14 – 15 June 2014 Before we left for Colombo, we found ourselves inside a local hospital. Yep- weird huh? Since the local bank that we tried to rob yesterday afternoon ran out of money, we had to get some money for the next day or two in Colombo before our departure. The local tuk tuk driver said: “No problem” so we ended up inside the office of a doctor who is also a part-time money exchanger. Sri Lankans are honest people. He could have easily cheated us but he didn’t and went with the highest exchange rate. It was a great moment. He needed USD and we the rupee. During the exchange, Fishe (a doctor) and I did a quick tour of the local hospital. We left the historically rich Central Province and spent a good couple of hours on the bus back to Colombo. It was during the…
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – A drop of tears in the Indian Ocean
Sri Lanka: A jam-packed festival in Mihintale then we robbed a bank
13 June 2014 After the Bodhi-Tree, Fishe and I decided to visit another place associated with the spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. So remember Mahinda the son of the Emperor who was sent to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism? Well, today’s trip was believed to be the meeting place of Mahinda and the Sri Lankan King which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in the country (4th century). We were pilgrims yesterday whilst visiting the sacred Bodhi tree and we will continue our pilgrimage to the holy site and pay our respects to the religious monuments. Mihintale, a small town about 12km East of Anuradhapura is a super quick and cheap bus ride away. We arrived in no time and the first sight that greeted us were locals…in their hundreds making the long walk up the mountain slopes. We had no maps on us but one can never get lost- just…
Sri Lanka: Enlightened by the Holy Tree in Anuradhapura
12 June 2014 Today is a special day for Sri Lankans. We dumped our bags at the guesthouse and biked our way around Anuradhapura. Police presence was huge and roads were blocked. We parked our bikes around the gate area and followed the locals as they marched towards the site. Normally it would cost you 25 USD to see the holy tree and other surrounding attractions but given it was Poson Full Moon Poya, we were allowed in for free. Time to join in the celebration. Every festival is rooted in that country’s history and/or faith. The Poson Full Moon Poya is a Buddhist celebration which commemorates the beginning of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Mahinda, a Buddha disciple came to Sri Lanka from India on the full moon day of Poson (June) and preached the doctrine through meeting the King and the people. Clearly we can see that this is an…
Sri Lanka: Close call with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister in Polonnaruwa
11 June 2014 We goofed off with the locals again on the long bus journey to Polonnaruwa. I went all ga-ga when I saw a baby (my soft spot) and as much as I want to hold her, I was too shy to ask since who would give their precious darling to a complete stranger? Sensing my love for kids, the parents handed me their baby daughter and I melted with her in my arms. As the second ancient Sri Lankan kingdom, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city in 1070. It’s nearly 1000 years old. Polonnaruwa’s Old Town (UNESCO WHS) is where the ancient city and Royal Palaces once stood. No palace is small so there are plenty of sites, structures and palace within a palace to visit. We skipped the New Town which, under the concept of the current President and with great support from the government, will see holistic…
Sri Lanka: My pet golden lion rock
10 June 2014 UNESCO WHS Sigriryi Rock in Matale (Central Province) sits comfortably within the cultural triangle formed by the cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. A grand palace on top of a huge 200 meter high rock encircled by limitless greenery, gardens, terraces, pathways, ponds and plantations is a splendid sight and if it were to survive throughout the centuries, it would be such a fierce-some thing to behold especially since the entrance is guarded by a huge rock lion— my pet rock lion. Left over from an long extinct volcano, this protruding rock is unmissable from the horizon. Fishe and I both saw it from Dambulla Cave. This area is so rich in history. It’s like my ideal treasure chest. Imagine, Fishe and moi, both explorers who stumbled upon the ancient sites that was once consumed by nature…we’ve released it from its long deep slumber, awakening its treasures for the world to see.…
Sri Lanka: Wedding crashers? and wooed by Dambulla
9 June 2014 We fed a couple of mosquitoes well last night. Oh Sri Lanka- your mossies are deadly. We walked down the hill and went to see the Holy Temple one last time before finding a local bus to the next UNESCO site- Dambulla Caves. Transportation is remarkably convenient and the proximity of historical sites within the Central Province allows one to never lose interest. I like how sites within a city are so close to one another. As Kandy Lake waved goodbye, we slowly inched our way towards the Temple complex. It was a great idea to visit the holy site at night-time since it was more magical. The temple is still majestic by day. The garden, situated in front of the Temple is a nice and peaceful place….this is no doubt, our favorite spot in Kandy. As we walked through the gate, which signified the end of…
Sri Lanka: Touchdown and Hi Kandy
7- 8 June 2014 Since flights tend to be delayed in China, taking the red-eye ones made the most sense. No PLA troops would be up that late (China closes airspace for military training). I always love leaving a predictable daily rhythm in Beijing to experience something new. My first impression of Sri Lanka is: historically rich and impressive. When I first saw a picture of the giant lion claws and the stairs that leads you up to the royal palace, I imagined myself back in the ancient times…. chilling at the Lion entrance before walking my way up.Damn- hot! I wondered how it looked back centuries ago when instead of only the front claws, lies a great lion that watches on his beloved Kingdom. I am so going there! Fishe, that wonderful girl who I met three times in three different cities a year ago also wanted to see the…