Destination Insights: Sri Lanka

SRI LANKA

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World Heritage Sites, Cave Temples Giant Stupas, Bare Breasted Maidens Dancers & Drummers, Tea Plantations Botanical Gardens, Wildlife Safaris Museums, World Class Hotels, Recipes and more

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Pearl of the Indian Ocean

“Dear me, it is beautiful! And most sumptuously tropical, as to character of foliage and opulence of it.”

— Mark Twain, from his book Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World.

SRI L ANK A

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Sri Lanka Fast Facts • Size: Sri Lanka is about 140 miles wide and 270 miles from top to bottom, with more than 1,000 miles of coastline.

Its area, about 25,000 square miles, is slightly larger than that of West Virginia.

• Ethnic and cultural diversity: Sri Lanka’s 20+ million people are about 75% Sinhala, 11% Tamil, 9% Muslim, 4% Indian and 0.5% others (Burgher and Malay). Of these, about 70% are Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 9% Muslim, and 7% Christian.

• Languages: Sinhala, Tamil, and English (commonly used in government).

• Exports: Sri Lanka is famous for the world's finest "Pure Ceylon Tea" and the world's best cinnamon, sapphires and rubies.

• Tourism: Sri Lanka hosted a million tourists in 2012. It is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites (we visited seven). Visitors can obtain 30-day visas online.

The traditional Sri Lankan greeting, Ayubowan, means "May you have the gift of long life."

Gulf of Mannar

• Society: Driven by state-funded free education from kindergarten through university and free health services, Sri Lankans enjoy a literacy rate of 93% and a life expectancy of 76 years, both on par with developed countries.

Indian Ocean

■ Anuradhapura ■ Polonnaruwa ■ Sigiriya ■ Dambulla ■ Kandy ■ Negombo ■ Nuwara Eliya ■ Colombo ■ Mount Lavinia ■ Yala ■ Galle Cultural Triangle

SRI L ANK A TABLE OF CONTENTS 6

Sri Lanka, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean by Lakshman Ratnapala

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Sigiriya The Lion Rock

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Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

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Dambulla Golden Temple, Cave Temples

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Jetwing Vil Uyana

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Polonnaruwa

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Kaudulla Elephant Safari

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Anuradhapura Great Stupa, Bodhi Tree, Thuparama, Jetawana

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Lanu Mola Coconut House Milking a coconut, weaving mats

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Kandy Temple of the Tooth, Ragahala Dance, Woodcarvers, Batik

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Royal Botanical Gardens

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Mahaweli Reach Hotel Recipes

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Highlands Tea Plantations, Jetwing St. Andrews

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Yala National Park Chaaya Wild

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Galle King Coconut, Dutch Fort, Maritime Museum, Jetwing Galle

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Mount Lavinia

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Colombo Galle Face Hotel, National Museum

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Negombo Jetwing Blue, Chef making hoppers

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THE PEARL OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

by Lakshman Ratnapala SRI LANKA lies like an emerald pendant off the Indian peninsula, separated by only twenty miles of shallow sea. Smaller than the biggest, but bigger than the smallest of the Great Lakes, it was called many names by many people. The Macedonians knew it as Taprobane. To the Persians it was Serendib, to the Chinese it was the “island of jewels.” The Portuguese called it Ceilao, the Dutch Zeilan and the British Ceylon. But, the indigenous people always knew it as Lanka — the Resplendent Land.

No place on earth has been likened to Paradise so often, for so long, by so many writers as Sri Lanka.

The Persians pronounced that Adam and Eve, banished from Paradise, were sent to “this Other Eden, this demi-Paradise.” Friar Marignolli, Papal emissary to Peking in early 14th century, wrote that “from Seyllan to Paradise is a distance of forty Italian miles, so that the sound of the waters falling from the fountain of Paradise is heard there.” And, Mark Twain exclaimed, “Dear me, it is beautiful! What a dream of fairyland and paradise!”

The HISTORY of Sri Lanka is shrouded in the mists of time and legend. Ramayana, the Asian epic which pre-dates Homer’s Odyssey and the Iliad, recounts the abduction of Indian princess Sita by the king of Lanka, Ravana. The Mahavamsa, Chronicle of the Great Dynasty, composed in the 3rd century, records the arrival of IndoAryan settlers in 6th century BC — the Sinhala: the lion race, from the Sanskrit word for lion. Laying the foundations of a great civilization, they built Anuradhapura, their first great capital city, coinciding with the Golden Age of Periclean Greece. It lasted over a thousand years as a major metropolis of the ancient world. Ptolemy recorded it in the earliest maps ever made. Pliny, the Roman historian, devoted an entire chapter in his encyclopaedic work to the exchange of ambassadors between A’pura and Emperor Claudius’ Rome in 45 AD. Chinese scholar

Fa-Hsien, who studied there for two years in the 4th century, described a planned city with handsome, richly adorned buildings.

The history of Sri Lanka was an inexorable cycle of invasions from South India and their repulse, time and again, by Sinhala warriors, laying a legacy of bitter fruit in our own day. A’pura was repeatedly sacked and the Sinhalas in desperation moved their sacred capital to Polonnaruwa where they raised a splendid new city, which inevitably attracted the cupidity of new plunderers. In the face of continuing pillage and destruction, the Sinhalas retreated further south, moving their capital to a dozen different sites, always carrying with them the symbol of national sovereignty, the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha.

Finally, taking refuge in the mountain fastnesses, they built yet another capital city, Kandy. Here again, peace eluded them as new enemies, now from the West — the Portuguese, Dutch and English with vastly superior arms, mounted waves of invasions, routed by Kandyan froces who tenaciously defended their last royal redoubt for 300 more years until internal intrigue ceded the Kingdom to the British under a treaty in 1815, ending a monarchy which had ruled for two and half millennia. Sitting in a bowl of mountains, beside an artificial lake, with the Temple of the Tooth Relic as the piece de resistance, Kandy presents a picture postcard scene of such beauty that British Governor, Sir William Gregory observed, “Kandy is the loveliest town in the loveliest island in the world.”

Freedom was regained in 1948 and modern Sri Lanka is a democratic, multi-ethnic society reflecting the impact of foreign settlers in the wake of numerous invasions.

The CULTURE of Sri Lanka is shaped by the pervading influence of Buddhism over the life of the country. The introduction of Buddhism in 247 BC was

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the most decisive event in the long history of Sri Lanka. The resultant royal patronage gave Buddhism the prestige of a state religion and set in motion the evolution of a distinctive culture which burst into spectacular flowering of the national genius in art, architecture, literature, music and a lifestyle based on the Buddhist ethos.

The massive artificial reservoirs and canal systems that sustained a vibrant civilization whose very existence depended upon the conservation of water in a “dry zone” attest to the hydraulic engineering skills of the ancients with an astounding knowledge in such fields as trigonometry. These great lakes enhance the architectural ensembles of stupendous dagabas, rivaling the pyramids of Egypt, monumental statues and decorative sculptures, carved with amazing vitality, grace and beauty. The paintings of celestial maidens at the soaring citadel of Sigiriya and the frescoes at the temples of Dambulla display an artistic brilliance, even after one-and-a-half millennia.

Today, Sri Lanka’s culture is enriched by the traders and conquerors who transplanted their distinctive lifestyles. Yet, the culture of the first Sinhala settlers and their religion, Buddhism, remain the hallmark of this multi-cultural society.

NATURE has blessed Sri Lanka with incredible wealth. King Solomon sent emissaries here to find gems to woo the Queen of Sheba. Chinese writers of yore found rubies so abundant here, they wrote the gods had “sprinkled the land with a dew causing it to produce red gems.” Marco Polo traveling from China to Persia in a squadron escorting the granddaughter of Kublai Khan to espouse the Khan of Persia in 1293 wrote, “the island produces more beautiful and valuable rubies than found in any other part of the world, and likewise sapphires, topazes, amethysts, garnets and many other precious stones.”

Nature’s bounty is such that there is no land more lush or more beautiful. “Ceylon, from whatever direction it is approached, unfolds a scene of loveliness and grandeur unsurpassed by any land in the universe,” wrote Emerson Tennant. Greenery dominates the countryside from the lowland rice paddies to the highland tea terraces. The land,

adorned by a necklace of sandy white beaches, rises gently from the palm fringed shores to mist clad mountains with cascading waterfalls and the commanding presence of Adam’s Peak, where Adam alighted upon his transfer to “This Other Eden.”

