International Night -- Sri Lanka

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Harmony Library
Community Room

Event Details

Please join Klaus Lorenz for a presentation on Sri Lanka. This island state located off the southern tip of India, formerly known as Ceylon, has a long and varied history going back well over 2600 years . The island has been ruled by the Portuguese, Dutch and most recently the British. The island suffered through a civil war which now has been peacefully resolved. Sri Lanka is home to many landscapes each more exotic than the next. While the island houses many religions 70 % of its people practice Buddhism. The capital Colombo is a vibrant hub with modern financial institutions and colonial buildings. We will visit the immense Sigiriya Rock fortress rising 600 ft above the surrounding jungle to admire colorful frescoes of the sensual Cloud Maidens. We explore Polonnaruwa the ancient royal capital of the Sinhalese kingdoms. We stop in Kandy, a city encircled by mountains. The Royal Botanical Garden displays more than 300 varieties of orchids. We will discuss Sri Lanka`s most important crop which is tea . The British introduced it bringing in plants from China. We will visit a local tea factory and witness the tea production process. Finally , we will visit Galle, the island`s art mecca with artists drawn to the Dutch colonial architecture and breezy tropical charm. The Galle fort is the largest fortress in Asia built by Europeans. Klaus is well known to those of you who regularly attend INL. He has traveled to over 95 countries and shared many of these adventures with us at the Library Program. He is retired from CSU and enjoys traveling the world. Join us Tuesday July 10, 2018 at the Old Town Library or Thursday July 26, 2018 at the Harmony Library Community Room
Event Type(s): Programs
Age Group(s): Adults
Presenter: Klaus Lorenz
Karen Cagle
221-6740