It was this land that the marketing team of Central Region from Zurich Ins Malaysia choose to go for their holiday. On 9.5.12, we took the early flight from KL and touched down at Colombo airport at 8.15am. The first surprise was the airport was all modern and clean. After collecting our luggage and clearing the immigration, we were welcome by our tour agent with a garland each. Very Hawaiian. But in Sri Lanka, we were greeted with "ayubowan". It's a greeting that means hello generally. It can also be used to mean " may you live a long and healthy life."
Along the way, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. Malaysian time showed it is already 1.00pm , but we are in Sri Lanka where the time is only 10.30am. For the restaurant, they had to prepare early lunch for us.
The distance from Colombo to Dambulla is only about 120km but it takes more than 3 hours to reach there. The reason being Sri Lanka is just like Malaysia in the 70's. There is no highway and the roads are narrow with houses hugging close to the road. Buddhism is the dominant religion here and Vesak is celebrated for 1 week. You can still see lanterns hanging all over the roadside and more if it is near a temple.
After checking in and having an hour's rest, we were all ready for our first touristy activity. We had to pass Dambulla town which was pretty much a one street town. Driving in Sri Lanka is very tight and can be a hair raising experience. Within an hour's driving, we already had a few close encounters.
ELEPHANTS MY FRIEND
Elephants play an important part in Sri Lanka. In all social, religious and festival activities, elephants are an integral part of the event . For a tourist, you can do elephant ride or visit the elephant orphange. We had decided to do the elephant safari at the Minneriya National park at Habarana. We were told the herd of elephants could number up to 100. This National Park is also one of the smallest in Sr Lanka.
All excited on board the jeep safari.
First sighting of elephants on the way in.
there's even a Peacock
Buffaloes can be seen too.
Even though sighting is way below 100, it's still good fun to watch the elephants in their natural habitat.
This particular elephant had all our attention!
Fresh coconut juice provides cool respite from the outing.
A nice buffet dinner at the hotel brings a close to a tiring day.
THE GOLDEN TEMPLE, DAMBULLA.
This was just a drop by on the way to Sigiriya. It is at the edge of Dambulla but the giant Buddha is prominant. You just have to stop to take some photos. We did not have the time, but right behind this Golden Temple lies a cave temple which is 12th century old and is a Unesco heritage site.
The largest Buddha Statue in the world with Dharmachakkra posture !
Nice Shot, Cheah.
The Lion Rock of Sigiriya.
The story goes like this. The king had 2 sons, Kassapa and Moggallana from different wives. Mogallana's mother is a royal blood. Fearing that he might not ascend the throne, Kassapa had his father imprisoned and took over as King. Mogallana fled to India and Kassapa moved his kingdom from Anuradhapura to Sigiraya and build his palace up on a 600 foot rock. This fortress citadel known as the Lion Rock is one of the most remarkable creations in the world and is now a designated Unesco Heritage site. By the way, Mogallana returned 17 years later and took back his throne whicle Kassapa slit his own throat in despair.
Impressive layout of the Citadel
The group that pay USD30.00 to climb the rock.
On both side of the entrance path, there are big swim pools and ponds for the pleasure of the king. Super luxury even by today standard.
Just a few flight upwards and all needing to take a breather !
From here on, the climb gets interesting. You need to depend on the metal steps that hugged to the side of the cliff.
Huffing and puffing on the way up. We learnt that the green shirt guy in this picture has height phobia. His legs went jelly during the climb.
Pretty naked maiden painted on the wall 7000 years ago !
King Kassapa must be a real playboy. The walls on the rock are adorned with paintings of bare breasted maidens. And to think that this is a 5th Century painting !
The Mirror Wall ? Where ? The wall on the right is smooth almost shiny if look from certain angle.
That's the Lion's paw, which is also the entrance up to the palace.
and the tiring climb continues....
Jubilation all round after finally reaching the top. We are on Kassapa's palace.
Fantastic view from here.
Yes, that's the Kandy mountains, more than 100 km from here.
Blowing in the wind. Nice cool breeze blows continuously up here.
You can spend the whole day up here enjoying the view and cool breeze.
What goes up, must come down. And so we descended from the palace that was built on the huge rock that was called Lion Rock, satisfied that this was really an amazing piece of achitecture from the 5th Century. Happy is the face of the green shirt guy.
KANDY, THE CULTURAL CAPITAL.
We had to leave Sigiriya and head for Kandy hoping to reach there by evening. The long and winding road that leads to Kandy had most of us sleeping in the coach again. But when we reach the city, the first impression is that this is like any big town in old Malaysia, like in the seventies.
The hotel that we stayed is up on the hill along a very narrow road that is passable to only one car. We had to be transferred to two vans to reach our hotel.
Randholee Hotel and Spa is a boutique hotel perched on top of the hill. It overlooks part of the city of Kandy and has a great view.
SRI DALADA MALIGAWA
This is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. It was thought that the tooth was snatched from the Buddha's funeral pyre in 543 BC and was smuggled into Sri Lanka in the 4th Century. Most Sri Lankan Buddhist believe they must complete one pilgrimage to this temple at least once in their lifetime. That underline the importance of this temple. The temple is within a palace complex and is surrounded by a deep moat. It was once bombed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam in 1998 during the peak of the civil war. The temple sustain considerable damage but has since been repaired. It is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The main entrance into the Temple complex.