The richness of Sri Lanka’s flora is matched by the variety of its fauna, from elephant, leopard, bear and blue whale to a stunning array of birds. The startling diversity of physical features and wildlife within such a modest area makes this a nature lover’s paradise. Philip Brooks, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, visited Sri Lanka in 1883 and wrote home: “My dear Mary, this must be the most beautiful place in the world. I do not see how there could be one more beautiful. In the gardens cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, tea and coffee plants, pineapples, mangoes, bamboos, banyans, India-rubber trees and a hundred other curious things are growing. Here and there you met an elephant or a peacock and the pleasantfaced natives smile at you out of their pretty houses.”

That pretty smile remains the best thing about Sri Lanka, where hospitality is second nature. I present this book with pride, wishing you the good fortune to experience the wonders of this enchanted land.

Lakshman Ratnapala enelar@att.net LAKSHMAN RATNAPALA is Chairman of Enelar International, a San Francisco-based company providing services on tourism-related issues to governments, airlines and corporate offices of hotel chains. Ratnapala is Emeritus President and CEO of PATA, the multinational corporation for development of travel in Asia Pacific. A former Sri Lanka Tourism Director for the Americas, he was named World Travel Digest’s “Man of the Year” for his excellence in marketing. Lakshman Ratnapala has served as Chairman of Executive Service Corps of San Francisco, Chairman of Foreign Travel Club of San Francisco, Chairman of International Committee of the American Red Cross Bay Area and Treasurer of California Heritage Council. Currently, he is International Consultant /Director of Bay Area Travel Writers Inc.

SIGIRIYA UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

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igiriya, the Lion Rock, rises more than 600 feet from the forested plains below. One of Asia’s major archaeological sites, it is one of the most important urban planning sites of the first millenium.

In the 5th century, King Kassapa I constructed a palace, elegant pavilions, elaborate pleasure gardens, broad moats, reservoirs, and parapet walls, converting the majestic, sheer-sided outcrop to an almost inaccessible royal capital and courtly paradise. (Having just murdered his father,

Kassapa needed an impenetrable fortress for protection from the revenge of his half-brother, who also had his eye on the throne.)

Considered by some to be the eighth wonder of the ancient world and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sigiriya’s natural beauty and historic interest endure. The site showcases a unique concentration of 5th century urban planning, architecture, gardening, hydraulic technology, engineering, and art.

But it’s a steep climb—1200 steps.

SIGIRIYA

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Thirty man-made rock shelters or “caves� with deeply incised protective or drip-ledges served as Buddhist monastic residences from the 3rd century BC to the 1st century.

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SIGIRIYA

Peaceful gardens stretch out below the monolithic rock.

Sigiriya’s extensive water gardens feature symmetrical, paved bathing pools, several islands, and serpentine, marble-lined streams. Gravity-powered fountain gardens, which still work well during the rainy season, demonstrate the excellence of Sri Lanka’s ancient hydraulic technology.

“My dear Mary, I think this must be the most beautiful place in the world. I do not see how there could be one more beautiful...”

—Pillips Brooks, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, March 1883

Natural archway in the 5th century Boulder Garden.

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SIGIRIYA

The towering rock outcrop at Sigiriya is 2,500 million years old, and dates from the earliest epoch of the earth’s formation.

A Middle Precambrian inselberg, or “island mountain,” it sits in an area that has been inhabited by humans for 10,000 years. Sigiriya served as a major communication center for the four key economic zones that grew up around it, each incorporating major urban, agrarian, irrigation, and port systems.

At the rock’s base, huge boulders linked by winding pathways and rock arches comprise the Boulder Garden. Thirty man-made rock shelters or “caves” are a reminder of the Buddhist monastic residences where reclusive monks lived from the 3rd century BC to 1st century.

Many of the boulders are scored with rows of notches, which once held timber supports or brick footings for pavilions; almost every rock had a pavilion or a strategically placed sentry point on it.

Cobra Rock

SIGIRIYA

The Lion Platform is infamous for its bees. We saw only a few, and they were not bothersome.

The steep climb, affording spectacular views, is made possible by slim pathways tacked to the face of the cliff.

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SIGIRIYA

The climb is steep but worth the effort

THE SIGIRIYA DA MSEL S King Kassapa commissioned artists to embellish the rocks with 550 frescoes of beguiling, bare-breasted “heavenly maidens,” creating the world’s largest open-air citrisala or picture gallery.

It originally stretched along the whole face of hill, more than 400 feet wide. Archaeologists estimate that there were once 13,000 square feet of royal murals in this area.

The apsaras or celestial nymphs (a common motif in religious and royal art of Asia) here are overtly sensual, in contrast to most of the rest of Sri Lanka’s extant art, which portrays serene Buddhas. The damsels, whose beauty and color remain bright even today — after 1500 years — are reached via a path sheltered by a glistening “mirror wall.”

The 1500-year-old mirror wall was plastered with a mixture of lime, egg white, beeswax, and wild honey, and burnished to a smooth shine. From the 6th to the 14th century, it was covered with a spiderweb of ancient tributes to the heavenly beauty of the nearby damsels, leaving us with one of the world’s oldest examples of graffiti.

Nearly 1,000 of the inscriptions have been translated; one reads: Ladies like you Make men pour out their hearts.

And you also have thrilled the body Making its hair Stiffen with desire.

Right: Inscription on the Mirror Wall

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THE SIGIRIYA DA MSEL S

The fresco process does not forgive mistakes; notice the errant 3rd nipple on the figure above.

SIGIRIYA

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The great Lion Staircase is Sigiriya’s most dramatic feature. A colossal crouching lion, of which only the artfully sculpted paws remain, was one of the principal features of the 5th century Sigiriya complex and was a symbolic statement of the power and majesty of King Kassapa’s royal authority.

It also served as the ultimate and solitary gatehouse to his palace on the summit.

Entry was through the jaws of the lion.

The Lion Staircase is impressive even today, in its ruined state.

SIGIRIYA

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If Sigiriya’s summit is a baffling confusion of foundations and fragmentary remains, it is also a tribute to the enormity of engineering required to construct the mountaintop palace. The part natural, part man-made stepped plateau provides magnificent views of the historic site below, laid out in concentric precincts on a precise east-west axis.

An ingenious hydraulic system driven by windmills brought water to the reservoirs and pools above via a series of terraces.

As the king was too royal to walk, he too would have been carried to the summit.

SIGIRIYA

Famous view towards the mountains of Kandy from Sigiriya’s summit.

ON THE ROAD

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Bright colors in homes and businesses are quite common

PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

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innawala Elephant Orphanage was established in 1975 with five elephants.

Since that time it has never turned away an orphaned or injured elephant, and today more than 100 of the majestic beasts call Pinnawala home. Some can eventually be released, but most cannot survive on their own.

Most of the elephants at Pinnawala have been rescued from difficulties encountered in the wild, but some of the residents were born here. With the help of both local and foreign elephant experts, Pinnawala has become one of the world's most successful captive breeding facilities for Asian Elephants.

Left: This is one of two baby elephants we saw that had been rescued in separate incidents.

Each was accidentally trapped in an irrigation ditch, and eventually abandoned when the herd had to move on.

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This is the oldest elephant at Pinnawala. He is 65 to 70 years old, and at end of his natural lifespan.

He is blind in both eyes, and came to Pinnawala because of injuries from a gunshot wound.

PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

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The orange patch on their trunk is normal for Asian elephants, although you won’t find it on African elephants. Here are some differences between the two: Asian Elephants Orange patch on trunk Only a few males (7%) get tusks Small ears 1 "finger" at end of trunk Smaller overall size 18 toes: back feet have only 4 toes each

Pinnawala encourages human interaction with the elephants.

African Elephants No orange patch on trunk All adults (males and females) get tusks Larger ears shaped like continent of Africa 2 "fingers" at end of trunk Larger than Asian elephants 20 toes

The three-legged elephant above, named Sama, lost its right front leg in land mine accident during the war; its backbone and other front leg have become distorted from carrying extra weight.

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PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

Adult elephants eat up to 200-250 kg of leaves (440 to 550 pounds) and drink 200 liters of water (more than 50 gallons) every day. These elephants eat coconut leaves, jackfruit, palm leaves and branches, tamarind, and grass.

Baby elephants are bottle fed; selected visitors have a chance to help with feeding.

Twice a day—from 10-12 and again from 2-4—mahouts (keepers) walk the elephants a quarter of a mile through the village of Pinnawala and down to the Maha Oya River, where they cool off, play, or just relax. It's one of the elephants favorite activities.

PINNAWAL A ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE

The largest male elephants are in chains at the river so they don’t wander across to the other side.

The smallest elephants are not brought to the river because the water is too high and the rapids are too dangerous.

In the 1960s, following nearly a century of game hunting by British colonialists, Sri Lanka's elephant population was down from an estimated 30,000 individuals to near extinction.

That tragedy of decimation prompted the government to found the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Today, the number of elephants living in wilderness exceeds 3,000.

