{"id":16182,"date":"2018-11-15T22:24:57","date_gmt":"2018-11-15T14:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/?p=16182"},"modified":"2020-07-14T16:31:51","modified_gmt":"2020-07-14T08:31:51","slug":"a-teardrop-from-serendib","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/a-teardrop-from-serendib\/","title":{"rendered":"A Teardrop From Serendib"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"first-line\">Does nostalgia end up having far too easy a way with me? I suppose there\u2019s a ring of truth to this. I\u2019ve been compelled by the textures of the past, from ever since I can remember.<\/p>\n<p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_separator color=&#8221;black&#8221; border_width=&#8221;10&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;At Fort Bazaar on Sri Lanka\u2019s southern coast, an earthy interpretation of luxury takes one back in time.&#8221;][vc_separator color=&#8221;black&#8221; border_width=&#8221;2&#8243;][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=&#8221;sidebar-page&#8221;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p class=\"normal\"><span lang=\"EN\">Does nostalgia end up having far too easy a way with me? I suppose there\u2019s a ring of truth to this. I\u2019ve been compelled by the textures of the past, from ever since I can remember. My bureau of travels and writings lies tinged with the fabric and the fragrances of times gone by, my navigational compass automatically attuned towards horizons and desires drenched in vintage. Perhaps it\u2019s a sense of longing that lies at the heart of this, the need to hold on to things and places and people often already gone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"normal\"><span lang=\"EN\">But in the courtyard of Fort Bazaar \u2013 the Teardrop Hospitality Group\u2019s white-accented star, I\u2019m finding an undeniable affirmation to my love affair with wistfulness. This tango with the past has landed me, yet again, smack dab in the heart of something special. I\u2019m in the coastal gem of Galle for an encounter with relaxation and resonance. Fortune and good judgement having played their parts, Fort Bazaar is my home for the next three nights. This is the sort of address with which I\u2019m preconditioned to forming an immediate connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<script>\t\tjQuery(function() {\/*setTimeout(function(){*\/\t\t\tjQuery(\"#lbg_famous_gallery_16\").gallery1({\t\t\t\twidth:1000,\t\t\t\theight:600,\t\t\t\twidth100Proc:false,\t\t\t\theight100Proc:false,\t\t\t\trows:3,\t\t\t\tcolumns:2,\t\t\t\tcenterGallery:true,\t\t\t\tgutter:2,\t\t\t\tgalleryBg:\"#FFFFFF\",\t\t\t\titemBorderWidth:0,\t\t\t\titemBorderColorOFF:\"transparent\",\t\t\t\titemBorderColorON:\"#FF0000\",\t\t\t\tshowImageDescription:true,\t\t\t\timageDescriptionBgColor:\"#000000\",\t\t\t\timageDescriptionBgOpacity:30,\t\t\t\timageDescriptionTextColor:\"#FFFFFF\",\t\t\t\tshowIconOverImage:true,\t\t\t\tzoomDuration:1,\t\t\t\tzoomEffect:\"linear\",\t\t\t\ttarget:\"_blank\",\t\t\t\tbgHorizontalPosition:\"center\",\t\t\t\tbgVerticalPosition:\"center\",\t\t\t\tfacebookAppID:\"\"\t\t\t});\/*\t\t}, 1000);*\/\/*}, 850);*\/\t\t});\t<\/script>    <div id=\"lbg_famous_gallery_16\">\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"gallery1_list\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li data-horizontal=\"center\" data-vertical=\"center\" data-link=\"\" data-lightbox=\"\" data-title=\"The upper library at Fort Bazaar\" data-description=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.g1-The-upper-library-at-Fort-Bazaar.jpg\" alt=\"The upper library at Fort Bazaar - \" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" style=\"width:830px; height:540px;\" title=\"The upper library at Fort Bazaar - \" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li data-horizontal=\"center\" data-vertical=\"center\" data-link=\"\" data-lightbox=\"\" data-title=\" Galle Fort welcomes the bohemian traveller with much charm and artistry\" data-description=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.g1-Galle-Fort-welcomes-the-bohemian-traveller-with-much-charm-and-artistry.jpg\" alt=\" Galle Fort welcomes the bohemian traveller with much charm and artistry - \" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" style=\"width:830px; height:540px;\" title=\" Galle Fort welcomes the bohemian traveller with much charm and artistry - \" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li data-horizontal=\"center\" data-vertical=\"center\" data-link=\"\" data-lightbox=\"\" data-title=\" Fresh coastal fare at Church Street Social\" data-description=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.g1-Fresh-coastal-fare-at-Church-Street-Social.jpg\" alt=\" Fresh coastal fare at Church Street Social - \" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" style=\"width:830px; height:540px;\" title=\" Fresh coastal fare at Church Street Social - \" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li