Kala Ghoda Arts Festival

I love this colourful arts festival - and this year the theme was very much around women - with street art about women and the law and with sarees from the women of Dharavi with messages against rape.

Banganga

Banganga Tank is part of the Walkeshwa Temple Complex in Malabar Hill. The ancient water tank dates back to the 12th century.

Indian Wedding

I was so happy to be invited to the wedding of Kiran's son.  We started the wedding procession out in the street and walked to the Cricket Club accompanied by loud musicians and lots of dancing in the street.  Kiran looked absolutely radiant!

The entrance to the Cricket Club was beautifully decorated with flowers.

Traditionally the groom arrives on a white horse.  This groom however arrived in a white car.

Here comes the bride!  Red is a traditional wedding colour.

The ceremony starts with garlands being placed around each other's necks.

Fishing, Whale Watching, Dolphins and Turtles

Another early start on our last day in Sri Lanka.  Dawn was breaking as we set off on a boat trip to go whale and dolphin watching.

Later we went to a turtle hatchery.  The people here collect the eggs from the beach and keep the baby turtles for a couple of weeks after they hatch before releasing them into the sea.  This protects them from poachers who would come and dig up the eggs on the beach.

Baby turtles, less than a week old. These ones are green turtles and Olive Ridley turtles.

The Old Dutch Fort at Galle

Galle is Sri Lanka's most historical "living" city and at one time was the main port of Sri Lanka.  Founded by the Portuguese who discovered it after having been blown off course on their way to the Maldives, it was later taken over by the Dutch who built the fort.  Eventually Galle passed into British hands, but the Dutch legacy remains everywhere, especially in the street names.

Beaches and Fishing Communities of South Sri Lanka