On 10th of April we reached Colombo in the evening and took a cab to our hosts place, near Kirulappanai. It was a long drive from the airport and the cabbie took nearly 2 hours to reach the place with rain pouring down. Security men could be spotted at every major junction and in between too with their machine guns and bravado looks. I could see some arbitrary checking and frisking taking place on roads. And that was not something I was accustomed to in Coimbatore, India. I thought about the plight of the people, especially that of security men. Just days before our arrival at Colombo a high flying cabinet minister (Mr.Jairaj Fernandopulle) and 14 others were laid to rest by a suicide bomber. Ordinary men can try and have chances of avoiding trouble some areas like public gathering, government functions etc. But these security men can’t escape that and for all the bravado they are also human beings like us. Would they not want their life for their dear ones? A tough job indeed.
We relaxed for an hour and braved the rain to go out. We took a walk, with a big umbrella in hand, down a narrow lane that was taking us to one of the arterial roads (High level road) in Colombo. The city reminded me of Bangalore with its colonial touch and modern architecture dotting the city landscape. It also smelt like Bangalore and many other parts of Karnataka. Some people find it strange when I mention cities have a smell. We tried in vain to locate an Indian restaurant and ended up at a Pizza hut for a cheesy dinner.
Next day we headed for the hill capital Kandy by train. At the railway station we also engaged a local tourist agent for an affordable tourist package (US$334). The package included accommodation for 5 nights, breakfast, dinner and a cab for 5 days. We had a wonderful time with him and his driver. He was highly hospitable and caring. He is a Tsunami survivor and lost his property that he is rebuilding right now, to gigantic waves.
Kandy
The train journey to Kandy was enjoyable what with all the tunnels and great valley views. We got down at the junction (I think Peradhenia) before Kandy to reach our hotel. We refreshed and rushed to Kandy Dance centre. It’s classical dance form with some acrobatic stuff. It was a treat to one’s eyes. Men and women performed with so much of energy and control. Men who mixed acrobatics with dance drew huger applause. In one particular men were circling themselves while moving in a circle. It’s like earth circling itself and moving around sun. They performed it with so much of speed that I found it amazing and admired their control.
During the dinner I was chatting with a local (Mr.Rodney) and asked who his favourite cricketer is? Pat came the answer, Jaysurya. But he is dropped, I said. That’s because he questioned the democratic functioning of the government and hence got into trouble with the President (of Srilanka). Now that he hit 6 sixes in one over (did he?) in an IPL practice match, he will soon be back. Our President must have seen it as well, replied Rodney. But don’t you like Sangakkara, a wonderful batsman, I asked him. Nah, he likes all things Western and Indian. I don’t like him. He is from this place (Kandy) only, just one km from here, very slow batsman, said Rodney. Obviously for a Jaysurya fan Sanga can’t be a quick scorer.
Next day we went around the city of Kandy and its treasures. We visited a temple with a tall and huge Buddha statue and to the highest point of Kandy to take a bird’s eye view of Kandy streets. The botanical garden is a must visit place in Kandy unless you are allergic to trees and flowers. The entry price was steep (Rs.600 (1 USD = Rs.106) against Rs.30 for the local) but a worthy one. I am big lover of trees and flowers. Kandy botanical garden has tem in plenty and in great shapes and hues. The orchid housed inside the garden will please your eyes with a variety of flowers in different colours and some of the plants kept inside will please your senses with Vanilla and Chocolate smells. The long walk inside the garden tired us and drove us to the nearby riverside restaurant for the lunch. Our next stop was a spice garden. The caretaker there educated us on various spices grown in the garden and their medicinal benefits. My friend ended up purchasing a herbal medicine for fat reduction and paid close to Rs.2400.
We ended the day with a visit to the Buddha temple of tooth relic, located in the centre of the city. I was surprised by the amount of security surrounding the religious place. There was a failed attempt by a suicide bomber to blow the relic and prompted the three tier security check before letting one in. Many tourists (mostly westerners) were focused on taking a snap of the ‘sthupi’ covering the relic than being there for the spiritual experience. I found it bit disturbing to be honest. In my opinion religious places are for spiritual and devotional purposes. If one’s faith conflicts then he/she may just remain silent and be observant. But making noises and flashing around do not fit in a place of worship. May be it’s not the fault of tourists as they are encouraged by the government, which charges Rs.150 for the camera. But then causing disturbance and creating a ruckus do not evidence for self discipline.
