Récits de voyages autour du monde

(FEBRUARY 9 TO MARCH 8, 2020)

ITINERARY:

Colombo

Wales

Tangalle

Ella

Kandy

Sigiriya

Dambulla

Polonnaruwa

Passekudah

Kalkudah

Valaichchena

Uppeveli

Trincomalee

Nilaveli

Anuradhapura

Mihintale

Negombo

PHOTOS OF MYANMAR – PART 1 (Click on the image below)

PHOTOS OF MYANMAR – PART 2 (Click on the image below)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10

YANGON – BANGKOK – COLOMBO

We had lunch, alone in the dining room. Claude then went for a walk around while I finished publishing my last article on Myanmar, enjoying a good internet connection. In extreme heat, we dined at the Friendship Restaurant (fried chicken rice and tomato and chicken salad). In a taxi (4000Ks or $3.50 CAD), we went to Terminal 1 at Yangon Airport. At 4:30 p.m., we flew to Bangkok, Thailand, leaving Myanmar with the satisfaction of having made an enriching, interesting and very enjoyable stay there. That first flight lasted an hour.

Our second flight, Bangkok to Colombo, which lasted three and a half hours, passed quickly. I listened to two good movies (« Gifted » and « Me Before You ») and dined on board. We arrived in Sri Lanka at 11pm local time in a temperature of 23 degrees C. We were happy to leave the evenings 10 degrees from Inle Lake behind us! We picked up our luggage, took out the Sri Lankan rupees, bought two SIM cards for our cell phones and left by taxi ($22 CAD) at the Metro Port City Hotel in Pettah, Colombo’s old neighborhood. We received a nice welcome from our host. Although the corridor walls are in dire need of repainting, our room on the5^th floor is large and clean and meets our needs (beautiful-good-cheap). We quickly went to bed, tired of our long day. It was 2am for us, Yangon time! (00:30 Colombo time)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11

COLOMBO (32 degrees C)

Here is some information about Sri Lanka:

Sri Lanka is an island state  of 65,610 km2  of the Indian subcontinent, located in southeastern India, and populated by about twenty-two million people. The country was named Ceylon until  1972.

The country has a marked religious, cultural and linguistic diversity. For example, Sri Lanka has two official languages recognized equally by the country’s  constitution, The Casingese  and  Tamil. The first is predominant in most of the country, with about 74% of the population speaking Malaysians and about 26% of them speak Tamil. The main cities are  Colombo  (economic capital, 2.3 million inhabitants),  Kandy  and  Galle. The northernmost city in the country is  Jaffna  (129,000 inhabitants). The political capital is  Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, located 15 km southeast of Colombo.

When I woke up, curiously, I climbed to the8^th floor of our hotel to get a view of the city center. It was pretty impressive! I then left with Claude in search of a restaurant for lunch. We discovered an effervescent neighborhood life whose smells and colors strongly reminded us of India. We returned to the Elite restaurant, located at the roundabout overlooking Main Street. The manager, friendly Mr. BigBelly, took the time to chat with us, speaking in English with a strong Cingalese accent and skaking his head in the Indian way. An exception because it was not on the menu, he made us each prepare an omelet that we ate with naan bread and a dal (lentil puree).

We then went to Sri Lanka Travel and Tourism in a tuk-tuk. The driver dropped us off on York Street. We desperately searched for the famous agency with the help of several Sri Lankans but, without success. We have come to know that this agency no longer exists. damn! So, Google Map is not up to date! We went to two travel agencies found in the area but were referred to a third agency, specializing in package tours in Sri Lanka. We had to go there by tuk-tuk. At this third agency, Diethelm Travel Sri Lanka, we were served very well. Mr. Rajapakse reviewed our itinerary and gave us good advice. (He sent us a submission within 24 hours for a private chauffeur ride for 25 days in Sri Lanka: $2,000 USD/person (plus dinners and dinners). We declined his offer, of course, this amount far exceeded our budget.) While making this long drive, we got a good look at the city. We discovered several colonial buildings.

On leaving the travel agency, a tuk-tuk driver drove us to a restaurant near City Hall. When we left the restaurant, we returned to the beautiful town hall, seat of the Colombo City Council and the office of the mayor of Colombo (1921).

In front of the Town Hall is the great Vihara Maha Devi Park (or Victoria Park). There is a huge Buddha statue and a series of fountains and water jets. It also includes a mini zoo and a children’s playground. We walked through the park and walked to the National Museum. This museum is the largest in the country. It contains important collections, such as traditional costumes and historical gems, including the throne and crown of the kings of Kandy, as well as many remains related to Sri Lankan history. What an amazing museum!

Returning to tuk-tuk, we made a stop at the impressive Gangaramaya Buddhist temple. At the same time, we took a quick look at the Seema Malakaya temple located in the middle of beautiful Beira Lake.

Our driver finally dropped us off at the Galle Face Hotel. Right next to this great hotel, we had a drink at Breeze Barracuda, a chic restaurant-bar on a large sandy ground, enjoying the view of the Sea of Laquedives and the sunset. I went to see the sea more closely, discovering a walk along the wall on which the waves come to hit. At the end of the long walk, there is a small beach, but it was deserted. (I don’t think this is a recommended beach for swimming.)

We came back in tuk-tuk to Pettah, our neighborhood. When setting foot in our hotel, a driver doing business with the property held me at the front desk, eager to get the contract to take us on a 25-day private tour of Sri Lanka with him. Despite my fatigue and suffocating heat, I took the time to listen to his itinerary suggestion. He ended up giving me a prize: $1000 USD per person. I told him I was going to discuss it with my spouse. (Even though this offer was half that of Mr. Rajapakse, we declined it the next day. However, the advice we receive will be very helpful.)

We went back to the Indian restaurant Elite for dinner. We feasted on butter chicken and vegetable sauce with garlic naan bread.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12

Colombo

We had lunch at a small restaurant in the roundabout at the end of our street. We then walked on Main Street towards the Pettah Market. We passed by the magnificent Red Mosque, discovering it in all its splendor. It is with happiness that we walked through the stalls of the traditional market of Pettah where we sell everything at low prices. (Of course, you have to haggle by cutting the price in half, even if you accept a counteroffer from the seller.) How lively and colorful the market is! We bought small items (spring pins, multi-adaptor, cell wire, a pair of stockings for me, a « Canada » cap and a rose scent for Claude).

As we had already toured the main tourist attractions of Colombo, we decided to take the local bus to the Dehiwala Zoological Garden. The one-hour journey was arduous; we were caught in the traffic of the capital in an extremely hot temperature! When we arrived at the zoo, we took a leap when we learned of the entrance fee ($22 CAD per person). We decided to let it go. An Uber taxi picked us up to take us to the Old Dutch Hospital at the Colombo Fort. This former Dutch fort has been restored and transformed into a Shopping Precinct. The chic restaurants at inflated prices are aimed at tourists, which did not enchant us. We decided to go to dinner at the Restaurant Fort Pillawoos located on the street behind the fort. We were surrounded by almost exclusively male Sri Lankan clients. Claude and I shared a delicious chicken rice and three samosas for a total of $5 CAD.

We took a tuk-tuk to the Dutch Museum. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit the interior as it is temporarily closed for renovation. This colonial building detonated in this popular commercial district where there are mainly warehouses of large bags of onions and potatoes. We walked to our hotel, enjoying this lively area where you can feel the pulse of the daily life of the locals. We passed the Church of All Saints of Pettah and then, in front of a Hindu temple where a marriage ended. Excited at the sight of the elegant saris worn by the women, I asked permission for them to take pictures.

I took a short detour to see the pretty Hindu temple New Kathiresan on the street parallel to ours.

I joined Claude at the hotel. In the evening, we went out to dinner at the Sri Rudra Vegetarian Delight restaurant. My vegetable kottu and Claude’s dhal were spicy and succulent. (A kottu is made of thin wheat pancakes cut into mini strips, vegetables, scrambled eggs and spices. This dish of Tamil origin is very popular in Sri Lanka and usually served from the afternoon until the evening.

As we left the restaurant, we walked down Main Street. As most shops close at 8pm, we returned not long after. Sitting on our bed, Claude jumped when a mouse came out from under our bed and ran off into the bathroom. A little later, I saw her coming out of the bathroom through the ventilation grid. I was glad to see that she had left us; I was going to be able to sleep with peace of mind!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13

COLOMBO – GALLE (pop: 99,500)

Claude went to get some kind of egg submarines that we ate in our room with a good coffee. We took the time to buy our plane tickets to Egypt before leaving our room with all our luggage towards the Kadawatte bus station. We took a three-hour bus ride (335 LKR or $1.20 CAD each) to Galle, the third largest city after Colombo and Kandy. How hot we got in this crowded bus and no air conditioning! We were sitting on the last bench at the back of the bus with our luggage at our feet. The man by my side slept firmly while crushing me with all his weight. I couldn’t wait to disembark! We sailed along the sea, going down the west coast in a southerly direction and making stops in each city crossed.

We arrived in Galle at 1:30 p.m. We went to our accommodation, the Windy Garden Villa, in tuk-tuk. This beautiful guest house is located about 2 km from the city center, in a small alley away from the main street. Our room is on the2^nd floor and overlooks a living room, dining room, kitchen and garden gallery. After an excellent welcome papaya juice courtesy of our lovely hosts, we walked up the alley and went to dinner at the Oak Ray Anchorage restaurant located on Main Street, a hundred yards from our accommodation. Sitting at a table on the 2nd floor, we were able to enjoy a view of the sea while feasting on excellent Sri Lankan dishes (vegetable curry served with rice for me).

