Category Archives: Sri Lanka

16th August picture of the day…

16 Tuesday Aug 2022

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It’s a short blog from me tonight as the pair of us have had a very convivial night at the house of friends. Normally they cook for us but today we turned the tables and brought with us food we’d already pre-prepared. All that was left to do was cook the potatoes in chilli and the spicy chicken kebabs to go with all the salads and demon garlic mayonnaise we’d brought with us. Needless to say, a fine time was had by all – but I wouldn’t stand downwind of us in the morning!

The earlier part of the day saw Dawn commuting into the CRN office in Huddersfield whilst I worked from home planning more of next weeks round Britain odyssey and prepping a lot of old slides and other memorabilia which went live on eBay this evening. Follow this link to see what’s on offer, which includes 90 new slides which I’ve only added today. Oh, there’s also a selection of old badges and branded moleskine notebooks which may tickle your fancy.

As for today’s picture, this is identical to one of the slides that are now up for sale (starting price £1.99). I’ve added a selection of pictures of the railways of Sri Lanka, taken in 2003. The railway still uses a couple of British-built locomotives classes, including these examples, the M7s, which were built by Brush, Loughborough in 1981.

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15th March picture of the day…

15 Tuesday Mar 2022

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God, are we really half-way through March already? Where did the time go? It’s certainly been a tumultuous month so far what with the tragic and appalling events in the Ukraine and the knock-on effects around Europe and across the world. Just as we thought the planet was starting to recover from the unprecedented Covid pandemic we’re thrown back into death and uncertainty – along with a hefty economic hit.

Due to various events I’d really been looking forward to the idea of being able to get abroad again and had my eyes on Sri Lanka. So, today I checked the exchange rate. Sterling’s not been doing terribly well recently so you can imagine my surprise when I saw that compared to the other currencies I watch the Pound was up 27% against the Rupee. To give you an idea, last time I was in the country in January 2016 a pound was valued at 204 Rupees. It’s now at 356.

This made me do some digging. Apparently, the Rupee is being ‘adjusted’ due to economic hits which include a 40% rise in fuel costs and the collapse of the country’s foreign currency reserves due to Covid and the absence of foreign tourists – a situation that’s not going to improve as the No3 on the incoming visitors list was…Russia.

Even so, the country is an attractive destination as they’ve relaxed many Covid restrictions – making it easier to visit – and they need foreign currency. OK, there’s problems with various shortages but after living in post Brexit Britain the absence of stuff on supermarket shelves is more than made up for by the beaches! Besides, I’m not a fussy eater and I’m desperate to get away for some R&R and beach time.

Oh, there’s another attraction. Sri Lanka has the most amazing railway system. In some areas it’s still pure Victorian colonial, in others it’s modern, having been rebuilt after the terrible civil war. Oh, there’s a few modern Chinese multiple units taking over, but the infrastructure (especially the signaling) is out of another era and incredibly photogenic – especially in the hill country where the railway weaves its way through the tea plantations. Of course, it’s not going to last forever – just as it hasn’t in countries like Malaysia who’re spending huge sums dragging their railways into the 21st century. Thailand is too – and even India (the mother of all rail systems) is allocating vast amounts of capital to their rail budgets. So, today’s picture is one from my last trip to Sri Lanka back in 2016.

This is Haputale, in the hill country seen on the 17th January 2016. A German built diesel-hydraulic loco has called with a train from Badulla to Kandy whilst clouds swirl around the town which is perched on a ridge between two valleys 1431 meters above sea-level.

You can find many more pictures from this trip (and they’re not all railways – promise!) here.

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Thank you!

3rd March picture of the day…

03 Thursday Mar 2022

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Apologies for absence yesterday but I’ve been too busy earning a living and scribbling professionally as well as editing pictures to find the time to blog. Plus, there’s been nothing exciting going on at Bigland Towers worth relating. The month of March began in glorious fashion weather-wise but that was for one day only. Since then we’ve resumed the wet and misty conditions that dominated most of last month. I’ve still torn myself away from the computer to get my daily exercise but the amount’s the bare minimum this week.

