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Travel Guide – Sri Lanka

srilanka-about-fooodI have just returned from Sri Lanka, eyes full of stars, with a tan and a peaceful mind, and I decided to tell you about it as soon as possible so that my memories stay the freshest! I will avoid being too long, and I will especially tell you about my journey, which I drew on this map! Do you like my little map of Sri Lanka? :-) For the rest, you can find it in the travel guides… So, you will surely start by asking me… why go to Sri Lanka? Because this island with luxuriant vegetation is completely exotic, in terms of culture, rites, lifestyle ; for the cooking which is amazingly tasty (yes, it is spicy ), for the exotic fruits, for the kindness of the Sri Lankans, for the beach bordered of coconut trees, to be hot in winter, to surf, to walk in tea plantations, to see incredible animals,… and the list is long! I obviously could not see everything in 10 days, but I would love to go back to see more of the north and east. So, let’s start with some info:

Time of flight
From Paris, about 10h00

Jetlag
Only 4 or 5h! Practical!

When to go
The best period is from January to April. Avoid summer because it is the big monsoon (June to August). I was there just before Christmas in mid December and it was perfect as there were not too many tourists, and it was very hot (32°C)!

– West coast and the South: from December to April, it is the least rainy and the sunniest period.

– East Coast and North: February to September. Avoid leaving between October and the end of January, it’s the little monsoon!

How much does it cost

→ Hotels: There are hotels not very expensive (10-20 € per night) but it is generally quite spartan. If you prefer comfort (and a swimming pool), the rooms can quickly climb (60-100 € per night), or even explode for some luxury hotels (200-400 € per night).

Meals: if you eat on the street like the local, it is often cheap (5-7 € for a dish, or even a few cents for donuts or streetfood), but it can also quickly increase in more upscale restaurants (10-30 € a plate). Be careful to add tax and tip – a bit like in the US – everywhere, whether in restaurants, hotels, services …

Activities: most activities are rather expensive, and the prices charged for Sri Lanka are not the same for tourists. I detail the prices in my itinerary.

Transports

Tuk tuk : It is the easiest and most widespread way to get around, especially when you see that there is no sidewalk :-) Count from 2 to 5 € for short trips (a few kilometers max).

Car: Avoid renting a car or a scooter because the roads and especially the Sri Lankan way of driving is dangerous – for us who are not used to it! What is often done is to take a driver. This is what we did for a large part of our trip. Price between 50-80 € per day all inclusive.

Trains: Train trips are incredible (and very cheap), especially for some mountain trips (Colombo-Kandy). Try to arrive at the station a little before or even book in advance as some trains are full in high season.

What to bring back

→ spices

→ Ayurvedic balm

→ silk

→ tea

→ precious stones

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My Itinerary

As I stayed only 10 days, I chose a route that mixed beaches, nature and cultural visit, but I did not have time to do the cultural triangle.

COLOMBO

We stayed only one night in the very lively town of Colombo. For evening meals, you can stroll through the Dutch Hospital in the Fort district, a former hospital of the 17th century which houses several open-air restaurants in arcades.

KANDY

The train journey from Colombo is breathtaking! Seat on the right to see the most beautiful part of the landscape (price of the journey = 1,50 € / duration = 3h).

You can see the luxuriant vegetation of Sri Lanka, palm groves, rice fields, rivers, turquoise houses alongside the fushia, buddhas and sculptures of elephants, buffalo, herons and sometimes even herons posed on buffalos. Last hour of the journey, the train slows down climbing the mountains, we find ourselves suspended above the cliffs.

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The town of Kandy is one of the places I liked most about the trip, but perhaps because it’s because was the first city I discovered. A teeming city, built around its lake, built in height, surrounded by dense and tropical forests. Here are some activities not to be missed:

Central Market: near the railway station, the market welcomes Sri Lankans who come to buy exotic fruits (mangoes, bananas, coconut, pineapple), dried fish, herbs… Upstairs you will find some more touristy shops with fabrics, bags,… I advise you to buy your spices rather in the markets or grocery stores, not at the Spice Market of Kandy which is really touristic and where prices are multiplied by 10 !