The first floor of the property houses the Wood Carving shop, which is full of beautiful wooden sculptures. We took a look at it before walking to the bridge and then Mahamodara beach. We stumbled upon the Sea Turtle Project, a turtle protection center. We could have visited the few turtle ponds for $10 CAD per person, but it wasn’t worth it. On the large golden sand beach, we met three young Europeans volunteering for the center for a period of three weeks. The Belgian explained what they were doing: collecting clean beach sand to cover turtle eggs. We continued our walk to the north end of the beach, the safest place for swimming. (The waves and the bottom current are strong, and you should apparently be wary of it.) Suddenly, a tropical rain fell on our heads. We took refuge under a palm tree and then, under the roof of a small lime juice stand. We chatted with the owner before heading by tuk-tuk to our villa, forgetting our swim to the sea!

The rain did not last very long. In the early evening, we took a tuk-tuk to Fort Galle (200LKR or $1.50 CAD). This fort was built in 1588 by the Portuguese, then largely fortified by the Dutch from 1649. It is a monument of historical, archaeological and architectural heritage, which, even after more than 432 years, retains a refined spirit, due to the extensive reconstruction work carried out by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We were disappointed to see how touristy the site is. Inside the ramparts, the Portuguese architecture of the buildings is superb to see but the streets are overflowing with restaurants, bars, shops and luxury hotels entirely dedicated to tourists. We looked for a budget restaurant but without success. The excessively high prices discouraged us from eating inside the fortifications. We went by tuk-tuk and opted for the family-run Aluroma restaurant on Matara Road, opposite the seaside promenade called Marine Walk. During the day, the view must be beautiful as the restaurant is on the2^nd floor and its large windows overlook the sea. We spent the evening strolling along Old Matara Rd, passing through the beautiful Masjid Al Hussain and the Giant Buddha. When the shops closed, we went home in a tuk-tuk.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Wales

I was woken up by Claude. He had got up early and had made a coffee when he suddenly heard a noise. Intrigued, he walked to the door of the small gallery and arrived face to face with a bunch of monkeys: big purple-faced langurs. Some walked on the tin roof, others jumped into the big trees and two landed directly on the gallery wall. That’s when he thought of me because he knows how much I love watching monkeys. It was with excitement that I filmed them and photographed them.

Our host served us a hearty continental breakfast on the gallery on the2^nd floor. We met a very inspiring Franco-Belgian couple. André is a businessman and photographer while Michèle is a cabinetmaker. They are frequent flyers, and we had a lot of fun hearing them talk about their travels. We exchanged our travel sites; that’s how I discovered the wonderful POLARSTEPS app that allows people to follow us easily. At the end of the morning, we bid them farewell. They left on board their rented tuk-tuk for the month. (It’s a convenient and economical way to get around the country.)

Claude and I walked to the city center. As it was very hot, we stopped at the Keells grocery store to buy us a big bottle of water. We continued on Main Street, passing through two Hindu temples, a Buddhist temple as well as train and bus stations. We then went to walk on the ramparts to enjoy the beautiful view of the city and the sea before going down to stroll through the streets inside the fortifications. We enjoyed seeing the buildings with Portuguese architecture but as the site is very touristy and lack of authenticity, we were not more excited than the day before. We bought two submarines and species of samosas that we ate in front of the Municipal Court, sitting on a small cement wall. As we left the fortifications, we passed through the Hall de Galle, The Utilities, the Post Office and the Galle Heritage Center. A little further on, on a small beach, there were dozens of fishing boats. Claude bought a large fresh fish from one of the fishermen ($6 CAD for 2 nets giving 4 large portions).

Continuing our walk on Matara Road, we discovered a traditional market on an adjacent street. While I went around the clothing kiosks and music CDs, Claude went to the grocery store to buy vegetables to accompany our fish. We took a tuk-tuk to return to our villa. When we arrived, I had the pleasure of seeing several whitish semnopitheques also known as purple-faced langurs. (The degradation of the natural habitat of this monkey has caused the disappearance of more than 50% of the species’ members.) My monkey watching cut short when Claude yelled at me that he couldn’t find his cell phone and credit card that was with it. We looked everywhere, without success. Going back, we thought he might have fallen out of his little backpack at the checkout counter at Keells. At our request, our host called the grocery store. It was with great relief that we knew that they had found him and set it aside in the manager’s office. Phew! How we avoided trouble thanks to the honesty of the Sri Lankan! Our host lent Claude his scooter so that he could get his cell phone and credit card back as soon as possible.

I finished the afternoon writing on the gallery while Claude went swimming in the strong waves on the beach located a five-minute walk from our villa. The sky had covered but it was still really hot. On his return, my good friend prepared an excellent plate of Quebec-flavored fish and vegetables. What a pleasure for the puck and what a beautiful Valentine’s gift!

In the evening, we walked on the dimly lit promenade and wharf, both located near our accommodation. We watched people fish for crayfish, with flashlights and nets. On the horizon, on the sea, we could see the lights of a hundred fishing boats lined up. (This night fishing is prohibited in Canada.) A young Sri Lankan of a dozen years kept us company, visibly happy to practice his English and intrigued by our presence. Before returning, we had a drink, feet in the sand, in a bar located directly on Mahamodara beach. How nice it was to enjoy so this beautiful warm night in a natural setting like no other!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15

GALLE (Jungle Beach and Unawatuna Beach)

We started the day with an omelet and delicious coconut pancakes. We saw the young psychologist and humanitarian worker working in Afghanistan and I asked her about her work, listening to her answers with great interest. (She also worked one year in India and two years in South Sudan. What a great start to a professional career!)

We spent a good part of the morning at the villa. For my part, I was sitting in the shade on the gallery and I « had fun » to enter our travel itinerary and upload some photos in the POLARSTEPS application of my cell phone. (The internet service in the villa is not loud enough for me to use my mobile phone.)

Around 11am, we left by tuk-tuk. Sumith, the brother of our host, drove us to Jungle Beach, located about 4km east of downtown Galle. He took the initiative to take us first to the Japanese Peace Pagoda (Buddhist temple) so that we could have a beautiful view of the ocean, the city and the fort. Next to the pagoda, Sumith showed us the Hanuman Shrine, a monument that was erected in memory of the victims of the 2004 tsunami.

We then took a steep rock-strewn trail and descended to Jungle Beach, accompanied by a large lizard and greedy monkeys in search of food donations. The small beach is beautiful, but it was a bit too lively for our liking. It was invaded by young foreign tourists who had fun to the sound of popular music with an exaggeratedly high volume. We dived into the water, happy to cool off in the warm and calm turquoise waters. We went up the steep path with Sumith. He then took us to our final destination: Unawatuna Beach. To get there, when we leave the main road, we have to take a long and narrow street lined with restaurants, bars, craft shops and small hotels. So, here’s a tourist landmark. The very large golden sand beach is superb. This is the most beautiful beach in the area for swimming. Boat trips are available for surfing, scuba diving or snorkeling in the surrounding area.

We had dinner at the Sea Song restaurant, feet in the sand. We waited a long time before we were brought our order: Greek salad for me and club sandwich for Claude. However, it was delicious! The sky had covered. We didn’t bathe as it was a bit cool in our wet clothes from our swim at Jungle Beach. Instead, we walked on the beach and on the commercial street before returning to the Sea Song restaurant to lie on the sun loungers facing the sea.

It was understood that Sumith would pick us up at 4:00. Fifteen minutes before, it started raining. We took shelter at the same restaurant. At the time heard, Sumith took us back to our villa. We could see, on the beach, a group of men pulling a huge fishing net. As it was still raining, we did not stop as proposed by our driver.

We made a stop at the supermarket. (Sumith must have taken a rating for taking us there.)

Back at our villa, we dropped off our purchases on the kitchen counter. At supper time, when I wanted to start preparing our fish meal, I jumped and shouted loudly when I saw a small lizard coming out of our shopping bag. Returning from my emotions, I cooked while admiring the jungle of the kitchen window, to the sound of melodious birdsong. Here, the flora and fauna that surrounds us reminds us of Costa Rica. What a beautiful natural environment!

In the evening, Claude took a big pile of rupees out of his pockets. Astonished, I asked him how much he had gone out at the ATM in the afternoon. He said, « About CAD$80. » I said, « It can’t be. You’ve got plenty of 5000LKR that’s worth $35 CAD each! That’s when he realized he had released $860 CAD. Heck! He then remembered the cashier who served him in the afternoon at the grocery store and who took her eyes wide when she saw the pile of rupees, he was holding in his hands to pay the small amount for his purchases. 

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16

GALLE – TANGALLE

This morning, our host served us a typical Sri Lankan breakfast consisting of hoppers (mirrored egg served in a fine pancake made of fermented rice flour, coconut milk and an egg). We chatted together and Claude showed him some pictures of Quebec.

We bid farewell to our lovely hosts and went tuk-tuk with Sumith to the bus station. We settled on the first front seat with our luggage and had to wait a big thirty minutes in sweltering heat before the bus started to start. Fortunately, the journey to Tangalle lasted only two hours. Our driver drove crazy, honking and zig-zaging over tuk-tuks, motorcycles, dogs, cars, buses and pedestrians. It looked like he was having fun on a racetrack! We sailed along the sea for most of the journey. It is on this road that it is possible to see the traditional fishermen perched on their stilts. (Since the 2004 tsunami, there have been half as many fish and this type of fishing is likely to disappear within a decade. Fishermen catch more tourists than fish.)

