After a breakfast of string hoppers – little patties of rice noodles – served with dhal and fried eggs, we went on a tuk-tuk day out.
We had arranged for Sudhahar, the driver who brought us home the night before to take us out of Kandy city, firstly to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Once a royal residence then a park, the British made the gardens in 1821, planting the first tea here.
It was the trees that shone with a number of impressive tree avenues …
… lots of fruit bats …
… and lovely orchids.
Sudhahar took us to a converted tea factory and we all had tea and cake then we continued on a tour of three C14th temples. Gadaladeniya was covered in scaffolding had a gold Buddha inside and beautifully painted wooden panels on the door. There was also an unusual small shrine outside with a little Buddha in each wing topped with dagobas.
Lankatilake was on a rocky outcrop surveying the countryside. It once had 4 storeys but these had been replaced with a wooden roof. The shrine contains a huge seated Buddha with impressive makara torana above and tiers of gods, many Hindu like Ganesh … spot the elephant!
The wall paintings were also colourful, including entwined swans for enduring love.
Embekke Devale had a wooden drummers pavilion outside with pillars brought from another temple sporting great designs including entwined swans, a peacock, dancers and wrestlers.
We passed lots of green paddy fields but also one where the rice was turning brown and almost ready to harvest, and we had the chance to stop for Chris to take pictures along the way.
Returning, we barely had time to freshen up and we were back down the hill to the YMBA for a Kandyan Dance and Drumming Show featuring 11 numbers from all over the country. We splashed out got premium seats and sat in the front row of what felt like a church hall, which soon filled up, and we saw one of the best shows we’d seen of this sort. The dancers were very accomplished, the men acrobatic and the costumes colourful while the drummers kept the beat going for the whole hour.
A bit early for dinner, we went for a drink at the Empire Cafe first, then returned to Balaji Dosai for another of their fab masala dosa.
I was awake early and caught candy coloured Kandy before taking the train deep into the hill country …
Off Travelling Together 