Visit : The Olympic Stadium, Berlin

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 
1. Corinthian 9.24

Who would have known that there is a biblical verse for sporty competition? It is slightly out of context but in the age of catchphrases it does work ... 

The images above are from the athletes' chapel inside the Berlin Olympic Stadium which I visited last week when in South Korea the XXIIIrd Olympic Wintergames were opened. While the German team is collecting unprecedented numbers of precious metal medals, I am taking you on a tour around the old Olympic stadium of Berlin. I had written about the old Olympic City where the athletes stayed in 1936 before and which is now a "lost place":  "Das Olympische Dorf" . 

The stadium was built for the Olympic Games in 1936 and for a long time was the largest in Germany taking up 100.000 visitors in 40.000 seats and 60.000 standing places. Nowadays, after its complete overhaul for the Football World Cup 2006, it has 75.000 seats and is again the most prominent sports venue  in Germany. 

the Olympic rings are still the originals

 the Olympic fire holder

 Today it is the main home arena for Fußball-Klub Hertha BSC.

 a changing room 
with a jacuzzi

The jacuzzi is called "Entmüdungsbecken" - detiring bassin - (revitalisation pool). After a game the players first jump into an "ice ton" for a few minutes containing icecold water at 6 to 8° C for muscle contraction preventing severe muscle aches before they relax in the big jacuzzi. Food and drink are strictly prohibited, but one can imagine great celebratory parties after a victory, as can be deduced from the indentations in the ceiling where champagne corks may have hit ...

The stadium was modernized for the soccer world cup 2006 inside and out. A  huge roof was added covering all seats. The roof has lots of modern technique integrated, flood lights in a "ring of fire" with a high-tech sound system. 

combining old and new

The pools are in their winter hibernation now but are summer favourites and open for the public.
  

The bell-tower with the large sports field behind the stadium.  Two "horse with man" sculptures overlook the site that has been used for polo games. 

Visit Sri Lanka : Around Galle

The historic town of Galle has been a large seaport of the island since ancient times when  ivory and spices, especially cinnamon, were exported as part of the "Silk Road" connecting China and South-East Asia to Persia and Europe.   

Galle Lighthouse

Its "western" history started with the Portuguese in 1502, before about 150 years later the Dutch East India company took over. Both left their mark in many architectural sites, the most prominent is Galle fort. A further 150 years later the island came under British occupation, who left their mark as well. So the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial past is mixing happily in Galle's cityscape. Today the old town of Galle with its fortifications is a UNESCO world heritage site. 

entrance to the fort with the British coat of arms above 

 The other side carries the Dutch East India Company's coat of arms with the VOC-Abbreviation - Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie: 

on the ramparts of Galle fort

pedestrians area inside the fort

an old British anchor

Half an hour outside of Galle on a hill at Rumassala sits this Pagoda with depictions of Buddha, a modern "Peace Pagoda" built in 2005 by Japanese Buddhists.

A more ancient site is the "rock temple" Yatagala, where monks have been meditating under the natural rocks for centuries. 

under the "Bo" or Bodhi Tree

the natural rock is painted and makes up the ceiling 

The Cannonball-Tree (Couroupita guianensis) - what an ill-fitting name!-  and its beautiful and very fragant flowers 

A tour across the countryside ...

Waterbuffalo closely inspecting a curious cattle egret

the endemic Toque Macaque or Ceylon-Hutaffe (Macaca sinica) 

Local crops are not only cinnamon and tea but also rubber. Here you see it being collected in a small coconut shell, about 25 ml per day from a healthy rubber tree. 

East of Hambantota the marshy land is used for harvesting sea salt.

Fishermen on the south coast use incredibly slender small boats with stabilizing side constructions. 

Galle fish market

At Koggala Beach the famous "stilt" fishers nowadays ply their trade for tourists only. Tiny fish can be found on the surf on the beach making this method a little cumbersome ...

... except for the kingfisher on the next pole. For him tiny fish are just right ...

the beach at Tangalle