Back From Sri Lanka & Maldives

Old Nov 15th, 2011, 06:20 PM
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Day 8 continued

So off to Temple of the Tooth. I cant recall why I thought TOTH would be lame. I likened it a bit to The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Bruges) which I saw years ago and apparently didn’t much enjoy? And I guess the fact that it was a “tooth” made it seem, I don’t know, not very serious? But we cant pick our relics. And I couldn’t have been more wrong about TOTH.

The details are beginning to fade (better get the rest of this report written) but I believe the temple is only open during certain hours/for a limited amount of time. So if you arrive late or if you are too far back in line I think you miss it. Oscar has us arrive early and we are near the front of the line that forms inside. And when I say line I mean mob. Because people are pushing constantly and for no apparent reason. The doors arent open yet, there is nothing to see yet, and people are pushing. Anyway, we are standing but there is a large group sitting near the perimeter. I ask Oscar about this and he says these are people that have come but cannot wait in line for the tooth because they have young children, they are old, whathaveyou. The group grows bigger as we wait. We are the only white people. Everyone here is Buddhist. Oscar explains that a trip to TOTH is a special one. That some come from all over the country, sometimes only once in a lifetime, to pay homage (which I suppose explains the pushing). Nearly all of them have a gift of some sort to offer the Buddha. Flowers, mainly. But some bring food. Others bring clothing. Oscar explains that these items go to the monks.

There is history behind the tooth which I will let you discover when you visit.

A guard of some sort herds us even closer together and I see an elderly gentleman nearly knocked over. It brought tears to my eyes that part of his little flower offering was broken off and crushed on the floor in the act. While hubs and I nonetheless attempt to respect those around us by not jamming up in their business we quickly realize the notion of “personal space” does not exist for anyone else. Not a big deal, just saying be prepared to be packed in. Tight.

Somethings happening. Men in white shirts who appear to be in positions of authority are walking around. Oscar says the doors are about to open. We funnel from the waiting area into a more narrow area which leads to the tooth (Picture 56). Stay along the perimeter of the wall, Oscar calls to us as he is pushed ahead in a sea of people. Its madness. Really. People are pushing like they are running from a fire, no lie. It reminded me of those videos Id see from Tokyo where people are packed into subway cars.

There is a large lotus flower display on a table along the way and we see Oscar and others bend down and appear to touch their hands to the flowers then to their face.

We continue on, staying close to the wall. And this is why Oscar said stay close to the wall-the relic is on that side. It is not single file so some people will not be right next to the tooth-you will have the best view if you follow his advice and stay near the wall. We are approaching an opening that looks like a big window whose shutters have been opened. In the background there is a tiny casket which houses the tooth. You wouldn’t know what you were looking at unless you knew what you were looking at. There is a monk, looking a bit panicked, rapidly collecting the offerings from people as they are pushed through. It reminded me of way back when in the crown of the Statue of Liberty. Has anyone done this? Youd work so hard climbing all those steps then get to the top and you weren’t allowed to spend time there. There were people ahead of you, people behind you, and you were to basically just walk by the little windows and keep things moving. TOTH was just like that. There was no stopping, no meaningful observation of the tooth. More like frantic glances to see as you are pushed through.

And then it was over.

One tip: you are able to make a monetary offering here. I wish Id known that in advance as it wouldve been neat to be a part of the offering. There are several locations throughout the temple to leave a monetary offering as well which we did but, again, wouldve been cool to give it to the tooth. We left ours in a little room housing many many palm leaves on which is written the story of Buddha (Picture 57).

Also very cool is drumming which is happening during all this. Some really really cool drumming. We watched for quite a while (Picture 58).

The area surrounding the tooth is worth exploring (Pictures 59-61). Probably one of the neatest things was a small glass building housing rows and rows of candles being lit in prayer (Picture 62). Youll also have a chance to see Raja, the elephant who for many years carried the tooth in the Esala Perahera (a grand ten-night parade in Kandy). Here is a site I found on Raja: http://tinyurl.com/raja-toth. You will notice he is no longer with us thus the Raja you see at TOTH is, well, stuffed (Picture 63).

There are also what I will call sub-temples, including some Hindu sites of worship (and I shoulve mentioned this is also so in Polonnaruwa, or “P-city” as we affectionately called it because we seemed to pronounce it a different way each time we said it). Perhaps most interesting were the many chanting prayers we had the opportunity to observe that day. Prayer, for me, has always been a private affair so I felt honored that I was able to share in the prayers of others.