We were amazed to see the beautiful beaches. Weligama Beach in the bay of the same name was really beautiful as well as Mirissa Beach, known for surfing and diving. We passed through the fort of Matara, important city of the region and its beach. We finally arrived in Tangalle at 12:15pm under a bright sun. We took a tuk-tuk to Coco Palm Villa, located 50 meters from Medaketiya beach. We quickly settled down and put on our swimsuits, in a hurry to enjoy the beautiful beach. We had dinner at the Frangipani Beach Restaurant (seafood noodles for me, vegetable rice for Claude). We spent the afternoon bathing happily in the huge waves and drying in the sun, lying on the sun loungers.

Fishermen sailing offshore with their boats threw their huge net in the hope of catching large fish. On the beach, locals and tourists shot at the net for more than an hour; it was the attraction of the day! When the net finally reached the water’s edge, everyone was disappointed to see such a meagre fishery: very small fish and barely 3-4 medium-sized fish.

In the late afternoon, we took a walk to the small town center of Tangalle. Near the bus station, we discovered the fish market and the local fruit and vegetable market. We bought groceries for our dinner the next day. Returning from our commissions, all sweating, we returned to bathe in the crystal-clear waters of the rough sea of high tide. Before going to dinner, we gave ourselves a rest time at the villa. We ate at the water’s edge at The Blue Cargo restaurant. Lying in the hammock of the restaurant and Claude sitting next to me, we ended the evening placating to the sound of the sound of the waves breaking and the moonlight. How nice!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17

TANGALLE

We started our day with a typical Sri Lankan breakfast. I then went to do some commissions downtown (computer accessories store, bus station for info, pharmacy and fruit market). Looking at my cell phone, I got stuck in the uneven sidewalk and fell to my left side. Ouch! I injured my knee, shoulder, hand and cheek and stretched my muscles to the left of my heart. How stupid!

I then went for a swim in the sea with Claude. We had dinner at Frangipani Beach restaurant (vegetable soup, seafood noodles and chef’s salad). When I paid our bill, the server did not give me the right change. I am sure he did it on purpose hoping that I would not realize it. When I asked him for my due, he did not persist; he immediately gave me the missing amount (300LKR). We will have to continue to be vigilant.

We spent part of the afternoon at our villa. I worked on my travel site POLARSTEPS while Claude took a nap. We went sunbathing at the beach in the late afternoon. How it was windy!

Claude prepared us a delicious meal of fish, a little badly taken in the poorly organized kitchen of our villa. But, in the end, he did well!

In the evening, we walked to the seaport by the small, unlit path that runs along the beach. On my way back by road, I fell on one foot into an open sewer taking a picture of a pagoda. damn! Fortunately, the sewer was dry!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

TANGALLE

We had our Sri Lankan lunch and changed rooms. We are now on the2^nd floor of the villa overlooking the inner courtyard. I worked a little more on the site POLARSTEPS before going in tuk-tuk with Claude. The driver drove us to Shiva’s Beach Cabanas to Marakolliya Beach, 3 km from here (350LKR). Wow! We discovered a huge and uncrowded beach. However, the waves are so high and powerful that they have dissuaded us from bathing. We got drunk at the edge, avoiding getting picked up by the waves. Lying in a hammock and Claude on a lounge chair, we spent the day relaxing. We had dinner on site at the Fish Bone Restaurant, set up facing the sea. We shared a good chicken rice and a tomato salad.

In the middle of the afternoon, we walked almost to the main road before a tuk-tuk passed and offered to ride. Despite the blazing sun, we enjoyed our walk because it allowed us to move while enjoying the surrounding nature including the lagoon with its graceful sandpipers, palm trees, flowering trees, etc.

Back at our villa, without further ado, we went to cool off at the sea. We played merrily in the huge waves. We took advantage of the last rays of the day to dry ourselves on sun loungers while enjoying a coffee.

Before going to dinner, Claude picked me up from the villa so I could go and see the monkeys and peacocks he had seen in a small street in the neighborhood. Excited, we saw some monkeys on the roofs of houses and in the trees as well as two peacocks at the top of a tall palm tree.

We went back to our restaurant the day before, The Blue Cargo. He was windy to skin the oxen and the air was rather chilly. (We were told that the sea was unusually rough for this time of year. Usually, when the monsoon season ends, the sea becomes calmer, but this has not been the case this year.) We shared a delicious fresh fish (1500LKR or $11 CAD) with rice and salad. After chatting a little with a young French family, we returned to our villa to finish the evening.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

TANGALLE – ELLA (pop: 44,800)

We had lunch early and left by tuk-tuk at the bus station to catch the 7.30am bus to Ella (bus 31; 170LKR or $1.25 CAD each; 97km; 4-hour ride). We spent the first half hour standing in the narrow driveway, making us stirred by the very uneven driving of our ‘driver’. A place was freed up for Claude, then for me. I was sitting next to two Sri Lankans. When they tried to disembark, I sat sideways, legs in the aisle, to let them out of our seat. They snuck down the aisle and I was literally knocked on my back, finding myself with both feet in the air, when our driver took a turn at a crazy speed. I was dead laughing! Claude came to sit next to me, and it took me a big ten minutes to tell him what had just happened to me. I was laughing at the tears just thinking about the scene.

We sailed along the sea to the south to Hambantota. From there, we took the road that goes north to the center of the country. We began to see high and majestic mountains. How beautiful the scenery was! The road became frightening and dangerous as one gained altitude. (The small town of Ella is 1041 meters from sea level.) We arrived around 11.30am in the small-town center of Ella. Everything happens on the main road; restaurants, bars and small shops are concentrated there. You see tourists everywhere. Traffic is noisy. Fortunately, our guest house is 1km from the city center, in a quiet corner of the mountain. We took a narrow tuk-tuk path to Nature’s Glow Homestay, impressed by the view of the high green mountains. Our accommodation is in an exceptional environment. The three windows of our room as well as our terrace overlook the mountains, Ella’s Rock and Little Fall Ravana. The jungle around us is populated by small birds, Swiss, peacocks and monkeys. Our hosts, a charming Sri Lankan couple, served us pancakes filled with fresh and grated coconut flesh, accompanied by tea. (The couple has three daughters. The family lives upstairs and the grandparents in the house next door.)

Our host kindly offered to take us by tuk-tuk downtown. We had dinner at the Dream Café Restaurant. We then walked on the main road looking for a grocery store. We bought a few groceries before returning to enjoy our exceptional nature corner. I relaxed and then went for a walk down the mountain, amazed by the beauty of the place. I joined Claude on our terrace. Sitting in the sun, we chatted while waiting for supper. At 6:30 p.m., as agreed, our hostess brought us a curry rice (700LKS or $5 CAD each) consisting of several small dishes (chicken, green beans, dhal, vegetable salad, etc.). What a delight! As the temperature had risen from 27 to 18 degrees C in the space of an hour, we were frozen and returned to warm up to our room immediately after our meal. We spent the evening there, busy as usual with our electronic stuff.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Ella

Our hostess served us an excellent breakfast: banana juice, omelette, fine pancakes, fresh fruit and coffee. Around 9ham, we went for a walk in the mountains along the railway tracks. Twice we had to settle down to let the train full of passengers pass. We came across long-tailed macaques having fun jumping from branch to branch. We crossed the bridge over the small Ravana Falls and then took a path to Ella’s Rock. A Sri Lankan man in his fifties beckoned us to follow him claiming that we had not taken the right path. Perhaps it was just a tactic to be needed as a guide? Not knowing our way, we followed him through the long hays, termite nests and superb tea plantations. We arrived at a first observation point with a breathtaking view of the mountains. We were at 2000 meters above sea level. We took a break while quenching our cool coconut milk. We met small groups of tourists including a French family with whom we had a chat before turning back in the company of our guide. (We could have continued to climb the mountain to get even higher, but the difficult and very steep path deterred us.) Our guide left us to the fall. We gave him 500LKR. He would have wanted the double, but we refused, having not asked for his services. (He imposed himself on us without making any agreement beforehand.)

We took a small path leading to the fall. Claude sat with his feet in the water as I went down to the highest of the waterfall to enjoy an orange in the shade of the big rocks. What a joy to take a break in such a beautiful natural environment! I joined Claude at the top of the fall. We chatted for a long time with two young Israelis. They were very impressed to see us go around the world at our age. They found us very inspiring.

We continued along the railway track towards our guesthouse. A Sri Lankan man invited us to dinner at his mountain restaurant, above the railway tracks: The Bees Honey Cookery and Restaurant. We agreed with pleasure. The view was amazing, the owners lovely and the food excellent (pumpkin soup, curry rice and tomato salad, cucumbers and onions). We met a British couple who have been living in Thailand for ten years.

We left under the blazing midday sun. We arrived at our accommodation around 2.30pm. We took advantage of our terrace. After a while, I went for a walk around in search of a restaurant for a coffee. Finally, it was at the Ella Waterfall View that I stopped. I called Claude and he came to find me. He stayed at the restaurant until the end of the evening. There he met a friendly French couple, Fabien and Carmen. For my part, I went to take a nap, overwhelmed by a migraine. I didn’t have dinner, not being able to eat anything. At 9:15 p.m., I went to meet Claude at the restaurant and met his new friends and their Sri Lankan guide.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Ella

I didn’t have a good night; two big hot flashes woke me up and I had to change both times because I was swimming. Each time, I had a hard time getting back to sleep. (I can’t wait to get rid of the menopause-related inconveniences I’ve been going through for five years now!) I still had to sleep a little because I didn’t hear the incessant croaking of frogs. (I must say that I’ve been sleeping with earplugs since we left Canada.)

