Where the Wind Blows

Yip, I’m taking a vacation, a long one at that (because I deserve it). I’ll be travelling through parts of  South East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore) and South Asia (Sri Lanka). Hopefully I’ll also get around to posting about my travels to Cambodia, China and Japan. I shall put up the final few posts about South Korea by the end of the first quarter of the new year (I hope). In the meantime perhaps this will give you an idea for your next travel destination.  Have you packed everything you need? Do you have the mosquito repellent?  Good, well then let’s couch-travel away.

Jethawanaramaya dagoba-Anuradhapura (The Ancient Cities), Sri Lanka

Galle: Views from the Bastions

The Dutch colonial city of Galle and its fortifications are perched on a rocky outcrop on the south-western peninsular of Sri Lanka. To this day this UNESCO World Heritage site remains the largest European built fort in Asia. Greek, Roman, Chinese, Indian, Persian and Arab seamen wandered around the port clutching their most prized possessions to the breast. They roamed the circular streets trading spices, silks and dried fruits which they had acquired from their stops along the way. It too was a conveniently located refreshment station for the Dutch East Indian Company.  The allure of cinnamon was a worthy reward for the seamen’s efforts. Rope-making and carpentry became popular occupations in Galle, to satisfy the demands of seafaring tradesmen and later the colonialists.

The Portuguese happened upon Galle in 1505, while the Dutch gained control in 1640. They built a fort in 1663 against other colonialists such as the English, French and Spanish who searched the seas for a resting place to call their new home. The Dutch equipped it with numerous bastions which they named after the seas and skies, namely moon, star, Neptune and Triton. During its Prime in the 18^th century it was home to approximately 500 families. Within its walls, which cover an area of 52 hectares, you will find the oldest Protestant, Baroque-style church in Sri Lanka which was constructed in 1775. When the British gained control over Sri Lanka in 1796 they left the fort virtually unchanged. They did however build the well-known lighthouse which acts as a tourist magnet to this day. Under British rule Galle remained the administrative center of southern Ceylon, as it was called, and was preserved in its natural state.

School children fill the afternoon streets, which are dotted with museums, elegant hotels, home stays, quaint cafes and restaurants. They offer well deserved repose for those sightseeing on foot. It’s encouraging to see the locals living life unfazed by the large amounts of tourists on their doorstep each day. Others take advantage of this opportunity to earn their livelihood. These days this microcosmic town is a cultural and historical haven. It attracts tourists due to its picturesque setting and the cliff hanging bastions which provide romantic look out points.

The colonial buildings have been rejuvenated and transformed into art galleries and boutiques which sell vintage products. The commercial district has been revitalized to accommodate the demand. You may sign up for a photography course which weaves its way among the locals and the trees or take a tuk-tuk ride to all the bastions. If you stand on the edge of the fortress patiently looking seawards you might discover a bale of sea turtles coming up for a breather or ploughing the rocks in search of food. As I sat there, lost in the idea of their watery world, a storm had begun brewing above. The mumbling skies and delicate drops on my hair were the first signs that it was time to go back to the bus station in modern Galle, beyond the fortress walls.

Unawatuna: Reasons to be a Beach Bum

Enough said!

Mirissa: The Seaside Beckons

The seven hour bus ride from Nuwara Eliya in central Sri Lanka to Mirrisa on the southern coast was worth every moment, even if only for the picturesque detour through Ella. We meandered between mountains and hills which tightly held onto clouds by their hands. Streams trickled and waterfalls splashed as if to provide entertainment for those passing through or visiting. This is the place to be if you’re looking to separate yourself from the realities of everyday life. With only a handful of bed and breakfasts  and restaurants, it’s best to resign yourself to relaxing or hiking in the surrounding mountains.

I knew that we had finally arrived on the coast when a man walked into the bus with a Hawaiian themed, button-up t-shit, because no one in their right mind should wear such a multi-coloured t-shirt unless they’re at the seaside.

