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What does “The Hound of the Baskervilles” have to do with Ceylon tea? Read on.
“Those were the royal days of coffee planting in Ceylon, before a single season and a rotting fungus drove a whole community through years of despair to one of the greatest commercial victories which pluck and ingenuity ever won. Not often is it that men have heart when their one great industry (coffee) is withered, to rear up in a few years another (tea) as rich to take its place, and the tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as is the lion at Waterloo.”
~ De Profundis, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ~
Sir Arthur's comments came in response to the disastrous demise of the coffee industry, which Ceylon overcame by trying its luck at growing tea, emerging eventually as a leader in the industry worldwide. The person who contributed to this success above all was a Scotsman named James Taylor, who dedicated his life to cultivating tea in Ceylon in the 1860s. Although he died a poor man the perfect cup of Ceylon tea has since become the sine qua non of our daily lives.
The phenomenon even caught Mark Twain’s attention back in 1896, when he noted in his journal “Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World”:
“Tea-planting is the great business in Ceylon, now. A passenger says it often pays 40 percent on the investment. Says there is a boom.”
The abundance of fragrant tea plantations in Sri Lanka today holds testament to this success. Nuwara Eliya is one of many places famous for producing Ceylon tea of the most delicate flavor and aroma. Its tea is exported to countries ranging from the United Kingdom to Russia, South Africa and the United States; providing that cup that "cheers you up" the world over.
Centuries before the tea trade boomed, the spice trade had attracted the Portuguese and the Dutch to the island of Sri Lanka, which was strategically placed on the sea route from India to Southeast Asia and China. The Dutch were promised a monopoly over the island’s spice trade by the Kandyan king, Rajasinha II, in return for their help in driving out the Portuguese. Yet, as fate would have it, having driven out the Portuguese, the Dutch decided to stay on themselves – an ironic twist in the story of control over Sri Lanka’s rich resources.
The Dutch presence proliferated the use of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and black pepper in international cuisine through global trade. Ceylon’s cinnamon became the most sought-after for its superb ability to improve the palatability of food and its gift to add a sense of inner warmth to food cooked in cold climates.
When you visit Sri Lanka, it’s obligatory to visit a spice garden and have the owner explain the many wonderful properties and uses of each plant, from cooking and medicine to perfume. You can buy the freshest ingredients here to add that special flavor to your meals at home, or that refreshing cup of tea. Spice tea, anyone? |
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 Discover Elephant CountryDiscover Elephant Country with a 3-night stay at Deer Park Hotel. Embark on a guided tour to Elephant Drive in Minneriva National Park as well as a guided cultural tour to Polonnaruwa.
Valid until 31 st October 2010 |
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 View MapsSituated on the banks of the Giritale Reservoir within the district capital of Polonnaruwa, five hours by road from the capital, Colombo, and Bandaranaike International Airport.  AnuradhapuraThe first capital of Sri Lanka – and remaining so for 1,400 years – Anuradhapura was abandoned and swallowed by the dry-zone jungle two centuries after Vijayabahu I had retaken the country and retained the Cholas capital at Polonnaruwa in the 11th Century.  DambullaAbout 12 miles from Sigiriya you’ll come to the Raja Maha Vihara, otherwise known as the Dambulla Cave Temple or Golden Temple. This is actually a series of five temples that finds its origin in the Anuradhapura period (1st Century B.C.)  KandyThe Hill Capital may be some distance from Deer Park Hotel, but what you can do is to stop by for half a day on your way back to Colombo for your flight home. As the last major capital of the Sinhala kings, Kandy is definitely a place not to be missed if you want your Sri Lanka trip to be complete.  Parakrama Samudra“Let not one drop of water reach the sea without first serving man.” These were the words of 12th Century King Parakramabahu I, who was responsible for one of the largest man-made reservoirs – the Parakrama Samudra, or Sea of King Parakrama. This astonishing tank is larger in size than even the Colo  PolonnaruwaAs early as the 7th Century, when Anuradhapura was still the capital, Sri Lankan kings had made Polonnaruwa their country retreat. With the Cholas’ conquest of Anuradhapura in the 11th Century, Polonnaruwa succeeded it as the capital and remained so for the next 200 years - even when Vijayabahu I ev  SigiriyaDesperation can also drive a man to greatness. It must have been a mixture of fear and guilt for having his own father slain and stealing the throne from right under his half brother's nose that motivated King Kasyapa to erect this magnificent fortress – 'Palace in the Sky' – in the 5th Century A.D.  Minneriya-Giritale National ParkA flapping sea of black invades the emerald Minneriya Tank, as a flock of two thousand cormorants nosedive for fish. Later, elephants trudge by, drinking from the same reservoir.  Wasgamuwa National ParkLong before wildlife conservation became fashionable, Sri Lanka already had areas of jungle marked out for conservation. One such case is that of the Wasgamuwa National Park, a portion of which was declared a Strict Nature Reserve as early as 1938.  Other National ParksSri Lanka is full of forests, and it is natural that as one of the pioneers of conservation the country contains more national parks, or nature reserves, than you have time to visit.  Sun & SeaAs the shimmering horizon disappears into the distant azure sky, tall gusts of waves surf towards the palm-fringed sandy beaches encircling Sri Lanka.  HistoryTaprobane, Serendib, Emerald Island and The Teardrop of India - Sri Lanka has earned many endearing monikers for its colorful past.  ReligionIt is worthy of note that an eyetooth remains the most significant religious symbol in Sri Lanka since Buddhism was first introduced to the Sinhalese in 250 B.C. This is no ordinary pointed conical tooth – it is believed to have belonged to Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise more popularly worshipped as  Tea & SpicesWhat does “The Hound of the Baskervilles” have to do with Ceylon tea? Read on.  WeatherSri Lanka is blessed with a tropical paradise climate. Most days are hot, humid and sunny with temperatures averaging between 27 ~ 31°C. A hat and sunscreen will be essential if you are planning to spend the day outdoors, whether romping around a hertitage site or lazing at the beach. |
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