Tuesday December 23. Tangalle to Ceylon Tea Trails Hotel.
An energetic swim at around 7 am and then breakfast at 8:15. Having already done most of the packing, we left the hotel at 9:30 for the five hour drive up into the hills. At first this was a long motorway but then became much more interesting once we got into the mountains. It was just tea, tea and tea as far as the eyes could see. We arrived at the Norwood bungalow of the Ceylon Tea Trails Hotel. The hotel was spread out in five bungalows and over a large distance involving at least 12 km between bungalows. The previous evening we had viewed the BBC show Amazing Hotels with Rob Rinder and Monica, who had visited this hotel three years previously and produced a one hour show about it . And we watched it again once we arrived. We felt they had rather gone overboard in the adulation of it.
Our welcome was not over abundant but the room was very pleasant and we had a very enjoyable cream tea soon after 4 pm out on the terrace. This bungalow had just six rooms, but they had managed to cram in a group of six a group of five and 2 x 2 including us. After tea we went for an hours walk along some of the trails Observing local women collecting firewood from where the tea plants had been pruned and carrying this wood back to their villages: unfortunately one of them was begging as she went along. Once back at the hotel we had a drink and sat out on the terrace with this and also receive some tapas eventually.
I went for a lovely swim in the largest pool I’ve seen for many a year and then we found a lovely warm Jacuzzi overlooking beautiful views and tea plants
We went down to dinner at 7:30 pm as we had booked and found two large groups beside the two fires. So we were ushered into two chairs in a dark row,which have been placed to observe a carol service which nobody had told us about. This was away from any of the fires. We objected to this and went outside again and eventually moved to another sofa on the other side of the hotel and were shown the stars by the hotel manager, who was very apologetic about the fact that we have been made to feel second class citizens. We eventually sat down for dinner well after 8:30 pm after a very enjoyable carol service with six local women and two clergyman, one of whom gave a moving speech about the hardships that Sri Lankan had endured. The meal itself was excellent with four courses each accompanied by a wee glass of a different tea. The two larger groups have been set up outside and two twos were in the central room. By moving the position of our place settings we had a fairly nice view of the Christmas tree and the roaring fire, which was still a light! After dinner we sat by a resurrected fire, which by then had gone out, and David relit it. I had a glass of port. And the manager came along and asked us if we would like to go to Christmas mass at the local Anglican Church at 8 am on Christmas Day, to make up for our problems. A nice gesture
Wednesday December 24. Norwood Bungalow, Ceylon Tea Trails.
We had a pleasant breakfast outside, including a Sri Lankan one for David . He could not quite eat it all as there were being so many different things. But it was very, very good.
We left at 9:30 in a hotel minivan for the tea factory tour. We thought this tea factory was just down the road, but that tea factory belonged to a different estate, and the one we were going to was some 30 to 40 minutes away down by the lake. The tour there started at 10:30 am and there were about 12 of us in total. At first we could not understand a word of what the guide was telling us, but we gradually became accustomed to his Indian accent. At the end of the tour we had the chance to sample various teas and we left knowing a bit more about ceylon tea than we had beforehand. From the factory we walked for 1+ kilometres to the Castlereagh bungalow, one of the five bungalows comprising Ceylon Tea Trails. We had had to insist on having lunch there as Norwood had wanted us to come back to lunch in that bungalow. Their pool that was very much smaller, but more agreeable really in that I felt I could do several lengths with not too much effort and it was not too cold. After this we had a very pleasant lunch of soup , fish and banana canella. Transport eventually turned up to take us back to Norwood where we read for a while before enjoying the afternoon tea with just a savoury contributions, nothing sweet.
Around five I went for a swim in the huge pool and then for a lovely Jacuzzi and then we read again in the room till around seven. We had our photos taken by the Christmas tree to send out as a Christmas greeting and then sat by the fire talking to the Americans. I was quite tired and we sat down for dinner at 7:30 but obviously the hotel would’ve preferred that we didn’t and it was gone 10 before dinner was actually finished as they kept slowing us down. In addition, the scallops were not scallops and we were served lobster bisque instead of chestnut soup, so, all in all it was not such a successful meal as the previous night. But the brandy Christmas pudding was really really good., Although David would have preferred more brandy butter.
Father Christmas visited during the time we were having dinner, much to the boys delight. And he gave them some sweets. They had also enjoyed the colourful crackers on the table even though these contained virtually nothing, not even a hat.
Then a glass of Port in front of the fire for a few minutes before returning to the room and doing most of the packing as we were to be off early for the church tomorrow morning.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbnail below
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There is tea in them thar hills. Tea as far as the eye can see.
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbnail below
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The Tea Factory Tour, and on to Castlereagh Bungalow for lunch (and a swim)
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbnail below
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And the Christmas morning service at the Anglican Church. Christ Church was built by William Scott, the manager of the Governor's Mansion, in 1878, when the country was a British colony. A bible printed in 1860s was presented to the church in July 1879 by Rev. Charles Hill, the rector of Warboys Parish, and is still preserved in the church. The first British colonial Inspector General of the Ceylon Police, Sir George William Robert Campbell who came to Ceylon in 1866 is believed to be buried in the churchyard.
The church was built in typical old British church architecture. The walls of the church include granite stones. The church interior has wooden furniture seats, an ancient pipe organ (piano), an armchair, and wooden pulpit along with a 140 year old Bible. 19th century stained glass windows, which depict paintings of Jesus Christ, were originally brought from England. A baptismal font made of porcelain is adorned with floral designs. The church floor is laid out with imported floral tiles from England. A cemetery with tombstones of English colonial tea planters is next to the church
To get a larger photo, click on a thumbnail below
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