Dialog Broadband Network launches CDMA operations in Galle

Dialog Broadband Networks, a fully owned subsidiary of Dialog Telekom today launched DIALOG CDMA services in my home town Galle. You can now purchase a Dialog CDMA phone unit at Dialog’s Galle Arcade.

Dialog CDMA offers subscribers a host of features and value added services such as Call holding/waiting, SMS, CLI, Call transferring, Call Forwarding, Voice Mail, FAX, Three Way Calling, Call Conferencing and Internet facilities.

The Dialog CDMA phone also acts as a modem which basically enables you to connect to the Internet by simply adjusting the data speed of the phone. The facility will be automatically activated with the CDMA phone package you choose.

Apart from Galle, Dialog CDMA services are already available in several key towns in the country including Kurunagala, Kandy, Puttalam, Anuradhapura and Kalutara. The official ceremonial of Dialog CDMA was held in Kurunegala a few weeks ago while the launch in Colombo is set to take place shortly. The network aims to roll-out CDMA coverage to other districts over the next few months. And Dialog CDMA will reach to the most rural areas in the country.

In addition to CDMA operations, Dialog was also deploying WIMAX infrastructure and running a pilot project in the city of Galle.

Dialog becomes the fourth communication operator in Sri Lanka to provide fixed wireless operations based on CDMA technology. Lanka Bell was the first to do so and followed by Suntel and SLT. The exclusive customer care hotline for Dialog CDMA is 0117 100 100. You can pay your Dialog CDMA bills at Dialog Galle Arcade, Commercial Bank and Cargills Food City.

Beni-Suef Troupe for Folk Dancing in Concert

An Egyptian dance performance featuring Beni-Suef Troupe for Folk Dancing which has been organized to promote the greatness of Eastern culture among Sri Lankans will go onboard at Galle Town Hall from 6.30p.m onwards on July 21(Today).

The Beni-Suef Troupe had been established since 1995 and consists of 60 members among them a female and male dancer, popular musicians, singers and a choral. Some dances of the troupe are Pharonic, Alexaldrial, The wheat, Hummer your Bread and Hania.

The event is made possible by Arab Republic of Egypt in association with Ministry of Culture, General Organization of Culture Palaces and Enlargement Cairo & North of Upper Egyptcuitural Region.

Serendib Summer Beach Party @ Hikkaduwa

Summer is here! And Sri Lanka’s beach party central- Hikkaduwa is all set to host the biggest summer party of the year.

Serendib Summer Beach Party takes place on the 30th June & 1st July at Amaya Reef’s private beach. It’s gonna be a 24 hour party. Music will be provided by the country’s top club DJ’s. The event will be highlighted with a bonefire, percussion sessions and firework displays.

Tickets are priced at Rs.1500. Outstation party goers can take part of the party by either flying or taking a luxury bus. The event is presented by Club One and Sri Lankan airlines. The media sponsor is YES FM.

SUNDAY LAKBIMA NEWS arrives

A brand new English newspaper called SUNDAY LAKBIMA NEWS hits local newsstands today. This is the newest addition to the list of weekend newspapers.

The maiden copy of today contains six sections. And it has covered local, international, business, sports and lifestyle news.

There was a promo trailer going on media informing the public to switch to a new medium from 17th June. The buzz was all about the arrival of this newspaper.

Online Edition
http://www.lakbimanews.lk/

THE LAST 2 MINUTES to stage in Galle

The Last 2 Minutes, the latest Broadway production by Sunera Foundation will be staged in Galle on May 27th.

This production has only made debut in Italy where it won a special Jury award. The play has been directed by Rohana Deva and choreographed by Ramani Damayanthi. Music is by Janaka Fonseka. The cast includes participants from Sunera’s tsunami theatre outreach project.

All proceeds go to Sunera Foundation. And the event is funded by Deutsche Bank, Global Fund for Children, East-West Centre Hawaii, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, The Force of Nature Foundation and Siege Social Jules.

