Their love kept alive with your love

Sir Thomas Maitland and Lovinia :

Demi Hewamanna

Love, even though its just four letters, has such a powerful hold of someone that once you have it, you can’t throw it or push it away. It only grows stronger each minute of the day and makes you do things you never thought you could do. All around the world you hear stories of how people have got together and how their story made it into the history books.

In Sri Lanka, one such love story that people still talk about and is in fact in a book is the story of Lovinia and once Governor Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Maitland. When Sir Thomas was assigned as the Governor of Ceylon from 1805 to 1811 he met young dancing girl and fell deeply in love with her. She was half Portuguese and Sinhalese and her name was Lovinia. It is said that for the two lovers to meet, he got a secret tunnel to be dug leading from his wine cellar to her house (leading to her well) which was very close to his palace.

This palace (home to the Governor) is the now Mount Lavinia Hotel that brings many hearts together and binds love. This year it brings out over 200 years of that love alive with celebrations of every kind in this special month of love.

“The whole idea of romance is love and it means going back to Lavinia,” Mount Lavinai Hotel General Manager Anura Dewapura said. We thought of doing the whole art of chocolate, love and romance for the whole month of February. We will be bringing down Chef Doug Dillard from Baltimore, Maryland, USA to give everyone inside view of chocolates plus prepare a seafood special for all at the Seafood Cove.

Starting this Sunday at the Maitland State Room the Chocolate and Wine pairing night will showcase how if you have the right wine to complement the right chocolate it could really take one to a land of paradise. Couples can also get themselves set up at the romantic Horizon Roof Top and indulge in the chocolate dinner extraordinaire and enjoy a seven course menu.

Whole of February people can indulge in the Chocolate High Tea Buffet that has a selection of delectable chocolate treats ready to satisfy all chocolate craving fans along with traditional afternoon Tea at the Governors Terrace. And from Friday to Sunday couples get a treat with Truffles for Couples with their own selection of beverages at the Terrace. To the ones who want to really go wild and have an experimental can partake in the Chocolate Martini Mixology on February 21 at the Imperial Room. You’ll can get together with some of experts in mixology and learn how to make your own chocolate martini’s garnished with dark and white exotic chocolates. Learn to pour like a pro and mix like a master and take a tour of cacao producing countries.

Anura said that last year, the Lovers hut was a huge success and already for this year reservations have been pouring in. Couples can ultimate romantic private hut covered on three sides (giving complete seclusion) facing the Indian Ocean on the private beach with complete butler service. Then there is also the Tree hut dinner where cabins are built on stilts and opened to the Indian Ocean and couples get to experience a private cozy seven course dinner also on a first come first serve basis.

There are many who simply love seafood and crave it ever so often. So for those who do crave it then Symphony of Seafood is something to really try out on Valentine’s Day. You will get the chance to get your very own favourite seafood cooked by Chef Doug as he is an expert in seafood.

There is the above and so much more that the grand palace has to offer. If you are getting ready to pop the question on that special day then I really do say that there is no other better place than the Pool side with the amazing sunset and city of Colombo coming alive along with the gentle sunset.

So make this Valentine’s one that you won’t forget or regret for that matter and take that someone special on world of surprises.