TOTH turned out to be my favorite activity in all of Sri Lanka. To be part of an experience that is considered to be the holiest in the land was quite special and extremely memorable. What really struck me was that it was like I could *feel* the devotion. I could feel it in the air. It was intense. It was amazing.
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Old Nov 16th, 2011, 08:33 AM
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It is very interesting to hear how affected you were by the TOTH. Sometimes, the lower your expectations, the greater your experience can be.

I found it to be a major disapointment. What I recall is feeling cheated by how fleeting a glance we recived of the relic.

This is most likely to do with the build up I had. We were in Kandy for the Perahera and saw the procession. Our guide told us,at the time, that ONLY a replica of the relic, a FALSE TOOTH as such, took part in the procession due to security fears. The religious significance of the relic was almost oversold to us and when the time finally came to "view" the relic, I felt nothing.

I should have concentrated more on the surroundings and all that magnificent drumming that was going on, but I was so focused on the "prize" that I missed out on the journey.

Not to worry, I will be back.

On a side note, for the benefit of others following this fabulous tale, if you do plan a trip to Kandy, do try and co-ordinate you trip with the Perahera. It is a fabulous festival. Think Rio Carnivale with Elephants.

http://www.thecircumference.org/esala
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Old Nov 18th, 2011, 08:06 PM
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What an informative and humorous report, insects, bats, crying babies and all! Great photos too, with plenty devoted to nature.

The end of Day 6 is so sweet. If your only regret is missing ele footprints, it was good trip.

Sri Lanka is really becoming a popular destination for nature and wildlife.
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Old Nov 26th, 2011, 04:36 AM
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Hi shanek! "Sometimes, the lower your expectations, the greater your experience can be." True true ("if you dont expect too much from me you might not be let down").

Yes-I read the tooth in the parade is not "thee" tooth!

Hi atravelynn! Thank you so much for reading along! Re the ele footprints: in my office at work I have some "favorite" travel photos framed on the wall. Just four or five top moments. Looking at them the other day I again felt such disappointment for not seeing those tracks. They wouldve been perfect!
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Old Nov 26th, 2011, 04:47 AM
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Day 8 continued…

After TOTH we spent some time in the city of Kandy (Pictures 64-66). We arent souvenir people but mainly wanted to get something for our niece and nephew who are 11 and had been quite curious about our travel to Sri Lanka.

Id been thinking maybe a necklace or bracelet for my niece so we stopped in a few jewelry shops. One looked a bit too formal but the owner/manager/whathaveyou shuttled us in to watch a film on gem mining in Sri Lanka. I told him I was shopping for a ten year old and that these “gems” seemed a bit formal for her but he said watch the film, there is no obligation to buy. So we were ushered into a little room with about 20 chairs and a large screen. The lights dimmed and the film began. Almost immediately hubby fell asleep. I have to admit my head fell a few times but I was really fighting it. It wasn’t that the show was boring it was because really we were just exhausted. My head falls again and I wish I am in the back of Oscar’s van. While heading home to our lodging after our daily excursions in Sri Lanka, try as we might to avoid it, wed fall asleep in the back of Oscar’s van. Heads bent back and rolling uncontrollably against the headrest, mouths agape, enter sandman. Mustve been a sight to see in Oscar’s rearview. Im guessing with the adventure of the day coupled with the gentle cushy rocking of our chariot as it guided us home this was unavoidable.

But Im not in the van. Im in a basement watching a movie about gems I know I am not going to buy. I try to pay attention. There are a handful of gems they focus on and one gets my attention (Tourmaline) because of how it appears to change color. The film ends and we are escorted to the showroom where we are presented with a large black piece of felt showcasing the gems we just learned about. What did you think? the Boss with the mustache asks (all the Bosses and politicians in SL seem to have mustaches). Oh very interesting I say. And mention the attributes of Tourmaline as if to prove Id been paying attention. Ahh yes Tourmaline-see here how it changes color? he asks as he pivots it with his pointing tool. Ooooh yes lovely I say as I see no color change. Now over to the glass displays. I am first shown a bracelet priced at $900.00. I remind them I am shopping for a ten year old. She just turned eleven really but somehow at the time in the uncomfortable situation of feeling pressure to buy something I knew I didn’t want I felt that saying she was ten was like saying she was five and better drove my point that she was a child. A child that a. might not even want or like this gift and b. even if she did it would, due to the nature of being a kid, likely be lost or broken shortly after receipt.

The Boss with the mustache says something to the female worker and gives an arching wave of his hand that one might give when turning down a beverage because you know you are about to leave and don’t want to put your host out: “Oh no that’s ok” (gives wave of hand). Except his wave didn’t say that. His was defeated and seemed to say “Ok, they arent falling for it, show them the cheap stuff” because I am then escorted to a different glass case with charms. Frustrated and mad mad mad at myself that I am such a wuss I look at the options and decide if I have to buy something to get out of this mess what will it be. I see a cutesy little elephant charm with a teeny pink gem eye. Oh what about this one I ask. $275.00. I say I am looking for something in the $25.00 price range, do you have anything like that? No. No? Ok, well thanks anyway.

