Wilpattu National Park and Anuradhapura
En route from Colombo to Anuradhapura, we were scheduled for an afternoon game drive in Wilpattu National Park. There were plenty of interesting things to see along the main highway, including endless huge queues at gas stations thanks to the middle east conflict. Interestingly, the atmosphere looked pretty relaxed everywhere although police/military were in attendance in the subsequent days. It seemed that they were mainly there to assist with an orderly throughput, rather than to control any potential civil disturbances.
Arriving at the national park, we transferred to open 4x4's for the game drive. There was wildlife everywhere, especially bird life and spotted deer.
Look closely in the water - a freshwater Mugger Crocodile stalking the egret. According to the ranger, crocodiles were everywhere but you don't always see them until it's too late!
After the game drive, we checked in at Uga Ulagalla resort, where we were due to spend a couple of nights and what a surprise it was! Our accommodation was a cabin on poles with its own private pool and the interior was jaw-droppingly luxurious. It was far enough away from the 150 year old mansion which doubled as a dining and administrative area that golf carts were sent to fetch us for meals!
Sri Lankan hospitality was outstanding. Superb accommodation and wonderful food, but it was the Sri Lankans themselves which made the trip. Warm-hearted, totally natural and good-humoured. It felt like you were with treasured friends. This pretty much sums up Sri Lanka wherever you go.
An outdoor dinner eating traditional dishes in perfect conditions couldn't have been a more perfect end to the day. For beer lovers, special mention of Sri Lankan beer. Excellent drinking, including the discovery of Lion brand stout at 8.8% alcohol content. Wonder if it's exported to NZ?
The visit to nearby Anuradhapura involved going back in time to when it was the country's first capital from the 5th century BC to the 11th century AD. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. The gigantic stupas are a feature of the landscape and are hemispheres which are purported to contain relics or remains of Buddha or saints, or enshrining sacred texts or objects. They were constructed between the 3rd century BC and the 3rd century AD - a seriously impressive bit of civil engineering.
Another impressive feat of civil engineering are the artificial lakes and water tanks. These are millennia old and are used to capture monsoon rain for use in the drier parts of the year. Totally appropriate in terms of today's climate threats. It is believed that up to 30,000 of these water storage systems still exist in Sri Lanka, from relatively small brick reservoirs such as in the photo below, through to massive man-made lakes.
The sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura is reputed to be the oldest living human-planted tree in the world at approximately 2300 years old. There's apparently both historical and scientific provenance to support its age and it receives millions of pilgrims every year. This area had been a real eye-opener in terms of the advanced culture of Sri Lanka going back way before Europe.
Part 3 to follow......
No comments:
Post a Comment
Hello! I love to hear your feedback as it often leads to other things. However, if your comments are blatant advertising, then they won't get published.