The main Colombo play will go onboard at the Bishop’s College Auditorium on May 29 – 30th

Sunera Foundation presents THE LAST 2 MINUTES
Date: 27th May 2007
Time: 2.30 & 6.30 pm
Venue: Galle Town Hall

Restoration work on Galle Fortress

The Central Cultural Fund is excavating the remnants of the Dutch Fortress buried in Galle. The Fund is also planning to uproot trees growing on the walls of the Fortress without causing damage to the walls. This will be done by injecting the trees.

The Galle Dutch Fort is named the 38th World Heritage. Restoration work on the Fort will begin after completing the initial stage. The Netherlands Government has donated Rs. 380,000,000 for the restoration project. Of this Rs. 130,000,000 will be for restoration of the walls of the Fortress, Rs. 145,000,000 will be spent on the Marine Museum and an Information Centre.

Rs. 15,000,000 will be spent to restore the ancient sewage system and Rs. 50,000,000 for the restoration of the old houses inside the Fortress.

The restoration project is scheduled to be completed by 2009.

Barefoot Gallery in Galle

The Galle branch of Barefoot is situated on the corner of Pedlar and Church street in the Galle Fort. The shop makes a colourful addition to Fort life, housed in a delightful building elegantly renovated by Channa Daswatte.

The owners purchased the property in mid 2003 with a vague notion of opening a shop or a home. Lucky for Barefoot regulars, a shop it became. The restored space is charm personified. Some features include a narrow corridor at the back of the building which can be used as an escape route, a perfect courtyard open to sky and stars ideal for sitting in and viewing paintings on the wall.

Aside from the signature Barefoot products known for their vibrant colour and rectilinear design- all the other elements of the Colombo shop are here: The familiar paintings are hanging on the walls, the exellent coffee table, books on Sri Lanka & style and novels by Sri Lankan writers. The proprietors are currently hinting at the possibility of opening a café.

41, Pedlar Street, Fort, Galle.

091-2226299

http://www.barefootceylon.com/

Source: Leisure Times (2006)

I have originally published this post at my previous blog back in last year. I thought of posting it here as well.

Wi-Fi Hotspots in Galle

Dialog G.S.M./ Dialog Internet has opened some Wi-Fi Hotspots in the city of Galle. You can now take your Wi-Fi enabled Note Book/Laptop or PDA to any of these hotspots and surf the net as long as you want. The hotspots are located at the following places.....

DIALOG ARCADE
149, Colombo Road, Kaluwella, Galle

LADY HILL
29, Upper Dickson Road, Galle

MAMBO’S
Hikkaduwa

There are several methods of connecting to the net through Dialog Wi-Fi Zones. 1. via KitNet prepaid card
2. via SMS
3. via Credit Card

Dialog Wi-Fi zones enable data speed upto 11 mbps. And you can use same login details at any Zone. It even allows roaming in more than 100 countries.

Dialog has established a number of Wi-Fi Zones through out the Island. These venues include airports, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, clubs and various others locations.

French Theatre company wows Dodanduwa

The fishing village of Dodanduwa has never been as noisy as it was at the finale of recent innovative performance of Box Meetings by internationally renowned French theatre company, Kumulus.

The final performance received not only a stand up ovation from the packed audience, but also enthusiastic cheers and whistles. The highly original performance of Box Meetings took place at the Chandrasevana Creation Centre, Dodanduwa on March 21 and 22. Box Meetings was created from the real experiences of its French and Sri Lankan cast and examined the notion of dreams and aspirations while also exploring fundamental questions about life.

From day one of the workshop to the final performance, the audience included people who had traveled from Colombo for the event. But the majority of the audience has consisted of local families.

Kumulus Artistic Director Barthemely Bompard said, “It was such a memorable experience, working with the people of Dodanduwa. To have achieved so much in such a short time was amazing, and it was satisfying to see the end result, with everyone putting in so much effort and energy into the show"

A unique exhibition of photographs titled Sing For Peace was also held at the centre to coincide with the theatre performance. The exhibition documented Sing For Peace, an outdoor concert featuring the best in Sri Lankan popular music, including local musicians, which took place in January in Galle to spread the message of peace throughout the various communities of Sri Lanka.

The event was made possible through the support of the British High Commission, with additional funding from Culture France and In Situ (European Street Theatre Promoters).