We exit and I see a (local) lady carrying a small purse with an elephant embroidered on it. Cute. I think niece would like. And with that the purse becomes item #1 on list of souvenir ideas for niece right next to coconut carved like a monkey for nephew. We come upon government-run Laksala (Hubs had read about this). No purses and only one animal-carved coconut but his one eye is pointed wrong so we move on. We come upon another store (not Laksala). Not only do they have tons of elephant purses and carved coconuts but a bunch of other stuff that kids would love. Eventually, after way too much thought than required, I decide to get them both coconut animals. What did it was this elephant coconut with little tusks. Very cute. The elephant was def more serious than the silly monkey so elephant for her, monkey for him. Oh, and earrings for me! Id forgotten to wear/pack earrings for the trip and had been on the lookout. Hubs saw these really cute lobe-hugging thick silver hoops that were perfect!

I should say items in the stores we saw weren’t really my speed. Like, Id been looking for “something nice” maybe for my parents. I didn’t have anything in mind. Just wanted “something Sri Lanka.” And it of course is simply a matter of taste/personal pref but I didn’t really find anything like that.

After some shopping, some soya ice cream (not very flavorful), and a chance to try mangosteen (Picture 67) and jackfruit (Picture 68) we headed to the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens. Not Botanical Gardens. Botanic Gardens (for santamonica: not lewis, lose). We spent quite a bit of time here as Oscar impressed us with his knowledge about the gorgeous flora (Picture 69). And normally, normally, this would totally be our thing. Its just that it was so so so so hot. We went through the motions but most of the area is not shaded and the heat was almost unbearable.

There are some really awesome sights to see though and I would def recommend checking this place. I was thinking it would be nice to bring a picnic and sit under one of the huge trees! And people did just that, very nice (Picture 70). A few things: no white people here. And I know that doesn’t necessarily mean that everybody else is “local” but it does mean that its not a huge tourist destination. At least it wasn’t on the day we were there (more on white people = tourist later). So we really liked this because true or not it makes one feel they are immersing themselves in the real culture when they are hanging where the locals hang.

Some other things: giant bamboo stalks (Picture 71)! Huge regal gorgeous trees. Oh and bats. Would you believe we got guano-ed? Lucky I had on my enormous moviestar glasses (which some SL teengirls loved and others straight up laughed at) which took the brunt of the poo. I wondered whether bat poo held the same “luck” that bird poo held. Not sure where I heard it but somehow committed to memory was this notion that it was good luck when a bird pooped on you (just googled it and given the first result it must be true). Oscar got a huge kick out of the whole thing. Maybe b/c the Gardens are enormous and only a few trees had bats we managed to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or maybe b/c he was tired of us sleeping in the van and this was payback.

Another thing: there are trees given/planted by leaders from other countries and I found this really interesting. Youd walk up to a tree and read the plaque to learn X from country Y presented this Z tree to Sri Lanka in 1921.

Last thing: if nature is your bag you could seriously spend all day here. It is just that gorgeous. And we couldve if 1. it hadn’t been so hot (it was so hot we almost didn’t care about the gardens anymore) and 2. we didn’t have tickets that evening to the worst experience in Sri Lanka.
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Old Nov 26th, 2011, 09:21 AM
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LOL! The sight of guano + movie star sunglasses would have stopped me in my tracks!

It was really hard for me to find any souvenirs at all in Sri Lanka. I ended up shopping in the airport on the way home. I think higher quality shops must be located in Colombo.

I felt your pain at the gemstore. So glad now that I never gave in to the temptation to stop.
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Old Nov 26th, 2011, 08:58 PM
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"Tickets to the worst experience in Sri Lanka"......What a teaser!!!

I'm tipping that you are taking about the "Kandy Cultural Show"

We have had a pincic lunch at the Botanic Gardens. It is a special place. Fabulous Orchid Pavillion, Lovely Lake, Hair-Raising Suspension Bridge etc etc. I can't remember how hot that particular day was but I can recall that we were there for most of it.
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Old Nov 27th, 2011, 12:46 PM
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Heheh yeah Femi it was pretty funny!! Thankfully there was a water fountain nearby to clean things up!