That said, there’s a change on the horizon. After tomorrow I’ll be free to get out more and next week is looking very interesting indeed. On Monday-Tuesday I’m in Nottingham at the annual Community Rail Network conference. This is the first time it’s been held away from the internet since March 2020. We just managed to get away with that as a live event before Covid put the mockers on, so everybody’s really looking forward to being able to catch-up with each other in the flesh once more. I’d had the conference booked for some weeks. When I’d arranged it Dawn said to me “I’ve a funny feeling you’ll get some paid jobs come in at the same time”. Sure enough, her intuition was spot on. I’m now double (nay, triple) booked as I’ve now got a really exciting event to attend in London late Monday afternoon where I’ll be wearing two hats as well as my own, but it’s embargoed, so I can’t tell you what it is – for now. To add to the fun I was invited to another press event in the capital on Tuesday but I can’t juggle any more balls to fit that one in too. It’s times like this I really wish I could clone myself!

With all this going on I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend at home before the next round of railway ping-pong starts. Thankfully, I’ve had just enough time in between to put the last lot to bed and start with a clean sheet. That said, scanning old slides is hanging around there in the background. I’m hoping to be able to restart that soon but whilst the commissions are rolling in I’m happy to let it lie. They’ve waited this long so another few months isn’t going to hurt. Besides, there’s lots of what will soon to be history to report on whilst it’s still around…

Talking of history brings me on to the picture of the day. For this one I’ve dug into the archives. There aren’t many countries where you’ll find old British built railway engines in everyday service nowadays but Sri Lanka is one. Here’s one of the M7 Class diesel engines built by Brush, Loughborough and supplied to the country in 1981. Only 16 were built but they’re still plying their trade around the islands railways. This is No 809, seen at Colombo Fort station with a local passenger train on the 26th December 2003.

You can find many more pictures of Sri Lankan railways in this gallery, plus this more recent one from 2016.

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

4th January picture of the day…

04 Monday Jan 2021

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Sri Lanka, Travel

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Many people returned to work today for the first time after the Xmas and New Year break – only to find out in tonight’s announcement from the Prime Minister that that return is going to be short lived as England’s going back into another Covid lockdown. I have to admit to having lost track – it this the 2nd, 3rd or 4th? It all gets rather confusing – especially as the rules vary so much. Here in West Yorkshire shops have been open but the pubs shut months ago, so I’m never quite sure what ‘flavour’ of lockdown we’re meant to be having. In many ways it makes little difference to Dawn and I as we’ve maintained as much distance from people as possible as it is! The only people we’ve seen in the flesh on a regular basis are the other occupants of our ‘bubble’ (Dawn’s parents). Sadly, this latest announcement will stop us celebrating Norah’s 80th in the way we’d hoped, but otherwise it’s not going to make a huge difference to us as far as I can see as we’d planned to be pretty reclusive this month anyway.

At least we can still get out for exercise, which is part of our plan. I managed a couple rambles through our local woods which gave me chance to get my steps in and take a break for staring at a computer screen all day. I’m trying to make the most of my incarceration by ramping up my working hours to make up for Festive down-time and catch-up with work. After all, there’s not a lot else to do…

Which brings me on to the picture of the day. I’m on the edge of another milestone as I’m within spitting distance of having all my foreign railway slides scanned and uploaded to my Zenfolio website. This was one of today’s batch. I took this picture on in Sri Lanka on the 6th January 2003. This is the view from the ‘Podi Menike’ express train from Kandy through to Badulla as it twists and turns its way along the hill railway and through all the tea plantations that cover a vast area of this part of the Island. Oh, to be there now, leaning out of a coach door to grab a shot of the train as it snakes around the sharp curves.

The hill railway really is like stepping back in time with its pretty little stations that have changed little since the Victorian Era when the railway was built although in recent years loco-hauled trains like this have been displaced on express services by modern Diesel Multiple Units. What remains unchanged is the fantastic scenery! You can find the scenic pictures (and many more rail shots) by clicking on this link.

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If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

2nd January picture of the day…

02 Saturday Jan 2021

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I’m back! Happy 2021 folks…

I took a day off from blogging yesterday as there’d been sweet bugger-all to blog about. Let’s face it – it’s not as if I was going to write about gallivanting around the country, is it? Sedentary is the word that best describes yesterday.

Today was a little more exciting as the weather’s changed again and we’ve had several snow flurries – enough to stop us thinking about driving out into the hills to go walking. Instead we hoofed it from home through our local woods (which looked lovely in their dusting of snow) down to the valley bottom for a stroll along the canal from Copley into Sowerby Bridge. We were both surprised to see just how much of the canal was frozen over. As dwellers of the high valley side we see more sun, so it’s sometimes a shock to see the way the cold congregates on the valley floor.

Despite the weather we had a lovely walk which (despite its length) got us home in plenty of time for a relaxing evening at home, playing Scrabble and watching films. I suspect this is going to be the shape of weekends for sometime yet. Well, maybe minus the snow.

