Thailand: Sri Lanka

This will be shorter on the words, because there are 90 pictures attached. For the Buddhist New Year, we had 2 weeks off. This runs in the middle of April, and in Thailand they call it Songkran. It is a HUGE festival that takes over the country for 2 weeks. Everywhere you go there is celebration, and water spraying. It is a playful event, in which kids and adults splash each other with water and paint continuously. Whether you are getting out of a car, hopping on a bus, heading to the market, etc.

The first part of the break, Jodi, Mica, Sean, and Traci all made it in from New York, Chicago, and Portland for a fun trip the Islands down in South Thailand. More on that later.

Colby and I had decided a while ago that we'd like to visit Sri Lanka while over here. I had not heard much about it, and after chatting to many of the (extremely friendly) locals, it sounds like very few Americans travel there. Many that do are posted for some reason or another in a nearby country. Or visit was full of adventure, heading into the big city first (Columbo) then making our way to the hill country (Kandy) before heading down the coast to Bentota, Hikkaduwa, and Galle. I must have gained about 10 pounds on this trip, the food was spectacular, the people (when not getting extorted by drivers) were amazingly outgoing and friendly, the air was clean, and it felt like stepping back decades.

Here is a picture of a street in Columbo. This is a Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan style. they are everywhere, and are used as taxi service for shorter distance traveling. Prices range, depending on your negotiating skills.

Sri Lankan world trade center.

We stayed near an old Dutch hospital that had been converted into swanky restaurants, shops, spas, etc. Very pretty complex. The Dutch Colonized Sri Lanka after the Portuguese, and you can still feel the influence all over the place.

We decided to take the train upcountry to Kandy from Columbo. It is about a 2.5 hour journey through some amazingly beautiful mountains. These are not like trains back home. We bought tickets in advance so we had reserved seats. Most people however save the money and just buy the 60 Rupee ticket and cram on.

Ive never seen anything like it, when the bell rings, there is a frenzy and people are pushing, running and shoving to make it on the train. Many people will just be hanging on dangling outside the train for their trip.

Some views on the journey.

Rice paddies.

How our first class butler liked to ride. Why not? Many people were just dangling off the train as it headed up,

Very undeveloped in comparison to Thailand.

The next day we hired a driver for the day to head to a few places. We took this sweet Suzuki all over the place. It took me some time getting used to riding a motorbike in Thailand. Indonesia was even crazier. Vietnam I would have been uncomfortable. But in Sri Lanka? No thank you. Its insane. You'd be barreling downhill at 60KM an hour, and a a massive bus would be in the other lane passing a tuk tuk. Then there would be another bus, passing THAT bus. Then oncoming cars would come, and all hell would break lose. Everyone swerves, and some just eat shit. We saw multiple wrecks, chickens all over the road in one instance, tuk tuk's turned into metal milkshakes, etc. Gnarly.

This is a moat around Sigiriya, the oldest fortress in Asia. It was incredible. Originally built in the 3rd century BC! Still standing, and hardly anyone up there.

Part of the ancient gardens.

Bricks around the base.

The walk to the fortress. It is built atop this massive rock structure.

Poisonous centipede. This one was on its last life.

Orginal cave paintings. These ones were from the 15th century. They were guarded by some folks who didn't let you use a flash. Other than that, right out in the open.

View while ascending.

Stairs right along the rock on part of it.

Cobo.

Getting to the top. Part of the old structure. Look at all the tourists!

Pretty amazing to be able to walk up there.

Old pond up there.

This was an old cave, and these paintings and Buddhist rock carvings were from the 6th century I believe. They were called the Dambulla caves.

Tea is all over the place. We were able to tour a plantation, and do some tasting.

100 year old equipment still in use today. Same process.

Leaves fermenting.

Final product.

While tasting tea, they have another feast for you. This was some of the managers special chutney, it was amazing. Very spicy.

Told our driver to take us up to see some of the tea leaves.

Actual tea leaves.

The road up.

Colby's new favorite bamboo! Its black bamboo. Very nice.

Burmese Giant bamboo, the biggest in the world. Grows up to 80 feet. This was at a botanical garden in Kandy.

The tallest Palm tree species in the world.

Pretty sweet.

Colby found some Dr Seuss trees!

Daytime giant bats flying around us.

Felt like jurassic park.

Finally made it down south. Stayed at a bed and breakfast again, and had some amazing views, some of the fanciest foods, and incredible swimming in the Indian Ocean.

We went down the coastline and checked out some of the Tsunami damage from 2004. Amazing how much things are still destroyed, and not rebuilt. It devastated this country so badly.

At onetime a storefront or house.

On the other side of the brick structure on the left there was a halve broken porcelain toilet. The rest of the house was washed away.

As we were cruising, we looked over and it turns out the villagers were running 10k race! In celebration of the new year. Each village has a member compete, and they run barefoot on the shoulder of the busy streets! So next time you feel like "its just too cold outside," or "my shoes are old," think about these guys.