Public holiday in Kandy

24/2/17

Elephant Stables hotel was a bit of a disappointment last night. No cake...In fact no acknowledgement of my birthday at all! Ruined the record. To top it all our order for rice and curry produced a promising array of dishes...but at the first mouth full it was evident that it was all almost cold. Not what you'd expect for a luxury boutique hotel with just a handful of guests and a small set menu. I know I'm fussy but really! Their second attempt was little better...We'd have been better at somewhere cheap and cheerful in town.

Breakfast was much better with good fruit and freshly cooked sri lankan omelette and coconut pancakes.

First touristy item on the itinerary today turned out to be a full on Buddhist ceremony in the famous Temple of the Tooth. As it was a public holiday thousands of SL Buddhist families were piling into the vast temple complex. Dommi knows a trick or two about queue jumping so after seeing the congestion at the main entrance we sneaked round the back and after some sweet talking of the security guards we were in. Buddhas tooth is kept in the bottom casket of 7 golden caskets in a special room behind ornate locked doors but during the ceremony the doors and caskets were opened. We got fairly close and followed the tradition of offering lotus flowers to Buddha. So you've all had some good karma sent your way.

The full site has many buildings with museums as well as the main temple and we had a good look round. Dommi is a Buddhist so was able to give us a real insight into everything we saw. Information overload but some of it has stuck. Some lovely children around with their families and Sunday schools seemed to find us amusing. Dommi explained they were from rural areas and wanted to practise their English so we had a few shy handshakes with hello what's your name type conversations.

After recovering our shoes it was a good opportunity to grab a Jumbo Jolly (ice lolly) and Wonder Bar (bit like a magnum)..then drinks and washroom stop at a local old hotel. Walk back to the vehicle past Kandy Lake which I was expecting to be a picturesque natural lake..but more like Corby boating lake!

The viewpoint on the Upper Drive road gave us a good view back down to the old capital although the view from the hotel is nearly as good.

We'd decided against the batik and gem shops/showrooms after yesterday's hard sell experience which was a good plan as it gave us a sunny session round the hotel pool..sun so strong you can't walk in bare feet near the pool.

This evening gave us a rather chaotic but amusing touristy "theatre experience" to see a display of traditional Kandian dancers and fire walkers. Very colourful but that many tourists of multiple nationality in an overcrowded venue was never going to make the top 10 things you do on your bucket list.

Tomorrow we are planning to do the botanical gardens before 6 hours on a train to Ella through the hill country.

A happy birthday in Sri Lanka

Blog 4 23/2/17

Happy birthday to me🎶

Enjoyed a good meal in the nice quiet a la carte restaurant last night. Much better than the busy touristy offering in main restaurant. David had prawns followed rice and curry which had a large number of tasty mini dishes with rice and various curried dishes and accompaniments. I opted for a more international choice of salmon followed by Aussie beef. All very nice.

This morning. .did I mention it's my birthday? ...checked out, moving on to next destination, Kandy.

First though we had another steps challenge. Temples tend to be built in high places for defense and to show respect but in high humidity and heat...phew! The Cave temples were worth the effort and easier than yesterday's outing. A series of 5 temples built out of caves with large numbers of Buddha statues and celing paintings. Our driver is a Buddhist so he gives a good commentary.

Then a visit to the large wholesale fruit and veg market. Vast array of exotic produce. Busy with farmers, traders and buyers. Veg I've never seen or eaten before. Really interesting.

Quick stop at the Golden Temple built about 10 years ago by the Chinese. Scores of school children visiting here as they have been at all the sites we've been to over last couple of days. Shy smiles, a wave and "Hello...how are you?" is common as they pass by.

Then on towards Kandy. Mixed reviews from us on the spice gardens. Free to get in means that after an interesting talk and demo of all the ingredients used for cooking and herbal products we got the hard sell in the shop. Our tip to the manager is that if we are left alone to browse and select we may buy ..but if you push us we say No thanks! We had a good free neck back and arm massage which we did appreciate and were happy to tip the students doing it.

Slow bumpy roads to Kandy but arrived safely at the small boutique style Elephant Stables hotel...A converted home of an ex presidents wife. Looks as if about 3 couples staying tonight.

Lovely room with yet another great view..bit warm as air con not v effective but hopefully it will cool down this evening.

Lovely relaxing hour by the pool. Dinner will be al fresco. Hot evening but less humid here as at about 500m looking down on the ex capital Kandy.

Have opened my cards and other birthday messages. Thanks everyone. Not been offered any cake yet but the night is but young..unlike me! Dommi guessed my age at 54 ...but maybe he's hoping for a bigger tip!

Hitting the Sigiriya & Polonnaruwa tourist trail

ŪBlog 4 22/2/17

Ate in the buffet restaurant last night as too remote for other options. Rather poor compared to Galle Face Hotel but hotel caters for some large groups including lots of Chinese tourists who seem noiser than British on tour.  Charlie would say "Too loudy"...  Interesting couple in their 80s on next table. She is a wheel chair user but they have had recent holidays in places such as Antarctica and Costa Rica and doing a good job of exploring all that SL has on offer. An inspiration to us...hope pensions allow us to do similar trips in our older years.