Shanek hi! I remember the Orchids and the lake but the suspension bridge? Hair-raising at that! Did I miss this?! Or has the memory faded already? Or maybe the heat of that day fried my brain!?
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Old Nov 27th, 2011, 12:55 PM
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Day 8 continued…

Status so far: emotional from experience at TOTH and completely exhausted from outdoor activities on what I will go on record as saying was the hottest day ever in the history Sri Lanka. As we shuttle to our next and final event of the day, naturally, we fall asleep in the back of Oscar’s van. When we arrive Oscar sees to our tickets, makes sure we are settled…and leaves. Now, never before has Oscar *not* accompanied us. Sigiriya, various temples, elephant safari, etc. So this is unusual (though in retrospect maybe he was escaping while he had the chance given what he knew was about to go down).

We wait for “the show” to begin in what I will call an auditorium because there is a stage and there are seats. The seats though are folding chairs and it all reminds me of a church basement. There is “a concession stand” off to the side and I put this in quotes b/c it is a guy sitting at a folding table selling pepsi cans, pringles, and snickers from large cardboard boxes. Except the maximum amount they are allowed to charge by law has been covered and they are charging like way more. So I guess in that sense it really is a concession stand (overpriced).

And there are men walking through the crowd selling jewelry and other stuff. And the crowd is what Id like to discuss next. Ok, first-nearly all white. And keep in mind until now wed seen nearly none on our excursions. Next-rude rude rude rude rude rude rude rude rude. I don’t think Ive ever been around so many inconsiderate, impolite tourists in my life! Ugh! We laughed as we discussed how Americans have a bad rap and we were by far the best behaved there (these were all Europeans). We were both quite thankful our time around this crowd was finite. And yes I realize this doesn’t mean all Europeans are ignorant travelers, as these were, any more than it means all Americans are considerate travelers, as we are. Just saying this was the state of the surrounding crowd that particular day. So we get our pepsi and pringles and wait. The curtains open and the show begins: The Kandyan Dancers.

Now I should say this “dancer” thing is even less our bag than I thought TOTH would be. But Id been so wrong about TOTH I tried to keep an open mind.

Hubby is immediately asleep and I envy this “gift” to drift off whenev, wherev as I sit through dance after dance, actually taking pictures (out of obligation perhaps? respect?), wondering who would knowingly attend this event. I paid attention to each dance hoping that some how some way things would get better. I despised my time there so much I hate to even write about it but just as speakers tour the talkshow circuit to help save others from suffering some awful fate that had befallen them I too will tell my story.

There are maybe 10 dances. Each one has a different meaning and different costumes and I guess different moves though it was kind of hard to tell because it was all so awful. Were the costumes neat to look at? I suppose. Were the drummers ok to listen to? I suppose (though couldn’t hold a candle to the fresh beats we heard earlier at TOTH). But the dancing…(slowly shaking head)…was so so bad. Nobody was in synch and I mean nobody. And they were doing the same moves so they shouldve been in sync-this wasn’t like improve where peeps were individually showcased. It was painful to watch and reminded me of a grade school performance. And in fairness I should say that even if the dancing and drumming had been outstanding it still wouldn’t have really been our thing. But because it sucked so bad it just made it that much worse.

Ok, so the ten dances or whatever end and this crowd of Asians (where did they come from) no lie totally and completely bumrush the stage with such speed and panic that seriously at first we thought there was a fire or an emergency that they were fleeing. Alas, they were trying to get good seats for the final act: fire eaters/walkers. This takes place not on the stage but in front of the stage so apparently their tour director had tipped them off-which makes me laugh as I wonder how those instructions were explained (“hey, listen this is very very important: during the final act gather your belongings and stand from your seats, near the end before the performers are actually off the stage what youre gonna need to do is run like you’ve never run before-run straight for the stage-and sit on the steps in front or you wont see anything, youll miss the highlight of the entire show, of your entire journey in Sri Lanka”). Anyway, they sat on the stage steps and the rest of looked around having no idea what was going on. There were no instructions. People grew uncomfortable. Some climbed on top of the stage while others straight up left. Despite us being only a few rows back we relied on the logic “if youre the only that’s right youre probably wrong” and joined the crowd on the stage. Things were slow going and already tired and annoyed we debated rolling out before this fire stuff even began. The mind is a fascinating thing. What made us stay? Again, obligation? Respect?

After this final act we were free. We left the building and Oscar was waiting there for us. He asked us what we thought and my response included something like “the drummers were ok.” See what happens as details fade? I cant recall the conversation exactly. We enter the van and its dreamtime.

When we arrive back at Samadhi the owner welcomes us-not the manager we were expecting. He immediately escorts us to the dining room (gorgeously lit with candles as before).

Two things notably different from dinner the night before: One, the food was amazing (Picture 72). Very very good (you may recall the previous night wasn’t bad but was just “nothing special”). Plus I got to try my first taste of Arrack! Two, we had some special guests-Anita (Picture 73) and Braum (Picture 74), two of the four dogs at Samadhi! Anita was a good sweet girl and she laid on my right through dinner. Braum is a loverboy and he laid immediately on my left. I pet them and asked if I could give them a little bite of dinner (yes)! I am a dog lover and missed my own pet back home so this was really so nice to be able to chill with these two!

