As was deduced by PortMoresby, Gumbo was visiting the southern coast of Sri Lanka, specifically the Tangalla Bay Resort/Hotel near the town of Tangalle. The resort is built atop and into a steep hill that ends on a beautiful white sand beach on the Indian Ocean.
(interior, Tangalla Bay Resort)
The hotel is built to resemble a ship, the only building in Sri Lanka so constructed, and from its entry looks ready to launch into the sea. The interior of the hotel and its four levels of rooms (cabins) also are designed in a nautical theme. The lobby is double storied and a walkway ‘floats’ and curves to the rear of the resort. The walls also seem to float, never connecting with the roof in an acute angle.
(pool area and ocean view)
I never stayed at this resort though stopped by it for tea a number of times while traveling along the island’s south coast. The view from where I ate and enjoyed a cup of BOPF tea is as seen in the photo above, with the pool and ocean below. I think the rooms would have be equally interesting
For years I had thought this resort was built by renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, the most important architect from this island nation and arguably one of the most influential in Asia (to read more about his work, check out this website). But I was surprised to learn that resort was actually designed by another noted and obviously skilled Sri Lankan architect, Valentine Gunasekera, and was built in the 1970s,
(view of the resort from the Beach)
For a list of DrFumblefingers blog posts on Sri Lanka, please click on this link.