data-horizontal=\"center\" data-vertical=\"center\" data-link=\"\" data-lightbox=\"\" data-title=\"Church Street Social - the boutique townhouse's raod-facing restaurant\" data-description=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.g1-Church-Street-Social-the-boutique-townhouses-raod-facing-restaurant.jpg\" alt=\"Church Street Social - the boutique townhouse's raod-facing restaurant - \" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" style=\"width:830px; height:540px;\" title=\"Church Street Social - the boutique townhouse's raod-facing restaurant - \" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li data-horizontal=\"center\" data-vertical=\"center\" data-link=\"\" data-lightbox=\"\" data-title=\" An open verandah to welcome guests and the breakfast set\" data-description=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.g1-An-open-verandah-to-welcome-guests-and-the-breakfast-set.jpg\" alt=\" An open verandah to welcome guests and the breakfast set - \" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" style=\"width:830px; height:540px;\" title=\" An open verandah to welcome guests and the breakfast set - \" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li data-horizontal=\"center\" data-vertical=\"center\" data-link=\"\" data-lightbox=\"\" data-title=\"A wealth of boutique stores and art galleries fill Galle Fort's inner lanes\" data-description=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.g1-A-wealth-of-boutique-stores-and-art-galleries-fill-Galle-Forts-inner-lanes.jpg\" alt=\"A wealth of boutique stores and art galleries fill Galle Fort's inner lanes - \" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" style=\"width:830px; height:540px;\" title=\"A wealth of boutique stores and art galleries fill Galle Fort's inner lanes - \" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>     <\/div>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]Fort Bazaar used to be a 17th-Century townhouse. Keeping the original skeleton (together with a defining central courtyard tree) in place, Teardrop has transformed the property with rare amounts of finesse. When the Group\u2019s Johanna Jameel tells me about photographs from the somewhat recent past, I\u2019m taken aback to find derelict row houses of rooms, lying idle since the 1950s. It was Teardrop\u2019s decade-log resolve that metamorphosed the image into what stands before my eyes now \u2013 a rich repository of past and authenticity, with credence given to the address\u2019 original British and Dutch colonial heritage.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>First built by the Portuguese in 1588 and fortified by the Dutch in the late 17th-Century, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/?s=sri+lanka\"><strong>Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s best-preserved colonial township is now purveyor of all things hip and boutique on the island<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I feel a palpable buzz to my new home. It revels in the white and lime green timbre of its colour palette; it comes to life in the lilting cadence of a courtyard dappled with divans, lamps that flicker with nonchalance come nightfall, a sprinkling of red tables and chairs, and an air of serenity that compels writers to reach for their pens; and it sparkles in the communal vibe of its mainstay \u2013 the Church Street Social Restaurant &amp; Bar \u2013 which, being accessible from the main road, is everyone\u2019s entry point to the property. There is a quiet grace to everything I\u2019m coming across. This is an interpretation of luxury that believes in holding back, rather than showing off.<\/p>\n<p>Location-wise, this couldn\u2019t have worked out better. Galle is a town filled with customary hustle and bustle, but the Galle Fort \u2013 also known as the Rampart of Galle \u2013 is a treasure-trove of bohemian charm that cradles the town on its southern tip. First built by the Portuguese in 1588 and fortified by the Dutch in the late 17th-Century, Sri Lanka\u2019s best-preserved colonial township is now purveyor of all things hip and boutique on the island. There are bars that play a bit of jazz, there are family-run Sri Lankan restaurants that serve spice and heritage with every spoonful, there are homegrown fashion labels that pour on the ethnic swagger, there are bistros that hint at the area\u2019s long-ago heritage, and there are poster shops that offer up the perfect island memento or an homage to a nearby homeland in the form of vintage Bollywood posters.<\/p>\n<p>Given my hotel\u2019s location on Church Street, all these lie within walking distance; most of them, in fact, are an aimless amble away. I pick up a poster dappled in moonlight and the area\u2019s defining lighthouse at Stick No Bills; I head for a vodka martini to the Amangalla; I pick up some shirts and fabric from Odel; Exotic Roots welcomes me with its Pandora\u2019s Box of trinkets and art; Fortaleza bids me farewell after feeding me with seafood brought in that morning from the tides; The Kitchen serves up pasta in an alfresco setting kissed by ocean breeze; while my fondness for quirk and a touch of whimsy are sated at the Three By TPV boutique (on the deliciously named Leyn Baan Street). Around every corner, I feel I\u2019m walking into a confluence of old Goa meets unapologetically unanchored Riviera\u2026 ripe with the intoxication of Bohemia, blessed by the indulgences of a maritime vibe.