The Dalada Maligawa surrounded by cloud wall.
Yes, you have to take off your dirty footwear before entering the temple complex.
You have to pass through the moat that surround the complex.
After that, you go through a short tunnel to gain entry to the temple.
Outer temple on the gound floor where daily riuals are carried out. The tuskers belong's to Raja, an elephant that carries the casket that contains the tooth relic in all ceremonies. Raja was declared a national treasure when he died in 1988. The tusks are taxidermised and on display here.
Inner temple. The walls are decorated with drawings depicting the life Gautama Buddha to the time when he attains nirwana.
On the upper floor, worshippers waiting to go into the chamber for prayers where the tooh is kept. We had to wait until the earlier group inside had finished their prayers before the next group is allowed in.
Underneath this casket are six other similar caskets, one smaller than the other. The tooth is inside the last casket.
The casket is only opened once a year, and not during our visit. We can only contend ourself with a replica that was seen in the museam on the upper floor of the temple.
The Bodhi Tree
Outside the temple complex stood a prominent tree, the Bo Tree. It has an intriguing story. We all know Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under the Bodhi Tree at Bohdgaya some 2,500 years ago. A branch was taken from that particular tree and planted in Anuradhapura.The tree you see below is a sapling of the Bo tree from Anuradhapura. By the way, the original tree where Buddha meditate had died many years ago. The Bo tree now at that place Bohdgaya is only about 120 years old and it was also grown from the sapling of the Bo tree in Anuradhapura. Got it. This it the most sacred tree to Buddhist.
At the compund of the temple complex.
Just outside the complex across the street is a row of old shophouses. These are exactly like our pre war shops.
We explored the part of town that was near the temple.
This Methodist church has similar architectural design as any Methodist church in Malaysia.
Yes, shopping is in everybody's mind when you explore the town.
The Queen's Hotel, a prominent landmark because it's a colonial building.
The Kandy lake with the cloud wall is created out of a paddy field. It had a tragic tale of the king impaling hundreds of his advisors who had advised him against the lake project.
Walking along the lake on the way to see the Kandy Cultural show.
Our dinner was at the the Rooftop Garden of Kandyan Art. As the name suggest, it is a rooftop and had fantastic view from there.
After dinner, a few of us adjourned to a local pub called The Bamboo Bar. It is run by an Englishman with a chinese wife.
It had an outdoor balcony which like the Rooftop Restaurant earlier, had a nice view and cool air.
The next day, we checked out of Randholee and depart Kandy.
The road leading out is tight and winding.
The Gem of Sri Lanka : Ratnapura
Our next destination is Ratnapura, one of the most active gem mining town in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is one of the top producer of gemstones in the world, and most of it comes from Ratnapura.
This is Ratnaloka Tour Inn, a spacious 3 star hotel located right smack in the middle of nowhere.
It's the hotel to stay if you intend to overnight at Ratnapura as it's the only big hotel in this town.
The owner has a gem mine at his property where the hotel is located. We just have to see it.
Gem mining in Sri Lanka is traditional with none of the sophisticated machinery. Exploration is by a steel rod inserted in the ground, mining is by digging and pumping excess water out of the hole.
Earth dug out are pan in a basket to search out valuable stones.
The mine is usually guarded 24 nours by own family members and those having a stake.
Some polished stones below from a gemstone store. The most popular precious stones in Sri Lanka are the blue sapphires and ruby. Below are samples of blue topaz, aquamarine, moonstone and garnet.
Citrine, amethyst are some of the semi precious stones also mined in Sri Lanka.
Ceylon tea have long been popular outside Sri Lanka. The hotel proprietor also had a large tract of tea plantation nearby. We had a good time plucking tea leaves with some competition thrown in.
Just have to have a group photo taken at this unique place.
It's time we assimilate ourselves to local culture. To have a good feel, we had all become locals during our dinner at Ratnaloka Inn. The men wore the local sarong with linen shirt whilst the ladies were all elegantly dressed in the sarees.
Cheah is obviously very happy with saree clad ladies.
We even had the cultural dancers mingling with us for added entertainment. The show was just for us.
Yes, a lot of yam sengs are a must, even in Sri Lanka.
We did not forget the birthday boys ( and girl).
Happy birthday Jacus, Ern Chen and Yu Mei.
Colombo, our final stop.
After Ratnapura, we depart for Colomba, the capital city of Sri Lanka.
Colombo may surprise a lot of people, it's clean, neat, tidy, modern yet traditional and show no traces of any civil war.
The flags and buntings that were hung up for vesak last week are still drapping in most streets.
Independence Square.
Modern city and very green.
The White House Building, a replica that is used as a town council office.
A typical street with some colonial buildings all very well preserved.
The Galle Face Street faces the sea. That is where our hotel is located.
This 5 Star hotel has all the luxurious trappings.
Celebration Dinner
This being our final night, we had to have a night to remember.
Sia and Daniel hosted this thank you dinner at The Sawadee Restaurant at Mt. Lavinia Beach.
It was a night of seafood and of course Sri Lanka crabs.
Sri Lanka had been a special destination. We all had a good time. It is also made possible by the local tour agent, Mr. Gamini and his long time employee, Mr Chandra Sekeran. Both had come to Malaysia earlier and took the time off to work with us on our itinerary. To them and all the participants in Central Region and of course to Mr. Sia and Daniel Reymond, "THANK YOU" and "AYUBOWAN."
