In true form, I have lost track of time a little bit. Skipped days, missed sights and run away with my own thoughts. But now that I find myself on the beach, a location where thanks to my genetics, subdues me into the shades and comfort of shelter, I am finding time to get myself a little up to date, if only for my own aging memory.
First and foremost, my freckle "farmers tans" are progressing nicely. However, I digress, let's skip back a bit to my visit to Sigiriya. I alluded to this location during my poetic rant on scantily clad women. Sigiriya was graced with the short-white-skirt-thong-wearing skank. She was special. Oh also, the site of the cheap German and British tourists. Love how culture brings out the best in people.
Having been formed from hardened magma in millennia past, Sigiriya is legend to be home to kings, fortresses and monks. Most locals believe the former, that a 4th or 5th century member of the royal family built a fortress on top of this rock after being outcast from the then kingdom in Anduraphura. Historians have found evidence however that leads them more likely to believe that the small city that once graced the rocktop (only the foundations remain) and the gardens below were home to a Buddhist monastery that was active up until about the 15th century AD.
I include this photo to ensure that despite all deterrences (mid-day heat, French thong-wearing women, steep staircases, and deviant monkeys) good-ol' Denise did make it to the top.
Following Sigiriya and some wanderings in the vicinity, I made my way to the cultural capitol of Sri Lanka, Kandy. Kandians tend to believe themselves a bit superior to the rest of Sri Lankans (supposedly) because of their colonial, or lack there of, experience. Sri Lanka was first colonized by the Portuguese. Later the Dutch. And then finally the British (whom eventually "gave them" autonomy in early to mid 20th century). However, Kandy, partially due to its geographical location in the interior of Sri Lanka managed to avoid colonization up until the mid-19th century when the relinquished power to the British. (I'm definitely making this history WAY more succinct than it is).
Kandy is situated around a quite picturesque lake (above) that in addition to being home to a very annoying flock of birds, houses this sucker. A water monitor is the second largest species of lizard, after its cousin the Komodo Dragon. These boys can grow up to 3m long! And on avery weigh 40-50kgs.
Point being, that in addition to many museums, temples and heritage sites, Kandy is home to the most venerated relic in Sri Lanka. The Temple of the Tooth (above) is home to what is said to be the tooth of the Buddha himself. Allegedly stolen from the funeral pyres and smuggled from India by a Sinhalese princess. Many of these such temples exists in Asia. Apparently another Tooth Temple is in Malaysia. I visited one stupa in Thailand, allegedly housing the rib of the Buddha.
First and foremost, my freckle "farmers tans" are progressing nicely. However, I digress, let's skip back a bit to my visit to Sigiriya. I alluded to this location during my poetic rant on scantily clad women. Sigiriya was graced with the short-white-skirt-thong-wearing skank. She was special. Oh also, the site of the cheap German and British tourists. Love how culture brings out the best in people.
Having been formed from hardened magma in millennia past, Sigiriya is legend to be home to kings, fortresses and monks. Most locals believe the former, that a 4th or 5th century member of the royal family built a fortress on top of this rock after being outcast from the then kingdom in Anduraphura. Historians have found evidence however that leads them more likely to believe that the small city that once graced the rocktop (only the foundations remain) and the gardens below were home to a Buddhist monastery that was active up until about the 15th century AD.
I include this photo to ensure that despite all deterrences (mid-day heat, French thong-wearing women, steep staircases, and deviant monkeys) good-ol' Denise did make it to the top.
Following Sigiriya and some wanderings in the vicinity, I made my way to the cultural capitol of Sri Lanka, Kandy. Kandians tend to believe themselves a bit superior to the rest of Sri Lankans (supposedly) because of their colonial, or lack there of, experience. Sri Lanka was first colonized by the Portuguese. Later the Dutch. And then finally the British (whom eventually "gave them" autonomy in early to mid 20th century). However, Kandy, partially due to its geographical location in the interior of Sri Lanka managed to avoid colonization up until the mid-19th century when the relinquished power to the British. (I'm definitely making this history WAY more succinct than it is).
Kandy is situated around a quite picturesque lake (above) that in addition to being home to a very annoying flock of birds, houses this sucker. A water monitor is the second largest species of lizard, after its cousin the Komodo Dragon. These boys can grow up to 3m long! And on avery weigh 40-50kgs.
Point being, that in addition to many museums, temples and heritage sites, Kandy is home to the most venerated relic in Sri Lanka. The Temple of the Tooth (above) is home to what is said to be the tooth of the Buddha himself. Allegedly stolen from the funeral pyres and smuggled from India by a Sinhalese princess. Many of these such temples exists in Asia. Apparently another Tooth Temple is in Malaysia. I visited one stupa in Thailand, allegedly housing the rib of the Buddha.
Given its tenure as a British colony, Kandy was also home to this cool little cemetery tuck up a back street. The cemetery was restored and reopened with funds from the British veterans association, or something, in the late 80s. What was really neat, but also saddening was the young age at which most people died. The friendly grounds keeper, who knew the story behind each tombstone, informed me that most people died of malaria, dengue or other tropical diseases. However, he was quick to point out the five graves where their residents perished at the hand (or I should say hooves) of a wild elephant!
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