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→ Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden :  from the center, take bus 654 (20 cents instead of a few euros for a tuk-tuk). You can spend half a day strolling in this 60-hectare park, between giant bamboos, palm trees, the orchid greenhouse, and trees of all kinds that shelter fierce monkeys or the biggest bats I’ve seen in my life! A moment out of time. Admission price about 20 € per person.

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→ Tooth Temple: The temple of the tooth houses one of Buddha’s teeth. One can see several ceremonies per day, and sellers of lotus flowers that serve as offerings. In July there is the Perahera, a big festival of several days during which processions, dances, and decorated elephants are seen. The prices are exploding and it is difficult to stay there as the city is taken by assault!Sri-Lanka-Travel-Guide-Kandy-4

NUWARA ELIYA

The road to Nuwara Eliya is crazy beautiful. The landscapes change every hour, the winding road sinks into the mountains, the weather darkens and the temperature drops drastically. Tea plantations stretch as far as the eye can see and are almost fluorescent green. You can even visit a tea factory: there are 300 in the neighborhood! The tour is free but tips are welcome, and you can buy tea on site (black, green, white tea). Even in the lost mountain roads you can still see vendors of colored plastic toys, exotic fruits, tuk-tuk car parks, hordes of wild dogs sunbathing in the middle of the road. And monkeys. Monkeys everywhere on the temples, on the road, in the trees, swinging on the electric wires.
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UDA WALAWE

Descending to the coast, the landscapes are always changing, tea plantations give way to vegetable fields, then to steep, rocky green hills, pine forests interspersed with waterfalls, then the plains, rice paddies and palm trees again. Near the park Uda Walawe, if you do not stop there, you can see some elephants on the side of the road. We hesitated before visiting the park because it is not cheap (about 40 € per person) and we were afraid of being disappointed, but it was really sublime, both in terms of the landscapes than in terms of animals. Being able to observe elephants in their natural habitat is magical! The park is 300m2, you can spend a good half day and observe hundreds of elephants, wild buffaloes, crocodiles, marabouts, pelicans, toucans, eagles, hundreds of colorful birds of all kinds… A friend who also made Yala Park which is much larger preferred this one, less prized by the hordes of tourists and more beautiful.

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TANGALLE

If you have not seen enough animals yet, it is in Rekuwa that the turtles can be seen laying on the beach at nightfall. Tangalle also has beautiful beaches.Tangalle-Sri-Lanka

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MIRISSA

Mirissa is a very small village and boils down to a single beach covered with bars and guesthouses, all filled with tourists. Not really the kind of atmosphere that I prefer, but you can go whale watching (and even swim with them) by boat. We ate extremely well at the Zephyr restaurant right at the end of the beach, where you can choose your fish on a stall that shows the day’s fishing. We ate incredible lobsters for 15 € per person!

GALLE

Galle-Sri-LankaI also loved Galle, the second largest city in Sri Lanka, and especially its old town surrounded by ramparts. You can spend a whole day wandering between the alleys and seeing the vestiges of civilizations that have passed through there: English, Dutch and Portuguese. This part of the city is registered in the patrimony of Unesco. Although it has become very touristy, one can taste very good dishes, buy precious stones (Sri Lanka still has some mines), or watch the sunset on the ramparts.

–> Mama’s

There is a delicious and typical Rice and Curry, homemade in the small kitchen of Namali, which also teaches cooking classes.
76 Leyn Baan StreetGalle

–> Fortaleza

We come to refresh ourselves during heavy heat in this pretty courtyard where you can sip a charming cold house tea. We also eat very well, the building is also a hotel.
Church Cross St, Galle

–> Elita

The chef has lived in Belgium and therefore serves delicious fries! They accompany especially good fresh fish and seafood. They are cooked grilled, in coconut milk sauce, or fried.
34 Middle St, Galle

From Galle, you can also stroll on the beautiful beaches (and very popular) of Unawatuna and Dalawella, about 15 minutes in tuk-tuk.

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I hope that I will have made you want to go there, do not hesitate to write me a little comment below if you need more info! I’m preparing other articles dedicated to Sri Lankan cuisine, as well as other great addresses!


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Red oignon pickles

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These pickles are very easy to make and will perfectly accompany your grilled meats, burgers or potato salads.