Mirissa is a quarter moon-shaped beach on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Although in recent years it has steadily gained popularity among travelers (particularly backpackers) it’s still a relatively peaceful retreat. The most activity this beach experiences is coconuts falling onto the sand with a thud and local fishermen coming in with their day’s catch. And so the beach bumming began.

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Nuwara Eliya

With a melodic name like Nuwara Eliya which means ‘City of Light’, this small town is obliged to be charming, by default. The cool atmospheric conditions allow for the cultivation of tea.  ‘Tea country’ is located in the hilltops (1,868m above sea level) and is overlooked by the highest peak in Sri Lanka. Through bakery windows in ‘Little England’, you’ll find proper English scones being served for breakfast with butter and jam alongside a pot of tea. Here you can quote the lyrics from one of my favourite songs by Sting: ‘I don’t drink coffee, I take tea my dear’ and know that you’ll be greeted by indecision due to the immense variety of teas on offer from the local plantations. After all, under British colonial rule the island was called Ceylon until 1972.

Nuwara Eliya speaks of a heritage which is anything but forgotten. It clings tightly to the English traditions it has adopted from the colonialists. The town is brewed in nostalgia with added honey for taste. You may still encounter a white clad, elderly gentleman at the golf course, who on his last hole will call Mary or Elizabeth (depending) and tell her to boil the kettle for a cuppa. Horse racing is still a popular pastime of the English residents and not only.

I only spent a short period of time here, so that I had a justified excuse for returning one day. It was my stopover from Kandy, in the interior, to Mirissa on the south coast. This is the ideal place to wind down and to get away from the heat and humidity of the lower lying regions.

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Art Class on Kandy Lake

A talented group of young students gathered on the banks of Kandy lake for an open air art class. Their supervising teachers watched on. (Click on an image to enlarge.)

Candied temples of Kandy

These photographs were taken of the Buddhist and Hindu temples which stand alongside one another near the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

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Buddha’s Tooth Relic Temple

Kandy was my host for a second time on my journey southwards. This time around I visited the not-to-be-missed Buddha’s Tooth Relic Temple which is home to the… well there’s really no need for me to tell you as you’ve already guessed it. What is interesting to me, is that this is not the only Buddha’s tooth relic temple. In fact many Buddhist nations boast one.  Such temples can also be found in China, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan.  According to Buddhist historical records, his upper left canine was saved from the flames when Buddha was being cremated.

Unless you witness it during Esala Perahera – a full moon festival, the closest you’ll come to witnessing it is by admiring the replica in the museum. Truth be told, to me, it seemed to possess a quality endowed by Bram Stoker upon Dracula and was also rather large and animal-like in appearance. It was believed that whoever possessed the sacred tooth relic had the divine right and the power to rule over Sri Lanka.  It is not surprising then that numerous wars were waged and attempts were made in order to gain possession of it. A temple was erected to protect it (like a shadow follows its subject) in each of the capital cities of Sri Lanka.  First it was housed in Anuradhapura, later it was moved to Polonnaruwa, Dambadeniya, until in the seventeenth century it came to rest in Kandy because this was the final capital which was ruled by Sinhalese kings.

The temple is surrounded by a moat in order to provide it protection. It was bombed and damaged on numerous occasions by those wanting to gain possession of the sacred tooth relic. It is hidden beneath seven golden caskets which are engraved with precious stones. They are in the shape of a stupa and are arranged on top of one another like Russian dolls. The sacred tooth relic is considered to be a symbolic representation of Buddha. Millions of pilgrims, bearing lotus blossoms and frangipanis, come to pay homage and tribute to the relic. This UNESCO World Heritage Site attracts hordes of curious onlookers, also known as tourists, who have to be ushered along due to their immense numbers. As they pass each individual gets about a one (or two, if you’re lucky) second glance at the outer casket from a distance of about 3 meters. Most visitors whip out their technological gadget of choice and take photographs from further away, over the heads of other hopefuls who are also standing on their tippy toes.

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