Sri Lanka 3 - Trincomalee to Sigiriya to Kandy

14 July Trincomalee
It is forecast to be 34C in Trincomalee today, so it's good that we are starting early. The 6.35 train is in Vavuniya at 9.15, and by 9.30 we are on a rackety, old and very crowded red bus to Trinco. (The govt-operated 'red bus' is generally to be avoided, older and more crowded than the slightly less shabby private 'semi luxury' buses. Aircon 'luxury' buses are virtually non-existent). It is hot and squishy and we console ourselves with milk hoppers from our breakfast pack. Luckily it is a quick trip and we are in Trincomalee at 12pm, and heading for Trinco Beach by DSK, a small waterfront hotel.  The ocean looks gorgeous as we sip our welcome juice. It IS hot, but less humid than up North so doesn't feel oppressive. Still, it is now siesta time, so we cool the room down with the aircon, and enjoy our sea view. After polishing off the last breakfast pastries, I am dying for a juice, so walk along the small beachside lane. At the end is the Hospital and a few local shops, and not a tourist in sight. A small juice bar gives me fresh mango and watermelon juice for $1 - yum! 

Dutch Bay, Sunday afternoon

End of siesta at 5pm we go down for a swim. Dutch Bay is busy - it's Sunday arvo and there is a big family entertainment event in the park at the end of the beach. So quite a bit of rubbish about, but the water is clear and balmy. We check out fishermen dragging in a meagre catch, and then the concert, but blaring announcements extolling the major sponsor send us packing back home for a shower and a beer. The room faces East, so no sunset, but it's a nice spot to sit for a drink and watch the fishing boats heading back out.

We go for a walk to find dinner, and it is lucky that we find Aachi Surayotru Family Restaurant. We have a seafood biryani, fragrant with cinnamon and cloves, and mixed veg salad that is the nicest we have had.

Crazy Kali Kovil

15 July Trinco
Walk to bakery for breakfast pastries, then into town to get bus info. Near the bus station is the crazy Kali Kovil (Hindu Temple) with its eye-watering decorations. On the way to Fort Frederick, and Kandaswamy Kovil, the temple on the point, we checkout the waterfront shops that mainly seem to be selling dried seafood and fresh coconuts. But before we reach the point Chris fades, and we turn around, stopping at the Maritime Museum on the way home. It's old, dusty and unkempt (as seems usual) and we are asked for a donation - seems there are no government funds for museums here. 

Waterfront shop

Time for a swim, the beach is much quieter on a Monday morning, and the water calm and balmy. We try out the hotel restaurant for lunch, and it's good - only one page of Sri Lankan dishes on the menu, but they clearly know what they are doing. Then siesta until swim time again at 5.30. We take a beer to the beach - dammit this is what a Sri Lanka holiday is! We decide to eat again at the guesthouse, as it's such a gorgeous spot to sit, and are very happy with the crab curry for only $8.

Dutch Bay Monday morning

16.7 Sigiriya
I wake early and can't resist one last swim. Then make milky coffee to have with the last of our snacks for first breakfast. Dammit! A crow has stolen the snacks as soon as I left them on the balcony table. So, it's just coffee, then check out and head to the bus station. Grab some hoppers and bananas for breakfast. And find out that the Colombo bus is cancelled, but we can take a Kandy bus ... ok then ... We find seats, and it's a bargain 3 hour ride to the Sigiriya turn off ($2 each, a bit better than the super luxury bus!). A vendor bag of sliced mango complements our breakfast nicely. It's 10 minutes by tuk tuk from the turn off to our our lovely guest house (Liyon Rest), a spacious bungalow with terrace, set in a garden, with a very friendly welcome from Lakmal. Siesta time! 

Brick reclining Buddha

In the afternoon we arrange a tuk tuk to Pidurangula Rock, the sister to Lion Rock. I'll give it a go as practice for the Lion Rock climb tomorrow (Chris is my cheer squad haha). Well - it's a pretty steep and rough old track! I make it up as far as the enormous reclining Buddha - the original brick is exposed as plaster has eroded away. It is a beautiful spot, and I'm happy to turn around here. I am reminded on the way down that sometimes downhill is harder than up ... Chris is happy to see me back a bit early but our driver has disappeared ... hang on, thought we were paying him to wait? Finally we get home for drinks on our terrace, then dinner cooked by Lakmal's mum: Fried rice, dal and curry gravy - it's tasty but not exciting.

The Lion entrance at the Rock

17 July Sigiriya
So today I wake up with a shocking cold! Damn, thought I had avoided it. But of course I must still attempt the climb. It's US$35 each to enter (over $50), will we get our money's worth? Chris will wait for me in the very lovely gardens below the rock. I set off, head exploding and nose streaming, and soon realise that the summit will not be manageable. I do get as far as the Lion Entrance, about half way up, and just before it gets really steep. It is a lovely elevated terrace with amazing views - and a fierce wind. Just imagine how windy at the summit?! I turn back and spend some time wandering around ruins in the lower reaches, sublime spaces with no tourists in sight. Meeting Chris back in the Water Garden, we explore the Japanese designed museum, donated in 2009 and interesting if under-maintained. The displays are pretty basic but informative about the local history. And then - back in our expensive tuk tuk for siesta. 

