We were happy to be checking out of Holiday Inn today due to its dampness getting worse and worse over our 5 day beach binge, it's a shame as its one of the nicest places we have stayed. But we were gutted to be leaving Unawatuna, one of our favourite places in the world. Last time we were in Sri Lanka, we did not take full advantage of the foods as we think with it being our first time in an Asian country we were worried about getting ill, however this time we have truly indulged, realising what we missed. CURRY. To ensure we could take a little bit of Sri Lanka home with us, we took part in a cooking class to learn how to make their famous Sri Lankan curry & rice. 5 different curries, centered around a mound of rice and papadums. The class started with a trip to the local market to decide on the vegetables and fish that we would like to use. The tuk tuk ride their and back was like a game of real life Mario Cart. Scary to say the least but all the dogs thankfully survived. Once back at the restaurant it was all hands on deck to prepare a feast, we even learnt how to make coconut milk and cream whilst drinking a cup of ginger tea to prepare our stomachs. The whole idea behind the whole Sri Lankan cuisine is that is medicinal and every spice and ingredient has an intended purpose for your body. At the end we all tucked into the feast: - Mango Curry - Pumpkin Curry - Fish Curry (Marlin) - Beetroot Curry - Long Bean Curry - Deep Fried Chillies All served with papadums and red rice. Again....we are outstanding cooks.
We had one last beer in Flamingo Bar before catching a tuk tuk to Mirissa. We did not visit Mirissa last time so we were not too sure what to expect, Unawatuna sets the bar very high.
On arrival a cool little surf town was at our feet. We checked into our accommodation that we had already booked for three nights as part of Char's birthday present from her Mum, Grandma and Grandad. What a treat. A deluxe room, hot water, four poster bed, clean (not damp), ensuite bathroom with massive shower and high quality towels. Oh the little things in life....
After a failed mission at one of the restaurants who refused to acknowledge our existence we seated ourselves in Wadiya, a beach, candle lit restaurant with amazing food. The staff member who was serving us was one of the oldest swingers in town, he invited us for massages and haircuts at his home, which focuses on relaxation (as he kept telling us), in the next few days. We think we will take him up on the offer.
M & C xxxx