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PINNAWAL A — ELEPHANT DUNG PAPER Elephants are poor digesters, and much of what they eat comes straight out the other end as fiber. Elephants begin the paper making process by providing dung, which is gathered and boiled for three to four days to ensure that the resulting fibers are clean and soft.

They are colored using locally produced vegetable dye, mashed and blended to a fine pulp, and spread on a small frame to dry in the sun. The next day, the coarse paper (which resembles cardboard) is pressed for a finer, denser texture, and scented with cinnamon and lemon grass.

Input to the elephants.

Adding water to dry fibers to make pulp.

Light grey pulp drying on racks Wet pulp in screen, ready to dry.

Finished small box with paper samples.

DA M B ULL A C AVE TE MPLES

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ambulla was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Its five caves, or shrine rooms, are part of a vast cavern with more than 80 documented caves in a massive rock that rises 350 feet above the plain. The caves were occupied

by Buddhist hermits at least from the reign of King Vattagamani Abhaya (89-77 B.C.), who probably cut the katarama (drip-ledge) along the rock to protect the caves from rain water.

Much later, King Nissanka Malla (118796), set on making his presence felt throughout Sri Lanka, spent lavishly at Dambulla and elsewhere. Nissanka Malla Continued on page 32

DA M B ULL A C AVE TE MPLES

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DA M B ULL A C AVE TE MPLES

—we came to call him "The Inscription King"—confused later scholars by regularly adding his own inscriptions to the existing work of other kings.

Dambulla was repaired and further embellished by the kings of Kandy during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Today the shrine rooms are filled with a mixture of religious and secular painting and sculpture representing Sri Lanka’s evolving artistic styles.

There are more than 150 statues of the Buddha, as well as various statues and paintings depicting Buddhist history.

Hindu deities are also included, because Buddhist rulers from time to time married Hindu princesses, and wanted them to feel comfortable worshipping together in the same location.

The earliest works here are believed to be in Cave #2, and date from the 8th century.

Cave #1 (page 25), called Devaraja Viharaya (Temple of the King of the Gods) is almost entirely filled with a 46-foot reclining Buddha carved from a single piece of rock, and still joined to the rock at the back. The statue depicts the parinibbana (the last moment) of the Buddha, which is represented—and differentiated from a sleeping or resting Buddha—by three distinctive aspects of the pose: 1) The left hand is not quite directly beneath the head, 2) the knees are not exactly aligned, and 3) the feet are not quite aligned with each other.

Cave #2 (this page) is the largest and the most impressive; it’s 172 feet long and 75 feet wide. Called Maha Raja Viltaraya (the temple of the Great King), #2 is painted in brilliant colors and bursts with an enormous array of Buddhas. The main statue is a life-sized standing Buddha with his right hand in the Abhaya mudra or “Have no Fear” posture.

DA M B ULL A C AVE TE MPLES

The walls are covered with excellent murals, including several depicting the trials and temptations suffered by the Buddha on the night he attained enlightenment. (He resisted both an attack by hoards of hairy demons and the advances of a crowd of alluring maidens.)

Towards one end of the room is a perpetual dripping of rainwater that has filtered slowly through the rock roof.

The water is caught in a vessel and used exclusively for sacred purposes. Buddhists believe the water will never stop falling, even during a severe drought.

Cave #3 (this page), called Maha Alut Viharaya (The Great New Temple), was made into shrine room by Kirti Sri Rajasinha, who reformed the Buddhist Church in the eighteenth century.

The cave is about 90 feet long, 80 wide; its immense rock surface is painted with richly colored frescos depicting Buddhist history.

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DA M B ULL A C AVE TE MPLES Cave #3 is dominated by a meditating Buddha (at right) seated beneath a makara torana (dragon arch), and surrounded by 50 other Buddhas (mostly life-sized) and a 30-foot reclining Buddha carved from a single piece of rock.

The reclining Buddha here is similar to the one in Cave #1, but this one is only about 30 feet long. Most of the Buddhas in cave #3 are colored bright yellow; several have red robes.

Cave #4 is smaller, with only 21 Buddha statues. Cave #5 has no historical value, as its contents date from the 1920s.

Stylized flames—or sometimes a halo— over a figure’s head represent enlightenment.

DA M B ULL A C AVE TE MPLES

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VIL UYANA — SIGIRIYA

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ur favorite Sri Lankan hotel, Vil Uyana, languishes just a few miles from the base of Sigiriya. The setting is a serene combination of wetlands, paddy fields, and forest—perfect for nature lovers.

Relaxing in our private, open-air swimming pool at dusk, we were treated to the sight of hundreds of flying foxes (gigantic bats) as they sailed high above, looking for insects.

Birdwatching was excellent here, and we would also have seen Vil Uyana’s cute little monkey-like primates if the loris walk hadn’t been rained out.

www.jetwinghotels.com

VIL UYANA — SIGIRIYA

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Jetwing

Vil Uyana is not only serene and lush; it has also been a model of eco-engineering since its inception in 2006. No trucks or cars are allowed on the property.

Instead, clean, quiet electric buggies carry guests and employees throughout the complex. During the dry season, recycled water refreshes the 25 acres of gardens.

Even small details have been thought through from an ecological perspective: drinking water in the rooms is provided in refillable glass bottles, and energyconserving CFL bulbs light the rooms.

Walkways between buildings bring one through the ponds

Weddings are popular at this beautiful resort

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VIL UYANA

The cottages have extensive private open-air areas as well as large balcony windows with expansive views. The mosquito netting was romantic but unnecessary.

Below ritht: Evening turn-down service included a friendly “Good Night� spelled out in fresh, aromatic leaves.

ON THE ROAD

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Some of the locals down for a nap.

Street vendors provide a wide variety of “short eats” or The wonder Cone, seen here, will “melt your resistance”.

POLONNARUWA

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he second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, Polonnaruwa served as the capital city from the 11th to the 13th century. King Vijayabahu I, who was responsible for the resurgence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka‚ ruled the island from Polonnaruwa.

Later his grandson, King Parakramabahu I, constructed lavish palaces. Adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens should be wasted, Parakramabahu constructed an immense irrigation system, which still today supplies the water for rice cultivation during the dry season in eastern Sri Lanka. Around 1292 Sri Lanka was invaded and Polonnaruwa was abandoned. The remaining archaeological site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

(Its beauty was also used as a backdrop to scenes filmed for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982.)

The mysterious Satmahal Prasada (“Seven-story edifice”) resembles Cambodian architecture

POLONNARUWA

The elaborate Vatadaga held a brick dagoba in which archaeologists believe the sacred Tooth Relic was originally enshrined.

Gal Potha (“Book of Stone�) with Sinhala script. It weighs 25 tons and is more than 27 feet long.

Below: detail of carvings on Gal Potha

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POLONNARUWA

Gal Viharaya is a 12th century rock temple in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. The central feature of the shrine are four images of the Buddha, which have been carved into the face of a large granite rock and are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Sinhalese sculpting and carving arts.

The 23-foot-tall standing image leans back in a relaxed manner, arms folded across its chest, face sorrowful. Some historians believe it depicts the monk Ananda, who is lamenting the Buddha’s demise at his deathbed.

POLONNARUWA

More than 46†feet long, the reclining image is one of the largest sculptures in Southeast Asia. It depicts the parinibbana of the Buddha, who is lying on his right side with the right arm supporting the head on a bolster, while the left arm lies along the body and thigh.

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P O LO N N A R U WA

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The Royal Palace was seven stories tall.

The lower sections seen here (left) were built with brick and the upper floors were made of wood.

The royal residence had more than 40 interconnecting rooms.

Above and below: Balustrade at the steps leading into the Audience Hall in the Royal Palace ruins.

A Guard Stone protecting the Vatadage Shrine from evil.

POLONNARUWA

This “Moonstone� carving serves as a stone doorstep at the entrance to the Vatadage Shrine.

Each semi-circle symbolizes a step on the path to enlightenment.

One of the palace bathing pools.

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K AUDULL A — ELEPHANT S AFARI

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inneriya and Kaudulla, linked by an “elephant corridor” that allows herds of wild elephants to move between the two national parks, are an excellent place to see Sri Lankan wildlife, especially birds and elephants. During the dry season (July through October), hundreds of elephants converge here in search of water, in what is called “The Gathering” and is the largest concentration of Asian elephants in the world. They are taking advantage of the Minnerya water tank, part of an irrigation system built in the third century.

During the wet, you might get stuck in mud.

Beyond the grassy plain is the Minnerya water tank.

While eating the grass, adult elephants gather around the youngsters to protect them.

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K AUDULL A — ELEPHANT S AFARI

Junior looks like he just saw a snake!

