Kathe's Photo Gallery

Horton Plains National Park, "Maha-Eliya" in Sinhala, is a national park in the highlands of Sri Lanka. It lies at a height of more than 2000 m in the central highlands, and its altitude means that it has a much cooler and more windy climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka. The park covers 31.60 km², and is a mixture of highland forest and wet grassland. The park also has a well-visited tourist attraction at World's End, a sheer precipice with a 1050 m drop. The return walk passes the scenic Baker Falls. Early morning visits are essential, both to see the wildlife, and to view World's End before mists close in during the later part of the morning.

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The Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya is located in close proximity to the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is renowned for the collection the variety of Orchids,and has more than 300 varieties of Orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palms trees attach it is the National Herbarium. The Classical Avenue of Palms is located in this Garden. One tree with a significant history is the Cannon ball Tree planted by King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary in 1901. The tree is bent with its fruits which looks like Cannon Ball, which is how it came to be named.

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Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and ruins of a castle situated in central Matale District of Sri Lanka. It is a popular tourist destination and also popular for the ancient paintings (frescos) very similar to the paintings in Ajanta Caves of India. It was built during the reign of King Kasyapa (477 - 495 AD) and one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

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Dambulla Cave Temple (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) is a world heritage site (1991) in Sri Lanka, situated in the central part of the country. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers 160 m over the surrounding plains.There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding. Major attractions are spread over 5 caves, which contain statues and paintings. This paintings and statues are related to Lord Buddha and his life. There are total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and 4 statues of gods and goddesses. The later 4 include two statues of Hindu gods, god Vishnu and god Ganesh. The murals, covers an area of 2,100 square meters.

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The Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle in the hills of central Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka wildlife department in a 25 acre coconut property near the Maha Oya river. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned elephants found in the jungle. This 24 acre elephant orphanage is also a breeding place for elephants. Twenty elephants have been born since 1984, and the orphanage has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. As of 2003, there were 65 elephants. The main attraction is clearly to observe the bathing elephants from the tall river bank.

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Beauty, Tranquility, Romance. These are the three magical ingredients which make Hunas Falls Hotel a Haven in the Hills. Close to the hill capital, Kandy, this hideaway sits perched on a mountain peak, with the cascading Hunas Falls waterfall forming a dramatic backdrop. Breakfast on an open outcrop and long walks amidst wild flowers and shady groves.

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The tea industry is one of the main foreign exchange gaining industry in Sri Lanka also became the world's leading exporter in 1995 shared 23% of the total export. The central highlands of the country, low temperature climate throughout the year, annual rainfall and the level of humidity are more favorable geographical factors for production in high quality tea. The industry was introduced to the country in 1867 by James Taylor, the British planter who arrived in 1852. Ceylon black tea is black tea that is grown in Sri Lanka (which was known as Ceylon before 1972). It has a crisp aroma reminiscent of citrus, and is used both unmixed and in blends. It is grown on numerous estates which vary in altitude and taste.

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The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the royal palace complex which houses the only surviving relic of Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by Buddhists. The relic has played an important role in the local politics since ancient times, it's believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it with great effort. On January 25, 1998, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists carried out a deadly suicide attack inside the temple, killing 8 civilians and leaving 25 others injured, as well as significant damage to the temple structure.But has been fully restored each time.

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We've been to many nice hotels. This time we chose some more expensive ones (double room 40-50 EUR half board). Actually in all the hotels (except in Colombo last night) we have been the only guests, though season was not over yet. Especially nice and romantic were Rainforest Edge in Weddagala (Sinharaja Rainforest), Kalu's Hideaway in Udawalawe and Centauria Hotel in Embilipitiya. All these hotels offered great service, beautiful and clean rooms and amazing views. This applies also to the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo, where we stayed the last night.

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Located in south-west Sri Lanka, Sinharaja is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians. Sinharaja is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. One of the few virgin forests left in the world.

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Uda Walawe is the best park in Sri Lanka to watch and photograph wild elephants. Located next to the vast Uda Walawe reservoir, only a short drive from the South Coast, the park covers an area of over 30,000 hectares and consists of a mixture of scrubland and teak forest. The lack of forest in some areas is due to the extensive slash-and-burn farming that was once practised in this area. Uda Walawe became the country's fifth National Park in 1972.