The owner checks in with us and we chat together a bit. He says he has moved us to a new room: Oh thank you-room 4 (or 14)? I ask. No no he says, smiling, the honeymoon suite. Oh I am delighted! I tell him we are in Sri Lanka celebrating our 10 year anniversary so this is really a treat. I am not sure I was able to thoroughly communicate this though. No matter. We were thankful and I am certain we were able to convey that. Best room in the house, he says, as he and Braum lead us to our new abode.

And that it was (Picture 75-79). Again, not for everyone but if your taste is classic meets rustic youll love this as I did. And seriously if we ever return I wouldn’t stay in any other room (not b/c the others wouldn’t be nice but b/c this one ruled). The only problem was we were so so tired from the day we didn’t get a lot of time to enjoy it-though I certainly took a bath in that super badass tub! We settled into the comfy bed for what became our most peaceful night’s sleep in Sri Lanka.
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Old Nov 28th, 2011, 07:10 PM
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Thank you for such a great trip report! I can't wait to hear about the rest of your travels.

I just decided tonight that it was time to start thinking about our next travel destination, looked at a map, noticed Sri Lanka, and then found your report. Now I must say I am sold!

I was wondering what your thoughts were on having a guide and working with the travel agency. Do you feel it was essential to the trip or could it easily be done independently with adequate planning time?
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Old Nov 29th, 2011, 06:38 AM
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Hi rlk679! I am so so glad you are enjoying my posts!

And so so excited you are considering Sri Lanka! I cant imagine any travel to SL would disappoint as it seems to have it all: nature, cities, beaches, mountains, lakes, and an excellent mix of culture!

I will say with confidence you could totally travel SL independently, with adequate planning time as you said.

The travel agency set us up with a good itinerary but once you research you can create your own. Or even look at the agency websites b/c they list suggested itins. And SL is packed with cool stuff, of course, but it isnt that big (I remember a guide book saying roughly the size of West Virginia, which is helpful or not depending on where you live) and you wont be too overwhelmed with options. So you could def skip the agency.

Re the guide:

Rail and public trans (if that interests you) can get you to a lot of places. Some, that are more off the beaten path, might require some more creativity (train to here, then transfer to bus, then get a tuk tuk down the bumpy hilly road to the hotel). One thing the agency told (not sure if I mentioned it here or on my planning thread or at all) was that public trans can be unreliable-like moreso than SEPTA, etc. So if you have a set itin with limited days (as we did) this may not be the way to go. You could always throw in something here and there but to rely on it as your sole means of transport might take more time. Which personally I think is all part of the adventure but until the US starts being more generous with vaca time that sadly wasnt an option for us.

You could also do a mix of self tour and guide tour. And this would all be based on personal pref of course. But like you could self tour Colombo area, use guides in the cultural triangle, rail it to tea country and self-tour there.

Also we saw that hotels will arange a day guide for you. Cant speak to the price or quality but that seemed convenient as well.

Im certain it can be done and that people do it all the time but self-driving could be a bit harder given the "rules" of driving there are a bit different. And this may add a bit of stress/worry to travel time...versus hanging out in the back of Oscar's van without a care snapping blurry pictures as the world goes by. One thing though that I noted while enroute was that if were driving solo I wouldve stopped often to take pictures of interesting things along the way. For instance, so random I know, I saw a really pretty gate to a pathway leading to a home. Simple, rustic-really struck me. By the time I saw it and opened my mouth to maybe slow down or pop out to take a picture we were far beyond. Now, if I asked Oscar to turn around he totally would have but I wouldve been doing that the whole trip and wouldve felt bad (why, youre paying for it, some might say and my response is, i dont know why i just would). And "turning around" on the roads we were travelling involved more than a simple k turn. But it was something I felt was "lost" by having someone else drive.

That said you could also secure a "driver" rather than a full on guide. So he could cart you wherevs and then you can either see the sites on your own or pay one of the "locals" hanging out which I determined isnt for me but some people like it. The prices for these drivers is quite affordable so this could be a good option as well.

Many people in SL speak English so I dont know that a guide is necessary in that regard but it did come in handy for us as even when we did try to speak the native languages it was not pretty, heh. Plus it was very helpful in my case that Oscar helped decipher ingredients (no animal stock, right? this pastry has no milk, eggs, or butter?) which I imagine isnt a concern for most. I always say if I were a meat eater Id try ANYTHING! Whats the difference if you eat a pork chop or a pig face? But I digress.

