Dambulla, Kandy area
To start on a lighter note, it was necessary to refill the coach with diesel for the rest of the trip. It so happened that Jennie and I were sitting close to the diesel pump and watched the filling operation. Give or take a bit, there are 180 rupees to the NZ dollar. With the recent price rises in addition to the small currency value, the huge numbers were just a blur and Jennie thoughtfully recorded it on her phone - quite funny.
The Dambulla Cave Temple is yet another World Heritage listed site. Sri Lanka certainly has its share of them. The cave temple dates back to the 1st century BC and has been repainted and generally well maintained over that time. When we pulled up at the gates, our tour director uttered the immortal line which was used with good humour against him for the remainder of the trip. That line was "Only 300 metres from the coach". He omitted a qualifying word from the sentence which was "vertically". In fairness to Sunil, the gradient was more like 45 degrees of substantial stone steps and bare rock which went on forever. In temperatures of well over 30 degrees and high humidity, we were soaked through by the time we reached the top and our lungs and legs were on fire. These are the lower part part of the steps:
Stairway to Heaven
Entrances to the individual chambers
Rows of Buddha carvings
A short stop was made at a batik factory in Matale, where a tour member was coached through the process. There are multiple steps and it takes a skilled artisan to produce high quality work. The factory was a riot of colour with all sorts of items for sale at realistic prices. Jennie bought a cloth and bamboo fan which was extremely effective in alleviating the effects of high temperatures and humidity throughout the rest of the trip.
An overwhelming riot of colour
Colourful Sri Muthumariamman Kovi temple - dedicated to female deities
Arriving in Kandy, we went to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. I know this sounds like a skit from a Monty Python episode but is an incredibly important site for Buddhism. As well as the religious importance, the architecture is mind-blowing and more than matches anything the West produced in the 16th century.
The approach to the temple
Astounding level of carving detail
The most complicated ceiling I've ever seen
One fascinating aspect of Sri Lankan towns was the large number of establishments selling used car parts. They all looked incredibly well-organised with parts in racks or neatly stacked as per the photos below. Sri Lankan traffic consisted mainly of modern, but small cars in generally good condition. Maybe replacement parts kept them going for longer than would normally be expected, or perhaps parts are exported to nearby India.
One of many highly organised automotive car part businesses
The standard of accommodation everywhere we stayed was outstanding and Kandy was no exception at the Earls Regency. In the photo below, our room looked down on the swimming pool and had a gorgeous balcony to take in the views.
Not too shabby, eh?
View from the private deck
Dining was a pretty grand affair in their a la carte restaurant with beautifully presented food in elegant surroundings. Fortunately, Mrs J frowned at my initial choice of a T shirt and shorts which would have been seriously out of place. I think I scrubbed up fairly well in the end and didn't overindulge on the superb wine.
Dining room ceiling. What is it about Sri Lankans and their magnificent ceilings?
Beautifully presented seafood main course
To end this part on an irreverent note, look carefully at the photo below. Hotel bathrooms aren't normally the subject of photos (with the exception of our trip to China), but this one was a real head-scratcher. A small stainless steel object was screwed to the black tiles behind the toilet bowl. I was trying figure out its function when a closer inspection revealed that it was a bottle opener! What a bizarre location and created much mirth. Perhaps the suite was normally reserved for English soccer hooligans (I jest, of course).
Part 5 to come.....
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