The serene lower reaches of the Rock

I have decided against Polonnaruwa this afternoon - it's a 2.5 hour return trip, Chris is not interested and I have little energy due to this bug, so we decide to relax and have lunch at the Jetwing Vil Uyana, which is nearby and has a good reputation. Lakmal gives us a lift as no tuk tuks are available, and we are suddenly in glam tourist land. Sadly, the dishes (octopus salad, and fish curry) are not very exciting, though perfectly tasty. Chris has a glass of French wine. For $60 it's our most expensive meal, and a big treat!

Evening walk to the local lake for a drink. But the sunset is blah, and my camera is glitching badly, so we head home for a minimal dinner of mango vodka and murruku (spicy chick pea snacks).

18 July Dambulla – Kandy
Yet another climb planned this morning - 350+ steps to Dambulla Cave Temples. Fortunately I'm feeling much better and Chris (reluctantly) agrees to join me. Lakmal has organised his cousin/bvrother to tuk tuk us to Dambulla and mind our bags. It's fairly cool early in the day, and a pretty easy climb, with accompanying monkeys. The temples are really spectacular, huge painted caves lined with Buddha statues, and beautifully lit. I try to gather some pics with my handicapped camera. It's quite crowded, and the driver is waiting, so we don't dawdle, and it is an easy hike down on the Golden Temple side. (The Golden Temple on the other hand is a kitsch monument housing a Buddhist Museum - we skip it).

Spectacular Cave Temple at Dambulla

Our driver takes us to the bus station, and the Kandy bus is right there! Another old red rattler, so it's a bumpy ride, but we are in Kandy by 1pm and it's an easy tuk tuk ride to Freedom Lodge, just uphill from the lake. Wow! It's a spectacular old house in a lovely garden, and the room is huge with sitting area and balcony with a gorgeous view over the valley.

We venture into town, to try and find a camera store, as my camera is still misbehaving. We find it, in a flash modern shopping centre, but they cannot help. And so to shopping - juice, water, beer, vodka, snacks. Cargills Food City next door does the trick (and the doorman shows us a sneaky short cut to the liquor store). And home again home again jiggety jig. For a late lunch we try 'No Name' restaurant just up the hill. It's a small local cafe style place, and takes an hour to be served (we are behind a Dutch family who have a large order, and there is only one cook/server), but the food (kottu) is delicious when it does arrive.

Our lovely room in Kandy

Finally siesta, then drinks on the balcony, before we head a few minutes up the hill to the 'renowned' Sharon Inn buffet. Up five flights of stairs (what is this place? Chris huffs) we take our seats on the terrace at 7.30, then wait ... and wait ... among a dozen or so other western tourists, mostly young. Over the space of a couple of hours we are served a dozen dishes, mostly quite bland and similar. It's quite disappointing for anyone looking for spice and flavour! We manage to escape just as the host brings out his guitar for a singalong, and we hear the strains of Hey Jude as we descent the five flights back to the street. 

Botanic Garden

19 July Kandy
After a decent guest house breakfast we hail a tuk tuk to take us to the Botanic Garden, 20 minutes out of town. It's a lovely mild day - the weather is much cooler here - and a lovely spot for a two hour ramble.

Then it's back to town - this time to get Chris's phone looked at as the SIM has suddenly stopped working - catastrophe! After a bit of faffing at a Mobitel store it is fixed. Food City next door has a self-serve food court, and we share a decent biryani for lunch. Then back for siesta.

Temple of the Tooth Relic

In the afternoon Chris has football plans, and I have temple plans, so we part ways. I'm feeling lot better, so walk around the lake, buy a ticket for the dance performance at the Cultural Centre, then spend an hour exploring Dalada Maligawa, the famous 'Temple of the Tooth Relic'. The tooth of the Buddha has travelled in ancient times to this place, and it is the most revered Buddhist icon. But we cannot see the actual relic, only its receptacle.  The complex is large and interesting, with one museum dedicated to the myriad gifts donated - another treasure trove.

Cultural dance at Kandy

I am able to reserve a good seat at the dance, and my camera is miraculously working better, if not perfectly, so I am happy. Similar to Indian performances we saw in Rajasthan it is part dance, part circus, with acrobatics and fire-eating, and what it lacks in elegance it makes up for in energy. Out before dark, and back around the lovely lake in time for sunset drink with Chris.

Back up the hill to No Name for another kottu, and again it is good. Last night in the Freedom Lodge, and feel a bit sad to say goodbye. The host has lived in this house all his life, and one really does feel like a house guest.