Sitting sheltered from the rain under the roof of our terrace, we ate « hoppers » kindly served by our hostess for breakfast. At 8:45am, we went on an excursion with a tuk-tuk driver. He first took us to the Nine Arch Bridge to see the train pass by. To get down to the bridge, we walked cautiously in a steep path against a wet and slippery dirt. Several tourists were already waiting for the train to come, ready to take pictures. We joined them and a few minutes later the train appeared, much to our delight.

We walked up the forest trail to the tuk-tuk. We went to the Uva Halpewatte Tea Factory (entrance: 1400LKR per person). We toured the tea factory with a guide who spoke good English but whose voice was often covered by the deafening noise of the machines. We were placed with a group of young and great Germans. The guide explained in detail the whole process of making the tea. We could see a few workers in action. The tour ended with a tasting of four kinds of tea in the shop full of teas of different qualities and flavors. From the gallery of the shop, the view of the tea plantations, the mountains, Ella’s Rock and Little Adam’s Peak is extraordinary!

The third scheduled stop took us to Little Adam’s Rock. We climbed the first part of the mountain by tuk-tuk, crossing several tourists. We continued the ascent of the mountain on foot, amazed by the beauty of the tea plantations and mountains.

Arriving at the ticket office for various activities (zip line, archery, mountain biking, climbing, etc.), Claude waited for me as I continued the ascent to the top of Little Adam. At the top of the mountain, the view is breathtaking! What incredible landscapes!

I went back down to find Claude and we went back to the tuk-tuk. The sun came out and the view of the mountains became even more beautiful. Back in downtown Ella, we made a stop at the train station to buy our train tickets for the next day. Right next to the train station is the Local Council Ella. Our driver drove us to a restaurant on the main street. We had a nice little dinner and went back with another tuk-tuk to our guesthouse in the jungle. Deus purple-faced monkeys were waiting for us there. We relaxed on our terrace and packed a little with our roommates, a young British couple. In the late afternoon, we returned to the Bees Honey restaurant that we liked, to have a drink. We met a Spanish couple from the Canary Islands, round the world for 14 months. Our exchange (in Spanish) was very pleasant.

We dined on our terrace to the sound of frogs, gunshots to keep the monkeys away and birdsong. Two peacocks visited us. The rain started in the early evening. We took refuge in our room and had a quiet evening there. (For the fourth day in a row, I was taken with an end-of-day migraine.)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22

ELLA – KANDY

We woke up to the sound of rain drumming on the tin roof of our building. Our hostess served us early lunch as we had to go and catch the 8am train. When we left the guest house, we thanked our hostess for her beautiful welcome.

Our tuk-tuk driver drove us to Ella’s train station. When the train arrived, we sat in3^rd class. On the bench in front of us were two young French women, one of whom has been on a world tour for 9 months. We chatted happily together until they went down to Hatton, about halfway.

This train ride from Ella to Kandy (via Nuwara Eliya, Hatton and Gampola) is a must on any Sri Lanka travel itinerary. The view of the mountains and tea plantations is breathtaking for most of the journey. Our « express » train made a few stops to the main cities on our way, taking six hours to get to our destination. I got up several times to stand in the open door and take pictures. What an incredible journey and that beautiful scenery!

We disembarked at Peradeniya station 12 km from Kandy. We made the rest of the trip by tuk-tuk for 800LKR ($6.50 CAD). Our accommodation is the Kandy View Hotel, located 2.5 km from the city center, in the middle of a very steep coastline. Our room is on the4^th floor. We have a wall-to-wall window and a mini balcony overlooking a rainforest in the mountains. The place is quiet and just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Claude went for a little swim in the cold water of the tiny hotel’s pool while I did my washing. We then left by tuk-tuk (service provided by the hotel) to go to dinner at the Ping Pang Pong restaurant. This restaurant belongs to the same owner as the hotel. When we left the restaurant, three cows were waiting for their evening bread ration. The owner explained to me that they are cows that live on the street and do not belong to anyone. They have made a habit of showing up at the door of the restaurant every night because Sri Lankans feed them bread. They believe that their good gesture towards the animal will bring them luck.

In the evening, we walked around Lake Kandy. We loved our walk on the well-appointed and clean promenade with views of the mountain lights as well as the huge white pagoda and the giant Buddha. We saw geese, ducks, hundreds of large black birds, giant bats, huge trees and a beautiful cherry blossom. At the end of the lake, we took the important commercial street that leads to the Clock Tower. We discovered this bustling part of the city center with its large traditional market, small shops, colonial buildings and its famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth.

We completed our tour of the lake and returned to the restaurant where we had dined. From there we took a tuk-tuk to our hotel, avoiding walking up the steep coast.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23

Kandy

Sitting on the covered terrace on the3^rd floor, we were able to breathe the fresh air of the morning. Surrounded by green hills, we had a nice breakfast. We then left in a tuk-tuk for the day (2300LKR or $17 CAD) with a driver whose name I forgot. This tour of the city was too busy, and we felt pushed. In some places we would have liked to have spent more time, but the driver was in a hurry to take us to the seats where he could get a rating for bringing customers. His bad attitude really bothered us. Anyway, we still enjoyed what we saw. We made several stops:

1.Oak Ray Wood Carving: A Sri Lankan showed us different types of wood used for carving. He gave us a little demonstration of the processes used to obtain the different shades of wood. He then invited us to visit the shop, of course. I saw a beautiful lounge table at CAD$5,000, which is « a little bit » more than our travel budget! We didn’t buy anything, but their collection of sculptures is very impressive to see.

2. Oak Ray Creations and Batik Gallery: We attended a few minutes at a batik workshop using the process by hand (not with prints). The shop was full of beautiful canvases and clothes made of batik. Prices are very high; we didn’t buy anything.

3. View Point:  This high-altitude observation point along the road offers stunning views of the city, Lake Kandy, the mountains and the giant Buddha overlooking the top of a hill.

From the road, we could see the former Kandy prison: Bogambara Prison. This maximum-security prison was the second largest prison in the country. After operating for 138 years, the prison was closed on 1 January 2014 and the inmates were transferred to the new Dumbala prison complex in Pallekele. In 2019, the government said the prison site would become a cultural tourism center: Bogambara Park.

4. We made a stop in front of the Highway Museum Complex in Kiribathkumbura. This road museum complex is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. It has a collection of old construction equipment such as stone road rolls, steam road rolls, oil road rolls, etc. Some of the equipment on display is more than 175 years old.

5. Pilimathalawa Tea Factory: A young Muslim woman gave us a short tour of the facilities and explained the processes of making their different teas. She then invited us to taste eight different kinds of tea (white, golden and black, from the weakest to the strongest) and she made us feel about twenty teas of different flavors (pink, cinnamon, ginger, etc.). The products in the shop were overpriced, which discouraged us from buying them.

6. Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala: (Entrance price: 3000LKR or $22 CAD per person) We took 1h20m in tuk-tuk to cross the 40km between Kandy and Pinnawala. We arrived just in time for the elephants bathing at the river. I was excited and impressed to see so many elephants at once in a safari setting. When they returned to the orphanage, they walked up the street of the shops and we followed them. We watched them eating in their big pen. We would have liked to spend more time with these huge pachyderms, but our guide did not give us the chance.

7. Poo Paper Factory and Store:  I was treated to a short-guided tour explaining the process of making paper made from elephant poop. (This small factory is located on the shopping street that leads to the river.)

8. Champa Restaurant and Caters:  On the way back to Kandy, we had dinner at this restaurant. The Sri Lankan buffet was exquisite and very affordable.

9. New Ranweli Spice Garden 99:    A Sri Lankan took us on a tour of the garden, explaining the medicinal properties of each plant (jackfruit, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, sandalwood, vanilla, black pepper, white pepper, etc.). I looked at some products at the shop, but the prices were exaggeratedly high.

10. Bahirawakanda Temple or Sri Maha Bodhi Viharaya: This Buddhist temple is known for its giant Buddha statue. The Buddha statue is depicted in the position of Dhyana Mudra, the meditation posture associated with her early Enlightenment, and can be seen from almost everywhere in Kandy. It is 26.83 m high and is one of the tallest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka. Claude waited at the entrance to the temple as I climbed to the top of the Buddha to see the exceptional view of Kandy and the lake. I also took a look inside the giant statue. I saw religious frescoes on the walls and golden Buddhas in front of which offerings had been placed.

Claude was left in the city center, made some purchases there and went swimming and resting at the hotel. For my part, I continued my visits.

11. Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple: (Entrance: 1500LKR or $11 CAD) The Temple of the Tooth is a Buddhist temple located in the palatial complex of the Kingdom of Kandy and houses a relic of Buddha’s tooth. Three times a day, the monks perform ceremonies in the inner chamber of the temple. I could not see the famous tooth, but it was interesting to see the faithful all dressed in white sitting on the floor, hands clasped, praying in front of the closed room that houses the sacred tooth. Others placed offerings on the altar.

I went around the different pavilions. The courtroom is an open pavilion where the kings of Kandy held their classes. In the courtyard, a long, narrow, fully glazed room welcomes the faithful who come to light a kind of lampion.

12. World Buddhist Museum:  To access this beautiful museum, one must present his ticket to the Temple of the Tooth. This museum is the first international Buddhist museum in the world. I went around the different showrooms in a gale, for lack of time. Too bad because the museum is beautiful.