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The Wavulpane Limestone cave in the Kolonne Regional Secretariat area of Sabaragamuwa Province is with geological importance for scientists, university students, and school children for educational purpose. The Wavulpane cave is 912 ft. above sea level. This cave derives its name from the many thousands of bats living in it. (Make sure to wear clothes you would not mind getting soiled). See the stalactites and stalagmites dating back to the Pre-Cambrian era.
The 45m WAWULPANA FALL is an internal waterfall within the limestone cave, which is 500 billion years old and is the oldest such cave on the island.

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We went on a boat ride from Centauria Hotel right across the lake and then along the lake bank to watch the birds. Unfortunately it was a motor boat making lots of noise, we would have enjoyed a paddling boat like in English Garden, but the lake is far too big to paddle across.

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We asked our driver quite frequently to stop at the small shops next to the rads selling traditional Sri Lankan snacks, fresh fruits and vegetable. I am always up for trying everything, and though I resisted in Singapore to try Durian (because of the bad smell), I tried aa fresh one in Sri Lanka. Well, it is not as bad as I imagined, it was ok to try, but I am not keen on eating it again...
I tried Jambu fruit and Rambutan (like Lychee) and Mangosteen which was very delicious!

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Nestling in the lap of the awe-inspiring mountain frontier of the Kolonne valley is his medieval castle-like walauwa that originally had 141 spacious living rooms and 12 ‘meda midulas’ (inner courtyards). Maduwanwela Dissawe died in 1930 and his grand walauwa now lies in shambles. He is remembered even today for his proud independence and how he never bowed down to the white rulers (the Government Agents) of his domain.

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There are over 12,000 small man-made reservoirs in Sri Lanka, some dating back over 2,000 years. They are part of Sri Lanka's ancient civilization, in which rulers built reservoirs for rice cultivation.
It is hoped that such reservoirs could be used for culture-based fishery (CBF) ― a combination of a traditional fishery and an artificial aquaculture practice.
Aquaculture practice is the introduction of small fish ― or any aquatic organisms ― into a water body, which are reared until they are mature enough for harvesting.

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Offshore, 65km east of Mersing, Pulau Dayang is located within the Johor Marine Park. The island is in close proximity of sites to dive, from deep trenchers to shallow reefs. Most noted for its pelagic sightings Dayang has been the site of many sightings of whale shark and manta Ray. Diving ranges from rock boulders and submerged reefs to wrecks. The channel between Pulau Aur and Dayang is rich with coral reefs in relatively shallow waters. There is a unique opportunity to dive on a wreck just off the shore of Dayang. The rocky area, has steep drop-offs that provide shelter to giant stingrays, groupers, turtles and large schools of barracudas.
The PADI Open Water Diver course is the first certification level of diving. Throughout the course, one learns fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive equipment and techniques. To get a PADI Open Water Diver certification one has to complete five confined water dives and knowledge development sessions and make four open water dives.

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Kuala Lumpur, often abbreviated as K.L., is the capital of Malaysia and has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. The city has a mix of different cultures which include Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, as well as indigenous races from East Malaysia and Peninsula Malaysia. The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern, and postmodern architecture mix. The Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin buildings and office building in the world. Closeby is the Kuala Lumpur TV Tower, its antenna reaches 421 m hight. The upper area contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners a beautiful view of the city. Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is Southeast Asia's largest bird park and houses more than 5000 birds. The Thean Hou Temple is a landmark six-tiered Chinese temple. It is located atop Robson Heights. Batu Caves is a limestone hill, which has a series of caves and cave temples. It is the focal point of the annual Thaipusam festival in Malaysia and attracts over more than 1.5 million pilgrims.

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Melaka is a city with a glorious past hidden behind each facade of the centuries-old buildings. Every step you take down the narrow winding roads, there will be a poece of historic treasure waiting to be told. Albeit being the second smallest state in Malaysia, it is undoubtedly the wealthiest when it comes to history, culture and cuisine.
Melaka was occupied by the Portuguese in the early 16th century who stayed for 150 years. Next came the Dutch who also stayed for more than 150 years but in trying to control everything to their advantage furthered the decline of Melaka's power and glory. The last colonial power to lay claim to Melaka were the British, who saw the potential of Melaka as a free trade zone at Penang on the west coast. By 1955 Malaysia became independent.

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Rawa Islands that dreams are made of, secluded white beaches and palm fringed; images which can be found here in Malaysia, to add to the dream blazing sunlight and a cool green, clear lagoon, where fish dart and swim in never ending circles.

