AtomSri Lanka ~ 16 Jul 2007
Elephants and riots and adventures, oh my! Sri Lanka was one of my first travel experiences and will most definitely be the most memorable. Originally known as Ceylon it's name was changed in 1972 to Sri Lanka, a name penned in both the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Other cultures have referred to Sri Lanka as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean and Serendib (serendipity). I don't have many photos of Sri Lanka included with posts, and those I do have are sketchy; most were destroyed in a photo lab in Hyderabad, India.
SRI LANKA STATS
- Population: 20 Million
- Capital: Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte
- Largest City: Colombo
- Geography: The island of Sri Lanka sits in the Indian Ocean, just southwest of India. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent by the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait and according to Hindu mythology and British history there was once a land bridge between the two countries once known as Rama's Bridge, which was destroyed in a violent storm in 1480.
- Government: Democratic Socialist Republic
- Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee; 1 CAD = 107 LKR (approx.)
- Language: Sinhala, Tamil, English
- Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Muslim, Christianity
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ~ 17 Feb 1997
Getting here to Anuradhapura wasn't hard, the ride only took five hours and it was easy to get a ticket on the Colombo side of the trip. I travelled first class air conditioned, but am now regretting ...
Mihintale ~ 18 Feb 1997
The people are different in this area. They have a different look in their eyes than all the other people I have encountered thus far. It is as though the horrors of war have taken their innocence awa...
The Banks of Tissawewa ~ 19 Feb 1997
After seeing the Sacred Bo-tree I spent some time cycling around the banks of the Tissawewa and sitting in the Royal Pleasure Gardens. The bike ride itself was very interesting and is much like a bi...
The Sacred Bo-tree ~ 19 Feb 1997
The Sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi or the Sacred Bo-tree in Anuradhapura has a history spanning more than 2,200 years. This huge tree came to the island as a sapling brought by the Princess Sangamitta, ...
The Ruins of Anuradhapura ~ 20 Feb 1997
The ruins of the ancient city are truly amazing. Anuradhapura used to be the capital city of Sri Lanka and during this time the kings went on a fervent building spree. Many of the structures built d...
Colombo
On to Sri Lanka on UL ~ 01 Feb 1997
I spent the night at the airport in Madras. My flight was scheduled for 6 am, but it's mandatory that you be at the airport three hours early in order to through all the security checks and I decided ...
Colombo ~ 01 Feb 1997
Leaving India and arriving in Sri Lanka was like leaving hell and entering paradise. The first thing I noticed upon leaving the airport was the sound of everything slowing down. People are mellow and ...
Sri Lanka's National Museum, Colombo ~ 06 Feb 1997
The National Museum is Sri Lanka's oldest museum and has been open to the public since 1877. There is quite a lot here: art, antiques, Buddhist and Hindu bronzes, stone statues, paintings and frescoe...
The Gratiaen Prize ~ 07 Feb 1997
Creon's uncles are Michael Ondaatje, the author of The English Patient, and Christopher Ondaatje, the philanthropist and author. The book Running in the Family is about Creon's family and what it was ...
Navam Perahera ~ 21 Feb 1997
Perahera is one of the biggest festivals in Sri Lanka. The word 'Perahera' means procession and the festival honours the Sacred Tooth Relic which is housed in Kandy. The tooth reportedly belonged to...
Galle
Galle Fort ~ 11 Feb 1997
I took the train from Hikkaduwa to Galle Fort in Southern Sri Lanka. The train ride was an absolute pleasure because trains in Sri Lanka are much older (antiques) and far less crowded than the ones ...
The Groote Kerk ~ 11 Feb 1997
The first place I went once inside the walls of the fort was the Dutch Reformed Church, or the Groote Kerk. The church was originally founded in 1642 and is still active with approximately 5,000 mem...
Old Dutch Government House ~ 11 Feb 1997
Opposite the Dutch Church is the Old Dutch Government House. This house was built in 1683 is a good example of an old colonial building. On the door is a rooster standing on a rock, or the Cock of G...
The New Oriental Hotel ~ 11 Feb 1997
After visiting the Dutch Church I decided I was overheated and went to the New Oriental Hotel for drink and sat on the veranda. The hotel was built in 1684 and was the Dutch Main Headquarters. In Engl...
Hikkaduwa
Hikkaduwa ~ 08 Feb 1997
Today's excursion was to the beach / surf town of Hikkaduwa. Hettie and her friend Conrad had plans to go to Hikkaduwa for the day and I opted to go with them. The ride was incredible: long roads wi...
Elephant Sarong and Beach Stories ~ 10 Feb 1997
I bartered for my first item today, and lost miserably. It was a cotton sarong with elephants along the edge. I wanted cotton so it could be used as a towel, blanket, bed sheet, curtain, etc. I need...
The Turtle Hatchery ~ 12 Feb 1997
On a whim I decided to go to Kosgoda to see the turtle hatcheries. Getting there was no issue: I headed to the train station, bought a ticket and hopped on the train. Somehow I always manage to show u...
Galle Road ~ 12 Feb 1997
I walked along a very peaceful quiet beach until I could walk no longer. At the end there were fishing boats, a very small village, and naked children swimming in a not so clean lagoon. I walked int...
Kandy
The Road to Kandy ~ 02 Feb 1997
The roads are crazy in Sri Lanka, just like in India. And, the drivers are just as insane; there's lots of passing on blind corners and dramatic speeding up / slowing down. We took many tight turns ...
Kandy ~ 02 Feb 1997
We stopped in Kandy to stretch our legs and it gave me the opportunity to wander around a bit. Kandy is a spiritual place to the Sinhalese. It is the home of Buddha's sacred tooth, a tooth that was pu...
Lowland Dance Ceremony ~ 15 Feb 1997
The original plan for the evening was to take in a Sinhalese movie, however, there was a twist in events and the movie was postponed. Hettie got word from Tammy that there was a lowland dance ceremo...
Wasgamuwa Park
Hill Country ~ 02 Feb 1997
After lunch we got back into the Jeep and climbed to the top of the hill country. The view was amazing and I'm thankful for all the extra film I picked up in Kandy. There was so much to see I couldn...
Wasgamuwa Park ~ 02 Feb 1997
Once you are in Wasgamuwa Park you need a guide to show you around; I likened the experience to original settlers needing an Indian guide in North America because this person knows all the routes through the park and behaviour of the animals.
Old Forest ~ 03 Feb 1997
At dawn I could hear the monkeys calling their territory. It was amazing to hear them calling while the rest of the jungle was silent. As the sun rose I washed the dishes and my clothes under the wa...
The Elephant Bum ~ 03 Feb 1997
Creon, Puny and I were selected to go into town to get some fresh fruit. We also opted to get the gear we left at the other camp site on our way back. Our silent guide went with us. I had a gut feelin...
Herds of Elephants ~ 03 Feb 1997
When we got to town we were all thirsty and hot. We had wood apple pop, checked out the axle on the jeep, bought some fruit, and headed towards the old camp site. It was a pleasant ride full of dee...
Last Day in Wasgamuwa Park ~ 04 Feb 1997
It was our last day in the park. The night was relatively uneventful though monkeys were busy jumping in the trees above us and at one point surprised the group sleeping by the fire by jumping on th...