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16185\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16185\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16185\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn.jpg\" alt=\"Galle's outlying beaches are their best at dawn\" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn-400x260.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn-600x390.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.2-Galles-outlying-beaches-are-their-best-at-dawn-740x481.jpg 740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16185\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Galle&#8217;s outlying beaches are their best at dawn<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p class=\"normal\"><span lang=\"EN\">Amidst conversations and laughter, amidst deep discussions and light-hearted flirtation, I duck in and out of a bouquet of pleasures. Each night ends with much drunken revelry and friendships forged. Sunsets are cherished at the Galle Lighthouse, which casts a faraway eye on the ocean beyond; fresh coconut water is partaken of on early mornings from a parade of shacks lining one of the Fort\u2019s ramparts. Sri Lanka was once known as Serendib; as serendipity would have it, I run into friends of friends who colour this experience with their accounts of Sri Lanka. My connection with the address grows a notch deeper.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"normal\"><span lang=\"EN\">From among its 18 rooms, my Bazaar Bedroom delivers uninterrupted views of a courtyard I\u2019m much in love with \u2013 its trees, divans of cane and white wood, curios plucked from Sri Lanka\u2019s wealth of homegrown artistry, and candlelight that frolics in the night breeze are the stuff of poetry and memoirs. Fitzgerald would\u2019ve loved the place, I note to myself. My room\u2019s lime green countenance houses a queen-size bed of old wood, a bathroom with a sun-light that floods its granite form with brightness, and even a retro telephone, all of which compel you to accept the past without much protest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"normal\"><span lang=\"EN\">I\u2019m made privy to the property\u2019s other rooms as well: the Banyan Bedroom with its private verandah; the Upper Suite that looks out over the Fort from a private balcony; and finally, an Upper Family Suite with its additional bedroom. Fort Bazaar\u2019s devotion to hospitality doesn\u2019t falter at any stage; all rooms come inclusive of breakfast, mini bar soft drinks, afternoon tea, and evening mocktails.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16186\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16186\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16186\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy-400x260.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy-600x390.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.3-Healthy-seasonal-produce-forms-the-bistros-main-philosophy-740x481.jpg 740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16186\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Healthy, seasonal produce forms the bistro&#8217;s main philosophy<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]In this boutique townhouse hotel, I find my senses and my literary proclivities being nourished with a restrained sense of grace. I head to the upper level library whenever the mood, or a phrase, takes me, and find myself consumed by its lush green setting; the Z Spa enhances my sense of languor to perfection by pampering me with a bouquet of luxurious treatments and therapies, including a collection of signature massages, each administered via homegrown red, green, pink, and black tea-blended Ophir products.<\/p>\n<p>Teardrop\u2019s hospitality legacy in Sri Lanka extends wider to some of the most compelling small boutique hotels on the island. It\u2019s this schooling in the art of the small hotel that delivers courtesy, warmth, and respect each time I interact with Fort Bazaar\u2019s staff.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Galle is a town filled with customary hustle and bustle, but the Galle Fort \u2013 also known as the Rampart of Galle \u2013 is a treasure-trove of bohemian charm, as witnessed at the Odel flagship<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The only time the service ethic slips is at the Church Street Social Restaurant &amp; Bar (the latter currently sans alcohol, serving more as a caf\u00e9). My companions and I have placed our lunch orders 35 minutes ago, and there\u2019s no sign of a single plate or piece of cutlery, leave alone the food. \u201cThis is how things are right now in Sri Lankan hospitality,\u201d a local friend tells me. \u201cGood waiting staff keeps getting poached on rote.