The Temple of the Sacred Tooth in Sri Lanka

Boom!…………..Boom!………………Boom!………….This was no enticing drum sound to woo me deep into the bowel of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic; no, this was a command to follow the many pilgrims into the darkness of the night into the most important Buddhist site in all of Sri Lanka. The site that, as legend would have you believe, contains a tooth from Buddha himself. Smuggled to Sri Lanka by an Indian Princess, the sacred tooth has been at the center of many conquests as for it is popularly believed that whoever holds the Tooth holds the power and the right to rule over the diverse island of Sri Lanka. After stripping your feet from your earth worn shoes and passing over the deep moat, you enter an ornate and spiritual world filled with intricately decorated arched corridors, hypnotic sounds of drums and prayers, the intense aromas of burning incense and the throngs of the pilgrims dressed in white holding offerings to Buddha.

On entering the final chamber, waiting patiently for the door that houses the relic itself to be opened by one of the many monks that form part of an elite sentinel for the temple, you will glimpse a priceless golden vessel. No words can adequately describe its immense beauty, elegance and sense of spiritual power that it holds over so many Buddhists around the world, for the vessel houses the Sacred Tooth of Buddha himself.  Draped in exquisite jewels and gems, surrounded by a room of golden light and lush red velvet drapes, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the sight of people praying, placing offerings and crying, as for some, this is a once in a lifetime experience. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a must see in the city of Kandy in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka and will leave an impression on you for many years to come.

The Scared Tooth Relic protected by its guardians

Pilgrims follow the drums to the Sacred Tooth Relic

Burning candles as an offering and prayer to Buddha

The hypnotic mosaic tiles line the ceiling

The Intricate artwork is stunning!

The colourful offerings on display at the temple

The Temple of Tooth Relic Entrance Hall, Sri Lanka

Mosaic Tiles on display at The Temple of the Sacred Tooth

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

Bathing the Elephants at Sigiriya in Sri Lanka

There have been a few times in all the years that I have travelled and all the countries that I have visited that I have truly had an experience that has left me so humbled. So as I laid upon the stomach of a small Asian elephant, rising with every breathe that he took and feeling his coarse skin against my hands, I couldn’t help but shed a small tear at how magnificent these creatures truly are. Niki and I were in the small town of Sigiriya, in the central plateau of Sri Lanka. The day before we had climbed Sigiriya Rock and waking up early after a gang of monkeys attacked our guesthouse, we had planned to head south to the city of Kandy.

Magnificent Asian Elephant at his morning bath, Sri Lanka

Just before 8am the sound of a trumpeting elephant erupted through our room and as I peered out through our room’s dusty little window, I saw two mighty beasts lazily walking past our window. Niki was out of the door before I could even mention the phrase “elephants on parade’ and I was content to let her take some photos whilst I finished packing. A good 15 minutes had passed and I thought I should go find my wife who I had a strong suspicion that wherever she was, that she would be surrounded by an interested group of men. As whenever I left her alone in Sri Lanka, men would come in all directions to start up a conversation – whether friendly or with other intentions. So as I strolled down the road to find her, it came as no surprise that she was surrounded by two men whilst she took photos from a small bridge. Her images were of a small Asian Elephant on his side being bathed by a young mahout, who upon seeing us called us down to the river to have a better look.

Bathing Time for the Elephants at Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Climbing down the muddy embankment with Niki in toe, I stopped at the bank and felt my jaw drop. There was this creature that I had seen all over Asia, in a natural setting away from the touristic stage. There were no tourist buses, no tricks or elephant artwork, no elephant poo postcards and no amusement park atmosphere. I knew it wasn’t the same as seeing a Wild Elephant, however there was something special about seeing the mahout care for the young elephant as if a child of his own. Beginning to understanding, at least to a small extent, the bond that they share in the form of a working partnership that has been existent for hundreds of years in this part of Asia. Niki and I were then invited to enter the river.

Beautiful Asian Elephant bathing at Sigiriya

The coarse hair ran through my fingertips, the elephant’s eyes gazed upon me before contently blowing water over its back and continuing to rub the cool earthy mud over its body.  All this whilst the young man used a sturdy coconut shell to scrub the elephant’s skin of the muddy dust that clings to the air in this part of Sri Lanka. Nervous like I was on a first date, I couldn’t help but lay my ear against the elephant’s skin. I wanted to hear the sound of his beating heart and feel the rise of his stomach as air filled its lungs. I laid there in the moment, tranfixed in a world of discovery and felt humbled at the size and placid nature of the elephant. After I helped wash the young elephant’s leathery skin, which I wasn’t much good at, I slowly retreated back to the bank with a tear in the eye and a sense of awe at some of the amazing experiences you get to partake in when you travel the world.

Bathing with the Elephants at Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

The dilemma of elephants in tourism is a juicy conundrum.  New technologies are replacing the need for elephants in agricultural and logging industries, coupled with the high expense of feeding them, often mahouts either have the choice of releasing them (which they may not survive), destroying them or potentially engaging them in tourism activities. However elephant tourism if done wrong, can be cruel and tacky, with elephants made to do tricks and ‘perform’ for the paying tourist. Ideally in the wild is the best place to see them, however with this not always possible, many successful elephant tourism operators (orphanages and rehabilitation centres) have been developed. This organizations have helped create a sustainable way of fostering a balance between using elephants in tourism to enable tourists to get up close with the animals, whilst meeting animal welfare standards and continuing to promote the growth of the Asian elephant population. It’s up to us and our travel choices about which type of elephant tourism will win out in the future!