ANUR ADHAPUR A — RUWANWELISEYA

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ANUR ADHAPUR A — RUWANWELISEYA

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he sacred city of Anuradhapura— Sri Lanka's first capital, from the 3rd century BCE to about 933—is now a UNESCO site and home to Ruwanweliseya.

Also known as the Great Stupa or Maha Thupa, Ruwanweliseya rises more than 300 feet into the air like a gigantic white bubble.

The great dome was built in the 2nd century, and required thousands of tons of masonry and more than 100 million bricks. At the top is a golden spire representing enlightenment.

The Great Stupa is surrounded by an entire complex of buildings and walkways, as well a massive number of worshipful Buddhists. A billboard near the entry to the complex (see photo at left) rotates its display to show images of the stupa decorated with colorful lights for special occasions.

One of the most amazing things about visiting the Great Stupa was seeing literally thousands of people—many dressed in white—who were all calm and quiet. Despite the crowds and the festive atmosphere, there was no running, pushing, jumping, shouting, or climbing, and no litter or public intoxication.

ANUR ADHAPUR A

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ANUR ADHAPUR A — SRI M AHA BODHI

Anuradhapura was established around a cutting from the “Tree of Enlightenment,” said to be the southern branch from the historical Bodhi tree in India under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment. It was planted here 23 centuries ago, and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world.

A botanist checks this tree once a month, to be sure it remains healthy.

Cuttings from the tree have been taken to temples throughout Sri Lanka, creating a third generation of trees descended from the sacred original.

Each cloth or flag represents a prayer someone has made at this site. Because of the sacred tree, saying a prayer here is believed to be especially fruitful.

ANUR ADHAPUR A

Buddhist flags and prayer flags.

Offerings to the Buddha

A woman prays at Thuparama Dagaba, the oldest stupa in Anuradhapura (built in the 3rd century BCE). This very sacred shrine holds the Buddha’s collarbone.

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ANUR ADHAPUR A

This area was once home to more than 10,000 monks. The area below was the dining room.

ANUR ADHAPUR A

In ancient times this stone trough at the Mahapili Refectory held rice to feed thousands of monks (previous page shows the eating area).

Remains of a bathing pool. built in the shape of a keyhole.

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ANUR ADHAPUR A

The seven-headed cobra—or naga— represents protection.

Each cloth represents an individual’s prayer.

Bas relief carvings like those below were on guardstones at the entrances to many shrines.

ANUR ADHAPUR A — JETAWANA

Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any predominately Buddhist nation, with the Sangha having existed in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction from India in 250 BC. Five years later, Bhikkhuni Sangamitta arrived with the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree (page 52).

Sri Lanka was ranked the 3rd most religious country in the world by a 2008 Gallup poll, with 99% of Sri Lankans saying religion is an important part of their daily life. The country ranks 8th in the World Giving Index, registering high levels of contentment and charitable behavior.

There are many of these protective gana—dwarves that serve as attendants to Kubera, the god of wealth.

The Jetavanarama stupa, rising 400 feet into the air, is the largest in Anuradhapura. It was a pet project of King Mahasena, who also constructed the surrounding 8-acre complex.

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ANUR ADHAPUR A — JETAWANA

Elephant frieze on ancient ruins.

Buddhists leave offerings of white flowers.

ON THE ROAD

National cricket superstars pitching Coca Cola.

Waiting for the bus on a rainy day.

You will always find fresh coconuts and mango slices for sale.

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L ANU MOL A COCONUT HOUSE

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n the road from Dambulla to Kandy (after Naula, in the Nalanda area, in Ududeniya, near the 47 km marker) is the humble Lanu Mola Coconut House. One of our favorite attractions, this tiny non-commerical establishment is run by Maria, with help from her son Ananda (pictured below).

The two demonstrated the ingenious ways in which Sri Lankans have traditionally used every single part of the coconut.

Maria and Ananda produce very high quality products—the work is done in their workroom, next to their house.

Palm fronds are used for weaving baskets and mats.

The spiny pieces of the palm frond make good brooms (we saw many for sale), and the tree’s wood is good for ceiling beams.

L ANU MOL A COCONUT HOUSE

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Palm fronds are also used to make woven mats which are remarkably good roofs, keeping the interior of a building cooler by allowing air to circulate. The roofing mats need to be replaced about once a year.

Stripping the leaves with a very sharp machete.

Weaving the leaves into a mat.

The finished mat for her roof.

It will take a hundred or more, as each one-leaf mat is only about a meter long.

MILKING THE COCONUT

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How to milk a coconut.

Maria cracks the coconut open with a machete to release its water, which is a healthful and refreshing drink.

A scraper is used to remove the coconut flesh, which is mixed with water.

The flesh is separated and squeezed, leaving a white liquid known as coconut milk, used for cooking curries.

If the coconut milk is heated so the water evaporates, the result is coconut oil, used for cooking and in manufacturing cosmetics.

M AKING CURR Y

Maria shows us how to make curry.

Left, clockwise beginning at top, are the spices she uses for curry paste: Chili peppers, round white coriander seeds, cardomom, peppercorns, oblong cumin seeds, and at the center, cinnamon.

Below: Maria begins with spices and two heavy stones: a flat “mother” stone and the rolling-pin-like “daughter” stone she drags over it to crush and mix the spices.

Adding a bit of water results in a curry paste that will keep for about a week.

Wasting nothing, Maria cleans the stones carefully with a little water, resulting in a spicy liquid (left) which she will use for cooking.

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M AKING ROPE

At right is a pile of coir—obtained from the hairy husk of the coconut. The coir is stored in water until it is ready to weave.

• First the coir is spun into a length of twine (below right).

• Next, two strands of twine are twisted into a sturdy rope using a wooden bobbin (next page, bottom left).

• Using a more complicated wooden bobbin, the four ropes are twisted into one even stronger length—strong enough to hold a cow (next page, upper right).

• The next size up is strong enough to hold an elephant.

If it’s kept dry, the rope lasts indefinitely.

The spikes on this machine shreds the coconut husk.

M AKING ROPE

Everything is worked by human power.

A wooden bobbin twists two strands into one length of rope (right and below).

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K ANDY

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red-roofed Royal Bath House, once home to courtly concubines, sits on the lake in front of the golden-topped Temple of the Tooth. Both were once part of the royal palace complex at Kandy. The Royal Bath House allowed the queen to cool off in the lake with a modicum of privacy.

Street scene shows men in western clothing, sarongs, and Muslim robes.

Fortress wall outside Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth.

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K ANDY — TE MPLE OF THE TOOT H Surrounded by hills, lakes, rivers, and cascading waterfalls, and situated high in the hills at the remote heart of Sri Lanka, the city of Kandy has a long history of political independence—it held off the Portuguese, Dutch and British until the early 1800s.

Kandy is still Sri Lanka’s center of rich cultural heritage, and is home to a flourishing community of artisans and performers who keep alive the traditional arts, crafts, music, song and dance that originated in the 16th century.

Shrines sacred of the Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and Muslim faiths are nestled in nearby hillsides. But most famously, Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth, with its glowing roof and, inside, the Tooth Relic, sacred to Buddhists worldwide.

The approach to the Temple of the Tooth.

The fortress wall outside the Temple of the Tooth.

K ANDY — TE MPLE OF THE TOOT H Floral offerings and incense scent the air, drums beat maniacally, golden panels sparkle and glow— and those elephant tusks! There are more than the ones that show in the photo below (left), and I cannot deny that they add majesty to the occasion.

This is the scene inside the Temple of the Tooth three times a day, every day, as visitors anticipate a glimpse of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Although several thousand people are squeezed into a small space and have to wait in a long line, they are calm and gracious.

About 2,000 people come to view the Sacred Tooth Relic—three times each day.

Deep inside the chambers rests the huge, golden, crown-like reliquary we all came to see. Inside it is the Sacred Tooth Relic, believed to be a tooth of the Buddha himself. (The legend doesn’t specify which tooth; I like to think it’s a wisdom tooth.)

Behind these door lies the reliquary that holds the sacred tooth relic.

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K ANDY — TE MPLE OF THE TOOT H

Each passerby gets about a one-second glimpse of the shining golden reliquary that holds the Sacred Tooth Relic.

K ANDY — TE MPLE OF THE TOOT H

According to legend, whoever possessed the Tooth Relic was destined to rule Sri Lanka. As one might expect, this belief played a role in centuries of struggle and conflict.

Offerings and decorative panels at the Temple of the Tooth.

Many rooms hold varied colors and styles of Buddhas.

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K ANDY — TE MPLE OF THE TOOT H

More views from inside the Temple of the Tooth.

