Sri Lanka : Day 2 - Sigiriya

It got bright really early. So we showered and went out to explore the property.

The hotel 

Walking towards the beach

Small beach in front of hotel

The beach looked small and wasn't suitable for swimming. We had no intention of swimming, anyway. We headed back to the terrace for breakfast. There was a good buffet spread of fruits, breads, cooked dishes, deli meats. I decided to try Dosa, an Indian-style pancake made with fermented batter. 

Dosa with fish and chicken curry, sambar, coconut chutney, coconut sambal and fresh grated coconut, and a slice of bacon

I liked the curries a lot and had my fill of them. I had probably 2 helpings of the fish and chicken curry .... and at the end of breakfast, I knew I had too much because it felt like I had enough of curry to last me the next 6 months ...

Breakfast with a view

There were so many couples getting married here at this hotel on this particular day ... it was apparently an auspicious day for Sri Lankans to get married. 

We checked out soon, and went to Negombo Fish Market. It was a really hot day. As soon as I stepped out of the bus, the heady smell of salted fish hit me.

Fish drying in the sun .... 

Next we had a quick stopover at St. Mary's Church, Negombo. It's a Roman Catholic Church, built in 1922.

After that it was a long drive to Sigiriya. We had a late lunch at one of the local cafes. I couldn't eat much at that time. I think my tummy was bloated from breakfast. 

Sigiriya was the highlight of my entire Sri Lankan trip. It was an ancient rock fortress which comprised of a massive column of rock, about 200m high. On top of this rock was a palace built by King Kasyapa in the 5th century, and after the king's death, was used as a monastery till the 14th century. Today, Sigiriya is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sigiriya, looking so majestic


The ancient gardens flanking the pathway ....

Steps leading to the palace ...

The steps led to the wall paintings. No photos of the frescoes on the walls because photography wasn't allowed in a bid to preserve the artwork. We were warned that our gadgets would be confiscated if we were to disregard the warning.

The stairs leading to the summit

Yay! I made it to the top!

A swimming pool

The throne

The lion's paws - gateway to the palace on top of the rock, and from which Sigiriya got its name

Tired, hot and sweaty from all that climbing, we were glad to proceed to our hotel. We checked in to Paradise Hotel and Resort, Dambulla. The hotel was in the middle of nowhere ... there weren't any shops or walking streets nearby. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a hot towel and a glass of refreshing calamansi juice. Yums.

After everything was sort out, we went to our rooms. We got a shock because of the huge room. It had a round dining table, and even had an upstairs! There was a lounge and a sofa upstairs, but it was a bit dim and we preferred to hang out downstairs where the beds were. 

Our room for the night

Dinner was at the same hotel, served buffet style. There was plenty to eat. I was still feeling very bloated, but I enjoyed the Western-style spinach soup, some cakes and sour sop. The chefs here recommended us Kottu Roti. 

Kottu Roti was essentially chopped bread, mixed with vegetables, meat and egg and served with dhal.

After dinner, we retired to our rooms to rest.

Sri Lanka : Day 1 - Kch - Kul - Cmb

There were 8 of us who signed up for the trip. 2 cancelled at the last minute, and so there were only 6 of us left. They canceled because just days before our departure, a tropical cyclone hit the island, causing parts of the island to be inundated by flood.

We read about it on the news on Friday, and tracked the progress over the weekend. News was slow to come by as there weren't current updates. But by Sunday, I felt that it was safe to go ahead with the trip. There was no travel advisory issued by any of the airlines. And there were no alerts issued by the country too. So it had to be safe to travel there.

On Monday, I made up my mind to go. I collected by trip documents on Monday. The most important document was my visa, for which without, I could not enter the country. I also started packing for my trip that day.

On Tuesday, we found out the name of our tour guide - Mr. Don Buddika. We contacted him and he said it was perfectly safe to visit. According to him, the floods hit only the Northern and the Eastern side of the island, and we were not even going there. I was even more assured.

In fact, the trip to Sri Lanka turned out to be wonderful. I found the Sri Lankans to be very warm and hospitable. Service was excellent at all hotels. And there wasn't a single drop of rain throughout the entire trip. :))

***

On Wednesday, we departed Kuching in the morning for Kuala Lumpur and then on to Colombo. We flew Malindo Air all the way. I had gotten a window seat, but when I reached my seat, it was already occupied by a child. His mother sat next to him, so I settled for the aisle seat. Gladly, in fact. I much preferred to have access to the toilet at all times.

Nasi goreng kampung and chicken satay on board

The journey was 3.5 hours, and there was a time difference of 2.5 hours between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur. So we landed at Bandaranaike International Airport before midnight.

We were greeted by our guide, driver and his assistant from Jetwing Travels. 3 staff serving 6 tourists. Lol! We got a mini bus with plenty of seats for us and our bags. The best news was there was wi-fi on the bus! 

We were brought to our hotel, Pegasus Reef Hotel. Check-in was quick and effortless. I dumped my bags, changed my clothes and slept.

My room at Pegasus Reef Hotel

Old Friend & Colleague

I'd just finished buying some medication from Watson's. And I saw him. He was walking towards my direction, but he was pretty distracted, looking into the phone in his hands. He walked past me. Obviously he did to see me. So I tapped him in the arm.

Huh? He was surprised to see me.

I was glad to see him too. We'd not met for a long time. End of 2015? I think that was the last time I saw him. At that time, I bumped into him and his family at Viva City Megamall. This time apparently, he was alone.

He showed me the letter in his phone ... he was supposed to attend a meeting at 2.30 p.m. Ok, I'd send him, I said.

M was my former colleague. He started as our counselor then our Senior Assistant. I'd worked closely with him for 14 years.

Anyway, we'd developed a camaraderie over the course of so many years, of course. I could speak to him about a lot of things - because well, he had many ideas and opinions. He was very critical too.

I thought of you last week. Now I meet you.

It sounded ominous. But it wasn't the first time I heard him say that. Over the years, I'd heard him say this about a lot of people. A bit mystical and scary at the same time.

We caught up on a lot stuff ... and what had happened since we left our old school - who else we knew who was left there. I groused about my new school while he shared about his appointment at his new school.

I sent him to the airport .... don't know when we will meet again. :))