13. Dances of Sri Lanka Cultural Show at Red Cross Hall: (Entry: 1000LKR or $7.30 CAD) I enjoyed this traditional dance show from Kandy and southern Sri Lanka. Accompanied by five musicians playing on their drums and a blowtorch, the dancers performed the following dances: dance in homage to the deities and the guru (master of the dance), cobra dance, mask dance, peacock dance and raban dance (the dancer spins several trays on chopsticks by balancing them according to her movements).

At the end of the show, I had an appointment with my tuk-tuk driver so that he would take me back to the hotel. I waited for him for a few minutes during which I was surprised to see hundreds of bats hanging in a huge tree. I could also see the sunset on the lake, ducks, geese, a beautiful red-legged bird and big fish eating breadcrumbs thrown by a man who came to feed them.

Back at the hotel, I joined Claude at the dining room on the3^rd floor terrace. My plate of grilled chicken and vegetables was excellent. Claude also enjoyed his curry rice, a Sri Lankan specialty.

We went to bed early, tired of our long day of sightseeing.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24

Kandy

Under a cool early morning temperature, we had breakfast on the3^rd floor terrace. Claude then set off on foot towards the city center. I joined him an hour and a half later by taxi, taking the time to write a bit in our room. The driver of PickMe (an app equivalent to Uber and popular in Sri Lanka) has been dishonest with me. He asked me if he could take a shortcut. I told him I didn’t mind. I realized a few minutes too late that he was on his way up the mountain instead of going around the lake to get directly to the city center. damn! The race was longer and more expensive than expected. Next time, I’ll be wary!

When I arrived at the clock tower, I took the time to go and buy ibuprofen for my chest pain which still makes me suffer after my fall on the sidewalk in Tangalle. I then walked to the tip of the lake to reach Claude. We went into an electronics store and bought an external hard drive ($80 CAD for 1TB) to get a backup copy of my photos and travel documents. (I have 1TB free in the cloud of One Drive Enterprise provided by my school board, but the internet is so slow everywhere we go that I can’t download my documents in a reasonable time.)

We left in a PickMe taxi at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya. (For 5km, our transport cost us 275LKR or $2 CAD.) We took the time to take a bite in a small snack before returning to the famous botanical garden (Entry: 2000LKR or $15 CAD per person). We loved our walk on this enchanting site including bamboo collection, Great Circle, Great Lawn, Flower Garden, Orchid House, Cook’s Pine Avenue, Flower Trees, Palm Avenues, Suspension Bridge over the Mahaweli River, etc.

We met a bunch of purple-faced monkeys drinking at the fountain, delousing each other and playing together. In a huge tree along the river, hundreds of giant mouse-savers hung from the high branches, upside down, waiting for the brunette to fly in the sky.

Thirsty by the intense heat, we headed to the exit, in a hurry to buy a bottle of water to quench our thirst. We then left with an Uber taxi. I was dropped off at the local market in downtown Kandy while Claude went to our hotel to rest. A large two-storey building with an inner courtyard houses the market. On the first floor, there are fruits, vegetables, dried fish, fresh meats, spices, legumes, etc. The second floor is dedicated to textiles (fabrics and clothing) and accessories (sandals, purses, etc.). I bought a long cotton skirt (1200LKR), fruit and some toiletries.

I continued my walk to the bazaar on the main street in front of the Muslim Hotel and Restaurant. A beautiful light blue tunic caught my eye and I let myself be tempted (900LKR). Leaving the bazaar, I walked to the Queen’s Hotel, a beautiful colonial building that is a street corner and is close to Kandy Lake. I wanted to take a picture of the Old Palace, but access is paid because it is part of the site of the Temple of the Tooth. I also discovered a beautiful fountain and St. Paul’s Church.

I came back in tuk-tuk at the hotel. Claude was waiting for me in the dining room. We ordered our supper at the hotel-owned restaurant (free shipping). We ordered my met the day before, but the chicken was rock hard. Fortunately, we were able to fall back on the delicious vegetables. We spent part of the evening placating together in the dining room before going up to our personal leisure in the room (reading, writing, etc.).

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

KANDY – DAMBULA – SIGIRIYA

From the dining room on the3^rd floor, it was with excitement that I watched the band of monkeys walk on the electrical wires, balconies, walls, roofs of buildings and trees. What a sight! Among them, two disabled monkeys particularly caught my attention. They were surprisingly adept at walking on three legs and balancing their bodies with their tails. What agility!

After lunch, we packed our bags, bid farewell to hotel employees and left in a tuk-tuk at the bus station. Our driver went around in circles for about 15 minutes looking for our bus to Anuradhapura. We finally found a semi-air-conditioned mini-bus for Dambulla (220LKR each or $0.86 CAD). Comfortably seated, I wrote on my laptop for much of the ride. We drove for 2h15m to cover 73km. We made Dambulla-Sigiriya in a big red bus. It was crowded but luckily Claude and I had a seat. We suffered from the heat, but the ride went well anyway (50LKR or $0.37 CAD per person for a distance of 16km).

Arriving in Sigiriya, the driver landed us on the main road. We had to take a tuk-tuk up to our accommodation, the Victory Villa Sigiriya, located on a small dirt road in the middle of the jungle. Wow! Our villa is spacious, clean and clear with a beautiful four-poster bed. We have a large gallery and a dining area.

The young family man and owner of the premises took the time to offer us his services for half-day and day trips to Sigiriya and the surrounding area. I told him we were going to think about it. (We find its rates to be high).

We ordered dinner. We ate our good chicken noodles to the sound of the birdsong of the rainforest. What a beautiful environment!

In the early afternoon, Claude took a nap, and I did some writing. In the late afternoon, we went for a walk on the main street. We found a laundry and suddenly we were offered to rent a scooter for 1500LKR ($15 CAD) per day. We agreed to pick up the moped the next morning. We came back for dinner at the villa. We had a good chat with our young neighbors Emma and Victor, natives of France.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Sigiriya

As we slept well, away from any urban hustle and bustle! After our breakfast on our gallery with Emma and Victor, we went to take possession of the scooter for three days. Claude led me to the entrance to the Lion Rock site. While I visited, he went for a scooter ride around.

The entrance fee for this archaeological site is high ($40 CAD) but the visit is well worth it. The Lion Rock is a major archaeological site, former royal capital of Sri Lanka. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Before the Kassapa developments, the site had already been occupied as shown by the graffiti found in the cave, as well as the 13-metre recumbent Buddha dating from the 2nd century BC. A wall protects access to the gardens that surround the rock. The gardens are very well landscaped with paved ponds with perfect symmetries on which float lotus and other aquatic plants. On the east side of the rock, you can see the main cistern that feeds the palace as well as the buildings for guards and worship.

The ascent of the rock lasts a good hour, including several small stops to catch his breath and admire the landscapes. There are nearly 800 steps to climb to reach the summit. The second part of the climb is more demanding.

At mid-height, a wooden staircase allows access to a large cracking of the rock. This is where the paintings depicting the damsels of Sigiriya are located. A long wall partitions this fracturing, thus protecting those who find themselves there from prying eyes and projectiles. This wall of mirrors » is brilliant because it is covered with a unique coating made from eggs and lime.

To reach the summit from the terrace halfway up, one must pass between the legs of a gigantic lion carved in the rock. The statue, more than 10 m high, guards the entrance to the fortress. At the top, the panoramic view is exceptional and the ruins of the ancient kingdom very impressive (palace square, King’s throne, royal basin, etc.).

As I descended from the rock, I enjoyed watching a monkey steal the banana from a Russian tourist. I went back through the gardens to the Sigiriya Museum, included in the Lion Rock entrance fee. The museum is on three floors. It contains old photos of the site, a beautiful collection of artifacts, a reproduction of a traditional Sri Lankan house, a copy of the frescoes of the rock, etc.

Claude picked me up at 11:30am as planned. He took me to dinner at Sam’s restaurant. This restaurant on stilts is located above a small river where elephants come to cool off when they have finished walking tourists. We spent our lunch hour looking at them, tirelessly. We were delighted to be able to attend such a show, for free in addition! (The safari to see the elephants would have cost us $220 CAD for half a day, which we would not have allowed ourselves.)

Back at our villa, we took a nap before going on a scooter to see the Royal Cave Temple (entrance: 500LKR per person) at Pidurangula Rock, 1km from the Lion’s Rock. This Buddhist temple and its meditation monastery dates back to the 5th century BC. J-C and was built by King Kashyapa. At the entrance to the site, the small temple houses magnificent frescoes. Then begins the ascent of the rock. The uneven steps make the climb difficult. Just before reaching the summit, ruins of brick walls and a huge elongated Buddha bear witness to the life that once reigned over the rock. A sign shows 1238 steps. Before reaching the summit, the last five minutes are climbing and require a fairly good physical shape. But the effort is worth it because the panoramic view of the area and the Lion Rock is exceptional! We went around the huge rock and savored these exhilarating moments in front of the beauties of the earth.

Before we started our descent, we met the little French family we met on the beach in Tangalle. What a lucky coincidence to see each other again on this rock! The descent was easier and faster than the climb. A bunch of long-tailed macaques were waiting for us at the exit.

We left by scooter towards our villa, taking the time to stop for a few minutes at a small archaeological site housing the ruins of a brown brick stupa. A little further on, the Sigiri Kassapa Uttararama Viharaya temple caught our attention with its Buddha sitting on a cobra and illuminated by the late-day sun. A big white stupa faces him. On the small side road, we were charmed at the sight of a green rice paddy with the Lion’s Rock in the background. We made one last stop to place the imposing Buddha standing, surrounded by statues of life-size monks.