Visitors on the beach wallowing in the sunlight. The simple pleasures of Rawa Island is 16 km off Mersing Johor and has offshore coral reefs rich with marine life.

This is the type of place you can leave your cares, worries, your problems behind, just lay back soak it all up, and enjoy the moment, forget the phone, time and all the rigors of town life; Live life to the full on "Rawa".

A number of tiny wooden chalets will be your resting place amongst the palms and flowers.

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Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primate city of Thailand. It was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River and came to the forefront of Thailand when it was given the status as the capital city in 1768.
The city's mix of Thai, Chinese, Indian, Buddhist, Muslim and Western cultures combined with the driving force of the Thai economy makes it increasingly attractive. As well as excellent bargains, the markets also offer a slice of local life and a great opportunity to sample the kind of food.
Surviving canals, and the Chao Phraya River provide memorable vignettes of traditional waterborne way-of-life that has remained essentially unchanged over the centuries. The river and canals may be conveniently explored by chartered boat or cruise.

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The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in Bangkok, Thailand. It served as the official residence of the king of Thailand from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. The palace complex sits on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The other approaches to the palace are protected by a defensive wall of 1,900 metres in length.
The Wat Phra Kaew (English Temple of the Emerald Buddha) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The wall surrounding the temple area – from the outside only a plain white wall – is painted with scenes from the Thai version of the Ramayana mythology, the Ramakian. Several statues in the temple area resemble figures from this story, most notably the giants (yak), five-meter high statues. Also originating from the Ramayana are the monkey kings and giants which surround the golden chedis.

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Surrounded by rugged mountains, scenic hot springs and dunes, The Cove Rotana Resort is located
on an idyllic water inlet on the Ras Al Khaimah beachfront overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The Cove Rotana Resort is an ideal destination for leisure and relaxation. As we were looking for a special location to celebrate our wedding, we fell in love with this resort and the excellent service provided.

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The Masdar Institute is the centerpiece of the Masdar Initiative, a landmark program by the government of Abu Dhabi to establish an entirely new economic sector dedicated to alternative and sustainable energy.
The Masdar Institute is a private, not-for-profit, independent, research-driven institute developed with the support and cooperation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Institute offers Masters and (eventually) PhD programs in science and engineering disciplines, with a focus on advanced energy and sustainable technologies. It welcomes and encourages applications from qualified local and international students and provides fellowships to talented students who meet its high admission standards.
Source: http://www.masdar.ac.ae/

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In November 2006, my parents, Nayan and me went to Fujeirah to go for some snorkeling at Dibba Rock. We rented a bungalow at the beach, it was lovely and quiet, away from all the traffic and rush in Dubai.
In January 2007 we went again with my company for a day-out at a nice hotel, buffet and games at the beach.

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Some shots of Dubai 2006 - 2009: Construction, Traffic, Skyscrapers and Shopping Malls...

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My birthday at Savage Garden, Dubai in November 2008.

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Nayan graduated as a Senior Flight Steward with Emirates Airlines after 3,5 months training period, tests and successful interviews with the leadership trainers. He is now in charge of the Economy or Business class crew, ensuring the Emirates standards, service and safety wise as well as dealing with valued customers. Furthermore the Purser and two SFS are conducting the briefing of the crew members before each flight and writing reports in the crew performance feedback system.

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Friends at Savage Garden and Salsa dancing at Nayan's place during Ramadan 2008.

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My friend Aasim is stage manager at the Al Sahra Amphitheatre Dubai. He invited us for the show "JUMANA secret of the desert". It is an Arabic story with dancing, camels and horses and great special effects like lasers, beamer projections on water fountains and fireworks. After the show we had a look at the Souq (market) and enjoyed a drink and a Shisha at the restaurant. Aasim showed us at the stage later, which is surrounded by water and technically state of the art.

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In November 2006, when my parents came to visit me in Dubai, we went for a desert safari and dune dinner. First we drove with the Jeeps up and down the dunes, then did some sand dune boarding in the sun set, camel riding, dressing the traditional way, eating Arabic dinner, Shisha smoking and belly dancing.

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A must-do is a ride on one of the Abras (small boats) that transport pedestrians across the creek. We booked a driver for a 40 minute tour down to the golf club and back. The bigger ships for transporting cargo are called Dhows. These ones can also be booked for parties and candle light dinners. Enjoy the fresh breeze and amazing view.