The pale blue ceiling above was backlit with tiny, twinking lights.

The heavily decorated pavilion (right, and detail below) was the scene of traditional dancing and wild drumming before each showing of the tooth reliquary.

Buddhas with flowers were everywhere we looked. This one sat in a small niche exuding serenity.

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R AG AHAL A K ANDYAN DANCE

Drumming and dancing are an integral part of traditional Sri Lankan culture. We enjoyed this spectacle of eleven energetic dances capped with a devotional firewalking ceremony.

Here a traditional folk dance uses the raban, a type of drum.

R AG AHAL A K ANDYAN DANCE

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In the Mayura Natuma (Peacock Dance) at left, girls depict the peacock, which according to mythology is the bird that transports Skanda, the War God of Ceylon, worshipped by both Buddhists and Hindus.

This wooden sculpture was commissioned for $20,000 by a Hindu family living in Los Angeles.

K ANDY WOODC ARVERS

Woodcarving is an important craft in Sri Lanka. Subjects include the Buddha, elephants, and compositions of scenes and events drawn from local history, legend, and contemporary life, as well as decorative boxes, walking sticks, toys, household items and souvenirs.

Hardwoods such as ebony, palu, sandalwood, gam-malu and na are traditional, but deforestation is making them less available.

Fanciful mythical creatures often represented by woodcarvers include the half-bird, half-human kindura; the hansa, a two-headed eagle; and the makara, a traditional Sinhalese motif with “the trunk of an elephant, the feet of a lion, the ears of a pig, and the body of a fish, with its teeth turned outwards, eyes like the monkey-god Hanuman, and a tail.�

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ROYAL BOTANIC AL G ARDENS Dating from 1371, the gardens are a wonderful place to relax on a warm afternoon!

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ROYAL BOTANIC AL G ARDENS

The Royal Botanic Gardens are located in Peradneiya, 5.5 km west of Kandy, between Colombo and Gampola, and hosts more than 1.2 million visitors a year.

Wander the 150 acres to see more than 300 varities of orchids, spices, plants and palm trees.

The lushness is helped by the 200 days of rain per year.

The gardeners are as colorful as the gardens.

Laurie checks on some odd seepage from a very old tree.

A perfect place for contemplation.

Long rows of elegant palms line meandering pathways in the Royal Botanical Gardens.

ROYAL BOTANIC AL G ARDENS

The two-lobed “double coconut” seeds of the coco de mer.

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ROYAL BOTANIC AL G ARDENS

ROYAL BOTANIC AL G ARDENS

“...out to the gardens where cinnamon, nutmeg, clove-trees, tea and coffee plants, pineapples, mangoes, bamboos, banyans, India-ruber trees and a hundred other curious things are growing.

Here and there you meet an elephant or a peacock...”

—Phillips Brooks, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston in a letter from 1883.

The gardens are a popular place for weddings.

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K ANDY — M AHAWELI RE ACH HOTEL

www.mahaweli.com

The swimming pool is right off the outside dining area.

The dining table is set for six in the Presidential Suite.

K ANDY — M AHAWELI RE ACH HOTEL

The beautiful Mahaweli Reach hotel began as a 4-room guesthouse in the 1970s, and has blossomed into a 112room, 5-star hotel with exceptionally gracious service. Situated near the southern point of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, the Mahaweli Reach is well situated for visits to Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth and the Royal Botanical Gardens. It’s also an easy drive to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the Dambulla Cave Temples and Sigirya.

This hopper was served with rice, spicy sambol, and eggplant.

Every day starts with a plate of fresh fruit.

Why is it that people all around the world feel moved to decorate with flamingos?

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M AHAWELI RE ACH HOTEL Aubergine Morju n Ingredients 2 medium sized aubergine (eggplants) – 350 g 1 tsp turmeric powder ¼ tsp salt ½ cup oil for frying aubergine 1 tsp fenugreek 1 small stick cinnamon 5 shallots, peeled & sliced thinly

Mahaweli Reach Hotel General Manager Rodney Armstrong, who once was a chef, was generous enough to provide these recipes.

Red Fish Curry n Ingredients 500 gms white fish (firm) 1 lime with juice 1 tsp fenugreek 1 big chopped onion 2 sprigs curry leaves 2 stalks lemon grass, bruised 3 green chilis 2 tbsp chili powder 2 tbsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder ½ tsp turmeric powder 2 ½ cups thin coconut milk 2 medium tomatoes, diced 2 tsp salt or to taste ½ cup thick coconut milk Method Cut fish into 2-cm chunks and wash with water to which lime juice has been added. Set aside.

Heat up 2 tbsp oil in a clay pot to sauté the fenugreek, onion, curry leaves, lemon grass and green chilis for 2 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the thick coconut milk and fish. Bring mixture to a boil.

Add the fish and simmer until the fish is cooked. Add the thick coconut milk and bring it to a boil again. Take off the fire immediately.

1 tbsp curry powder 1 tsp mustard, ground 1 pandan leaf, cut into 5 cm lengths 1 sprig curry leaf 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 tbsp vinegar 2 tbsp thin coconut milk 2 tbsp thick coconut milk 2 tsp sugar or to taste ½ tsp salt or to taste

Method Slice eggplant thinly and season with the turmeric powder and salt. Deep fry in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan to sauté fenugreek and cinnamon until fragrant. Add shallot and fry until golden brown. Add the rest of the ingredients except the thick coconut milk and seasonings, and cook on medium heat for about 1 minute.

Add the fried eggplant and cook for a few seconds before adding the thick coconut milk.

Season to taste.

Prawn Theldala — Sauted Prawns n Ingedients 500 gms medium sized prawns, shelled but keep tails 1 tsp turmeric powder 90 g shallots, peeled whole 2 medium sized onions, sliced 1 tbsp ginger, minced 1 tbsp garlic, minced 2 sprigs curry leaf 1 pandan leaf, cut 1 cm diagonally 1 small stick cinnamon 4-5 bird’s eye chilis, cut 1 green capsicum, cut 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges 2 tbsp water 1 lime with juice 1 tbsp freshly grated black pepper 1 tsp salt

Method Season prawns with the turmeric powder. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the shallot, onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaf, pandan leaf, cinnamon and chili. Stir fry for a minute before adding the seasoned prawns. Stir fry for a minute before adding the capsicum, tomatoes, water and lime juice. Cook a further minute and season to taste with pepper and salt.

Tomato & Onion Sambol n Ingredients 2-3 tomatoes diced 1 big onion, quartered & sliced 1-2 bird’s eye chili, sliced finely 1 tsp freshly grated black pepper ½ tsp salt or to taste 1 lime wedge / juice

Method Combine all in a mixing bowl and toss well just before serving as a condiment.

M AHAWELI RE ACH HOTEL Coconut Sambol n Ingredients 1 cup freshly grated coconut 1-2 tsp lime juice 1 tsp salt or to taste

Method In a mixing bowl, toss together the ground ingredients with the rest of the ingredients.

Ground Ingredients ¼ cup chopped onions 6 dried chilis, soaked & drained 1 tbsp maldive fish 1 tsp black pepper

Mix well & serve as a condiment.

Cashew Nut Curry n Ingredients 250 g cashew nuts 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp salt 3 cups water 1 tsp mustard seed 2 shallots, peeled & sliced thinly 2 pips garlic, sliced thinly 1 tsp fenugreek 1 sprig curry leaf 1 bird’s eye chili cut 2 tbsp thick coconut milk 2 tbsp oil Spice topping 2 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly 4 dried chilis, soaked and cut 1 tsp chili flakes 2 tbsp oil

Method Boil cashew together with turmeric and salt in enough water to cover the nuts for 10-20 minutes or until soft.

Set aside the cashew and reserve the boiling water.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a clay pot and add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add shallot, garlic, fenugreek, curry leaf and chili. Stir for a few seconds before adding the boiled cashew nuts and ¼ cup of the reserved boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes before adding the thick coconut milk. Remove from heat just as the curry comes to boil. Dish out.

For the spice topping, heat the oil in a clean pan to fry the shallot & chilis until fragrant, about 1 minute. Dish out onto the curry.

Broccoli Mallum n Ingredients 500 gms broccoli sliced very finely 2 shallots peeled and chopped 2 pips garlic chopped 2 bird’s eye chilled and sliced 1 sprig curry leaf 1 pandan leaf cut 1 cm diagonally 4 tbsp grated coconut ½ tsp mustard seed ¼ tsp turmeric powder 4 tbsp vegetable oil 3 dry chilis sliced to 1 cm pieces Salt to taste This recipe was created

by Rodney Armstrong

Method Mix the tumeric and grated coconut and toss this with the finely sliced broccoli and leave aside. Heat the oil and add the chopped shallots, chopped garlic, curry leaf, pandan leaf and let the onions and garlic brown slightly. Then add the mustard seeds and sliced dry chilis and let it fry for about 15-20 seconds while still over the fire. Add the broccoli and coconut and let it cook for about five minutes on a low fire.

