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.