Two Blogging awards

Gallicissa has won two Blogging Awards in 2008!
In January, it has been picked as the ‘Best Newcomer’ in 2007 Blogging Awards by Rhythmic Diaspora of London, Lanka and Drums, the top lifestyle blog that rocks the Sri Lankan blogsphere and beyond.
I was out on a tour when the ‘Award ceremony’ had apparently taken place and discovered this accidentally. Introducing the nominees Rhythmic Diaspora says:

“Gallicissa is a blog by a chap called Amila Salgado, a bird watching scrabble player. I use his name because he uses it, so hope he doesn't mind. It's a haven of stories and stunning pictures of Sri Lankan birds, snakes and other creepy crawly things that can be seen in any one of Colombo's 5 star hotel restaurants. I'm no bird watcher but this blog has grabbed my attention by the gonads and I read it with interest and intrigue”.

Unsurprisingly, the Best Written Blog for 2007 has been won by Ephemeral Ruminations of Java Jones; a potential opponent who could halt my golden run of Scrabble one of these days!
My short speech:

“(wiping tears) I’d like to thank Rhythmic Diaspora for this rare moment of glory that a Sri Lankan Blog can enjoy only once in its lifetime.”

In February, Gallicissa was awarded a Golden Eagle Blog Award by Island Rambles in Vancouver, Canada. This fabulous Bird and Nature blog is done by a very nice lady named Ocean and she has this to say…

“Gallicissa is Amila in Sri Lanka and he has the best birding photos and some of his photos are so extraordinary you cannot believe the birds he gets...he got the secretive Bay Owl and was the first birder to visit the Sinharaja rain forest.... check him out for some wild bird pics. Don't we all want to go there? He is a super photographer”

My short acceptence speech:

"This, clearly, is a momentous day for mankind! I’d like to say a big thank you to Ocean! This is a great honour. I am pleased to be recognised from people as far away as British Columbia. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank that gaaad, my family, my manager... hold on, I don't have one...Anyway, thank you all. It's been business doing pleasure wih ya'll. Mother Nature, this one's for you!”