Cinnamon Lakeside serves up the best of three worlds

Posted by Unknown on Monday, May 12, 2014 | 0 comments | Leave a comment...

Adding an unusual yet wholly welcome twist to the typical brunch spreads that adorn hotel restaurants in celebration of the weekend, Cinnamon Lakeside is offering a delectable spread of flavours, rounding up mouth-watering delicacies from the hotel’s three key restaurants – The Dining Room, Royal Thai and Long Feng – at an ‘All Access Sunday Brunch’.
Giving diners right of entry to feast on an array of dishes, from Chinese to Indian, Continental, Thai and Sri Lankan, the brunch promotion, running for two months since last Sunday, is the perfect way to greet a Sunday before heading into yet another busy week.
The spread is extensive and requires a slow and steady intake, with many breaks in between. The dishes extend from The Dining Room and go on to the terrace overlooking the pool with cuisine from the Thai and Indian restaurants placed right in front of the respective restaurants.
Sushi and salad
We recommend that you start by treating your taste buds to the delightful salad and seafood bar at The Dining Room. On one side, heaps of sushi maki and sashimi with a fiery wasabi and beautifully-arranged lobsters, oysters, mussels and flavoursome salmon wait waiting to be piled onto plates. On the other is a big plate of hummus, Mexican seafood salad, chicken salad and a host of other salads. The journey only begins here.
The inside 
After the first plate is consumed, the next challenge is to decide what to have next. Should you go all international, or come to that last after tasting some spicy Thai and Indian favourites? Or should you just mix it all in one go?
We opted to start with The Dining Room itself. Pasta with extremely and perfectly creamy seafood, a scrumptious shepherd’s pie and mashed potato, buttered vegetables, crumb fried chicken (deliciously crunchy on the out and juicy inside) and prawn with fish roulade were some of the dishes served up.
Alongside these, carbonade of beef, cashew and pea curry, devilled seafood, grilled pork chop, tempered wing beans and lassoni fish tikka also gleamed from delightfully presented dishes.
The meat items and the seafood were exceptional, with the pork chops and crumb fried chicken being the best of the wide variety.
In-between
Between The Dining Room and Royal Thai, in the area that adjoins the restaurants were more meat items, looking scrumptious under a blanket of red light. Honey glazed ham with pineapple sauce, roast lamb with mint sauce and beef roll with black pepper sauce were some of the dishes. Although I am not the biggest fan of pineapple sauce, the mint sauce was perfect, adding a refreshing taste to the succulent meat.
 The outside
Outside Royal Thai and Long Feng the hotel had served up some delicious Thai and Chinese cuisine.
To start off, the fried fish cake with chillie and cucumber sauce and hot dumplings – vegetable and chicken, straight out of the pan, are dishes you must try. Delicious, warm and best as a second starter before you dig in (again), these are prepared by smiling chefs who call out to you while you inspect what else is there to be enjoyed.
Glass noodle salad, BBQ chicken salad and delicious Thai spicy prawn salad are also served up. If you are a rice lover, you must try the Thai seafood fried rice – the best ever. You can even ignore the rest of the food and eat that plain. Not that we recommend that of course, since a well-balanced diet – with more meats and delicious items – is always promoted; if not for the nutrients, then for the flavoursome experience.
If you decide to mix the rice with other curries, try out the deep fried snapper with celery and spring onion, mapo tofu, mixed vegetable with oyster sauce, fish fillet with black pepper sauce or bao chicken. The latter two are my personal favourites as they were rich in spice, herbs and taste. The pork in spring onion and ginger sauce was exceptional.
For those who like a bit of Indian, one action station rounds up some exceptional romali rotis.
The dessert
If you can manage to walk up to the dessert section at the end of all this eating, we commend you for your spirit. For the desserts are totally worth it: from blueberry cheesecakes to caramel and amazing chocolate mousse garnished with tiny crunchy chocolate bits on top to tiny profiteroles oozing with chocolate icing and bite-sized éclairs, the dessert spread has it all. Miniature opera cakes were also a favourite here.
For a healthier choice, the fruit platter showcased an incredible variety as well.
The verdict 
Absolute value for moneyrice. Priced under three categories – under unlimited flow of mocktails, lager or bubbly at Rs. 2,695, Rs. 2,995 and Rs. 3,595 respectively – the ‘All Access Sunday Brunch’ features a delightfully-extensive spread that epitomises an ideal Sunday comfort spread of yummies.



Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo
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SriLankan Airlines - The National Airline of Sri Lanka

Posted by Unknown on Saturday, May 10, 2014 | 0 comments | Leave a comment...

SriLankan Airlines, the National Airline of Sri Lanka, is an award winning carrier with a firm reputation as a global leader in service, comfort, safety, reliability, and punctuality.
Launched in 1979, SriLankan is currently expanding and further diversifying its wide range of products and services in order to drive the country’s ongoing boom in tourism and economic development.
The airline’s hubs are located at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, Hambantota providing convenient connections to its global route network of 79 destinations in 37 countries in Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Far East, North America, Australia and Africa.


Destinations (including code-shares)

EuropeLondon, Paris, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Rome, Milan, Brussels, Manchester, Dublin, Geneva, Munich, Athens, Lanarca, Istanbul, Zurich
Central Asia  Moscow, Kiev, Volgograd, Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk
Middle EastKuwait, Dammam, Riyadh, Muscat, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Jeddah, Amman, Sharjah
South AsiaKarachi, Male, Colombo, Chennai, Trichy, Trivandrum, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Kochi, Varanasi, Bodh Gaya, Dhaka & Madurai
Southeast AsiaSingapore, Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Saigon, Bangkok, Jakarta
Far EastHong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Canton, Tokyo, Hanoi
AustraliaSydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane
North AmericaNew York, Chicago, Washington 
CanadaEdmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St Johns
AfricaJohannesburg, Seychelles, Nairobi

Code shares: Partners

SriLankan has mutual code-share services with Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Air Canada, Royal Jordanian, Alitalia and Mihin Lanka. Air India and Saudi Arabian Airlines, also code-share on some of SriLankan’s routes.

Board of Directors

Mr. Nishantha Wickremasinghe- Chairman
Mr. Kapila Chandrasena- Director
Mr. Nihal Jayamanne, PC- Director
Mr. Shameendra Rajapaksa- Director
Mr. Manilal Fernando- Director
Ms. Lakshmi Kumari Sangakkara- Director
Mr. Sanath Ukwatte- Director
Mr. Susantha Ratnayake- Director

Aircraft Fleet

SriLankan operates a fleet of 21 aircraft – including wide-bodied A340 and A330 aircraft, and mid-range A320s.
- Airbus A340–3006 aircraft
- Airbus A330-2007 aircraft
- Airbus A320-2008 aircraft

Workforce

SriLankan has a global team of approximately 5,900 employees in Sri Lanka and overseas. The airline has strong training programmes in all aviation related fields, in order to cater to its own expansion and the constant need to replace its staff, in high demand by other airlines.

In-flight Comfort

The SriLankan fleet contains luxurious seats that have ample pitch and width (needs to be reworded). Seating is in a two-class system of Business and Economy. Business classes on long haul aircraft are equipped with flat-bed seats. The AVOD in-flight entertainment system has the latest Audio / Video On Demand function with games etc. Complementing this facility are the wide screens with superior high resolution picture quality for infinite viewing pleasure. Also available is the air-show with forward and downward cameras; and video games in most seats.

Awards

SriLankan has consistently achieved very high marks for excellence, especially in polls of global travellers. The awards include:
  • World’s Friendliest Cabin Staff - Skytrax
  • First Runner-up for World’s Best Cabin Staff – Skytrax
  • Best Airline in Central Asia (4 consecutive times) - Skytrax
  • Best Airline in South Asia (3 consecutive times) from Travel Trade Gazette
  • World’s Most Reliable Operator of Airbus A330’s (small fleet) by Airbus Industrie
  • World’s Most Reliable Operator of Airbus A340’s (small fleet) by Airbus Industrie
  • Best Overall In-flight Entertainment (for a fleet size of 20 or less), twice – World Airline Entertainment Association
  • Best Airline Turnaround of the Year 2004 – Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation
  • Galileo Indian Express Award for Best Eastbound International Airline
  • Foreign Carrier of the Year (South Asia sector) – Kuala Lumpur International Airport Awards
  • Runner-up for Best Asian Airline in survey by UK’s Daily Telegraph
  • Imperial Mark in recognition of exceptional levels of service, luxury and quality
  • PATA Gold Award 2007 for Best Airline Marketing Campaign
  • Airline of the Year 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 - Sri Lanka Presidential Travel & Tourism Awards
  • Merit Award at the National Best Quality Software Awards 2010 (NBQSA),
  • Second place ‘Unlocking Business Intelligence’ category. CIMA Global Awards 2010
  • Hall of Fame – Airline of the Year for three consecutive years - Sri Lanka Travel & Tourism – 2010
  • Best Print Media Presentation on Travel and Tourism in 2010 and 2011 at the Sri Lanka Presidential Travel & Tourism Awards
  • Etihad Global Excellence Award 2011 for Best Regional Caterer.
  • National Energy Efficiency Gold Award in the large scale state sector at the National Green Awards 2011.
  • Green Jobs Award 2011 towards environmental conservation.
  • SriLankan IAA among IATA’s Top Ten best Authorized Training Centers (ATCs) in S. Asia.
  • Best Airline Operator from South Asia award at the KLIA Awards (in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011)
  • Silver Award in the ‘State Sector Buildings – Large Scale’ category at the Vidulka National Energy Efficiency Awards 2012
  • Bronze Award for SriLankan Catering Ltd. in the ‘State Sector Buildings – Large Scale’ category at the Vidulka National Energy Efficiency Awards 2012
  • ‘Best in Region: Asia & Australasia’ award at the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) 2012 Passenger Choice Awards in USA

