Waters Edge, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Xerophytes for the home garden.

Baked earthen ware to decorate the home.

Roses, Waters Edge, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

 The variety of rose plants for sale at the flower sales point, Waters Edge, Colombo is fantastic. I took these photos of a few available there. Some exotic ones go as high as Rs.2500/= for each plant.
A poem I recall of student days which was true physically and metaphorically speaking is worth reciting.

'Fairest things have fleetiest ends,

Their scent survives them close,

But the rose's scent is bitterness,

To him that loved a rose'.

Skoda convertible of the 1950s, manufactured in Czechoslavia, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The signal levers can be seen recessed as a black vertical stripe in front of the rear hinged doors

The rear closed luggage space.

The 'pull-up' glass windows on the doors and the split wind-screen are items to be noted.

Skoda of Czechoslovakia was a well recognized automobile brand before the Second World war. They served the interests of Hitler's army. They made a recovery after the war and produced some good autos and were imported into Ceylon of the post-war years. I saw this at an exhibit at the BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was advertised for use at weddings.

Starter-handle injury to the wrist.

The owner of the car seen in the photo. The car originally belonged to his father and was registered in Ceylon in 1931. As a youngster he had hand-cranked the engine, using the starter handle shown in place in the lowest photo, against the advice of his father. The engine back-fired and he ended up with a (Smith's) fracture of his right wrist.

'Ford Model A'- Atale, Sri Lanka.

The rubber bulb horn and petrol filler cap.

The petrol tank and fuel outlet. You can see the ignition coil and the electric horn in the picture.

The fuel outlet with a 'bleeder valve' at the bottom to release water and  dirt  from the petrol. The petrol was led to the carburetor by gravity. There was no petrol pump.

The carburetor and the link from the accelerator pedal to the carburetor.

The petrol tank was situated high up between the dash-board and the engine. The petrol filler cap was in the center  There was a gadget like in present day diesel fuel pipelines, to bleed accumulated water and dirt from the fuel line. There was no petrol pump. It was a gravity-fed system. The accelerator pedal was connected to the carburetor throttle valve by a steel rod.

Parts of the 'Ford Model A', Atale, Sri Lanka.

The floor-board - Gear and hand-brake levers, starter button, clutch-pedal, accelerator-pedal  and  brake-pedal.

The starter motor with the mechanical link to the starter button on the floor.

The dynamo which delivered 6 Volts has been replaced by an alternator.

The high-tension current distributor giving an interrupted current to the spark-plugs.

 The fascination of old technology caught me when I inspected this car manufactured by Ford in 1928, in the UK. The controls on the floor-board had the accelerator placed between the clutch and brake pedals. The starter button was foot-operated and had a mechanical link to the starter motor. The distributer cap was sitting on a side of the engine.

'Ford Model A' of Birmingham, UK, Manufactured 1928

Front view.

Starter handle.

Luggage carrier behind the spare tyre.

The 'Ford' logo in front.

The 'running board'.

Manufactured in the UK in 1928, and named 'Ford Model A', it was first registered in Ceylon in 1931 this car is still in running condition. The owner told me that this was the earliest model to come with electric head-lights powered by a 6 Volt battery. The earlier model had carbide head-lamps.