We had dinner at the New Sigiri Restaurant on the main street. Our meal was delicious though a bit expensive. When we arrived at the villa, Claude realized that he didn’t have his little backpack. He went back to the1^st restaurant where we had stopped to look at the menu and luckily the employee had found his bag and had it set aside. We appreciated the honesty of this woman.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27

SIGIRIYA – DAMBULA (day trip)

Our breakfast was served on the gallery (fruit, roast and jam, omelet and coffee. It was very good but we had to share the omelet presented in one plate. Finding that it wasn’t enough, Claude asked for another egg. After consulting with the owner, the employee came back and said that he would have to pay extra for his extra egg, which Claude refused, finding it ridiculous. (In Sri Lanka, an egg costs eight cents.) When he went to the laundry to pick up his laundry, Claude bought four eggs from a small grocery store. He handed them over to the employee of our villa and asked him to cook them for our breakfast the next day. The owner came to see us twice at our room afterwards. He did not like Claude’s approach; I think he took that as an affront. What a story for an egg! We did not see him again for two days.

We set off on a scooter to see the Golden Temple of Dambulla located 20km from Sigiriya. The city of Dambulla is built around a large granite rock that contains an important cave complex, the Raja Maha Vihara, dating back to the 1st century. It is the largest and best-preserved cave complex in Sri Lanka. We went to the entrance directly at the foot of the rock. Oh, no Not yet steps up! I still felt the fatigue of my two big climbs the day before. The higher we climbed, the more the landscapes revealed themselves to us in all their splendor. Barefoot and head uncovered (unlike Muslims, Buddhists should not wear anything on their heads when entering their temples), we visited with great interest the five beautiful caves connected to the outside by a white building with a rock flan. The interior of the caves contains several Buddhas of different sizes and in different positions, stupas and colorful frescoes surprisingly well preserved on the walls and ceilings. Our visit was to the sound of the drum and blowtorch played by two musicians in search of a few pennies.

On our scooter, we went to the other entrance to the Golden Temple. (This entrance also gives access to the caves.) The main pavilion houses the Buddhist Museum. On either side of the museum, a staircase gives access to a huge golden Buddha statue.

We had dinner at the Mango Mango restaurant in downtown Dambulla, on the main road. My Thai curry chicken was excellent. We started our afternoon at the bazaar of Dambulla, sheltered in a large open shed on solid pavement floor. It was surprising to see a local market so clean and tidy. In this large, pleasant and colorful market, we sell everything: fruits, vegetables, dried fish, pottery, clothes, etc. We bought small juicy and tasty clementines. Before we hit the road again, we got thirsty, bottle of Ginger Ale in hand, sitting on plastic chairs in front of a small grocery store.

Back at the villa, I took a writing session and a nap while Claude went for a beer at the chic Ehalagala Hotel, a few meters from our accommodation. I went to join him at supper time. I feasted on grilled fish and squid. We came out with a salty bill. I was a little frustrated that we had been fooled again because Claude had clearly said that he did not want beer and we brought him an already outlet, amounting to the bill at the same time of 600LKR. I am sure they did it on purpose. I don’t trust them so much anymore!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28

SIGIRIYA – POLONNARUWA

The owner put the package for breakfast in order to satisfy us. We were treated to 4 sausages and 6 eggs! I think Claude taught him a good lesson with his story the day before.

We set off on a scooter to see the ruins of Polonnaruwa. These are 60km from Sigiriya. After about forty km, we took a tea break on the side of the road.

We then continued on through Minneriya National Park. Posters told us to slow down because of elephants and crocodiles that regularly cross the road. We walked along the beautiful Lake Polonnaruwa and finally reached the archaeological site of Polonnaruwa. This site is part of Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle with Sigiriya and Anuradahpura. (Entry: 4500LKR or $33.50 CAD each). The site is divided into five groups, two of which are not paid. We focused on the three most important, riding scooters to save time:

–Royal Palace Group:  Royal Palace, Courtroom and Royal Pool

– Quadrangle:  This group includes 12 ruins including 8 majors (Buddhist temples, monuments, « recumbent image house », chapter house and two tombs.

–Northern Group: Rankot Vehera (with Elongated Buddha), Lankatilaka and Gal Vihara

The site is invaded by monkeys. One of them stole a lady’s cell phone. We have to be careful about our personal belongings!

On the way back, we found ourselves a nice restaurant on the side of the road. The owner warmly welcomed us. He showed us the contents of each tagines and offered the buffet at 600LKR ($4.45 CAD) per person. We served in a wicker plate covered with a large lotus leaf. The typical Sri Lankan dishes were delicious. However, a nasty surprise awaited us: while we were eating, the owner came to tell us that each serving of chicken and fish would cost an extra 200LKR. We calmly finished our meal but when the bill arrived, I categorically refused to pay the amount charged. He charged us 2150LKR when the actual amount he was owed (with beverages) was 1350LKR. I asked the Sri Lankans sitting at the next table if they were paying extra too and they said they didn’t know! They then turned to the owner of the restaurant in Sinhalese, which showed us that they were colluding with him! This incident has once again scalded us in the face of sri Lankans’ frequent dishonesty towards tourists.

Continuing our journey, we took a break at the huge lake of Polonnaruwa, attracted first by the giant Buddha and then by the thousands of birds. What a beautiful sight to see them take flight over the waters of the lake!

At the junction of Sigiriya and Inamaluwa, we made a stop at a small fruit stand by the side of the road. While drinking our bottle of water, we chatted with the young woman who was cutting dried leaves which she called « Sri Lankan gum ». We arrived in Sigiriya mid-afternoon. We went back to the restaurant on the river. We had a pancake with strawberry ice cream and tea while watching the elephants water with their trunks.

We handed the scooter to its young owner and walked to our villa. Claude took a nap and I chatted with the owner before settling down for a writing session. Dinner was served on our gallery: chicken curry rice. We went to bed early, tired from our 120km scooter ride in addition to visiting the great site of Polonnaruwa.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29

SIGIRIYA – PASSIKUDAH

We woke up early. We had lunch at our villa and bid farewell to our guests. The owner’s father took us by tuk-tuk to the junction of Sigiriya for 800LKR. We quickly boarded a bus to Kalkudah. Our driver was going at a crazy speed between the planned stops on the road. It is to be believed that all bus drivers in Sri Lanka drive this way! We passed by Polonnaruwa which is halfway between Sigiriya and Kalkudah.

Arriving in Kalkudah, we have the last 6 kilometers in tuk-tuk (600LKR) to Inn on the Bay, located between the beaches of Passikudah (200m) and Kalkudah (300m). The place is nice with its small cottages around a beautifully landscaped courtyard and its inviting common areas. We were placed in a large room in a building a little behind. We feel good about it. We are their only customers right now. (The coronavirus has put a brake on travel and in addition, the high season has not begun. Customers normally flock from May to October.) Our street is quiet. There are a few hotels and restaurants also deserted.

Eager to discover the beaches, we started with a swim at Passikudah beach. At the beach public parking lot there are a dozen small stalls of food, clothing and inflatable objects for swimming. The place was filled with locals who came to spend their Saturdays at sea. After our swim, hungry, we looked for a restaurant by the sea, but the prices were too high. (These restaurants belong to luxury resorts.) We returned to our street and dined at Rupsy’s Seafood Restaurant. The food was excellent (chicken rice with tomato salad and cucumber) and reasonable prices.

We spent the afternoon at the quiet beach of Kalkudah. There were only six of us to enjoy several kilometers of this paradise beach! We settled in front of the luxurious Laya Waves Hotel, in the shade of a palm tree. We had fun like kids in the big waves. We discovered with sadness that the beach was not as clean as it looked. On the edge of the resort grounds, there is a lot of waste on the ground, which speaks volumes about the bad habits of the premises in relation to the management of their waste.

We went back to the same restaurant for dinner, Rupsy’s Seafood. I ate large shrimp (800LKR) and Claude grilled fish (1000LKR). « Nalam! » (« good » in Tamil). The owner, a corpulent man with a big belly, chatted at length with us. He told us about the 2004 tsunami that killed 31,000 people in Sri Lanka. The village of Kalkudah was hit hard: 350 families displaced 2km away and several thousand dead. His wife lost 16 members of his family. He and his wife had to rebuild their house and restaurant. They did not want to start their lives anywhere else.

SUNDAY, MARCH ¹

PASSIKUDAH

After lunch, we left in a tuk-tuk with a hotel employee. He dropped us off on the main street of the small town Valaichchena (400LKR round trip or $3 CAD). We strolled down the commercial street and made some purchases (electronic accessories, 2 metal plates, a small knife, a light trouser skirt and a pink blouse for me). At the local market, we bought fruit, vegetables and vegetarian bites for our dinner. Once our shopping was over, we drank a very sweet tea (25 cents a cup), sitting at a table in a small grocery store. We got stared at and you could see that people are not used to tourists in this small town.

The tuk-tuk driver picked us up at the agreed time and took us back to the hotel. We picnicked in the shade on our gallery. In the afternoon, we had a beer at the Honey Beach bar of the chic Amaya Beach Club at Passikudah Beach. (Claude asked for the Lion Lager beer advertised at 300LKR on the sign at the entrance to the bar and was charged 400LKR. Explanation: They gave him a big beer at 400 LKR instead of a small one. On the sign, the format is not specified! Obviously, they gave him a big one without specifying anything. Another tourist catcher!) We bathed in the beach section reserved for their guests. This location is not ideal for swimming. There are broken corals, and the water is very shallow. (The corals were destroyed by the tsunami in 2004 and by Sri Lankans who used them to make their bombs during the war between Muslims and Tamils in the country.)

