century and served as a medical facility for the residents of the fort.

We were able to walk almost the entire perimeter of the fort to see all the bastions and ramparts which offer stunning views of the ocean and the fort. The ramparts served as a defense mechanism against invaders. There is the National Maritime Museum, which is housed in a former Dutch warehouse. The museum showcases Sri Lanka's maritime heritage and includes exhibits on fishing, boat-building, and naval warfare.

A Saint's Tomb

The Jumping Place -- at one of the bastions there are young men who will jump into the water with rocks below (you have to know exactly where to jump) so you can take a picture 📸. Yes there is a fee involved.

So much history including the All Saints Anglican Church which was built by the British in the 19th century. The church features beautiful stained-glass windows and a peaceful courtyard where visitors can take a moment to reflect.

We ventured outside the fort walls and it was crazy, Sir/Madame tuk tuk, spice factory, jewelry... One guy followed us for like 15 minutes determinedto get us to visit his brother's spice store. Needless to say we did not last long outside the fort. I later learned to say, "Mata epa (eppa), bohoma stuti". (I don't want, many thanks) The locals seemed to get a kick whenever I said, "Stuti" or "Bohoma stuti". Hey... I try. 

And, of course, a jewelry store. Sri Lanka is one of the world's top producers of sapphires so we couldn't resist looking at some rings. They were so beautiful that we bought two! One padparadscha (pink-orange) sapphire and one royal blue sapphire. Those are the top two rarest sapphires in the world.

A cooking class at Galle Fort Cooking Class. We made five curry dishes: prawn, beet, pumpkin, bean and oyster mushroom plus a salad and papadam (similar to frying a tortilla). There was another couple from Seattle taking the class with us and so much food to eat!  

Workspace

Fresh veggies 

Spices - Salt, pepper, turmeric, pepper flakes,
cumin, 2 curry powders, chili powder

Chef Sanjou

Fresh Coconut cut by Ashkar (chef's husband)

Grinding fresh coconut 🥥 for our salad

Where did we eat? Secret Garden, Galu Bojuno, A Minute by Tuk Tuk, The Tuna and The Crab and Elita Restaurant (where we had our cooking class).

Secret Garden

Garlic Pasta

Deviled Chicken

Galu Bojuno, we couldn't read the menu and they spoke hardly any English. Curry?  Yes please one and a water. The food was so good and we only spent $2.30.

Chicken Curry 

A Minute by Tuk Tuk Restaurant was recommended by a lovely British couple who we had sat next to each morning for breakfast.  We thought it was so so.

Onion Rings

Greek Salad

Roaring Prawns with Mashed Potatoes and Salad

Peddler's Inn Gelato

The Tuna and The Crab -- we both picked out our entrees after many grueling minutes (Sharon takes forever!). Finally she made a decision only to be told her entree was not available. Here we go... another 10 minutes and I was hangry. 😆 

The beginning

Starting to look like a crabcake

Slow 🐌 cooking

Nice Golden Brown

Crab Okonomiyaki
Japanese Pancake made with Sri Lankan
Mud Crab 🦀 

Tikka Maki and Avocado 🥑 & Tuna Maki

The Dumpling Cafe

Summer Breeze
Lemongrass, lemon, cold brew tea
& sugar syrup 

Prawn Dumplings

Elita's Restaurant, this is where we ate our delicious curries we made during our cooking class. The restaurant is owned by Sanjou's brother.  

Our finished curry dishes 

Hotel Breakfast

Fresh fruit every morning

Sri Lankan Breakfast

Where did we stay? Mango House. The hotel was once a cinnamon fatcory and very nice. They had the cutest little garden area where we had breakfast. The staff were super attentive. We usually leave a tip at the 'tea tray' but the cleaning staff were reluctant to take it. We learned you need to leave a tip on the bed.

How did we get here? Short answer a driver. There was not enough room for our luggage in his full trunk. It was only about 30 minutes from Hikkaduwa. Actually I think it was more like 20 minutes with our NASCAR driver at the wheel. 

Galle Fort is a must-visit destination in Sri Lanka. Its rich history, stunning architecture, and picturesque views make it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike.

 “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” -Helen Keller