On top of everything else I did manage to get a few more old slides scanned, which has provided the picture of the day. I took this on the train trip from Colombo to Kandy (Sri Lanka) on the 30th December 2002.

I love the way many railway stations in Sri Lanka have such a wonderful display of potted plants! I wish we could get some of the involved in the Community Rail Awards, although I suspect Community Rail Network might have a heart-attack at the cost of flying a couple of us judges out all that way!

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

13th December picture of the day…

13 Sunday Dec 2020

Posted by in History, Musings, Railways, Sri Lanka, Travel

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Apologies that blogging’s becoming erratic at the moment. It’s the old ‘spinning plates’ syndrome and the closer we get to Christmas the more plates there are to spin! To say we’re living in ‘interesting times’ at the moment isn’t exactly helping either. I’m treading a fine line between trying to ignore the inevitable Brexitshambles whilst trying to prepare for it and really wanting a cathartic spleen-venting at the same time. Oh, and the weather’s been shit and I haven’t been getting my exercise in either, plus we seem to be living in a Covid hotspot right now – so I’ve not had a vintage week. I’d love to see 2020 ‘do one’ – but January’s hardly likely to be a fantastic month as the Brexitshambles shit will finally hit the fan. I have a feeling it’s going to be a brooding sort of month, whilst making plans…

On the positive side, the pair of us have had a productive weekend decluttering and Dee’s done a fantastic job of making the living room a festive space at the same time. We don’t often bother as we’re not normally here, but this year we’ve done what a lot of people have and made the effort to inject a bit of joy into the place. OK, I promise, there’s no inflatable Santa’s on the roof or the outside lighting that requires the entire output of a power station. In the words of the the famous Cupid Stunts (aka Kenny Everett)- “it was all done in the best possible taste”!

In the meantime I’ve got a busy week ahead. A couple of writing jobs have been confirmed and I’ve plenty to keep me occupied otherwise – although the office party season’s looking a bit thin!

Right, on to the pictures of the day. I’m still ploughing my way through old slides and recently I’ve deviated from the travel stuff from 1999 to go back in time to 1992 and some historic railway pictures. Here’s one I scanned this evening. I’ve always been fascinated by railway signalling which is a complex art in itself – especially when the Victorians designed some wonderfully Heath-Robinson semaphore systems like this. I took this picture in Kandy, Sri Lanka back in January 1992 – although when I was there just 3 years ago it still existed.

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

10th November picture of the day…

10 Tuesday Nov 2020

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For the first time in several days the fog in the Calder Valley lifted, letting us feel like part of the outside world again. Well, apart from the fact we can only look at it, not venture out into it as Dawn and I are still in isolation, so Friday will be the first day we can venture out – which is a bit of a bugger as tomorrow’s our wedding anniversary. Mind you – even if we could go out – where is there to go? We had booked a meal at the wonderful Moorcock Inn up at Norland Moor but they could see which way the wind was blowing before lockdown 2 was announced so decided to pre-empt things and close on their own terms. So, the expression ‘all dressed up and nowhere to go’ springs to mind!

All this has meant today was just another day with the same routine with the pair of us working from home, getting on with stuff whilst looking forward to whatever version of reality is resumed the first, which in our case will be the ability to leave the house.

The positive side of things is that I’m within spitting distance of scanning my last album of old rail slides, just a few more days and it’ll be job done. Sure, there’s a few dribs and drabs, but what was once a very long shelf in my office at home in North London has finally disappeared, leaving me free to concentrate on other things. To be honest, the week’s been a fairly positive and optimistic one due to events happening in the wider world. Events that I’m hoping will mean that early next year we’ll be able to do what’s featured in the picture of the day. I took this picture at Mirissa beach, Sri Lanka on the 27th January 2016 and what’s shocked me is I realise this is the last beach holiday the pair of us had. It’s not that we haven’t been to lots of places since – just not to a tropical beach – and I’m missing it!

If only…

Having had my wings so badly clipped in 2020 I can’t wait for this year to be over and look forward to making up for lost time. Sun, sea and fantastic food, what could be more perfect?

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Thank you!

