Wednesday 20 May 2015

Review of Waterfalls Homestay, Ella

After a fabulous couple of days at Sujatha's, in Kandy, and a spectacular train trip into the hill country, we found ourselves wandering, slightly nervously, down Ella's busy and slightly grubby main street.  We followed my map and took a right turn up and away from the road.  With the noise of tuk-tuks and buses fading behind us (thankfully), we continued on for around 15 minutes and arrived at Waterfalls Homestay.

I had read that it was a peaceful spot, away from the (relative) rush of the town, but this was a serious understatement.  The place is chilled in the extreme and it's impossible not too fall in love with it and everything around it.  The views from the breakfast table, towards the waterfall, but also over farmland and forest, are sublime.  Almost as good as the breakfasts with great coffee, fruit, curd, honey and eggs done exactly the way you want.  Evening meals are also a hit with some of the dishes being better than anything I'd tasted in the country.  Memories of Kemal's sour fish curry (or Ambul Thiyal) brings tears to my eyes for all the right reasons.  Powerful black pepper, sour Gorika fruit and cubes of tuna, a mix that had bubbled away gloriously on a generous base of fresh curry leaves.

Our room, the studio, was on the first floor, with wonderful views and a tree-house sort of feel to it.  The room was spacious, clean, incredibly comfortable and, as an added bonus, had a extensive library of books.  I happened to pick up Across many mountains; putting it down again was extremely difficult.  A brilliant read especially if you have an interest in the Tibetan/China situation disaster.

Ella is famous for it's big rock, for postcard landscapes, for little Adams Peak and for it's position in amongst some of Sri Lanka's most wonderful tea plantations. For me it is special because of Waterfalls Homestay and hopefully, when I return, that is were I will once again unwind.
 
The view through Ella Gap

Not a bad spot for breakfast

Waterfalls

The view back towards Waterfalls Homestay from 'the' waterfall

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