Away in a manger

Another Christmas song composed in the 1950s

Two versions of 'Away in a manger'. Click on each of the links below separately.

Away in a manger – Celtic woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOJb6uOF05Q&feature=related

Karaoke version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y91yNsdrE4&feature=related

Two versions of the song 'White Christmas'

Click on each link separately to see two versions of the enchanting song 'White Christmas'. Switch your speakers on.

1.White Christmas -Sing along

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HrAy5xqzOs

2.White Christmas – Celtic Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOgaTRFbIlg&feature=related

A farmer working, Salawa, Sri Lanka.

Old ways of using a 'mammoty' to turn up the soil and build earthen bunds in paddy fields are a common sight in Sri Lanka. I took this picture at Salawa in Sri Lanka.

Adisham, Sri Lanka

Another view of 'Adisham'.

'Thirukkaley' - Sinhalese; 'Thirukkal' - Tamil, A bullock drawn cart for the family.

This was the equivalent of the family car in Sri Lanka, in common use about 100 years ago. Entrance was by a door at the rear. The seats were arranged facing each other and the driver of the cart sat in front. The wheels were wooden with an iron rim. The accelerator was a gentle tap on the bull's testicles by the driver. In extreme cases a bite on the bulls tail created a rapid response. It was usually a leisurely journey with time to enjoy the scenery.

Cactus plants, Hambanthota beech, Sri Lanka.

A beech with thorny cactus plants among the casuarina plants at the Hambanthota beech in sight of the newly built harbour, Sri Lanka.

'Adisham', Haputhale, Sri Lanka.

'Adisham' was built by a Scotsman in the hills of Haputhale in the 1930s, the heyday of British Empire. He came to Ceylon from the village of Adisham in Scotland, with ten sterling pounds in his pocket. He ended up owning several tea estates and being elected to the State Council. He got masons and materials from England and built this beautiful home patterned on an English Manor house. The stones and wood were imported from England. He saw the writing on the wall in the 1950's and sold this to Mrs.Wimala Wijewardena of SWRD fame. This house was said to have been used in plotting Mr.SWRD Bandaranayake, the then Prime Minister's, downfall. This house changed hands and is now maintained by the Catholic Church in its original condition. I took this picture about two years back. The place is reached by the road going past the Haputhale Police station, just before entering Haputhale town, approaching from Colombo,