Early start today to get to Sigiriya rock to beat the heat. The Rock Fortress is supposed to be the 8th Wonder of the World. My wonder was that we made it up and down the 1600? steps to the 200m top.  The lower levels of partially excavated ruins of remnants of moats, bathing pools, gardens, summer palace and other structures were interesting and reminded us of roman ruins. Local guide did his best but us linguistically challenged brits are not good with strong accents so not sure I got all the details. The further we went the more steps...then the marble stone steps turned to scaffolding. ..oh heck...thigh muscles not had that sort of work out for a while. Heat and humidity adds to the experience. So glad I showered and put clean clothes on this morning. ...

The view from the top is brilliant once you are able to breathe and focus again. I was pleased to see younger and thinner people also struggled.

Lots to see and admire but so pleased to get back to Dommi and the air con in his vehicle....alive! Dommi tried not to laugh at our red sweaty faces.

On the way to the extensive Polonnaruwa ancient medieval ruins we discussed options of getting round the site...at the hottest time of day do we do the rental bikes or Dommi's air conditioned vehicle? Only because he gives a good commentary. ..we chose aircon!

Good museum to start then multiple sites with variety of ruins of palaces, budhist and hindu temples, toilets!, trading area, assembly rooms, academy and other structures. Lots of old stuff. Dommi gave us a interesting tour.  By 3pm we were flagging so we opted to skip the lotus pool and another set of statues and head back to hotel.

On the way there we stopped for fresh king coconut. ..very rehydrating. On way back - crocodile bread from a rickshaw bread van.

Return route to the hotel took us past reservoirs near Minneriya national park so we saw two small groups of wild elephants close to the water.

During the day we have seen so much wild life including elephants, white spotted deer, Macque and Grey Langer monkeys, tortoises, water and land monitors, oxen type cattle, salamander, termite and huge wasp nests, gecko, white bellied sea eagle, Egrets, Indian Peafowl, Kingfisher, Ibis, Woolly necked strok, lots of street dogs...and other birds we can't recall names.

Felt rather sorry for the couple of elephants we saw that were being used for tourists to ride but one of them was having a refreshing soak in the lake by our hotel which she seemed to enjoy...would be better if she was free to do that at her leisure...

Been an exhausting but fascinating day.

Taken a long bath, ibropfen and liquid refreshments to recover but looking forward to Dambulla Golden Cave Temples and the Matala Spice Gardens en route to Kandy tomorrow.

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.

Street food and pelicans

Blog 2 20/2/17

Hot and humid ..overcast misty day in Colombo today. Walked past Galle Face Green to the Fort district.

The Green is not green. .sand and dry patches of grass..but "quality catering" stalls sell local specialities. Need to give our stomachs a fighting chance so resisted.

Fort area is where the big banks and Old Parliament buildings are located. Looks as if the Chinese and Indians are investing in the area with big construction work going on. Building new luxury hotels and an artificial island which will have casinos, hotels and shopping mauls.

Rickshaws galore.. stopping to coax us in for a life threatening ride...we walked.

Luxury hotels may not give you authentic SL experience but the ice cold cokes and air con are appreciated. Ideal ratio in this humidity is one cool refreshment stop per hour.

Where the canal/river meets the sea white wading birds (ibis...correction..Egrets) and pelicans. Pelicans roost on top  of lamp posts so best not to stand under them...big poops.

Arrived at Galle Face Hotel, Galle Face Green, Colombo

Day 1 18/2/17

Long haul flights are not my favourite way to travel but all went to plan despite no upgrades being available as business class full...or at least that's what the polite Emirates staff told me!

Started off with a quiet G&T in BHX Aspire lounge before boarding ..nice seats on top deck of big A380.  Dubai was a quick stopover and so we had to get our skates on to get ourselves to the opposite end of the massive airport to catch our connecting flight. You know you are in a big airport when you have to take 2 lifts, a train and multiple escalators and moving walkways to get to departure gate. Onto a 777..seats more cramped but we managed to doze some of the way.  Does the tarmac stopover in Mali mean we can say we've been to the Maldives? Interesting to stay on a plane and watch the turnaround routine..cleaning and security all very efficient.

Arrived in Colombo on schedule. Amused to see fridges, washing machines and other household appliances for sale in duty free shopping area. After long queues for immigration and then having to collect bags and exchange money (not able to buy SL currency abroad) we were pleased to see Dommi our driver waiting for us.  He seems nice and gave us a potted history of islands colonial past and pointed out places of interest en route to the hotel.

http://www.gallefacehotel.com

Galle Face Hotel is a large grand seafront colonial building. Lovely welcome from the receptionist although we were not expecting the complimentary jazz festival wrist bands...and our ocean balcony luxury room certainly had atmosphere with the Jazz festival just ramping up the bass just below us..French doors vibrate along with the band! After almost 24 hours of travel and only cat naps on the plane this was going to be a noisy first night. If you can't beat them..join them! So after shower and change of clothes and a very tasty late Sri Lankan buffet in the Long Room...so many different types of curry or spiced foods...we stood in sponsors VIP bar area to listen to the bands and take in the atmosphere. It had rained heavily earlier but all the best festivals have a bit of mud underfoot don't they?

Rather pleased that the main act announced final songs just after 11.30 so we got a good night's sleep. Lovely buffet breakfast including Sri Lankan specialiity egg hoppers...thin cup shaped pancake filled with fried egg.

Done a quick recky round this very smart and beautifully restored hotel...gym..spa..pool..lots of marble and dark wood...lots f polite helpful staff..and a catapult armed guard to chase the crows away from the Veranda breakfast buffet. .and little chipmunk type squirrels on our huge balcony.

Planning a quiet day today..will take a stroll around local area...before our touring starts tomorrow.