Shopping in Sri Lanka
Tea: Sri Lanka is the fourth biggest tea producing country in the world (after China, India, and Kenya). Concerning tea producing area density (tea production per square mile) it is the number one tea country. Average pure “Ceylon Tea” qualities are considered to be some of the finest teas for reasonable normal prices produced anywhere in the world. Buying tea at the factories guarantees pure qualities, the factory's own tea shops are more adjusted to the demands of foreign guests concerning varieties, flavours and vacuum package. Spices: Apart from India's Kerala and the Indonesia's Molucca Islands Sri Lanka is one of the world's three classical spice producing regions, famous for spices since ancient times. The quality of its cinnamon is unsurpassed. Other spices grown in Sri Lanka are pepper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, mace, gambog, curry leaf, mustard, coriander, lemon grass, cumin, dill, chillies, ginger and vanilla. Handicrafts: Popular souvenirs from Sri Lanka are woodcarvings and wooden masks, silver wear, brass castings, ceramics, lacquer ware, cane works, and coir goods. Textiles: Traditional handloom products are sarongs and other wraparounds, tablecloths, and batiks. Gems of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has been known as the "jewel island" since ancient times. The large variety of coloured precious stones is unique in the world. The quality e.g. of blue sapphires, Pushparagas and Padparadschas from Sri Lanka remains to be unsurpassed. Extremely rare in Sri Lanka are Emerald's. Diamonds and Tiger Eyes cannot be found in Sri Lanka. The below list of gems from Sri Lanka is not comprehensive:
Corundum: Blue Sapphire, Ruby, Yellow Sapphire (Pushparaga, Pukhraj), Orange-Pink Sapphire (Padmaraga, Padparadscha), Violett Sapphire, White Sapphire, Star Sapphire, Star Ruby, Geuda Chrysoberyl: Alexandrite, Cat's Eye Spinel: Blue Spinel, Red Spinel, Nauve Spinel, Beryl: Aquamarine, Green Beryl, Colourless Beryl Topaz: white Topaz, but usually lightly tinted yellow Zircon: Green Zircon, Yellow Zircon, Brown Zircon, Red Zircon, Blue Zircon Garnet: Hessonite Garnet, Almandine Garnet, Pyrope Garnet, Colour Changing Garnet Tourmaline: Green Tourmaline, Brown Tourmaline Quartz: Rose, Colourless, Amethyst Feldspar: Moonstone Uncommon: Sinhalite . |
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