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In November 2006 we did some sight-seeing in Deira and Bur Dubai, the oldest parts of the city to the left and the right of the Creek. In Deira is the famous Gold Souq with many little jewellery shops next to each other. The first school for rich merchant's sons was reconstructed and opened for tourists.

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The Olympic-size ice rink within Dubai Mall boasts world-class facilities. Whether you want to learn skating, perfect your technique, play ice hockey, socialise with friends or just have a great time, this spectacular venue is the coolest place to hang out, any time of the year.

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Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of more than 1,180,000 (as of 2006).
We were staying in a community 4 km in the north east of the city center. One day we went on an excursion to visit a garden with stone-sculptures of local and international artists.

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Bobo-Dioulasso is the second biggest city in Burkina Faso. The city is situated in the southwest of the country, some 350 km from Ouagadougou. It is significant both economically (agricultural trade, textile industry) and culturally.
Helene and me went there for a 2 days trip by bus, took a room in a small and lovely hotel and explored the lively markets and cultural sites of the city. One afternoon we payed some entrance fee to enjoy the pool of a bigger hotel to relax and cool down from the burning African heat.

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We stayed at the house of the manager of Solidarité Jeunesse, and Coco, Helene and me shared a room, sleeping on our sleeping bags on the floor. Shower and toilet were pretty basic as there was no running water, but at least we had electricity for TV and the computer (without internet connection). We also had gas for cooking in the kitchen and Mocta had a car, so our living standard was still much higher than the one of our neighbours.

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I was teaching English in a secondary school. The girls were very nice and eager to learn. I let them do role plays to practice dialogues and learn vocabulary of different subjects, such as explaining someone the way, going to the doctor, buying food or clothes at the market and bargain the price :-)

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We were living among the local people, visited family and friends or have them come over to our place. We loved the cheering kids running around and waving at us. Being so close to them was a great experience.

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Milan (Italian: Milano) is the second largest city of Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. It has a population of 1.3 million. Milan is renowned as one of the world capitals of design and fashion. The Lombard metropolis is famous for its fashion houses and shops (such as along via Montenapoleone) and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in the Piazza Duomo (reputed to be the world's oldest shopping mall). Castello Sforzesco (English: Sforza Castle) is a castle that now houses several of the city's museum and art gallery collections. The original construction on the site began in the 14th century. In 1450, Francesco Sforza began reconstruction of the castle, and it was further modified by later generations.

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Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne. Zürich can be counted as one of the world's pre-eminent global cities. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zürich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world, as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. Zürich is also ranked the sixth most expensive city in the world.

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Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar. We've been to Mauritius in July 2010 for 2 days and stayed in the 4* La Plantation Resort and Spa in Balaclava (north-west of the island). The hotel is nicely located at beautiful beach in calm bay where we could do water sports, relax and enjoy a beautiful sunset.

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Dresden has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendour. The city was completely destroyed by the controversial Allied aerial bombing towards the end of World War II. The impact of the bombing and 40 years of urban development during the East German socialist era have considerably changed the face of the city. Some restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of historic inner city, including the Katholische Hofkirche, the Semperoper and the Dresdner Frauenkirche. Since the German reunification in 1990, Dresden has re-emerged as a cultural, educational, political and economic centre of Germany.

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The Spreewald (German for "Spree forest"; in Lower Sorbian: Błota) is situated 100 km south-east of Berlin and designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1991. It is known for its traditional irrigation system which consists of more than 200 small channels (called "Fließe"; total length : 1,300 km ) within the 484 km² area. The landscape was shaped during the ice-age. Alder forests on wetlands and pine forests on sandy dry areas are characteristic for the region, however, also grasslands and fields can be found.
As of 1998 about 50,000 people live in the biosphere reserve. Many of them are descendants of the first settlers in the Spreewald region, the Slavic tribes of the Sorbs/Wends. Until today, they have preserved their traditional language, customs and clothing.
People mostly depend on tourism. Many tourists enjoy the exploration of the Spreewald in punts. However, also agriculture, forestry and fishery are important sources of income.

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Cottbus is a city in Brandenburg, Germany, situated around 125 km southeast of Berlin on the River Spree. I grew up here and went to school. My mother and my brother still live here, so I come here frequently to visit them. Cottbus has an old airfield transformed into a museum for military planes and helicopters. The inner city has historic buildings dating back to the 13th century as well as many buildings from the industrial revolution at the beginning of 1900. The Branitzer Park and the castle of Prince Pückler are another attraction. To the north of Cottbus there is a huge area for surface mining of brown coal, the damaged landscape will be "re-naturized" later.