Online Facilities

Through its website www.srilankan.com the airline provides Online Booking, Ticketing and Check-in facilities that give passengers the convenience of planning their travel experience through any PC or laptop.

SriLankan Cargo

SriLankan Cargo has been expanding its services rapidly, using Colombo as a “Hub in the Ocean” to link the fast-growing economies of the South Asia with Europe, the Middle, Southeast Asia and the Far East. For information visitwww.srilankancargo.com

Ground Services

SriLankan Airlines provides ground services for all airlines that operate through Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, and has gained a reputation with customer airlines for excellence in friendly and efficient service. For information visit http://www.srilankan.com/ground-handling/corporate/corporate-profile.htm

SriLankan Catering (Pvt) Ltd

A fully owned subsidiary of SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering (SLC) provides on-board catering services for airlines that operate through Colombo. Its state of the art flight kitchen has a production capacity of over 25,000 meals per day, in a 24-hour operation, 365 days a year. SLC has a workforce of approximately 800 employees.
Located in the historic Dutch Complex, SLC opened its fine-dining restaurant, Semondu, offering its signature fusion cuisine, to the public in the heart of the city of Colombo. The Airport Restaurant and the Business Class transit lounge, Palm Strip, at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) are also owned by SLC.
SLC manages the 24-roomed, Serenediva Transit Hotel situated in the departure area, offering four room-types, equipped with essential amenities for transit passengers, and the newly opened Emirates Lounge, inside BIA.
Additionally, SLC provides catering services to SriLankan Airlines’ Business Class lounge - Serendib, and lounges owned by the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Limited in BIA.
SLC runs a state-of-the-art, mass-scale laundry facility situated in the SLC Complex in the airport, capable of laundering up to 15,000 pieces per day.
SLC is certified to the following standards: ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management Systems); ISO 22000:2005 (Food Safety Management Systems); HACCP (Food Safety Assurance); ISO 14001: 2004 (Environmental Management System). For information visit www.srilankancatering.com

SriLankan Engineering

SriLankan Engineering is a provider of choice in Maintenance-Repair-Overhaul (MRO) activities in the region, with its strong expertise in Airbus aircraft, excellent facilities, and experienced engineering personnel.
SriLankan Engineering possesses the prestigious EASA 145 certification for aircraft maintenance and its training facility has the EASA 147 certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency. For information visit www.srilankan.com/mro

SriLankan Holidays

SriLankan Holidays is the leisure arm of the airline, which promotes travel to and from Sri Lanka, and also within all points throughout the airline’s network. SriLankan Holidays partners many leading hotels, tour operators and other tourism related organisations to give travellers a wide selection of holiday opportunities with an all-inclusive concept, which includes customized packages. SriLankan Holidays won the prestigious title of Best Outbound Tour Operator at the Presidential Awards for Travel and Tourism in 2008 and in 2009. For information visit www.srilankan-holidays.com

SriLankan Air Taxi

SriLankan Air Taxi entered into a codeshare agreement with  Cinnamon Air to provide easy access to many picturesque locations across the country.  With the new code share agreement, all Cinnamon Air scheduled flights will operate with SriLankan Airlines’ (UL) designated flight numbers as well of those of Cinnamon Air (C7).

