Oct 14, 2010 03:28 PM
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We had been on a trip to Sri Lanka from Oct. 5-11, 2010.
Weather: Excellent. 15 minutes of sun and five minutes of rain. Lush Green forests as far as the eye can see.
Food: Very expensive, as we are almost dependent on hotels. Vegetarians have limited choice, but was available.
Hotels: Heritance Kandalama, Dambulla: Very romantic, amidst a jungle. Food is very expensive SL Rs. 2900 per meal per head! Entertainment available for older kids, like caroom and chess. Suitable for honeymooners.Amaya Hills, Kandy: Excellent view of Kandy, homely place, not sparkly clean, no baby pool, no entertainment for kids. One snooker table available. Good place for cricket fans.Mt. Lavinia: Very romantic hotel by the beach. Colonial hotel. Good for weddings.
Travel agent: The vehicle was excellent. The Driver was good for first 4 days then looked very bored. Rushed through Colombo, showed us the whole of Colombo only from outside. We dint see Viharamaha devi park or Kadaragama temple. Otherwise the driver Ranjan was very good, cooperative, very polite and courteous. Almost demanded for a good review on the trip sheet from us.
Sightseeing:We went to 1. Dambulla (Central Sri Lanka): Built at the base of a 150 meter rock face during a long period stretching from the first century B.C. to 1250 A.D, the Dambulla Cave Temple is comprised of five distinct caves, each of which functions as a shrine room. The caves have beautiful paintings and Buddha in different poses. Every inch of the cave is painted.
Excellent. lot of climbing to do. Took us more than 45 mins to climb. Slope is easier on the way up and steps on the way down. lot of pesky monkeys.
- Polonnaruwa (Central Sri Lanka): The Kingdom of Polonnaruwa was completely self-sufficient during King Parakramabahu's reign. It was his reign that is considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa, when trade and agriculture flourished. The greatest of his constructions is the Parakrama Samudraya or the Sea of Parakrama, a tank so vast that it is often mistaken for the ocean. It is of such a width that it is impossible to stand upon one shore and view the other side, and it encircles the main city like a ribbon, being both a defensive border against intruders and the lifeline of the people in times of peace.
Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned Archeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. Its beauty was also used as a backdrop to filmed scenes for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Very good as a civilisation. Lot of walking to do. The sites are faraway from each other, and you have to walk to every place. It is best to have a guide for this place.
- Sigiriya (a glance): Sigiriya(Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin on top of a hill. Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings(frescos) like the Ajanta caves in India.
It is said to be a two-hour climb, and possibility of wasp attacks. So we dint climb up there.
- Kandy
Aluvihare temple(Matale): Luminous Cave Temple is synonymous with the teaching of the Buddha. Aluvihara rightly assumes its significance in the annals of the history of world Buddhism. It is in this very location that the Tipitaka was documented on palm-leaves. It was destroyed by the British in the 1800s and rewritten in 1984.
Excellent place. Worth the stopover en route to Kandy.
Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage: Pinnawela orphanage was established 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife department. This 24 acres large elephant orphanage is a also breeding pace for elephants, twenty elephants were born since 1984, and it has the greatest herd of elephants in captivity in the world. It takes care of sick and injured elephants from all over Sri Lanka.
Excellent place. good for kids.
At Colombo, we saw from outside the National Museum, Galle Road(houses the President Rajapaksa's residence), Cinnamon Park, Viharamaha devi park(Do not miss. Walk inside), convention hall, the Independence monument, and the Gangaramaya buddhist temple(Excellent; Do not miss. Walk inside).