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Meiningen is a town in the Southern part of the state of Thuringia and the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra. This is my birth town and my grand parents live here. Meiningen is a small town of about 20,000 inhabitants, it has a beautiful theater, and many well preserved half-timbered houses and castles. There is also a nearby airfield where we usually stop by as Nayan loves flying.

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Ulm is a city in the German Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 (2006), forms an urban district of its own. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and traditions as a former Free Imperial City. Today, it is an economic centre due to its varied industries, and it is the seat of 2 universities. Internationally, Ulm is primarily known for the tallest church in the world, the Gothic minster (Ulm Minster) and as the birthplace of Albert Einstein.
I studied here and I just love this lively town and its amazing surroundings and landscape. The Blautopf (German for Bowl of the Blau, "blau" means blue) is a spring that serves as the source of the river Blau in the karst landscape on the Swabian Alb's southern edge, in Southern Germany. It is located in the city of Blaubeuren, approximately 16 km (10 miles) west of Ulm. It forms the drain for the Blau cave system and feeds the river Blau, which after 14.5 km (9 miles), flows into the river Danube in the city of Ulm. Because of its high water pressure, the spring has developed a funnel-like shape, which at its deepest point has a depth of 21 metres (69 ft). The water's blue color is the result of chemical properties of limestone densely distributed in the water.

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Allgäu is a German region in the southwest of Bavaria also extending some kilometres into southeastern Baden-Württemberg. The region stretches from the prealpine lands up to the Alps. The main rivers flowing through the Allgäu are the Lech and Iller rivers.
The area, notable for its beautiful landscape, and its Hirtenkäse ("herder's cheese"), is popular for vacations and convalescences. The alpine regions of Allgäu, which exceed 2,000 metres of altitude, offer good skiing facilities. The legendary Neuschwanstein Castle is located in the eastern part of Allgäu. Despite its advantages, the land is not overcrowded by tourists.

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Weimar is a city in Germany mostly known for its cultural heritage. It is located in Thuringia with a current population of approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899. Weimar was the capital of the Duchy (after 1815 the Grand Duchy) of Saxe-Weimar (German Sachsen-Weimar). Its cultural heritage includes the Weimar Classicism of Goethe and Schiller, the Bauhaus as well as the Weimar Republic.
In 1937, the Nazis constructed the Buchenwald concentration camp, only eight kilometers from Weimar's city center. The slogan Jedem das Seine (literally "to each his own", but figuratively "everyone gets what he deserves") was placed over the camp's main entrance gate. Between July 1938 and April 1945, some 240,000 people were incarcerated in Buchenwald by the Nazi regime. The Buchenwald concentration camp provided slave labour for local industry and is now converted into a memorial site.

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Torgau is a town on the banks of the Elbe in northwestern Saxony. Outside Germany, the town is most well-known as the place where during the Second World War, United States Army forces coming from the west met with forces of the Soviet Union coming from the east during the invasion of Germany on April 25, 1945.
Sights include the historic town centre, restored since the unification, a brewery museum, the monument for the meeting of the Russian and American troops on the Elbe and a Russian military cemetery. The early Renaissance Hartenfels castle dominates the town. The chapel was built in 1544 (designed by Nickel Gromann) and combines late Gothic with early Renaissance elements. It was consecrated by Martin Luther on October 5, 1544. Brown bears are still kept in the moat.
My grand pa lives near Torgau, so we came to visit him and he told us about the history of this beautiful area.

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Berlin is the capital of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. First documented in the 13th century, Berlin was successively the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945). During the 1920s, Berlin was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a Western exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of all Germany hosting 147 foreign embassies.

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Lake Constance (German: Bodensee) is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps.
The lake is situated between Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
The freshwater lake sits at 395 m above sea level and is Central Europe's third largest. It is 63 km long, and at its widest point, nearly 14 km. It covers approximately 571 km² (208 mi²) of total area. The greatest depth is 252 m in the middle of the eastern part.
My friends Sandra and Martin live in Bodman-Ludwigshaven next to the lake and invited us over to enjoy the beautiful lush green landscape and fresh apples from the farmers. There is also a tree-top rope course nearby, which was great fun as well as challenging and exhausting.
(Sorry my cam broke down, pics look like 100 years old!)

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