Sri Lanka

"We are fa-mi-ly…" 

I loved Sri Lanka. It was one of the most fascinating places I have visited, given the vibrant colors of my surroundings, the tastiness of the food, and friendliness of its people. No one wonder the Portuguese thought it was the Garden of Eden.

The entire country has just a bit fewer people than the city of Beijing. So nice and spread out. We arrived early in the morning from Kuala Lumpur, and hired a car at the airport to take us around Colombo for the day. Colombo was far from developed in terms of infrastructure. Our two-hour drive down a two way road towards the city was bumpy yet lined with a bustling assortment of people, overcrowded busses, bicycles, and merchants. 

Inside Kelaniya Temple

Praying at Kelaniya

About nine miles outside Colombo is the Kelaniya Buddhist Temple, a magnificent complex complete with monkeys, ravens, and numerous pilgrims. It is believed that Buddha visited this spot during his last trip to Sri Lanka. The main temple building is adorned on the outside by intricate stone carvings of people praying, dancing, and otherwise celebrating Buddha; some statues depict elephants and other animals. Inside, the walls are covered in paintings depicting the life of Buddha, focusing on his missionary work in Sri Lanka. A large reclining Buddha statue can be found in the center, flanked by a gold and gem covered throne where "Buddha" sat and taught his followers. Beside to the main building sits a large white pagoda. 

Secret identity

It was lunch time when we reached the city center, and according to Anthony Bordain, there was only one place to go: Barefoot Cafe, home of world renowned chef Koluu - or so we thought. He had moved on from that place, and the food it turned out wasn't quite what it lived up to be and was certainly overpriced both for the quality and the service. The food itself wasn't bad: my mustard pork curry had lots of spices and was tasty - it just seemed there were better places to get more value in Colombo. The best thing about Barefoot, however, was the atmosphere. It is located in a walled courtyard complete with several trickling fountains, beautiful plants and flowers, and light music playing in the background, a perfect place to sit back and relax.  

Our driver took us to the Wolvendaal Church. Built during the Dutch occupation in 1749, it was once the highest point in Colombo. It still serves as a church today, and continues to undergo restoration. During the Dutch period, the pews consisted of solid wood benches with 90 degree backs; when the British were in control, these were swapped out for much 'lazier' thatched wicker chairs - making it easier (and more comfortable) to sleep. Gracing the church floor and in the cemetery were large grave stones - some stacked against the church wall - with long epitaphs written in Latin, Dutch, and English. 

We then made our way to Gangaramaya Temple (also Buddhist) which was part temple/part museum/part antique shop/part junkyard??? It was a mess of things - a hoarder's paradise. There were glass cabinets filled to the brink with Buddhist memorabilia, as if every visitor in its history had left a small token for all the world to see. There were a few junky relics of automobiles, thousands of statues, and one painful to see chained up elephant. 

Following this, we ventured over to the Independence Memorial Hall where Britain formally handed power over to the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948. We gave 20 dollars to an old man swindler who in exchange gave us a 'tour' of the sight, explaining the various murals depicting the history of Sri Lanka and a play-by-play recap of the changeover ceremony. For all we know it was a complete lie, however, I am sure that 20 dollars went a long way for him. As we were leaving, a man signaled us to come over to watch him serenade a cobra… Snakes + me = H-E-L-L, No!

We rounded out our time in Colombo by strolling along the seafront around Galle Face Green. There were very few tourists to be seen, instead a pleasant mix of locals enjoying the cool ocean breeze. Several kids practiced stunts on their skateboards; a few surfers cut their way through the rough surf; venders sold deep-fried seafood, cold drinks, and spicy snacks; a few locals played soccer on the lawn, the iconic Galle Face Hotel - a splendid British Colonial style hotel - looking on. And of course, there were crows. Everywhere. 

Ancient pagoda at Anuradhapura

That evening we caught a very bumpy train heading north to Anuradhapura, the ancient capital city of the first kingdom in Sri Lanka. The scenery along the way was lovely, and thank God I had taken two dramamine or else I would have jumped out! Indeed, this train gives The Vomit Comet a run for its money. The following morning we borrowed bikes from the innkeeper and spent our day riding around the massive complex of ruins. There was a small museum showcasing several artifacts collected throughout the site. The ruins for the most part were completely leveled to the foundations. A gigantic brown brick pagoda towered over the surrounding area. The complete lack of people made the whole experience eerily enjoyable, as if we were 'discovering' the ruins for the first time. 