BUT, and I was going to save this as one of my points at the close of my report but Ill share it now:

Travelling with a guide (this was our first time doing so) made this such a relaxing trip for us I cant even tell you. I remember feeling while we were over there that I felt like a kid travelling with my parents b/c you have no responsibilities, no obligations-your guide handles everything-EVERYTHING.

The benefit is you get all the good points of travel without the bad. And I should say that I recognize that sometimes what seems like "bad" ends up creating some interesting memories (like the time we drove round and round and round and round "the ring" in Brussels? And yelled and fought the whole time b/c nobody could read the map? Well that seemed bad at the time, and really it was, hahah, but we can laugh about it now and its a story we tell all the time).

But I just wanted to be sure to point out, in the event it plays a role in your decision, how this trip, with a guide, for us, was zero stress, zero worry.

Except for the giant beetles. And the bats.



Sorry so long-hope this gives you some good ideas!

Please let me know if you have any other questions at all!
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Old Nov 29th, 2011, 08:26 PM
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Nature Girl we are loving your report. We are going to Sri Lanka in Feb 2012 and we are getting a lot out of your report.
Like Shanek we are in Australia and so able to watch the Sri Lankan cooking show.
We can relate to the Kandy Cultural show as we had a simialar experience in Hue, this one was on a boat and so we were unable to escape. It was even worse than a school concert.
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Old Dec 17th, 2011, 02:24 AM
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hi gmoz i am really glad you are following along and gaining useful information!

have you planned your itinerary? how long will you stay? just last night at dinner hubs got a cambodian curry. i took a bit of the eggplant and, while it wasnt exactly the same taste, it was close enough that the flavors took me right back to sri lanka. so we talked about possibly going back to see the things we had missed-horton plains, maybe esala perahera, some of the other parks. but.....theres so much more of the world to see i might have to live vicariously through you in february 2012!

ha, yeah i think you win: being stuck on a boat doesnt leave many escape options! did anybody jump and make a swim for it?
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Old Dec 17th, 2011, 03:53 PM
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Hi Nature Girl,

I hope you can find some time to complete your report. I am keen to hear about your impressions of The Maldives.
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Old Dec 18th, 2011, 07:54 PM
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hi shanek-almost there =)
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Old Dec 18th, 2011, 07:55 PM
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Lets see where were we…Day 9?

So today we had to get up super early-like 5 something. We get our bags ready for the helpers, open the door, and who do you think is laying on the patio waiting to greet us? Well itd be weird if it were anyone else-it was Braum! How cute! He wagged his tail and came over for some pets then escorted us down to the dining room. After we quickly inhale some breakfast one of our hosts packs us in a jeep and we make our way down the bumpy road to meet Oscar. We are headed to tea country!

Our first destination is “the city of light” (?) Nuwara Eliya which is pronounced almost nothing like it looks: New Railya. But you say it all at once like Newrailya. The drive was gorgeous. Sri Lanka reminds me of California: it has so many different landscapes its like you can be in a different world in a matter of a few hours! The roads are narrow and you are close to the scenery.

Along the way we stopped at a Tea Factory-Labookellie (Picture 80). Id looked this up beforehand and it seemed to be one of the best tea factories to visit. After wed returned my mom saw a special on Sri Lanka and they also talked about this being the best tea factory to visit. We took a tour of the factory itself, guided by a Labookellie employee, which was informative but also brief enough that it remained interesting (all the teas come from the same tea leaf-the difference is how the leaf is processed). There is a backstory for how Sri Lanka got into tea but Ill leave that and a lot of other history up to the locals to explain when you visit b/c that is part of the fun. Plus I just cant remember.

So after the tour we took some pictures of the giant hillside and tea plantations (Pictures 81, 82) before we sat on white metal furniture for some tea and chocolate cake (Picture 83). I didn’t eat the cake but hubs said it was fine. The tea was fine, nothing mind blowing but Im not a tea expert (just like Cristal tasted like any other champagne ive ever had-no, this was not in sri lanka). After the tea factory we saw some pickers checking in their leaves (Picture 84). We drove around a bit and saw something that looked like a lake and Oscar asked if we wanted to stop and we discussed and said sure but for some reason we never did. No matter.