We walked on the beach and stopped for a good while to chat with three young Sri Lankan men concerned about arranged marriages. This type of marriage is still very common here. (About 95% of marriages are arranged by the parents without the bride and groom first dating.) We went back through the public beach and its parking lot. There was a crowd of men around a djembe player. They all clapped their hands and sang in Sinhalese. They asked us to have our picture taken with us, intrigued by our presence.

After taking a look at the small food and clothing stalls, we continued our walk to Kalkudah Beach, our favorite beach. I met a Swiss woman during my swim, and we chatted a lot together, while following the movement of the waves. In the late afternoon, on the way home, Claude and I took a quick look at the Spiritual Art Gallery. The painted works promote harmony between Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs.

We had dinner at our hotel. My vegetarian plate was really good (thinly sliced eggplants and other tasty vegetables).

MONDAY, MARCH 2

PASSIKUDAH

After a hearty breakfast of shredded coconut pancakes with fresh fruit and coffee, we went for a walk on Passikudah beach. Under a blazing sun, we walked 5 km in the sand to Elephant Rock Beach. In front of the resorts, the beach was clean but, as soon as we passed the hotels, we were outraged to see all the waste accumulated on the whole beach scale. What a horror and an ecological disaster!

We finally arrived at Elephant Rock Beach, a tiny beach between large rocks, one of which is shaped like an elephant’s trunk. We climbed the huge rocks to see the river and its mouth before pulling us into the water in the small pool of water at Elephant Rock Beach. It was better not to look at the rubbish behind us on the beach!

Refreshed, we took the small dirt road that leads to the hotels of Passikudah beach, thus avoiding going back through the large stretch of stained beach. We stopped at the first hotel we met to get a drink. Claude ordered a Ginger Ale and I, a lemonade, and then changed my mind and ordered a papaya juice. When the bartender served me, he gave me my papaya juice AND a lemonade in an already opened bottle. I felt compelled to accept the unwanted lemonade and I didn’t say a word. I went swimming at the pool. However, when the young man came to us and asked us if everything was okay, I had a milk rush and emptied my bag letting him know that I was sure that he had done two drinks on purpose and that I thought it was dishonest on his part. He was sorry by apologizing. We quickly left this luxurious hotel and made the rest of the way onto the beach. We bought vegetarian bites on the public beach parking lot and ate them on our gallery, sheltered from the burning rays of the sun.

We relaxed in our room in the early afternoon in order to recover from our 10km walk. Then we went for a swim at Kalkudah Beach before heading to View Point Sunrise, located at the tip, between the two beaches. We took the sandy path to get there and once we got there, we realized that the sunset was behind us and not in front. Without paying attention, we had confused sunrise with sunset! Rather than retrace our steps, we bypassed the military base that occupies the tip and returned not to Passikudah beach. We walked at length, discouraged at the sight of all the rubbish brought by the ocean and staining the beach. Claude took a closer look at some of them to check where they came from: Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, China and Sri Lanka. It was with relief that we arrived at the section of the hotels because in front of them, the rubbish was picked up. We met a French couple with their teenage daughter. They asked us for a few tips for travelling cheaply. They were very friendly.

Back at the hotel, we showered and went to dinner at the Pub and Restaurant located right next to our accommodation. While we were waiting to be served, Claude took the opportunity to play two pool games with a Sri Lankan.  I ate a seafood rice. It was good but too spicy and burning on my lips already affected by sunburn. We went to bed early, tired of our 15km walk of the day.

TUESDAY, MARCH 3

PASSIKUDAH – UPPEVELI BEACH

I had an excellent breakfast of Sri Lankan pancakes before packing. We bid farewell to our guests before going to tuk-tuk with one of them. He drove us to a bus stop in Valaichchena. From there, we quickly boarded a bus to Trincomalee, via Polonnaruwa and Minneriya National Park. On Trincomalee Highway, we were excited to see two elephants on the side of the highway. The journey took four hours. (By car, the path is more direct and lasts only 2 hours and 30 minutes.)

We arrived in Trincomalee at 1:30 p.m. We joined our accommodation by tuk-tuk (6km; 400LKR). Coconut Beach Lodge is on the waterfront. What a great location! The restaurant looks directly onto the beach. Our room is not very large, but it is clean, and we have a long common patio perpendicular to the beach and only a few meters from it.

Uppeveli beach is long and beautiful. However, we quickly discovered a litter line where there are no waterfront hotels. What a pity! It’s heartbreaking to see how the locals don’t take care of their corner of paradise. We bathed in the crystal clear, warm waters of the ocean, letting ourselves be lulled by the gentle waves.

We had dinner at our hotel restaurant, sitting on a swing facing the sea. On the menu: vegetable soup, chicken with sweet and sour sauce with rice and vegetable noodles. It was delicious and affordable. We spent the afternoon reading, sitting on sun loungers in the sun and wind. I walked on the beach, disheartened at the sight of all the rubbish. Fishermen were busy removing small fish caught in their huge net. We dined on the beach, to the light of the rice paper lamps and to the sound of the ocean waves.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4

UPPEVELI (TRINCOMALEE and NILAVELI excursion)

Our day started with a good continental lunch facing the sea. We then left by tuk-tuk (300LKR) with our young driver Antony, towards Trincomalee, the main town of the region located 6km from Uppeveli beach. We went to visit Kandasamy Kovil, a Hindu site inside Fort Frederick that was built on top of a rock. It is one of five hindu historical temples dedicated to Shiva and it was established to protect the island from natural disasters (1952). Pilgrims from across the country come to pray (puja) at 6:30am, 11.30am and 4.30pm. The long-tailed macaques kept us company during our visit as well as some deer.

As we left the temple, we toured Fort Frederick in a tuk-tuk. This fort occupies the narrow peninsula and has been an important defensive site for centuries. A fortress was originally built by the Portuguese in 1623 and later rebuilt by the Dutch. The English took over in 1782. The fortress is used today by the Sri Lankan army. We could see the buildings dating back to the colonial era. (They are not open to the public.)

We made a stop at the Gokana Buddhist temple (Entrance: 100LKR each) which includes a giant Buddha statue, a white stupa and a few small pavilions. The view of the city and the beach of Trincomalee is stunning!

Antony offered us a round trip to Nilaveli beach for 1400LKR. To get there, we went back by the main road to Trincomalee and made a short stop at the Golden Temple.

Nilaveli Beach, 16km from Uppeveli, is renowned for being sri Lanka’s most beautiful beach. Well, we weren’t disappointed! What a beautiful beach! It is huge, clean and very quiet. There are no hotels or guesthouses on the seafront; they are on a narrow street perpendicular to the beach. Our swim in the warm, crystal clear waters was pure happiness. How soothing it is to let yourself float with the waves!

We picnicked in the courtyard of the Sea View Beach Restaurant, under the imploring gaze of a scabby dog who had smelled our good chicken rice. Crows perched on a tree above our table waited patiently for the rest of our dinner. Right in front of us, on the beach, a group of Sri Lankans were having fun taking pictures with the ocean in the background.

We went back for a swim, getting away from the group of Sri Lankans who had arrived by bus. We found a quiet little corner on the beach, in the shade of a palm tree.

At 3 p.m., Antony came back to pick us up, as heard. Back at our hotel, as it was still very hot, we went for a swim and read each one a novel, comfortably seated on sun loungers.

In the late afternoon, we ordered a fresh tomato soup at our hotel restaurant. Consistent and creamy, this soup was simply exquisite! She replaced our supper. In the evening, we went for a walk on the main street and had a banana lassi in a small canteen for dessert.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

UPPEVELI – TRINCOMALEE – ANURADHAPURA

At sunrise, we were already on the beach, a good book in hand. We had our breakfast in the deserted waterfront restaurant. We spent the rest of the morning bathing in the sea and continuing our reading, enjoying this last moment on this beautiful Sri Lankan beach.

Before leaving the hotel, we had a tomato soup for dinner. At noon, Antony, our tuk-tuk driver from the day before, drove us to the Trincomalee bus station (300LKR; 6 km). We took the bus already crowded with passengers to Anuradhapura. The driver’s assistant made us sit on the first front bench, just behind the driver. After an hour, a monk in an orange tunic got on the bus and I was asked to give him my seat, which I did a little reluctantly. When the monk landed, I took my place next to Claude.

Upon our arrival in Anuradhapura, we took a tuk-tuk with Mohammed to the Heritage Lake View. This guest house is large and spacious. Its location is awesome; The house is directly on the shores of Lake Wewa Tank. The Sri Lankan call it a pond. This ecosystem is teeming with life. Many birds roam the huge leaves of water lilies that cover almost the entire surface of the water. Occasionally, a varan can be seen moving slowly through the aquatic plants and reaching the shore. (We saw him twice during our stay.)  Careful! His venom is deadly!

Our room is on the second floor overlooking the courtyard and the lake. We settled down and, in the common room on the 2^nd floor, we had a snack of stuffed buns and fruit that Claude had picked up on the main street. I worked on my blog and around 6pm I went down to take pictures of the beautiful sunset over the lake.

Our curry rice supper was served in the courtyard. The young French couple sitting at our table was very friendly and we extended our chat with them until the end of the evening in a temperature of 32 degrees!

