The Beach

The Blue Water

I awoke to find a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast waiting for me. I needed something hearty because the day was going to be a long one. We faced a 3-4 hour drive south to some of the country's lovely beaches. The breakfast not only was hearty, but it was very, very tasty. Hot tea with milk and sugar was the perfect way to complete the breakfast, and the caffeine kick put me in a lively mood.

The ride to the beach was not as grueling as I thought it might be. The smartest move of the day was taking Kyoko's suggestion to stop off for coffee at a stunning resort, The Blue Water. After the wonderful break, we continued on to Hikkaduwa Beach, only stopping to look at some antiques.  At the beach, we checked into the Hikkaduwa Beach Hotel.

In Hikkaduwa I ate my first rice and curry meal at Refresh Restaurant. The beef and lamb curries were incredible!  There were also several vegetable dishes. I loved it all. The meal was followed by a plate of very sweet exotic fruits: mango, papaya, bananas, pineapple, passion fruit, etc. And, as I learned very quickly on this trip, no Sri Lankan meal is complete without tea.  The tea is made divine by adding warm milk and sugar.