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Living Room l OUNGe
(50A lighthouse St; hfrom 5pm) Easily Galle’s
most stylish spot for a tipple, this is a beau-
tiful bar-cum-lounge-cum-designer shop. The
owners have a Colombo flower business and
exquisite examples of their wares are dis-
played in fragrant profusion. Dramatic and
whimsical art abounds, which you can pon-
der over a G&T.Pilgrims Lounge BAR
(Rampart St; hnoon-late) Climb the rickety
stairs to enjoy the ocean views from the one
place in the Fort you can get a cold beer at
11pm. The jovial young guys who run this
open-air joint have a nominal menu, but real-
ly you’re here to make new friends.Amangalla COCKTA il BAR
(%223 3388; 10 Church St; h11am-11pm; W) Sip
an exquisite mixed drink or fine wine in co-
lonial splendour on the large porch at Galle’s
landmark hotel. It’s amazing how the min-
utes just drift right on by while you recline in
the plush wicker chairs.7 Shopping
Galle’s history makes it a natural spot for
antique shopping. You’ll also find a growing
number of designer-owned shops. Note that
many stores in the new town close on Sunday.oShoba Display Gallery ARTS & CRAFTS
(%222 4351; http://www.shobafashion.org; 67A Pedlar St;
h9am-6pm) Beautiful lacework made right
here. The shop teaches local women dying
crafts and ensures them a fair price for their
work. Even if you’re not buying, pop in to wit-
ness the process of making lace. Ask about the
excellent lace- and paper-making classes. The
small cafe is a treat.Old Railway BOUTiQUe
(%077 626 3400; 42 havelock St; h9am-6pm Mon-
Sat) An eclectic shop with a fine cafe upstairs,
look for all manner of tasteful (not pricey) lo-
cally made clothes, decor items and souvenirs.Barefoot ARTS & CRAFTS
(%222 6299; http://www.barefootceylon.com; 41 Pedlar
St; h10am-7pm Mon-Sat, 11am-5pm Sun) Styl-
ish takes on local clothing, jewellery, high-
quality house decorations, crafts and gifts are
the hallmarks of the Galle outlet of this excel-
lent chain of shops. The book section has an
excellent selection of Sri Lanka–centric titles.Stick No Bills ART
(%224 2504; 35 Church St; h9am-6pm) Post-
cards and posters covering Sri Lanka throughthe decades. Many of the beautiful vintage
airline images for Ceylon sell a tropical para-
dise of fantasy.Olanda Antiques ANTiQUeS
(%223 4398; 30 leyn Baan St; h9am-6pm) A vast
Aladdin’s cave of antique furniture and clocks
that stopped ticking in 1929 are among the
treasures you’ll find in this Dutch colonial
house. There’s also an attached cafe.Orchid House JeWelleRY
(%545 3344; 28A hospital St) A teashop with a
sideline in jewellery and the sweet smells of
incense.Small Antique Shop JUNK
(hospital St; hvary) Even tinier than the name
implies, this little hole-in-the-wall has goods
washed up on the beach across the road,
found on the street and rescued from dusty
old attics. The owner is a chatty charmer (and
he thought up the name for his shop right af-
ter we asked him).Cargills Food City SUPeRMARKeT
(2rd fl, 26 Gamini Mawatha; h9am-9pm) A con-
venient stop for useful items such as plug
converters or bug spray.8 Information
There is no shortage of banks and ATMs, both
in the Fort and the new town. Wi-fi is common in
hotels and cafes
Galle has a few scammers, a firm ‘I have no
interest in anything you have to offer’ should do
the trick. Dark corners of the ramparts are best
avoided by women at night.
ATM in the Fort.
Main Post Office (Main St) it’s near the market.
Post Office (Church St) A small branch office.
Sri Lankan Airlines (%224 6942; 3rd fl, 16
Gamini Mawatha) You can book flights here; it
also offers a full range of travel services.8 Getting There & Around
BUS
There are plenty of buses linking the towns along
the coastal road. They leave from the bus station
in the centre of Galle, opposite the cricket stadi-
um. Major destinations include the following:
Colombo via the coast road and hikkaduwa,
regular/air-con Rs 150/300, three hours
Hikkaduwa Rs 37, 30 minutes
Matara Rs 67, one hour
Air-con buses using the Southern expressway
from Colombo (Rs 420) take 75 minutes and
depart from the southern Colombo suburb of