Seaspray and onto Dambulla

Blog 3 20-21/2/17

When it's hot and humid a late afternoon nap never goes to waste. Woke just in time to see the sunset from the balcony accompanied by a Scottish Bagpiper and fully uniformed flag bearer lowering the SL flag in full ceremonial style.  The British have left their mark in SL!

Opted for the Seaspray seafood restaurant for a candle lit dinner. Our table so close to the sea wall we could smell the seaspray. Crashing waves but no jazz music tonight so v peaceful. Tempora prawns chilli dip and garlic cuttle fish followed by seer fish steak and fish curry. Delicious.

Early breakfast Tuesday. Dommi arrived as arranged for the 4 hr drive to Dambulla which took 5 hours...drivers are crazy...no lane discipline. .lots of motorbikes and rickshaws who just weave in and out..stray dogs...pedestrians with no road sense or any sense...buses in a hurry as they are fined if behind schedule. .liberal use of horns..and that's just in the quieter bits! One short comfort break at cafe where locals having yet more rice and curry for breakfast. 2 teas and a coffee = £1.50 including reasonably clean loos.

Got to Dambulla at hottest time of day. .35 degrees. .so Dommi wisely suggests postponing cave temples until Thursday a.m. Got directed to rather bland back entrance to Heritance Kandalama Hotel but meet and greet lady took us up and then along v long maze of corridors which revealed that view. Wow! Dambulla rocks to one side. Massive lake in front. Sigiriya  in the distance. Hotel designed by famous SL architect Geoffrey Bawa. Hugs the rock face like a soaring bird. A little tired in places but that view is hypnotic. Took a while to explore the 7 levels..3 pools..2 restaurants. 

http://www.heritancehotels.com/kandalama

Selected the lake view infinity pool for a dip with a view. Water birds galore. .I recognised flamingos and Ibis....except later found out they were Painted Storks and Egrets. Cattle by water's edge. Soaring birds of prey. Back in the room our balcony surrounded by creepers came alive with grey monkeys eating the fresh green shoots of the vegetation. .so close to us. Looked like one adult male a couple of females and a couple of juveniles. As dusk hit we couldn't tell if it was bats or small birds hunting the insects. Got the bug spray out!

Oh yes..of course we got another room upgrade with balcony, fruit, bathroom with a view..and cake!

Having a slow G&T before dinner. Sigiriya rock early tomorrow followed by Polonnaruwa ruins.