We arrived a bit early to the Nanu Oya station for our train ride to Ella, which Id been looking fwd to for a very long time. The train station is more modern than I expected but this is coming from someone who initially wasn’t sure they had internet in Sri Lanka (Pictures 85, 86). Oscar waits until he has word the train is on its way then departs to drive so he can meet us in Ella-leaving us with a note that has our train stop in both English and Sinhalese which I thought was neat. As I read this to my husband he exclaimed “it was more MODERN than you had thought?” he said “it was more dilapidated than I thought. It looked like they hadn’t done anything to it in the last 30 years. There was grass and weeds growing up between the tracks.” Well, yes there were grass and weeds growing up between the tracks but I suppose I more meant they had buildings (Picture 87). Like, when we flew into the Dominican Republic the airport was a thatch hut. So I guess I am sort of comparing it to that =)

There is a big room you can enter that has food to buy at the back. It was hot and there were many flies. I did not like this and did not partake. I thought I might try to pee before the train ride but be warned be warned be warned (and this is from a non-exaggerater): the bathroom was, and Im going to choose my words carefully here, the most disgusting thing ever. And I came to that conclusion without even going fully in. I walked into what was a door leading to the door to the girls bathroom-so keep in mind I am not even *in* the toilet area yet-I dry heaved, and immediately aborted. It smelled so gross that Im making my stomach sick right now thinking about it. This is what Id expected the durian to smell like. Id take durian smell times a thousand-no, times infinity-over what I smelled at the train station that day. Had to hold it.

More people have gathered and it seems everyone is going our way (Picture 88). And, aside from the “dance show” the night before, it’s the most white people wed seen. They are mostly gathered at one point on the platform so we went further down to be away from the crowd. The train pulls up and a few people get off further up in the train but otherwise nothing is really happening. So an older guy who really if Im honest had been a bit loud and disruptive as we waited quickly ran and got on the train. I looked at the car and nobody seemed to be moving so I too went up the steps-not really confident it was the right thing to do. Then a really tall guy tries to get off and I immediately regret my decision to follow the old man. I suppose as foreigners not familiar with the stops nobody was really sure this was where they were supposed to get off so there was some delay on their part, which is why it looked like inaction from our perspective. I am able to squeeze into the vestibule with the conductor but the old guy is in the way and really not even trying to accommodate and move. So the tall guy is annoyed he cant get by, sort of understandably but like chill, youre gonna get off eventually. He starts speaking loudly to the conductor to have the old loud and annoying man removed so the passengers can disembark. It reminded me of the Zax by Dr Seuss-but this type of combative interaction is exactly what we saw over and over at the dance show the night before. Anyway, those who want to get off manage to get off and we all manage to board.

Now, we have tickets for the observation car. Id done research on this and had talked to Tikalanka beforehand. Oscar had purchased our tickets days in advance as sometimes they sell out. Being a weekday off season that turned out not to the be the case but Im getting ahead of myself. Hubs and I boarded and though every seat is sort of next to a window we had a large partition right in our view (note, you can actually choose your seat if you buy in advance so research which youd like). We didn’t want to take anybody else’s seat that had paid for a ticket so we were going to wait until people were seated then see if we could switch seats. Well, that didn’t work b/c everyone else, who hadn’t purchased a ticket beforehand, got on the car anyway (and when I say “got onto the car” I mean pushed TOTH style to get a seat, though there were plenty) and choose a seat and then paid the difference as the conductor went around. Well that sucked. I felt we had done our due diligence to research and purchase beforehand yet still kind of got the short end of the stick. So learn from my lesson: push and shove and yell to get the seat you want if the view is important to you.

About the view: Remember that old annoying guy? He was like, “Oh theres nothing to see the first hour. Then the second hour all the good stuff is on this side.” Not sure who he was talking to but I wasn’t surprised to find out for myself that he was wrong. People like that usually are. And while it is correct that for about the first half of the ride the scenery is on one side (the left, keeping in mind you ride backwards on this car) and the second half of the ride the scenery is on the other (the right), there isn’t much time where there is “nothing to see.”

That said, I didn’t really “see” anything I hadn’t seen from Oscars van. We were close up with locals working on their land, we saw deep valleys and amazing vistas. The sites from the train were no better. And while I wouldve regretted *not* taking the train ride b/c I never wouldve been sure whether Id missed out on something great I prob wouldn’t do it again. There was just no benefit to it. As I said: same scenery but now you have to view it with a bunch of (mostly combative) tourists. And the “experience” of taking the train wasn’t really an “experience” b/c you weren’t really travelling with locals. At least not on this car you weren’t. Based on my experience that day Id say skip it (Pictures 89-93).
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Old Dec 26th, 2011, 06:15 AM
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Day 9 continued…

We got off at Ella (Picture 94). And not much later than expected as the train did break down but for less than 30 minutes. Oscar was there to meet us. He had mentioned there wasn’t much of a “town” to explore and he was right. There were like no lie ten buildings. So, off to Haputale for Kelbourne Mountain View Cottages (Picture 95): http://www.kelburnemountainview.com/.