The Ingredients
– 1 red onion
– 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
– 1 teaspoon of pepper seeds
– 80ml of vinegar
– 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or 1 stick
– 1 teaspoon of honey
– 1 pinch of coarse salt

La Recette

1. Peel and slice the onion.
2. In a saucepan, boil some water and blanch the onion (cook it a few minutes and then pass it in cold water).
3. In another saucepan, heat the vinegar and honey.
4. In a jar, place the onions, then pour the vinegar. Add all the spices.
5. Fill with water until the jar is filled. Let macerate at least 1 night before serving.


My favorite Christmas logs

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These Christmas logs are so pretty aren’t they? Here are my favorites of this year:

Wooden
1. La Maison du Chocolat (Nicolas Cloiseau)
A modernist construction of 17 chocolate plates, pomegranate mousse, Viennese biscuit with rolled cocoa of passion-mango-lime marmalade with a heart of lychee compote and pieces of fruit, on a crunchy praline almond-hazelnut-crêpe lace and hazelnut biscuit with lime.
95 € (6/8 persons)

2. Jean-Paul Hévin
A handbag made of dark chocolate biscuit, black chocolate mousse from Venezuela and crunchy black chocolate streusel.
39 € (7 persons)

3. Yann Couvreur
How beautiful are these foxes! They run on a chocolate biscuit, creamy vanilla, meringue, cream of chestnut and candied chestnuts.
90€ (8 persons)

4. Prince de Galles (Stéphanie Le Quellec et Nicolas Paciello)
A monolith made of gluten-free biscuit with buckwheat flour, chocolate mousse 70%, chocolate cream 70% and praliné Gianduja. The chocolate shell is sprinkled with roasted buckwheat seeds.
95€

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1. Le Bristol (Laurent Jeannin)
Stalactites in white chocolate icing, coconut mousse, almond dacquoise, grapefruit confit, fresh grapefruit inserts.
120€ (8 persons)

2. Thieret
Crystals in hazelnut mousse, kalamansi cream, dacquoise, hazelnut cream on a feuilletine hazelnut praline with hazelnut chips.
15,90€ (8 persons)

3. Peninsula Paris (Antony Terrone)
An aerial cloud: a creamy milk chocolate mousse, a caramelized hazelnut biscuit, a clementine-flavored pear confit with a crunch of salty dark chocolate, all surmounted by a plane – a replica of the real biplane ” L’Oiseau Blanc “, made in chocolate with a hazelnut praline.
120€ (8 persons)

4. Picard
A majestic owl in vanilla and caramel mousse with chocolate chips, creamy caramel, crunchy milk chocolate – almond – hazelnut, and cocoa – hazelnut biscuit.
18€ (6-8 persons)

5. Des gateaux et du pain (Claire Damon)
Soft biscuit, creamy caramel cream with vanilla and fleur de sel of Batz, light mousse with caramel, crunchy almond and soft tonka bean caramel tonka.
42€ (4/6 persons)

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1. Haagen Dazs par Jaime Hayon
One of my favorite designers signs this decadent teddy bear made of Almond Panna Cotta ice cream and Honey Walnut & Cream, resting on a dacquoise cookie with calissons and orange blossom, caramel sauce with salted butter and roasted almonds, and exotic coulis heart.
59€ (10-12 persons)

2. Bernard Loiseau
Inspired by the rooftops of Burgundy, this cottage hides a blackcurrant mousse, light chocolate mousse with gingerbread spice, Madagascar chocolate mousse on a base of homemade gingerbread.
65€ (6-8 persons)

3. Christophe Michalak
We embark on a soft biscuit pecan nuts, aerial mousse in maple syrup, confit raspberry-blueberry.
98€ (8 persons)

4. Pierre Hermé
Stars in the eyes with a crunchy shortbread with chestnut flour, sweet chestnut biscuit, pear compote, chestnut cream.
48€ (4-6 persons)


Green beans with black garlic

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I am so happy I found black garlic in Paris and not overpriced – usually it costs between 10 and 20 € the bulb; I found this one at € 6 at la Vie Claire (organic supermarket). The good thing about it is that it’s organic and it does not come from Japan (since Fukushima, I have been avoiding Japanese products…). Originating from Japan (Aomori) or Korea, blakc garlic is a normal white garlic which has been candied in sea water or cooked at low temperature for several weeks, which gives it this black color, melting texture, and sweet taste. Personally I digest it much better than normal garlic. In addition, it is filled with antioxidants – twice as much as white garlic because it has fermented; and acts as an anticoagulant and even as a natural antibiotic. If you want to know more about its many benefits I invite you to read this article!