‘FlySmiLes’ Frequent Flyer Programme

SriLankan Airlines’ frequent flyer programme, ‘FlySmiLes’ promises a wide range of exciting rewards for passengers with a global network of local and international partners which include:
  • Airlines – Malaysia Airlines, Etihad Airways
  • Telecommunications – Travelling Connect, Dialog Telekom
  • Banks/Credit cards – American Express, Standard Chartered Bank, Commercial Bank of Qatar, Hatton National Bank
  • Vehicle rentals – Hertz
  • Lifestyle partners – Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Siddhalepa Ayurveda Resort ,SPA Ceylon, Buddhi Batiks, Excel World, Speedrome, Excel World
FlySmiLes has three tiers of membership – Gold, Silver, and Blue. All members can redeem their miles for rewards such as free air tickets and upgrades on the airline’s own and partner airline flights. Miles can also be earned for spend with all partners. They also have a wide range of other benefits such as pre-assigned seating, priority confirmation, etc. For more information visit www.flysmiles.com

MICE Tourism

Sri Lanka is a popular destination for business events in the South Asian region. The airline has a separate department for MICE Tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) that works with local partners to arrange many types of events.

Sponsorships

SriLankan has a special focus on sports tourism and supports all major sporting events in Sri Lanka. The airline also sponsors Surfing classics in Sri Lanka and the Maldives; the International Rugby Sevens; the SriLankan Golf Classic in Sri Lanka; and co-sponsors several events that focus arts and culture.

Airline Training

SriLankan’s International Aviation Academy (IAA), caters to manpower requirements of airlines, airports, travel agents, and other aviation industry organizations. It is accredited with the International Airline Training Association (IATA), Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA), Sri Lankan Institute of Marketing (SLIM), University of Moratuwa and the Travel Agents’ Association of Sri Lanka (TAASL).
IAA, has been recognized by IATA as one of its‘Top Ten’ Authorized Training Centres in South Asia. In August 2012, IAA opened its first overseas branch in Maldives. IATA courses offered by IAA:
  • IATA/ UFTAA Foundation Diploma in Travel and Tourism
  • IATA/ UFTAA Consultants Diploma in Travel and Tourism
  • IATA/FIATA Cargo Introductory Course
  • IATA Airline Cabin Crew Training
SriLankan Airlines’ courses offered by IAA:
  • Flight Operations Officer Dispatcher Programme
  • Airport Passenger Handling Foundation Course
  • International Airline Cabin Crew Certificate Programme
  • Self Enhancement for Future Professionals
For information visit www.srilankan.com/iaa

Technical Training

The SriLankan Technical Training School, which is certified to the EASA 147 standard by the European aviation body, provides comprehensive basic and aircraft type training for both internal engineers as well as external individuals. It is also accredited by the aviation authorities of Pakistan and the Maldives.

SriLankan Cares

The community development arm of the airline, SriLankan Cares actively participates in fundraising and charity activities, with its main focus being the Empowerment of Children. SriLankan Cares has carried out major development projects in three rural schools in the country, providing buildings and infrastructure such as classrooms, libraries, and computer labs.

Corporate Communications
SriLankan Airlines Ltd.
21-22 Level, World Trade Centre, Echelon Square, Colombo 1, Sri Lanka
Tel: 0094 019733 1979 (24-hour Call Centre)
Corporate Communications 
March 2013

Galle Fort: Soak in the old and new

Posted by Unknown on Saturday, May 3, 2014 |

Text and pix by Raneesha de Silva

It is no exaggeration to call the Galle Fort, one of the best day get-aways from Colombo. And it’s just a 45- minute drive away on the Southern highway which makes it an irresistible destination. Pack for a day, put on your walking shoes and grab a hat and of course, that camera!