Bathing pool

Throughout our 'exploration' we found many different nooks and crannies: the king's former love nest, private bathing pools, several small shrines, and the occasional vendor selling pieces that reminded me of the ones purchased by my grandparents while living in India in the 1950s. We enjoyed a delectable local lunch that cost around 3 dollars and included 4 courses. The owners were very pleasant and friendly, grateful that we chose their establishment. The rest of the afternoon was spent cycling around the town, peeking in a few shops here and there, and enjoying the leisurely atmosphere. That evening, we dined at a small restaurant overlooking a lake across from the ancient city.

Frescoes on the mountain side

After breakfast, the "brother" of our taxi driver from two nights previous picked us up to drive us down the center of the country to Kandy, a six hour journey non-stop. On the way, we detoured to Sigiriya, aka the Lion Rock, an ancient palace built atop a massive rock that rises out from the flat landscape around it. The place was epic: imagine the ancient Egyptians building a palace on top of the Great Pyramid. The walk up was very steep, even with the metal stair scaffoldings. Along the way is a slight detour into a partial cave where the ancient frescoes have been restored. Continuing up the main precipice, we reached the lion's paw where the final steps to the summit can be accessed. Nearby was a stand with thick rubber suits and masks for people to put on. Apparently, giant wasps are on the summit (the kind superheroes fight) so we needed protection. Wearing it made us hotter than Hades; thankfully the wind was howling so that by time I reached the summit, any point of wearing it longer had vanished. The views stretched tens of miles in every direction.

Sigiriya

The second stop of the day was the Dambulla Cave Temple, where more Buddhas wearing hats in the shape of King Cobras call home. It was an exhausting hike up the mountain side to the cave, but a playful monkey entertained us part of the way. Lastly, we spent an hour on an herb farm and were shown several herbs (cocoa is an herb?) in their natural habitat, topped off with a soothing rub using herbal oils. Of course we had to fork over money for products that don't work worth a hoot. Such is one's experience in Asia! We finally arrived in Kandy -  located in the central mountain area - shortly before sunset, and enjoyed a delightful meal in the hotel's open-air dining room high above the city below. It was spectacular.

Small Buddhist shrine

The concierge arranged a tuk-tuk to whisk us around the city for the day. We visited a gem mine, witnessed mine digging 'by-hand' and shopped for a few early Christmas presents. Nearby was the WWII cemetery complete with various headstones honoring troops from Allied units such as the King's African Rifles and numerous others across Asia and North Africa. My favorite sight of the day was the wood factory where guys were carving furniture and other knick-knacks by hand. The centerpiece was a $12,000 table and chairs, all done by hand - building time: 5 months. 

After lunch, we spent several hours wandering around the botanical gardens. Unluckily for me, a massive rat snake slithered right past my foot in the fern exhibit - you can rest assured I hightailed my big ass back into the open areas quicker than Speedy Gonzales. The gardens were full of school children on a class trip; all of them shouted at us, "Hello, what's your name?" (geez, couldn't even ask "how are you first!")

Inspiration for the Truffula Trees?

Our attention was quickly redirected to the enormous flocks of giant vampire bats flying above us. Remember the ones from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? Yep, those same ones were above my head and yes, they are huge [the movie was actually filmed in Sri Lanka, not India.] Curiously, the most peculiar feature of the park were trees which for lack of a better observation seemed to have dropped right out of a Doctor Seuss book. Weird… Later in the afternoon, we attended a traditional dance and fire show, which was not very enjoyable to be honest (turn's out it was tourist trap). The music lacked any real rhythm or beat, though at least the costumes were pretty to look at.  

That evening we visited the Temple of the Tooth, which houses - you guessed it - one of Buddha's teeth. There were a million pilgrims, thus we could only see the shrine holding the tooth itself in quick passing. Having to leave our shoes at the door was interesting, and the decoration was relatively the 'right amount' (not too much, not too little). As we made our way home, I heard the familiar sound of clanking and hitting that could mean only one thing: Kottu Roti, the late night snack food made of eggs, roti, vegetables, and meat, all mixed together by blunt metal blades on a hot iron plate. It is the preferred late night dish by locals and was featured on No Reservations. The spices, heat, and texture proved to be a scrumptious combination. My mouth is watering even as I write this.