We arrived after noon and it was raining as we were warmly greeted by a small group of individuals which I found out later included the gentleman assigned to host us (our age) and the chef (a bit older). Tikalanka had initially booked us the Rose Cottage for our itinerary but research revealed it lacked the views of Aerie and Wildflower so we had requested either of the other two and he had been able to secure the Aerie cottage for us. Now the following is not a matter of opinion it is a matter of fact: Aerie offers the best views. Why? Well Rose isn’t even in the running as it is set back. Wildflower is in the middle and while it’s a close second and its views wont disappoint, they are a bit truncated on the left. Aerie is off to the side and offers sweeping views of the entire countryside (Picture 96).

Aerie interior was as pictured on the website-it’s a bit outdated but it was a nice change to have, like, walls and enclosed bathroom. The front of the house has a living room, a sitting room (my fav), a bedroom with 2 twin beds, and a bathroom with a tub. A formal dining separates this area from the back of the house which has a family room and what I will call the master bedroom with two twin beds and bathroom with a shower. There are various doors which are closed off from guest use but more on that later. The family room has large windows overlooking the valley and the master bedroom also has windows and a door leading out to the private veranda. When we arrived it was afternoon and clouds had rolled in so we weren’t able to see anything at all! Our host said something along the lines of “In about 2 hours the rain will stop and the clouds will disappear” and he was right on-it was gorgeous! Not just gorgeous, unreal. Peaceful. So so pretty. And so so different from Sri Lanka we had seen thus far. Our time in tea country was mostly “leisure” which was actually a nice way to wrap up our trip.

The living room had lots and lots of books, old magazines (tons of National Geographic!), and games so that first afternoon we played a game and napped and of course spent time admiring the view. Dinner was served in the dining room by our host. Remember those various doors I was talking about? Well one of those is in the dining room and remained opened during the day. This apparently leads to the kitchen. I thought I would pass this on to future guests b/c the door had been closed, I took a bath and walked b ack through the dining room and the door was open and there was clanging of pots and pans and shadows of people and whathaveyou. I mean, personally I wouldn’t have cared that they might’ve seen me in my towel but for those less modest just keep this in mind. There was another “secret door” in the master bathroom which to my knowledge remained closed the entire time.

Ok back to dinner. Our host turned all the lighting on for us in the dining room (I later turned a few off to add to the ambiance) and arranged our placesettings next to each other on the large table. He also laid fresh flowers from the terrace on the table which was a thoughtful touch. “Sir Madam,” which is how he would address us, as if calling us both by that name, as he would place the rice and various curries on the table.

We were in agreement that the food was a bit on the bland side. It was without a doubt the least exciting of all our lodgings. But, and this is big, they had the most amazing basmati rice ive ever had. It was so perfectly cooked and so fluffy. Oh, and had a touch of lemongrass (which I have failed to replicate since Ive been home). So really, huge thumbs up on the rice. And there was the aubergine curry which was good so I should def give a shout out for that but otherwise, again, a bit on the bland side. Now, the chef did come out (was the first time we saw the Sri Lankan head roll) and ask how dinner was. In retrospect Im sure it wouldve been fine to say something like “don’t be afraid to use some spice, we like it,” or something similar, but we didn’t. He did ask if wed like a curry breakfast or an American breakfast so we opted for American.

We were offered tea but passed and spent the balance of the evening reading in the family room about Lipton’s Seat-which we were slated to experience the next morning.
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Old Dec 26th, 2011, 03:49 PM
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The "Tea-Country" is indeed a special place. I am glad you enjoyed your time there. It was where I spent the first 2 years of my life and after going back there, about 15 years ago, I wish I had grown up there rather than the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

You have inspired me to plan another trip to Sri-Lanka, this time, with the kids. I think that the Kelbourne Cottages sound like a perfect place to base ourselves for a few days.

Did it really take you 9 days to see your first "head-roll"? My Dad have lived in Australia for 43 years but it is so ingrained into his psyche that I still see him do it now!
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Old Dec 29th, 2011, 11:00 AM
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Hi shanek!

Id seen the head roll on Globe Trekker but yes it took NINE DAYS to see it in person, haha.

I am so excited for you to have the chance to head back to SL! And the cottages wont disappoint. Much more laid back and a good way to wind down.
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Old Dec 29th, 2011, 11:03 AM
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A coworker let me know she just heard a program on NPR re Sri Lanka cuisine.

I know shanek you might be interested! Its not your chef though =)

I had seen something a month or so ago with Gordon Ramsey believe it or not-he went to SL and met up with someone who had compiled a cookbook based on recipes he and his family grew up with.

I think the NPR story might be the same guy. Anyway, here is a link for anyone that is interested!

http://www.npr.org/books/authors/144...-h-jr-fernando
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