\u201d When the food does arrive, most of it is worthy of the wait \u2013 including a Chicken Caesar where the poultry has been replaced by the dark sizzle of crisply grilled prawns.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Rustic family-style sharing platters of charcuterie and cheese, lagoon crab salad, and the m\u00e9lange of Sri Lankan and Asian fusion cuisine have managed to rescue the hotel\u2019s flagship restaurant from its island-like slumber<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16188\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16188\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16188\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"830\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes.jpg 830w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes-400x260.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes-600x390.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/21.27.4-Island-life-idles-by-from-one-of-Galle-Forts-many-cafes-740x481.jpg 740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16188\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Island life idles by from one of Galle Fort&#8217;s many cafes<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<p class=\"normal\"><span lang=\"EN\">Galle, and this address, continues to leave its mark on me. I soak up atmosphere within the Fort\u2019s centuries old walls; I savour the minutiae of Sri Lankan hospitality; scones and high tea at the verandah hit just the spot at 4, as the world idles by. It\u2019s at the verandah caf\u00e9 that I sit as I write this to you. The thoroughfare in front of me is eliciting notes of sepia from the air. Light and life stream though the open arches. An old jazz record plays away. Once home to a merchant who dealt in spices and tea, Fort Bazaar has ended up adding an indelible fragrance to my journeys. Nostalgia, wouldn\u2019t you know it, remains the headiest of affairs.\u00a0\u25fc<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_basic_grid post_type=&#8221;ids&#8221; element_width=&#8221;12&#8243; initial_loading_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; grid_id=&#8221;vc_gid:1542277917590-6ace6cb7-f82b-1&#8243; include=&#8221;11470&#8243;][vc_column_text]<span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/subscribe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Subscribe to the latest edition now by clicking here.<\/em><\/a><\/span><br \/>\n<!-- Error, Advert is not available at this time due to schedule\/geolocation restrictions! --><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><strong><em>\u00a9 This article was first published in Aug-Sept 2018 edition of World Travel Magazine.<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on World Travel Magazine, head over to our <a style=\"color: #808080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WTravelMagazine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a> page or message us on <a style=\"color: #808080;\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WTravelMagazine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #808080;\"><em>And if you liked this story, <a style=\"color: #808080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/subscribe\/\">subscribe to our bi-monthly World Travel Magazine<\/a>, a handpicked selection of editorial features and stories from Global Destinations, Inspire Me, Insider, Style File, Wellness &amp; Travel, City Travel, Suite Life, At Leisure, Short Breaks and much more.<\/em><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_masonry_grid post_type=&#8221;post&#8221; max_items=&#8221;9&#8243; style=&#8221;load-more&#8221; items_per_page=&#8221;9&#8243; gap=&#8221;10&#8243; grid_id=&#8221;vc_gid:1542277917596-7991668c-4485-8&#8243; taxonomies=&#8221;1628&#8243; exclude=&#8221;15205, 14466, 11296&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Does nostalgia end up having far too easy a way with me? I suppose there\u2019s a ring of truth to this. I\u2019ve been compelled by the textures of the past, from ever since I can remember. [vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_separator color=&#8221;black&#8221; border_width=&#8221;10&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text=&#8221;At Fort Bazaar on Sri Lanka\u2019s southern coast, an earthy interpretation of luxury takes one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":16184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[698,788,775,780,807,1,784,785],"tags":[2437,1676,2034,1312],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16182"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16182\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wtravelmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}