You can serve this dish along with rice and other curries.

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THE HIGHL ANDS

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Steep mountains, waterfalls, forests, and lakes make the highlands well worth the drive from the sultry coast.

Farmers depend on terracing in the highlands. In addition to tea, there are “vegetable plantations� growing strawberries, carrots, onions, beets, leeks, cabbage, potatoes, radishes, and lettuces.

A group of young girls off to school in the rain.

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o visit to the country formerly known as Ceylon would be complete without a trip to the highlands, where some of the world’s finest tea is grown.

These hills were once predominantly planted in coffee—the Brits’ answer to Dutch Indonesian coffee plantations— but a coffee blight in the 1860s inspired the switch to tea. Today more than one million Sri Lankans are employed, either directly or indirectly, in the tea industry, which generates about $700 million annually.

Picking and factory work go on every day of the year except Sundays and full moon holidays. Once a week, three to five young, tender leaves are picked from the growing tips of each plant by teams of women working on steep hillsides. The plants would grow to ten meters in height if not pruned, but they’re kept to about four feet high for easiest picking.

The view from a restaurant was fabulous. The food featured a wide variety of Polish dishes.

TE A PL ANTATIONS

TE A PL ANTATIONS

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Women usually pick the tea leaves, while men prune the plants and carry the cuttings down the steep hills.

Left: Pickers bring their filled bags to a roadside buyer.

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TE A PL ANTATIONS — M ACK WOODS

We got to see the whole manufacturing process, beginning with “whithering,” when the tea leaves are spread in long troughs to remove excess moisture.

Withering takes 14 to 18 hours, during which time the leaves are turned by hand every five hours or so.

Next, the leaves are rolled and chopped to catalyze the fermentation process (except for “green” tea, which is processed without fermentation).

The leaves are again spread out, and allowed to ferment for three hours— any more time would result in a bitter product. The now-coppery brown leaves are moved to a drying machine (110° C) for twenty minutes to halt the fermentation. Drying turns the tea leaves to their familiar blackish color.

The stems, which are by now lighter in weight than the leaves, are separated on a vibrating table. Then the tea isgraded by leaf size—the smallest leaves produce the darkest, strongest tea.

Five kilos of tea leaves are required to produce one kilo of finished product— except for Silver Tip tea, which requires seven kilos of leaves to produce one kilo of product.

Tea leaves “withering” in temperature-controlled rooms

TE A PL ANTATIONS — M ACK WOODS

Now for some tea terminology: “Pekoe” refers to black tea, “orange” refers to the color of the resulting beverage, and “fannings” are small leaf particles.

• BOPF, or Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings, are mostly used in tea bags for strong tea to be drunk with milk.

• BOP is a medium strength product, used for English Breakfast Teas.

• OP is a lighter tea made with larger leaf particles.

Above and below: The withered tea leaves are moved from the drying tables to the fermentation rooms.

• Silver Tip tea comes from the same plant, but is dried by the sun. Our tea tour guide explained that this process assures Silver Tip tea’s slimming, anticholesterol, and other “mystical medicinal properties.”

The factory, and the friendly factory dog The drying machine halts fermentation

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TE A PL ANTATIONS— M ACK WOODS

www.mackwoodstea.com The store sells many different types of tea pots.

The tea tasting room featured tea pots, fine china, teas and other treats

ST. ANDREWS a t NUWAR A ELIYA

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Photos courtesy of Jetwing

Built around an old Tudor mansion which served as a grand colonial residence during the days of British rule, and surrounded by mist-swathed mountains in the center of Sri Lanka, St. Andrews has maintained the charm of a distinguished country home.

Staying here, we were transported back a hundred years with high tea, antique furniture,wood fires in the evenings, romantic four-poster beds, and a sumptuous dinner in the woodpaneled and copper-ceilinged dining room.

On a cold rain swept night, the fireplace was most welcome.

St. Andrews is also home to manicured landscapes with elephant topiaries, a butterfly garden, a worldfamous 18-hole golf course (next door), and an organic farm that supplies produce for the kitchen.

The venue works closely with the Nuwara Eliya city council to enhance the quality of life for local residents.

The nearby hill country—more than 6,000 feet above sea level—is known for its undulating tea-covered hills, cascading waterfalls, trout-filled streams, and cool climate.

ST. ANDREWS a t NUWAR A ELIYA

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Jetwing

Jetwing

www.jetwinghotels.com

Jetwing

ST. ANDREWS — HALLOWEEN DINNER

A surprise: Halloween dinner with forty high-school students from England! The St. Andrews staff got into the spirit and made some amazing ghoul-themed food.

Even the bread was in the holiday spirit.

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ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

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This is typical of the small, colorful Hindu temples we saw along the roadway.

We recognized Hanuman, the Monkey God (green, at bottom on opposite page), but weren’t knowledgeable enough to know all the others.

Above: Detail of figures on left.

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ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

There are lots of roadside food and clothing stands in addition to the brick and mortar stores

ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

Billboard with amusing characters.

Cows and dogs seem to have the run of the roads.

Mobile bakery truck.

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ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

One of our favorite things about driving through Sri Lanka was spotting the mural-lined walls outside elementary schools. Each set of murals had its own style, subject matter, and colors, and most were absolutely charming (although some were incomprehensible to us).

What better way to get your message across to children than by way of dancing carrots, peaceable fawns, and happy workers?

The words are unknown to us, but the lettering is beautiful.

ON THE ROAD TO YAL A

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Sri Lanka's 26-year war finally ended in 2009, and the country is now recovering.

Our young driver told us stories about growing up in a country in which one never knew, from one day to the next, whether he would return home from school, or his father would return from work. After the government decisively defeated the Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka emerged to become one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

YAL A NATIONAL PARK

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ri Lanka is one of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots, with 27% of its 3,210 flowering plants and 22% of its mammals being endemic.

The country’s 24 wildlife reserves are home to a wide range of native species including Asian elephants, leopards, sloth bears, the unusual small loris, several species of deer, purple-faced langurs, porcupines and anteaters.

Wild boar wander everywhere and are dangerous.

Photo courtesy of Riaz Cader

Yala boasts the highest density of leopards in the world.

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YAL A NATIONAL PARK

Yala National Park is Sri Lanka’s most visited national park. It became a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was one of the country’s first two national parks in 1938. Yala has 215 bird species including six that are endemic to Sri Lanka. It also has one of the hightest leopard population densities in the world. We spotted one young leopard high on a hill taking his afternoon nap.

There are large populations of wild elephants, and you may also see spotted deer, sambars (deer), wild buffalo, jackals, and crocodiles.

We also saw smaller animals, like monitor lizards (bottom) and a mongoose (right).

The monitor below stopped to “smell” something with its tongue, dug down about three inches into the dirt, and ate two somethings (worms?) before moving on to “sniff” again and dig in a new spot.

Yala’s beach (above), was in the direct path of the 2004 tsunami, which severely damaged the park, changing about 60% of its coastline.

The rock outcrop Patanangala at the Yala Beach.

YAL A NATIONAL PARK

A yellow-wattled lapwing (note the yellow wattle).

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A thick-knee (note the thick knees).

The sloth bear, normally shy and nocturnal, evolved from brown bears and feeds mostly on termites, honeybee colonies and fruits.

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YAL A NATIONAL PARK

Above: Green imperial pigeon in flight Right: Bee eater

Sri Lanka is home to more than 250 species of resident birds, 200+ species of butterflies, and nearly 100 mammal species (including this laughing elephant).

YAL A NATIONAL PARK

Left: Weaverbird nests Below: Red wattled lapwings Bottom: Painted stork.

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L AURIE’S SRI L ANK A BIRD LIST Black headed ibis Black winged stilt Blue tailed bee eater Brahmin kite Brown headed barbet Cattle egret Chestnut headed bee eater Common mynah Common kingfisher Common tailorbird Crested hawk eagle Crimson backed woodpecker Gray-headed fish eagle Great thick-knee Greater coucal Grey heron Green bee eater Green imperial pigeon Hoopoe Indian darter Indian pond heron Indian robin Indian roller Indian silverbill Little egret Malabar pied hornbill Open billed stork Orange breasted green pigeon Oriental magpie robin Paddyfield pippit Painted stork Paradise flycatcher Peafowl (peacock and pea hen) Pheasant tailed jacarana Purple heron Purple swamp hen Pied kingfisher Redshank Red vented bulbul Red wattled lapwing Rose ringed parakeet Sandpiper Small minivet Spot billed pelican Spotted dove Sri Lanka jungle fowl Stork billed kingfisher Striated heron Whistling duck White-breasted water hen Yellow bittern Yellow billed babbler Yellow wattled lapwing

CHA AYA WILD S AFARI HOTEL It’s important to read the advice on all the warning signs—completely! Especially this one.