The beautiful capital of the Southern Province, Galle boasts of a history stretching back centuries, even before the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial times. In the old days when Galle was a busy port, foreign traders – Greeks, Arabs, Romans and Chinese stopped by. Galle is marked in Ptolemy’s world map of 125-150 AD and the Arab traveller Ibn Batuta made it a port of call in the mid 14th century.
Galle’s Dutch Fort declared an archeological reserve by the UN since 1969 is also a UNESCO world heritage site. Enter the Fort through one of the two main entry points- the Main Gate built by the British in 1873, between the Sun and Moon Bastions, and the Old Gate on Queen Street which was completed by the Dutch in 1669.
Interestingly, construction of the Fort was started by the Portuguese who first arrived in Galle in 1505 with Lorenzo de Almeida making contact with King Dharmaparakramabahu and getting his blessings to build a camp. Built ostensibly to ensure the safety of the island, ultimately it became a prison for the local Sinhalese who rebelled against the Portuguese oppression.
After a bloody siege in 1640, the Dutch seized Galle Fort and began constructing the magnificent 36 hectare hexagonal stone fort that survives intact to this day, with its granite and coral bastions and military architecture of European design. The Dutch introduced a system of roads and canals for transportation and a sewage system that carried all the waste from inside the Fort to the sea by gravity, using the high tide.
The British army took over the Fort in 1796 and today, centuries later, it remains the best preserved and most intact fortified city built by the former European colonial rulers in Asia. The narrow streets of Galle Fort lined with villas and old houses with pillared verandahs and arched doorways which still bear Dutch lettering on their facades, while redolent of the past, are equally the setting for a living city with residents going about their day-to-day business and walking the old ramparts at sunset.
Galle’s mixed cultural heritage is plain to see- the sound of church bells mingles with the call to prayer from the mosques and the Pali chants from Buddhist temples heard every evening.
Stroll through the quaintly named streets- Pedlar Street, Church Street and you will see the Old Dutch and English churches. Pause to explore the old Dutch Reformed Church (Groote Kerk) with its gabled roofs which was built in 1640 though the present structuredates from 1752 to 1755. This has the tombs of Dutch officials within and carved memorial tablets on the walls which hint at intriguing stories of lives lost.
Opposite is the old Dutch Government House, dating back to 1683. For a feel of the British, walk further down Church Street to the Gothic style All Saints Church. Its construction was begun in 1868 and consecrated in 1871, the church stands out as one of the most beautiful Anglican Churches in Sri Lanka.
The massive VOC (the Dutch East India Company) warehouses, the Court Square, the elegant pillared facade of the Old Dutch hospital, the Shri Sudarmalaya Buddhist temple and the Clock Tower are all other sites worth exploring. Make sure to take a walk down Leyn Baan Street to reach the ramparts. The Meeran Jumma Mosque re-built in 1904 is a landmark not to be missed. The original mosque is said to have stood from the 1750s.
Arriving at the ramparts stop by the lighthouse, to take in the view. This is an offshore Lighthouse operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and incidentally the country’s oldest light station dating back to 1848 though the original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1934.
The Dutch Warehouse and National Maritime Museum and Information Centre is another ‘must-see’ not just for maritime buffs for its collection of marine biological and anthropological material but also because of its innovative and modern display and effective use of an original historic space- the warehouse was built in 1671. The first gallery depicts the types of watercraft used in passenger transport and maritime trading in southern Sri Lanka.
The second gallery is focused on marine eco systems and their flora and fauna. Models of mangroves, sea shore plants, turtles, sea birds and marine mammals are displayed with their taxonomic details. Don’t miss the large skeleton of a Whale mounted on the roof. The Museum is closed on national holidays, Sundays and Mondays but open from 9 – 5 on other days. A nominal entry fee is charged.
The Galle National Museum in the oldest Dutch building of the Galle Fort, constructed in 1656 has a collection of traditional masks used in various rituals, ornamental objects made up of turtle shell, ancient wooden carvings and a Beeralu collection. There are large water vessels, V.O.C. porcelain and arms and weapons used by the Dutch soldiers, all obtained from Dutch ships of yore. Opening hours are like the Maritime Museum.
Another landmark in the Fort is the magnificent colonial mansion built in 1684 to house the Dutch Governor and his staff and converted into the New Oriental Hotel in 1856. It is now the luxurious ‘Amangalla’ Hotel.
At sunset, stop by the ramparts to see the ‘jumpers’ in action. These young men who make the daring and dangerous leap off the ramparts into the churning waters below are an integral part of the Fort experience.
There’s no doubt, Galle Fort has a trendy vibe thanks to the advent of boutiques, hotels and restaurants, coffee shops, designer clothing shops and galleries. Home to the Galle Literary Festival which brought international writers and literary minded visitors, the Fort has become a popular location for television commercials, photo-shoots and even movies. The sizeable population of foreign artists and writers has seen cafes and coffee shops mushrooming to cater to the demand, so there are places aplenty for lunch, tea or coffee to suit your budget.

New Tourism Information Centre open in sri lanka

Posted by Unknown on Thursday, November 21, 2013 | 0 comments | Leave a comment...

Tourism Information Centre has been opened under the patronage of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. The Information Centre is siituated opposite the Tourism Development Authority at Galle Road, Colombo 3.
This Information Centre which will be open round the clock will provide an efficient and speedy service for tourists.
Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, Economic Development Deputy Minister A L A Hisbulla and several others participated on the occasion.

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