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Yearing
for a sandy beach and the crash of waves
but too lazy to drive too far out? Head
for Mount Lavinia, only 8 miles from
Colombo.
To
the saliors of the 19th century, Mount
Lavinia stood out like the
silhouette of a pregnant wench along the
souhthern coastline. This is one of the
loveliest beach areas close to any
metropolis in the world, being a mere 8
miles from the heart of the city of
Colombo.
To
get there, drive south along Galle Road
from Colombo Fort and turn right to
Hotel Road half a mile past the Mount
Lavinia cemetery. The focal point of
Mount Lavinia is the Mount
Lavinia Hotel, though there
are others like the Mount Royal Beach
Hotel which was built in the 1970s.
Mount
Lavinia Hotel was built in 1810 as a
private residence by a fun-loving
British Governor who constructed secret
passages in the building. Some of these
have been discovered in the kitchens,
but unfortunately, are not open to the
public.
Apparently,
a rodiya girl who worked for the
Governor fell in love with him. When the
Governor was leaving, he asked the
rodiya waht she wanted from him. Much to
his surprise, she did not ask for the
house which he was willing to give her.
Instead, she asked for official
permission towear a cloth about the
waist, a mark of status normally denied
to rodiyas. The Governor gave his
consent with an official gazette
notification and the house was sold and
turned into a hotel.
On
the beach there are little bathing huts
which can be hired for the day. Lie in
the sun and relax, take a dip when it
gets too hot and enjoy the sights and
sounds. There are pineapple and coconut
vendors who sell drinks to quench your
thirst, while others sell beads and
shells.
There
are signboards warning swimmers of
strong undercurrents, so don't venture
into deep waters. There is a good beach
restaurant at the Hotel, La
Langousterie, open from 10am
till 10.30pm.
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