5th November picture of the day…

05 Thursday Nov 2020

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I feel very odd trapped stuck indoors on one of my favorite days of the year – Bonfire night. Unlike many old English traditions (like mischief night) it hasn’t been taken over and Americanised or turned into a marketing exercise. I’ve fond memories of childhood bonfire parties at home and also later in life in London when Lynn and I would attend one of the big organised displays. Our nearest, and the one we frequented most was just down the road at Alexandra Palace. We’d walk down there with friends and laden with mulled wine and snacks. Now, up here in Yorkshire Dawn and I have tended to have our own little displays and invite her parent over to join us. This year, all I can do is watch from the bedroom window, or listen to the bangs and whistles as I sit in the office typing this. It’s a bit of a damp squib, but then so’s the American Presidential election, which is moving forward at a glacial pace and looks certain to drag on for weeks as Trump and the right-wingers try and drag things out in the courts. Democracy is looking very fragile at the moment as the right-wing populists do everything they can to cling to power. One can only hope Biden spoils their plans.

I’ve not really paid attention to the stateside shenanigans as little’s happened and I’ve been too busy with writing and sorting out the latest tranche of eBay sales which has left me with no time for slide scanning. Hopefully, next week will be another matter after the final part of my round Britain trip for RAIL magazine goes off to the proof-readers and I get a break before I start the next article, which should give me time to scribble some words for pleasure and write-up a couple of blogs that I’ve been thinking about. After all, I’m not going anywhere for a while yet, and it’s not like I’ve got a plane to catch. I wish…!

With today being bonfire night the picture of the day rather chose itself – as you’ll see in a minute. A lot of play is made nowadays about how animals are terrified of fireworks and that they should be banned as a consequence. I’ve extremely mixed feelings about that. Yes, I’ve known some animals that are absolutely terrified. The family dog (Dori) was one, but then so was my mother in her later years. When it came to November 5th my mum would break out the Valium and give one half of a pill to herself and the other half to the dog!

Jet, our cat, is the opposite. In his younger days he’d go wandering off out to see what the noise was all about as he had that sort of nature. Now that he’s an old bugger he’s not the slightest bit interested, but that could be because he’s as deaf as post!

Ok, the picture of the day – you’ll see where I’ve been going now. I took this picture on New Years eve 2003 in Tangalle, Sri Lanka. The owner of the homestay we were lodging in had a party on the beach, which involved copious amounts of fireworks. Rather than running away and hiding one of the local mutts was fascinated by them and did its best to try and catch and eat them!

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If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

25th September picture of the day…

25 Friday Sep 2020

Posted by in Architecture, Picture of the day, Sri Lanka, Travel

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No politics today, my spleen may still need venting but I’m giving it a day off. Instead I’m happy that I’ve finished the first in the trilogy of articles I’m writing for RAIL magazine about my week long trip around Britain by rail. Part one covers three days, so to me it feels a little rushed. Trying to describe all my experiences in 4000 words is always difficult as there’s so much stuff that I have to leave out – which is the hardest part of writing them. A week travelling around the UK by rail is enough to fill a book, never mind a series of magazine features. Hopefully people will enjoy it anyway.

I’m now going to have the weekend off to concentrate on other things. So – without further ado – here’s the picture of the day, which was taken on the 2nd February 2016 in Galle old town, Sri Lanka.

I’ve always enjoyed Art Deco architecture and this restored house really caught my eye. I’d have loved to have seen if the inside matched…

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Thank you!

22nd July picture of the day…

22 Wednesday Jul 2020

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Hmm, where to take you in time and space today? In the present it’s been an unexciting day that I won’t bore you with, so let me see what’s in the archives…

I took this picture in March 1992 from the top of Adams Peak in Sri Lanka. It was during my year long solo trip. I hadn’t originally intended to go to Sri Lanka but I met a couple of fellow travellers (who called themselves Pip and Gyppo) in Kerala, India and we ended up travelling together for a while. They’d planned to visit the island and we could get cheap flights from Trivandrum to Colombo, so I thought hell, why not?

We had a fantastic time together for several weeks and one of the highlights was visiting the hills to climb Adams Peak. It’s called that as one of the folklore story’s surrounding it is that it’s where Adam (of Adam and Eve) first stepped down to Earth from Heaven. It’s not just Christians who revere it. Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim pilgrims also ascend the 2243 metre high peak and have different versions of the story and different names for the mountain.

Like most people, we stayed at the base of the peak, then rose early in the morning to begin the climb so that we could arrive at the top just before dawn. It’s not an easy climb, even though there’s steps cut into much of the mountain. But, it is worth it – as this picture shows. The views as the sun rises are sublime.

T3194. Adams Peak. Sri Lanka. 1992.

I’ve never got around to scanning all my pictures from that particular trip, but if you want to see pictures from more recent trips to Sri Lanka, follow this link.

 

 

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