Hotel Topaz Kandy

... to spoil the setting, with the very famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) sitting on one side. Town planners have definitely got it right here, with no ugly buildings around the lake area. And because there are hills around most of the lake, it gives a smashing setting, with trees rising up towards the clouds and lush vegetation in between all the discreet buildings.

Unfortunately, my guide book didn’t mention anything about Monday ...

... of time it took us to get there (much, much more). Ready to start the loop to see the other nearby temples we asked around for directions. The book said take a left through the rice paddy fields but the entire area is surrounded by fields so there wasn't a clear path to take. I think we spent about an hour starting in one direction only to talk to someone else and head in the opposite direction before we finally gave up. There are awesome ...

... one for 25 quid while the rest of us wander round trying not to get sales people pestering us. We get to the Thilanka Hotel and after a quick trip to the rooms we head to a dance show - an hour of traditional dance and drumming - and surprisingly cheap drinks. They round the show off with some firewalking - impressive. Back to the Hotel and down for a buffet meal - a good range of Sri Lankan and western meals keeps everyone happy. The crab claw ...

... ele ha cada coincidencia! :-) Durante o resto da viagem, o Priyantha ocasionalmente juntou-se a nos a noite para um copo, e conversa. Em Kandy visitamos os Jardins Botanicos Reais, originalmente plantados por um rei de Kandy no Sec. XVIII, onde se podem ver muitas arvores e outras plantas exoticas, muitas das quais nos nunca tinhamos visto. Tambem visitamos o Templo do Dente, que e um localk de peregrinacao para milhoes de Budistas de todo o Sri Lanka, e que ...

... We decided (were persuaded, after lunch in the lions den of Sunil's house) to take our Tuk Tuk with Sunil to Nuwara Elia to head to Worlds End (a high plateaux) where you can see some great views over the plains below at sunrise. Unfortunately due to some terrible weather we couldn't go up there that morning and so also missed out on the planned trip to Adam's Peak (a mountain with a temple on top, which covers ...

500 meters above sea level, Kandy is set amongst the mountains. The main feature of the city is the huge lake in the centre, alongside which is the Temple of The Sacred Tooth Relic - Buddha's Tooth. The venue for the First Test is the ground of a local college - the Asgiriya International Cricket Stadium. It's a bit like Torquay Rec. No, really.

... by the Hindus, Portuguese, Dutch and British, they withdrew into very depth of the country. Others survived as seasonal workers on the fields. Today the chieftain, at least, seems be a very respected man. I note that he possesses nearly one hundred cows.

When we arrive back in Mahiyangana, Siril insists on showing me his temple. The fact that I am interested exclusively in the Veddas irritates him enormously. It is already eight o'clock. Darkest night. Before us ...

... but madly we did not have one on Easter Sunday Friday 13th April Day prior to the Sinhala and Tamil New Year (sure that calling it News Year Eve would be easier but that's what it says on my calendar and is so I am told the days official title ) Saturday 14th April Sinhala and Tamil New Year May is also a good month with 2 Poya days with an extra bank holiday after the first Poya day for no reason I can make out, June, July and August ...

... an hour to reach where we had left the van. However t was not where we thought we had left it and around then we released we were lost and had walked far to far along the road, so we turned back round brought some more egg hoppers and set off finally finding the van at 2am The trip back to MEF was pretty quick as there was no traffic on the road and once my head hit the pillow at 3 am I was out like a light not waking until midday the following day well and truly jet lagged.

... tuk driver who had a crazy stereo system rigged in his three wheeled hotrod. The only thing lacking was some booty in the back seat. One night Tiron, and Michael, another tuk tuk driver, invited me to Tirons sisters wedding reception. I turned up with Paul, another local who I befriended who worked at my hotel, and as we approached the reception hall I could hear singing in Sinhalese and the booming sound of bongos. As we entered the hall wild calls rang out, whistling and a turn up in ...