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CHA AYA WILD S AFARI HOTEL

www.chaayahotels.com/chaayawild.htm

We felt like we were roughing it, with wild boars running beneath our cabins at night and large nocturnal visitors leaving surprising calling cards.

The Sri Lanka Tourism award for best wildlife accommodation went to Chaaya Wild in 2011.

CHA AYA WILD S AFARI HOTEL

All the rooms are actually little cottages out in the bush.

Wild boars are dangerous and can meet you anywhere.

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ON THE ROAD TO G ALLE

“The most delightful [trip] it has been my good fortune to take.”

— E. Jackson Published in The Overland Monthly San Francisco (November 1869) of his road trip from Galle to Colombo.

Vendors have great ways to get around in the busy traffic. No parking problems with this cart.

On Boxing Day—December 26th—in 2004, the Indian Ocean earthquake swept Sri Lanka's southeast coast, killing more than 35,000 people.

With a magnitude between 9.1 and 9.3, it was the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. It lasted longer than any other recorded earthquake—between 8.3 and 10 minutes—and caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimeter.

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“...never seen anything so Eden-like...nearer paradise...than ever before.”

— U.S. Navy Surgeon William Ruschenberger, M.D. about his ride to Galle, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

G ALLE

G ALLE

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You’ll find all varieties of foods, from American fast food to the Zam Zam local bakery to a fresh fish market. You will never go hungry.

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G ALLE — KING COCONUT

The bright yellow King Coconut is reputed to be the tastiest.

The friendly street vendor uses his machete to open a King Coconut, then shows us how to use a slice of the of the outside shell as a spoon to scoop out the tasty “meat.”

Both the cool coconut water and the “meat” inside are especially refreshing.

G ALLE — DUTCH FORT The “Dutch Fort” in Galle was originally built by the Portuguese in 1588. It was rebuilt by the Dutch in the mid-17th century, and added to by the British after they colonized Ceylon at the beginning of the 19th century. A continuous stoneand-coral rampart—interrupted by 14 massive bastions—encircles the old city of Galle. Inside, centuries-old colonial buildings stand beside more recent structures, and house private residences, shops, and government offices.

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G ALLE — DUTCH FORT

Inside the old Dutch Fort area, high-end shops sell jewelry and gemstones, wood carvings, sarongs, clothing, and handmade lace. There are also plenty of restaurants, guest houses, shell necklaces. T-shirts, and last but not least: official licensed products of the Sri Lankan Cricket Team.

The ramparts with grass areas are a popular strolling and picnicing areas for families.

M ARITIME ARCHAEOLOGIC AL MUSEUM

The Dutch warehouse building at the fort, built in 1717, was renovated under a special grant from the the Netherlands and now houses Sri Lanka’s Maritime Archaeology Museum.

Exhibits include salvaged boats, scale models of underwater marine archaeology sites, and hundreds of artifacts found in the many shipwrecks along Sri Lanka’s southern coast: maps, beer mugs, sailors’ shoes, earthenware vessels, smoking pipes, barrels, and artillery guns. Some of the artifacts are nearly 800 years old.

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M ARITIME ARCHAEOLOGIC AL MUSEUM According to Ptolemy, Sri Lanka exported rice, ginger, fruits, and honey. The Maritime Archaeological Museum displayed examples of the many food containers that had been pulled up from ancient shipwrecks in the coastal waters.

M ARITIME ARCHAEOLOGIC AL MUSEUM

The Maritime Archaeological Museum displays a number of early vessels as well as carvings and pottery.

Buddha carved from a log.

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M ARITIME ARCHAEOLOGIC AL MUSEUM

M ARITIME ARCHAEOLOGIC AL MUSEUM Coat of Arms over the original entrance to the fort in 1668

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G ALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE

Jetwing

This world-famous sculpture, called “The Portuguese arriving in Ceylon under a cloud,” is by Sri Lankan artist Laki Senanayake, who lives on the outskirts of Dambulla.

Inspired by the historical Battle of Randeniya, it depicts the invading Portuguese army circling upwards around the staircase as they battle the Sinhala King and his forces, who are armed with only spears and bows.

G ALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE The Jetwing Lighthouse, designed by Sri Lankan architect Geoffery Bawa, was built in 1997. The hotel’s management-≠ seeks to have a positive influence in the community, from working with local schools and protecting the nearby marine environment, to hosting children’s swimming lessons and using locally sourced soaps.

www.jetwinghotels.com

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G ALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE

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Western food was available, but we had curry and coconut for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and loved it!

Sri Lankan cuisine has been influenced by the country’s Indian neighbors, Arab traders, Malay navigators, and Dutch, Portuguese and British colonizers, and relies heavily on curry and coconut.

Most of the curries we were served (fish, shellfish, chicken, meat, vegetable) were mildly flavored for tourists, but we heated them up with the spicy sambal (crushed chilis) that came with every meal.

Milk Rice Red

Green Gram

Pol Rotyi

Chicken Red Curry

Fish Curry

Sambaru

G ALLE — JET WING LIGHTHOUSE

String Hopper White

String Hopper Red

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Cashews—imported by the Portuguese from Brazil, where they are a native plant—are often added to curries, and one popular curry dish is made entirely from boiled cashews, coconut and spices.

We also enjoyed roasted cashews tossed with hot pepper and salt, served warm.

Laurie’s favorite condiment is pol sambol (also called coconut sambol), made from grated coconut, a little dried fish for flavor, hot pepper and lime juice; it's so delicious you can eat it alone. Jim’s favorite dish is Broccoli mallum—chopped cooked greens seasoned with coconut and spices. See recipes on page 87.

At left, clockwise beginning at upper right: Grated coconut, Sinhala Achcharu, Katta Sambol, crushed red chilis. Center: Coconut Sambol.

Onion Tempered

Dhal Curry

Kiri Hodi

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ON THE ROAD TO COLOM B O

From bicycles to tuk-tuks to late-model automobiles, there are many modes of transportation in Sri Lanka.

ON THE ROAD TO COLOM B O

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Common sights along the roadway: beautiful ocean views, rice fields (or “paddyfields” as they’re called in Sri Lanka), Buddhas, and 24/7 petrol stations.

Forget to pack some clothing? No worries— there’s shopping just about everywhere.

Photos courtesy of Mount Lavinia Hotel

MOUNT L AVINIA HOTEL

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www.mountlaviniahotel.com

The Legend of Lavinia and Sir Thomas Maitland: A Love Story In 1805 Sri Lanka, known to the British as Ceylon, was ruled by England and governed by Sir Thomas Maitland. Also known as “KingTom,” Maitland was described in a biography as “a great human force, controlled by an iron will.”

At the welcoming party held in his honor Maitland, a 46-year-old bachelor, was captivated by an extraordinarily beautiful native dancer named Lovinia (Lavinia) Aponsuwa.

Maitland was smitten by Lavinia’s smile and charms, and soon found himself obsessed, taking every measure possible to see more of her.

Maitland even chose the scenic beachside location six miles south of Colombo for his country residence after spotting Lavinia bathing nearby in the sea.

When his mansion was being built, the governor gave instructions to include a secret tunnel to Lavinia's house, which was located close to his new residence. One end of the tunnel opening was inside the drinking water well building at Lavina's housing compound and the other end was in a wine cellar inside the Governor's mansion.

Secrecy was necessary because it was inappropriate for a British officer to associate with a “half-caste” like Lavinia, who was of mixed Portuguese and Sinhala ancestry.

Lavinia continued to dance, performing for Maitland and his guests at the governor's parties—grand affairs filled with flowing evening gowns, men in top hats, and masked revelers. The governor and the dancer enjoyed their relationship for five years, with Lavinia squeezing through the small tunnel in secret to be with her lover.

But the affair was eventually discovered, and “King Tom” was quickly recalled to England. Later, the British Foreign Office sent Sir Thomas Maitland on a “routine” transfer to the Mediterranean island of Malta, where he “lived and died as a bachelor.”

Little is known of Lavinia, but we do know that it was Governor Maitland who passed a law permitting lower-caste women in Ceylon—such as his lover— to cover the upper torso of their bodies.

The village that surrounded the governor's mansion developed into the city now named Mount Lavinia in honor of the mestiza dancing girl.

The mansion was made into an enchanting British Colonial heritage

hotel and aptly named "Mount Lavinia"—a living legacy to the secret romance between the Sir Thomas Maitland and his lover.