FRIDAY, MARCH 6

Anuradhapura

The owner’s sister, our cook, prepared an excellent breakfast of pancakes, mirrored eggs, fresh fruit and coffee. This time we ate with a young couple from Chicago.

We then went on a five-hour excursion (2500LKR) with Susanta, our tuk-tuk driver. On the programme: a visit to the famous archaeological site of Anuradahpura, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anuradahpura was the first capital of Sri Lanka in 380 BC under the reign of King Pandukabhaya. However, it was under Devanampiya Tissa (-307 to 267 BC) that Buddhism reached Sri Lanka and Anadhapura became a huge Buddhist complex. Here are the main places we visited:

Sri Maha Bohdi:  Sacred Bodhi Tree, more than 2000 years old and believed to have been brought from India by Princess Sangamitta, daughter of Indian Emperor Ashoka and sister of Mahinda. The latter is the one who introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

At the entrance to the site, we had the chance to see musicians in traditional costumes, a parade with a brass band and monkeys, present all over the site.

Lovamahapaya: Former palace with a bronze roof. Only the 1600 columns of the huge pavilion that housed 1000 monks and servants 2000 years ago remain.

Ruwanwelisaya

Jetavanaramay:  A very old brown brick pagoda under renovation at the time of our visit. A small pavilion houses an elongated Buddha.

Twin Ponds:  Twin ponds also called Kuttan Pokuna.

Samadhi Buddha:  Famous statue where Buddha is depicted in the position of Dhyana Mudra, meditation posture associated with his first enlightenment. The statue is 7 feet and 3 inches tall and is carved from dolomite marble. In the wooded area surrounding the statue, some worshippers walked at an extremely slow step while meditating, under the indifferent eye of a small herd of cows.

Abhayagiri: Buddhist temple and one of the largest pilgrimage sites for the faithful today. It is a huge brown brick stupa and a pavilion that houses an elongated Buddha.

 Residential area: All that remains are the brick foundations of the houses and a few columns. The site is extensive, and one can imagine the neighborhood life that there must have been at the time.

Bodhi-Tree Shrine: Another ancient Buddha statue.

Main refectory

Elephant Pond: A pond where elephants came to drink and swim.

Guard Stone: A 5-storey pyramid-shaped building with only the foundations left.

Moon Stone and monastic residential complex

Abhayagiri Archaeological Museum: This small museum includes artifacts from the Site of Anarudhapura. Statues and other sculptures are on display outside and inside, with collections of coins, metal objects, etc. Photos are not allowed.

Lankarama: Huge white stupa dating from the 1st century BC JC.

Thissa Wewa Tank: Huge lake. We met a young Sri Lankan family who came to admire the lake, just like us.

Mirisavetiya Rajamaha Vihara: Immense white stupa.

Brown brick stupa, whose name I don’t know: Despite the restoration work, it would have been possible to climb on top by a steep vertical staircase for a few rupees. As far as we are concerned, we have just looked at it from afar.

Royal Park: Pleasant walk in a forest populated by monkeys. You can see some interesting ruins surrounded by large rocks.

Isurumuniya: Temple with white stupa at the top of large rocks. At the top, the panoramic view of the water basin, the lake and the entire Site of Anuradhapura is superb. Behind the rocks, at ground level, is a small white stupa.

Vessagiri: Old cave where the monks came to meditate. It is also an ancient Buddhist forest monastery, among rocks. Started during the reign of King Tissa (mid-3rd century BC). JC), the site was enlarged during the reign of King Kasyapa (473-491 AD) to become the home of about 500 monks.

Hungry, we made one last stop to eat at Hotel Creston Park Restaurant. The Sri Lankan buffet was excellent, economical (1055LKR or $7.80 CAD for 2) and spicy to wish!

Back at our lakeside guesthouse, we took a nap and relaxed at the air conditioning of our room. We went out at nightfall, heading towards the main street. On a cross street, we discovered the fish market and small shops. Back on the main street, we opted for dinner at the newly opened Street Food Restaurant. The nervous waiters excited by our coming were ready to land the moon to satisfy us! How proud they were to welcome us as customers!

Before going back to the hotel, we made a purchase at the pharmacy and bought some fruit. We ate our papaya as dessert, settled in the dining room next to our room. We went to bed early, tired but satisfied with our long day of sightseeing at the interesting archaeological site of Anuradhapura.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7

ANURADHAPURA and MIHINTALE (tour)

We had lunch at the wewa pond with two young Germans and three Indians from Cochin (Kerala State in India), interesting and cultivated. We saw an all-black water varan (a reptile similar to the Komodo dragon). Claude and I were excited at the sight of this reptile, but the Indians remained indifferent because they often see them in their corner of the country.

Susanta, our tuk-tuk driver from the day before, picked us up for a half-day excursion to Mihintale (2000LKR). This holy city, the cradle of Hinduism, is located 16km from Anuradhapura and its name means « Mahinda Mountain ». Here are the places we visited:

Foundations of a former hospital: Brown brick ruins

The Temples of Mihintale: The site was born from the commemoration of the meeting of King Tissa and the emissaries of Ashoka, disciple of Buddha. The oldest stupa on the island is said to have been founded there.

We climbed a long staircase in the mountain. Families of monkeys accompanied us on our ascent, hoping to steal food or a bottle of water.

Ambasthale Dagoba (stupa): Huge rock with uneven steps carved into the rock and lined with frangipani trees. This would be the place where Mahinda would have converted King Tissa to Buddhism. Claude patiently waited for me downstairs while I made the difficult and slow climb in an Indian line. At the top, the faithful can place their gifts in a large metal box provided for this purpose and their offerings on top of it. The panoramic view is exceptional.

Mahaseya Dagoba: Located at the top of a long staircase (yet!), this big white stupa dominates another hill. As we go around the stupa, other beautiful landscapes are revealed to us. I climbed alone to this stupa, Claude preferring to wait me downstairs. Three traditional musicians came up behind me, who came to lay their offerings to Buddha while playing their instruments. Next to the large stupa is a small temple housing an elongated Buddha.

Huge Buddha statue: To get there, you have to climb steps. This climb is easy but the view from the top is limited.

Kaludiya Pond (Kaludiya Pokuna or Black Pond): Forest with archaeological remains in Kandalama. The site was originally colonized in the 2nd century BC. Remains of the site include inscriptions, residences and a monastery.

Stop at the site of a Buddhist temple on our way to receive free a portion of sticky rice (made with grapes, ginger, garlic, etc.) in a large green leaf. It is the custom of Saturday at this temple whose name I do not know.

Skeleton and Old Banian Tree: Every morning, the monks line up in front of the skeleton of a revered monk to pay tribute to him. It’s a little macabre, isn’t it? The banyan is 200 years old. For Hindus and Buddhists, this symbolic tree is sacred and represents supreme knowledge.

Our tour with Susanta ended at the local market in New Anuradhapura where we were dropped off. We walked through the stalls of fruits, vegetables, fresh and dried fish, etc.

We had dinner on the main street, near the bus station. The buffet was excellent. While eating, we checked our emails and learned the bad news: our two flights with Kuwait Airlines to Jordan had been cancelled due to coronavirus. As our visa to Sri Lanka was expiring, we had to find a solution quickly. We went to a travel agency nearby from where we were: Travel Care Global. They found us plane tickets with Qatar Airways. These new tickets cost us $275 CAD more than our original tickets but at least we were going to be able to go as planned in Jordan.

 We returned to our accommodation by tuk-tuk (350LKR). The driver tried to charge us more than the amount heard claiming that he had done more than km than expected. We refused because it was not our fault that he had gone the wrong way. Upon arriving at our room, I had to cancel our flight tickets with Kuwait Airlines on the Trip.com website and ask for a refund. I then worked on my travel blog while Claude was reading. We dined in the courtyard with Yonyang and his travel companion, both from Bangkok and retired. At the end of our meal, five Frenchmen from Montpellier sat at the next table. Claude chatted with them in French while I continued to talk in English with the two Asians at our table.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

ANURADHAPURA – COLOMBO – NEGOMBO

We packed our bags, had breakfast with the Bangkokians and bid farewell to the nice owner of the guesthouse and his sister. We took a tuk-tuk to an ATM counter and an Anuradhapura bus station. We bought our train tickets in 3rd class (350LKR or $2.60 CAD each for 200km driven in 4h45m). Fortunately, the cars were not full, and we had places to sit. How hot it was despite the row of fans on the ceiling! We kept our window open all the way, so we had some wind to help us withstand the ambient heat. A young mother and her two sons sat in front of us for part of the ride. We passed rice fields and cultivated fields and made stops in some cities. The closer we got to Colombo, the more misery and rubbish were seen along the railway line.

Upon arrival in Colombo, we took a tuk-tuk to the bus station and from there we boarded the express minibus to get to downtown Negombo (450LKR for three seats including one for our luggage). From the city center, we took another tuk-tuk to get to our hotel, the Airport A4 Transit Chalets. We received a nice welcome there. We dropped off our luggage in one of the small blue sheet cottages around the tiny pool.

After a meal of macaroni eaten at the kitchen table in the large common room, I bathed and lay down, afflicted by a migraine. In the early evening, we walked to the main street of the neighborhood. We bought some groceries at the grocery store and returned to the hotel. We had dinner and relaxed in our little cottage before closing our eyes for the night. This one wasn’t going to be very long as we had to get up at 1.45am to get to the airport!

Our memorable adventures in Sri Lanka end here but our great journey around the world continues.

You can find the rest of our journey in the article « JORDAN 2020. »