Traffic jam in the safari park

Well before sunrise we were on our way to Yala National Park on the southern tip of Sri Lanka. Our journey would take us through the high central mountains past Adam's Peak and World's End (which is just an infamous cliff that people leap to their deaths from -- the locals don't understand why it's considered a tourist stop). Endless tea plantations lined the roads, separated by the occasional waterfall or scenic view. Lunch was taken in the shadow of Little Adam's Peak, a welcome break from the otherwise long journey. By late afternoon we reached the Elephant Camp Guesthouse, warmly welcomed by our wonderful hosts and their adorable granddaughter. The driver for our safari picked us up and took us in the park. It was mayhem - lots of people crowded into jeeps, the drivers cutting one another off racing to find wildlife for their clients in hopes of commandeering bigger tips. Cannonball Run came to mind. There were several leopards spotted by others, but sadly for us we only saw elephants, peacocks, water buffalo, and a few deer. 

While inside the park we took a break on the beach. Next to us was a quasi-memorial for those killed in the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami: a former house that was completely leveled, killing everyone inside. All that remains is the stone foundation. It was a somber moment and quite literally a metaphor for mankind's own insignificance. Walking along the beach I gazed out over the vast ocean in amazement at the immensity of the planet, for it occurred to me in that moment nothing was between me and Antarctica. 

The Elephant Camp Guesthouse was the best accommodation our whole trip. The meals were beyond spectacular - all home made by the host's wife, a very kind and lively lady who made us feel as though we were her own children. We had to order food as soon as we arrived to allot her enough time to prepare. We returned to a feast by anyone's standards: Biryani, curry, chicken, and 'condiments' of various vegetables. Sri Lankan food differs from Indian in that the spices and sides are not pulverized into a paste, rather they are simply diced up and slow cooked to keep a less liquid texture. For 6 dollars, it was hands-down the BEST meal I have ever had. 

Alex and our hosts

What a feast

Biryani 

Our journey continued a few more hours, finally reaching the colonial port city of Galle. First a fortification constructed by the Dutch, enhanced by the British, and today home to narrow streets trickling between colonial style houses, bars, restaurants, shops, and boutique hotels. We chose to stay in the fort, unaware that the low season meant it was completely empty. A fifteen minute tuk-tuk ride away was the beachside resort area of Unawattuna, dotted with small art galleries, oceanside restaurants, and a few tourists and locals soaking up the warm sun - and at times cooling off in the surf. We enjoyed a delicious crab curry - the local specialty - before sitting back and relaxing on the beach. 

Galle lighthouse

The charming, old world fortress area was idyllic, the emptiness providing an unexpected yet well received calm pace where like the area itself time stood still. A lighthouse stood high above town, a aged relic from times long passed. Walking along the barricade in the late afternoon offered spectacular views of the sunset. Several locals were asking people to pay them to dive off the wall into waves some fifty feet below. I looked on as one after the other did back dives, flips, and every other pose one could fathom - none of which I would dare try in a swimming pool, much less adjacent a jagged cliff face. 

En route to the Galle Fort Hotel - a luxury boutique hotel - we passed a large house under renovation. Curious, we decided to peek inside and were amazed at how it opened up to a magnificent two-story courtyard. The owner was on his way out, and happily talked to us about the home. As we spoke, I began suffering from deja-vu; later, it occurred to me he was none other than a man named Stephen, a Dutch-Burgher (Portuguese, Dutch and Sri Lankan mixed ethnic group) who also was featured on No Reservations. 

Typical home inside Galle Fort

The Galle Fort Hotel was a masterpiece, a tribute to the splendor of colonial Ceylon. As non-members, we were limited to the bar, which was fine with us as we sipped local cocktails invented by British expats long before our time. The atmosphere was cozy and refined, and for me fulfilled my imagination of how it felt to be here a century ago. 

Coming to the end of our trip, we navigated the confusing train platforms and boarded the rickety old railcar heading north along the west coast toward the capital. The train, like everything else in Sri Lanka, moved at a slow pace, which for us meant splendid views and cool breezes. We got off in Wadduwa to spend our last night at the Blue Water Hotel, designed by Sri Lanka's most famous architect, Geoffrey Bawa. A friend of ours in Beijing had recommended we stay here, and we were glad we did. The hotel was situated next to a secluded beach and was the perfect place to wind down and relax before heading back to the hustle and bustle of Beijing. Though not many people there, what must have been five hundred crows kept us company - even swimming in the pool. A speaker would sound off a gunshot every 5 minutes or so to keep them away, however, they were far less startled than we were. A fitting end to a memorable experience.

View from the room, Blue Water Hotel in Wadduwa