During World War II the hotel was used as a military hospital by the British Army. Following the war, the Mount Lavinia Hotel was re-established in 1947. Later, scenes in the movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai” were filmed at the hotel.

A railway line has cut the secret tunnel into two sections, and it was sealed up around 1920.

Part of the still exists beneath the Mount Lavinia Hotel, though, and it is sometimes used for special events. The old wine cellar serves as the main kitchen of the hotel.

The legendary romance has made the Mount Lavinia Hotel—now a five-star property—one of Sri Lanka’s most popular venues for weddings and other elegant affairs.

MOUNT L AVINIA HOTEL

Old photograph of the Governor’s Mansion.

Dining on the beach—what a treat!

Photos courtesy of Mount Lavinia Hotel

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COLOM B O

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Colombo, with its temperate weather and natural harbor, is the commercial, industrial and financial capital of Sri Lanka.

With a population of about 752,993, it is also the country's largest city, and is home to swanky nightclubs, five-star hotels, several performing arts centers, the stunning Jami Ul Alfar mosque and Murugan Hindu temple, the National Museum, and beautiful Beira Lake.

Colombo has many tall modern buildings, plus some brightly colored ones.

Many buses have remarkable art painted on the back, front and sides.

The typography is flowing and beautiful.

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COLOM BO — B AREFOOT SHOPPING

During the Dutch rule of Ceylon, from 1658 A.D the Hospital was used by the Dutch East India Company as a convenient location for patients from ships coming into the Colombo port. Today, wonderful shops in the old hospital building offer crafts, fabrics and fine places for lunch or dinner.

Below is the inner courtyard of the old Hospital—now filled with shops

Visitors will find every type of food here, even veggie burgers

COLOM B O — SE MONDU

The glass floor changed colors throughout the spectrum.

Notice the green floor below at the same table.

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Centuries older than the Dutch Hospital building, the name of the restaurant “Semondu” is derived from the word Simoundou, an ancient name for Sri Lanka given by Ptolomy, the famous Roman mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and great poet.

Semondu’s interior has a modern fusion theme, in keeping with its cuisine, and sets the mood for an exotic adventure in an ambiance of leisure and relaxation.

“Our theme at Semondu is fusion; fusion cuisine, blending East and West and fusion of ambience, from colonial charm to modern magic.”

—Chairman, Sri Lankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinghe

Lunch was quite extensive with many curry toppings

This lunch consisted of rice, fruit and three types of meat on skewers, shrimp, lamb,and pork

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G ALLE FACE GREEN & HOTEL “The drive through the town and out to the Galle Face by the seashore, what a dream it was of tropical splendors of bloom and blossom...that radiant panorama, that wilderness of rich color, that incomparable dissolving-view of harmonious tints...”

— Mark Twain, from his book Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World.

www.gallefacehotel.com Looking towards Galle Face Green

Galle Face Hotel, the grandame of Asian hotels, was founded in 1864, five years before the Suez Canal opened. This is the Regency Wing.

Galle Face Hotel

Galle Face Hotel

G ALLE FACE HOTEL

The swimming pool overlooks the ocean.

Galle Face Hotel

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The Regency suite also overlooks the ocean

Restaurant and Wine Lounge Dining room wall

This gentleman will greet you at the front of the hotel.

Galle Face Hotel

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The National Museum, built in 1877, houses a 1600-year-old meditating limestone Buddha; a crown, throne, and other regalia from the Kandian kings; frightful ceremonial masks; Hindu bronzes; gaily dressed marionettes; flags from ancient kingdoms; religious objects; and everyday artifacts from early civilizations.

NATIONAL MUSEUM

NATIONAL MUSEUM

These images symbolize the footprints of the Buddha. Notice the toes at the front, heels at the top, and the mandala in the center of each foot. The worship of the footprints decorated with auspicious marks of the Buddha continues in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and other Theravadic countries.

The sign accompanying this exhibit says: The phallus emblem constitutes the main object of veneration in the Siva temples of the Hindu world. The linga symbolizes virility and creativity and is obviously connected with the phallic cult of the past.

The Yoni also serves the purpose of the base of the phallus vvto let out the oil poured onto the phallus by the devotees.

This natural filter consisted of a porous stone bowl suspended above a catchment container. It took about 24 hours for water to drip through.

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NATIONAL MUSEUM These are flags from the early kingdoms of Sri Lanka.

This Hasti Kodiya (Elephant Flag) is used in the Kandy procession by the chieftain in charge of the procession.

The flag of Uva Province, with the sun, moon, and two lotuses painted at the four sides of the central swan figure.

Another version of the Uva province flag, with a swan—this one holding a spray of lflowers in its beak—surrounded by the sun, moon, and two birds.

NATIONAL MUSEUM

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Notice the plumb lines above, which are similar to those used by ancient sculptors to create precision Buddhas.

The Buddha images of the Anuradhaopura and Pollonnaruva periods were sculpted using the Navatala measurement system, so that 1) the height between the hairline and the feet, 2) the diagonal between the right shoulder and the left knee, 3) the diagonal between the left shoulder and the right knee, and 4) the horizontal line between the two knees are all of the same measurement.

In the example here, that meaurement is 38.5 inches.

18th century decorative slab of gneiss: soldier holding a dagger and shield.

NATIONAL MUSEUM

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Sword of Buvanekabahu of Yapahuva.

Check out this ancient midriff-baring blouse on the Goddess Durga, from 10th century Anuradhapura.

Ancient Buddhists were apparently very concerned with sanitation, as the remains of urinals and toilets— some elaborately carved from hard stone—were found in many early monasteries.

NATIONAL MUSEUM

If these masks look somewhat gruesome—well, that’s the point. They were traditionally used in exorcisms designed to dispel demons. Today people sometimes hang a mask—or a whole scarecrow-like figure— outside a building for protection.

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Negombo fishing boat

NEGOM BO FISHING BOAT S

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NEGOMO — JET WING BLUE

NEGOMO — JET WING BLUE

www.jetwinghotels.com

Jetwing Blue is not only beautiful and luxurious; it’s eco-friendly, too. Since the 2004 tsunami, the hotel has instituted water recycling, solar energy, a biomass boiler for hot water, energy-monitoring keycard systems, and energy-saving light bulbs.

Getting out of the sun while staying in the pool is easy

The living room featured some remarkable oil paintings; more fine art is spread all around the hotel.

The outdoor soaking tub—overlooking the beach— is a special treat.

View from the bar. The bartenders make one good martini, shaken, not stirred.

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JET WING BLUE — EGG HOPPERS

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Egg hoppers are native to Sri Lanka, served mainly for breakfast, and often accompanied by lunu miris, a mix of red onions, capsicums, and spices. Hoppers are made from a batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of palm toddy, which lends a sour flavor. The batter is left to rise, then cooked in a wok-like skillet or bowl. Hoppers became one of our favorite foods.

The open kitchen at Jetwing Blue

Hopper chef Shirani Devika

Swirling to thin and spread batter

Adding some special spices

Hopper-making utensils

Adding one egg

Sliding out of bowl onto a plate

Adding rice flour batter to the pan

Scrambling the egg (optional)

Ready to fill and eat—delicious!

Jetwing

“It may well be that each of Ceylon’s attractions is surpassed somewhere on Earth; Cambodia may have more impressive ruins, Tahiti lovelier beaches, Bali more beautiful landscapes (though I doubt it), Thailand more charming people (ditto). But I find it hard to believe that there is any country which scores so highly in all departments.”

— Island Ceylon epilogue by Arthur C. Clarke, who made Sri Lanka his home.

Ayubowan May you have the gift of long life.

Laurie McAndish King and Jim Shubin, the authors and photographers, at their greeting upon arrival in Sri Lanka.

Laurie McAndish King—award-winning travel writer and photographer—has been published in Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic affiliate iExplore.com, the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Travelers’ Tales’ The Best Women’s Travel Writing, and other venues. www.LaurieMcAndishKing.com James Shubin—Publisher, Graphic Designer, Photographer—has been designing and producing custom travel books since 2005. He has also taught college-level design and photography, and is the owner and principal at a San Francisco advertising agency. www.ShubinDesign.com Destination Insights journals are available in three formats: print at www.lulu.com, e-books, or downloadable PDF formats. www.DestinationInsights.com

We learned much of the information in this journal from our exceptional tour guide, Shantha.

We have not confirmed historical accuracy.

All photographs are by Jim Shubin and Laurie McAndish King, except where credits are indicated. www.destinationinsights.com

info@destinationinsights.com

© 2013 Laurie McAndish King and Jim Shubin All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the authors or the publisher, Destination Insights.