Last week was all about sun, sand and surprise as I made a trip to Sri Lanka to give my mum an unexpected early birthday present. I haven’t been back for a while, so I thought I’d make it a big one by whisking the family away for a few picturesque days by the beach.
Casting Bentota as the stage for my surprise, I thought “the weather ought to be pretty good down south this time of year”.
And how...
We were greeted by endless blue horizons and verdant splendour.
Though we relished the 5 star creature comforts of Taj Hotels’ Vivantha, they were eclipsed by the sunny opulence of the south’s beaches. The previous night’s sodden temperament had been washed away to reveal a stunning aquamarine sky with nary a cloud in sight. Dappled sunlight flitted through the rustling palm trees as I was subjected to endless rounds of selfies with my mum, who as it turns out, is more of a millennial than I am.
One of my favorite meals was at the Ocean View, an aptly named rooftop restaurant in a remodeled train station.
We spent a few halcyon days alternating between swimming and dining on sumptuous Sri Lankan fare. One of my favorite meals was at the Ocean View, an aptly named rooftop restaurant in a remodeled train station.
When we got back home, Mum wanted to cook a home meal and who was I to turn an offer like that down? After filling her in on my current dietary requirements (no salt, no oil, no sugar, all steamed), she whipped up a delicious meal of poached kingfish in spicy mustard sauce, accompanied with steamed vegetables and Sri Lankan lunumiris, a kind of a chili-based chutney. It was incredible and I did manage to take a picture before wolfing it down.
‘Healthy eating, Mum-style’
There were more surprises in store though. The next day, I took the family out for a decadent birthday brunch at The Fishery, a sleek beachside seafood restaurant at the Pegasus Reef Hotel, a stone’s throw from the family homestead.
There, the family & I went all in, eschewing the à la carte menu and picking our seafood right off the boat. Chefs were on hand to advise on the best ways to prepare each of our selections.
I selected a rather large Grey Mullet, steamed with a lime & chilli dressing. My dad was also rather conservative, opting for two choice tuna steaks, grilled. My mother & brother chose an assortment of fresh fish, shelllfish with sides. We complemented the meal with a parade of ‘Ara-coladas’ - a Sri Lankan take on a cult favourite, swapping out the rum for arrack. For those uninitiated to this quintessentially Sri Lankan flight of drunken fancy, arrack is a local spirit distilled from the sap of coconut flowers and tastes like a heady cross between rum & whiskey.
‘If you like Ara-colodaaas...’
Suffice it to say, it was quite the feast. Like with all meals in Sri Lanka, there’s barely any time to take any decent pictures, tastebuds overpowering the camera-tapping thumb:
The rest of the day was spent in sunny idleness back at the family homestead. Naps are big in our household...
‘Ample spots to catch a sunny siesta’
All too soon, it was time to make my way to the airport to catch the red eye back to Dubai.
As I reclined in the Emirates lounge, I realised this was a fun, fulfilling trip. Mum was over the moon about my surprise visit, Dad was suitably satisfied and my brother was... well, my brother (JK!). Realization slowly gave way to resolve.
I foresee many sunny siestas & dappled dalliances in Sri Lanka over the coming year.