We returned to the room with a high expectation for Nuwara Eliya that’s on our list for the next day.
Nuwara Eliya / Ella
We set off for the cool climes of Nuwara Eliya in the morning. The route to Nuwara eliya is full of scenic spots. The curvy roads, water falls, valleys and tea estates were a treat to one’s eyes. Nuwara Eliya town is at a height of around 2000 meters from MSL and was cool. Locals were saying that Nuwara Eliya is a place that attracks Srilanka’s rich. One can sense it with those beautiful buildings and houses. We walked around the city for close to an hour and enjoyed every bit of it. After the lunch we visited the lake and spent some time watching people’s enthusiasm in water sports. We proceeded to Ella, a village town, in the evening for a night’s stay. Ella has a old world railway station where 2 trains in the morning and 2 in the evening pass through. People were not in a hurry and were enjoying their New Year break with friends and relatives. A perfect place to rest and relax after a hectic day of traveling and sight seeing.
Matharai / Galle
Matharai is a coastal town. We didn’t spend much time in Matharai except some shopping and a visit to the Buddhist temple in the sea. Our guide told us Tsunami affected these areas very badly. Yet he kept showing few places of worship and few hotels, along the coastal line, as the ones that were unaffected despite the force of gigantic waves. He was full of stories of how Tsunami took them by surprise especially the second wave that came after half an hour of the first one. He showed us a train that was swept aside by Tsunami waves. The first Tsunami waves did not affect the train that was in motion. But the second one did and that too very badly.
I have always admired the fort behind the cricket ground whenever I have seen matches held at Galle. To my surprise I found houses, offices and shops inside the fort. The fort was built by the Dutch and is just few meters away from the sea. Tsunami couldn’t do anything to the fort. From the top of the fort one can get a good view of the ground and the centre. We weren’t allowed inside the ground and hence climbed up the fort to view it. It’s a very small ground that is beautifully placed near the fort and the sea.
Akkurula
Akkurula is a small village where we stayed for two nights. It is from this place we visited Galle once again for some shopping and revisiting the fort. The guest house we stayed at Akkurula was located some 50 meters away from the beach. It’s a beautiful beach that is curvy and the water was clear at your feet. The sea presented a greenish blue look and for the first time in my life I came across waves that were moving in different directions because of the curved shape of the beach. And also I could sea waves hitting the concrete walls, one after another, from behind. It looked like a dance with waves rushing to hit the wall and raising up in the process. Palm trees further added to the beauty of the beach. I also spotted plenty of coral reefs on the beach. Their color, patterns and different shapes were interesting to see and observe.
Negombo Negambo is another coastal town and is located near the Premadasa international airport. Our experience at Akkurula meant we disliked Negambo beach. It was not clean, and is corrupted like any other beach in big cities and towns. The color of water, which was dark, said it all. We remained at the hotel, except for the evening walk, and spent time reading books. Next day morning we left Negambo for the Airport and experienced heavy check up before entering the airport. After a wait of couple of hours we boarded the flight back to Chennai, India.
People / CulturePeople were friendly and helping. India, despite its meddling in Srilanka affairs in 80’s, seem to enjoy a good reputation among the locals. One local told me that India is 65 times bigger than Srilanka and that was information to me. I couldn’t find much of a difference between Srilankan and Indian cultures. The New Year is something that is celebrated in a big way and for a long time.
FoodSea food is very famous especially in the coastal areas. I don’t about the prices but I guess they must be comparatively cheaper. If you are a pure vegetarian then you will terrible time locating vegetarian hotels, which are hygiene and good.
Prices
Srilanka is costly place, especially the food items. Inflation is very high, and in fact there was raging debate on inflation between a central bank official and journalist on inflation in one of the news papers there. Interest rates are very high and of course prices can’t be cheaper. However if you are earning in dollars then Srilankan prices may not bother you much.
Beach view - akkurula
