Around the Fort in 80 minutes

This was our day of exploring Galle and the first thing on our list was to walk along the ramparts of Galle Fort. After a hearty breakfast at Mango House, armed with water bottles, hats and my LP, we made our way towards the ramparts. We did not have a specific route to take and just decided on the spur of the moment to walk from Leyn Baan Cross Street (where the hotel was) to Queens Street based on the map given by the hotel. Here are the things that we saw along the way:

1) National Maritime Museum

Housed in an old Dutch East India Company VOC warehouse, this museum exhibits artifacts relating to the seafaring and maritime trade in Sri Lanka.  It is open daily from 9am to 5pm. I thought that it would be a good educational visit for Irf but we had the ramparts to explore while the sun was not too hot.

The mustard-coloured walls of the old Dutch warehouse

2) Dutch Reformed Church

A few steps away from the museum stood the Dutch Reformed Church also known as the Groote Kerk. The pulpit was made from calamander wood from Malaysia and its floor paved with gravestones from the old Dutch cemetry. We walked past the church where, it being Sunday, a service was taking place.

One of the many beautifully preserved colonial buildings in Galle

Opposite the church, on a patch of grass shaded by a huge banyan tree, a snake charmer was luring tourists with his cobra and flute. I saw my first snake charmer in Marrakech years ago and until today the whole image of a cobra dancing out of a woven basket to the tune of a flute has always intrigued me. We came near to take pictures with Irf squatting too close to the snake for comfort. Gave the man Rs50 but he asked for Rs200 - utter rip-off for what it was. We walked away.

An intro to Sri Lankan wildlife

Not too far away, a HUGE iguana was making its way slowly across the grass. A cow was grazing under a tree amongst parked motorcycles. We were barely into 10 minutes of our walk and already it felt like a walk in a wildlife park.

3) Moon Bastion

The Moon Bastion with the Clock Tower

We started our walk at the Moon Bastion, near the Fort's main gate.

The Fort's location on a rocky peninsula extending into the sea makes it the best place to get uninterrupted views of the ocean. The water so clear that we could see rocks, coral and fish even from the ramparts. The Indian Ocean, vast, laid before us with many shades of blues and greens. Swaying palms, crashing waves, sea sprays, lone fishermen - these were the epitomes of Sri Lanka. As I looked over the open sea to the horizon, it was hard to imagine that there was nothing between us and Antartica except miles and miles of sea with its mysteries and secrets.

Views from the ramparts

Sri Lankan fishermen at work 

4) Flag Rock

Flag Rock - the southernmost end of the Fort

Next, we passed the Flag Rock where the Dutch used to signal approaching ships to alert them to dangers. Now, the only dangers lie in the actions of young locals who make a living by jumping off the ramparts and diving into the sea. We managed to catch the action of a couple of guys jumping off a rocky outcrop, and that was hair-raising enough.

5) Meeran Jumma Mosque

Galle has a sizeable Muslim community, which explains the ease of getting halal food. This mosque is located just a short walk away from Flag Rock and it is one with perhaps the best panaromic views I have seen. From the outside, it looked more like a church and I would not have know that it was a mosque had I not read about it before.

One of my favourite photo frames in Galle - with the
mosque and the lighthouse in the background

6) Galle Lighthouse @ Pointe de Galle Light

This lighthouse was located at the Point Utrecht Bastion. I have this thing with lighthouses so to see a working lighthouse (despite the fact that I could not get to the top) with its lights visible was a big thing. This lighthouse was built fairly recently in 1938 after the original structure was destroyed in a fire. Having said that, this light station is still the oldest in Sri Lanka. We walked around the lighthouse, wishing we could meet the lighthouse keeper.

To the lighthouse

Lighthouse or no lighthouse, by this time we had walked for more than 1 hour. There was little shade for most of the walk and with the scorching sun I swear I could hear my skin sizzled. Irf's hair was wet with sweat and was plastered to his head, thanks to his cap, and he was definitely already out of exploring mode. Looking at the map, we have not made a complete circle, but close enough. It was time to retreat to that wonderful thing called shade. And ice-cream. And iced coffee.