The Ingredients (for 2 persons)

– 1 or 2 cloves of black garlic
– 1/2 lemon’s juice
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 1 tablespoon sumac
– 200g of fresh green beans

The Recipe

1. Boil salted water and dip the beans in it for about 8 minutes (they must be crunchy).
2. In a salad bowl, mash the black garlic and mix with lemon juice, olive oil, and sumac. Add the green beans, salt, pepper and mix well.


Pop-up hotel by Le Fooding x Nespresso

Le Fooding and Nespresso team up and create the first Parisian hotel pop-up called VERTUHOTEL. You will be able to enjoy exceptional meals with the best chefs of the Fooding guide, in cocooning mode at the edge of a chimney fire, attend private projections, have lunch in bed, or dine with coffee mugs at will. Attention, there will be only 150 seats!

When: Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th of December

WhereC.O.Q. Hôtel
15 rue Edouard Manet, 75013 Paris

How much:

Cocktail + dinner + night : 200€ for 2 persons / 260€ with lunch
Lunch : 30€ par personne
Tea time + movie : 30€ per person
Dinner + movie : 30€ per person

Chefs:

Fabrizio Ferrara, Osteria Ferrara (Paris 11) – Fooding d’amour 2010
Katuaki Okiyama, Abri (Paris 10) et Abri Soba (Paris 9) – Fooding d’honneur 2017
Moko Hirayama et Omar Koreitem, Mokonuts (Paris 11) – Fooding d’amour 2017
Laura Portelli, Le Garde Manger (Paris 17) – Coup de coeur 2017

Reservations on the Fooding

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Terre d’Or – Bed and Breakfast in Beaune

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I took advantage of this month of November to discover Burgundy and especially Beaune. The region and its city are known for their many vineyards and great wines, as well as their renowned and starred restaurants. I highly recommend going there in the autumn, the leaves are of all colors, from intense reds to golden yellows, it’s sublime. I was lucky enough to stay in a fabulous guest house, called Terre d’Or, overlooking the town of Beaune and its vineyards. Jean-Louis decided to transform the family home in 1999 into a marvellous guest house, made of 5 rooms and 2 separate houses. A true family story: Jean-Louis, the ace of DIY, builds everything; Christine his wife takes care of the splendid garden; their son Vincent welcomes the guests with kindness; his Lithuanian wife Jurga decorates the house with her poetic sculptures; their son Gaspard, a little prodigy of nine years, plays piano tunes with boldness; without forgetting his great grandfather Georges at the origin of the house. A family filled with generosity and extreme kindness, which makes you feel good as soon as you arrive.

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The spacious and luminous bedrooms and their bathrooms have a breathtaking view of the surroundings and are incredibly peaceful. If you can not thrive of the swimming pool in summer, you go in the arranged cave and jump into the hot jacuzzi, a unique place!

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You can havve breakfast around the fireplace, and enjoy currant and raspberry jam – exceptional – organic and prepared in copper cauldron. Comté, dried sausage, fresh bread, all accompanied by a homemade grape juice picked by Gaspard in the adjacent vineyards.
Jean-Louis just began a long-term project that he showed us with passion: an enclosed plot of ​​several hectares where he just planted truffles, but also grapes, red fruits, kiwis, and figs. In a few years, he will propose workshops around nature, with fruit picking and food courses on his ground.
Meanwhile, Vincent and him organize days of discovery in the Beaune region, off the beaten path, where they make you meet winegrowers, during which you can of course taste the wines of the region and admire the most beautiful Burgundy views.
Terre d’Or
Rue Izembart – La Montagne
21200 BEAUNE
From 185€ a night

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Jean-Louis and Vincentterre-d-or_beaune_vignes_raisin

Domain Les Grèves

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In Jean-Louis “clos”, the yellow raspberries still point the tip of their noses in this November month!


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