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

The view from Sigiriya Rock, Sri Lanka

If you squint you will see a giant lion entangled in the encroaching jungle, overlooking the Hill Country to the south and protecting the central table of Sri Lanka. If you open your eyes fully, you will see the ruins of an ancient fortress or Sigiriya Rock as the locals call it, resting upon the top of a megalithic rock in a sparse plateau that would once have been a glorious residence for those who dared climbed upon the lion’s back. Photographing Sigiriya Rock is a wonderful challenge as there are so many aspects to shoot. From the rock paintings concealed within the overhanging caves, to the decaying ruins, to the 360 degree views from the top and of course, the mesmerizing rock itself. Lion Fortress is well worth the three hours travel from Colombo and is best experienced in the early morning as the sun rises over Sri Lanka.

Sigiriya Rock, Sri Lanka

Stairways cut through the rock as you ascend the fortress

The Giant Lion Paws of Sigiriya Rock

Beautiful Frescoes dating to the 5th Century - Sigiriya Rock

Royal Gardens below Sigiriya Rock

A Storm brewing over Lion Fortress

The rickety spiral staircases

Intense Greens of the moss that grow along the stone staircases (not photoshoped)

The view from the top of the fortress

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

The view from the top of Sigiriya

Earlier that day Niki and I had travel by bus from Anuradhapura via Dambulla to Sigiriya, a small town nestled at the bottom of the dominant Lion Fortress. After being jostled between buses we came to a sudden halt at a small shrine on the outskirts of town. Our bus driver leaped out of the bus is a sense of urgency and fell to his knees before a small Buddha statue.  “Niki, has our bus driver just gotten off to pray?” It was more of a statement than a question. With a nod of her head, I could see in her eyes the same thing I was thinking, how bad was this bus trip going to be if the driver needed to pray for a safe passage? It was about this time I started to pray to any god that wanted to listen that a ‘safe passage’ doesn’t involve overtaking on blind corners and excessive honking.

Lion Fortress Rock, Sri Lanka

Royal Gardens - Lion Fort

Sigiriya Rock or Lion Fortress is a large complex built upon the top of a giant rocky outcrop surrounded by a moat, the impressive Royal gardens and the wild expanses of the Sri Lankan jungle. As we walked in from our guesthouse, there were large signs plastered everywhere telling us that if you’re brave or stupid enough to cross into the jungle, that pretty much you weren’t coming out alive due to the large inhabitants of hungry crocodiles, deadly snakes and the worse of all, abusive poo flinging monkeys. Needles to say Niki and I stuck to the main road like glue.

Golden Staircase - Sigiriya

Climbing Sigiriya through the Lion Paws

After gaining entry to the site, we spent the next three hours wandering the gardens, exploring ancient artwork and ascending the steep staircase to the summit. The complex of ancient ruins is similar to those of Machu Picchu, just on a much smaller scale. Many historians still argue whether the site was originally a monastery or a kick ass fortress built by a king who was afraid of retribution for taking the throne forcefully. Either way, as you scale the near vertical staircases around the mountain and climb between the giant lion paws carved into the rock, you can’t help but feel like you’re on a set straight from The Lord of the Rings. Then as you climb the final staircase to the small plateau dotted with ruined buildings and giant pools of water, you’re gifted with the biggest reward for partaking in this knee destroying climb, a 360 degree view over the central plateau of Sri Lanka.

Ancient Wall Paintings - Sigiriya

The ancient ruins on Lion Fortress

For miles in every direction you can see the encroaching jungles, green rice paddies and small villages surrounded by the dominate silhouette of the hill country, a destination we were heading towards in the coming days. The ascent and decent of Sigiriya Rock, whilst taxing on the knees, is a great way to spend the morning and is well worth the visit. Try to avoid climbing during the middle of the day as the intense heat and limited shelter on the rock can take its toll. Sigiriya Rock is $25 per entry or is included in the Cultural Round Ticket.

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

The rooms are basic but spacious, clean and secure. There are nine rooms each differing slightly and all are full of character. Each room has its own bathroom with western style toilets (that actually flush) and cold water showers. There is a mixture of bedding configurations from doubles, singles and triples with all beds reasonably comfortable but similar to elsewhere in Sri Lanka – slightly too short with hard pillows. All beds have good mosquito nets. The central set of rooms is designed to look like log cabins and three new rooms have been built at back of the gardens.

Whilst the rooms only have cold water, hot water (free) is available in a shared bathroom facility that is clean and centrally located, rarely needed though as the weather is reasonable warm throughout most of the year. The ambience of the guesthouse is very relaxed with lots of hikers eager to share their information of their climb as well as trading travel stories of their times in Sri Lanka.

The Guesthouse food is reasonably priced with a mix of Sri Lankan and Western Dishes that are all delicious and well proportioned so they won’t leave you feeling hungry. The small restaurant area is set within the gardens and the communal tables for dinner and breakfast is a great way to meet fellow travellers and share a laugh. You can even pick your coconut from the tree for an afternoon drink!

Currently there is no internet which isn’t necessary a bad thing as it allows you to switch off. However you can access it in town for 100rp an hour at Slightly Chilled (and slightly expensive).  The local owner, Nimal, is a really friendly guy who loves a good chat! He has a wealth of knowledge on walks and tours available in the region.

The White House is one of cheapest place in town and caters for the budget minded traveller. They must be doing something right as it has been open for over 15 years now. The cost: Room Only start at about 800 rupees whilst a package including breakfast and dinner will set you back 1500 rupees.

The White House Guesthouse is a great option if you’re on a budget and are looking for a relaxed place to lose a view days recovering from the chaotic Sri Lanka cities of Kandy and Colombo and the tourist crowds of the popular Ella hideaway. Not to mention that there is no better place in the Hill Country to sit back and finish the day with a  chilled lion larger after you’ve completed your climb to heaven.

Log Cabins at White House Guest House, Adam's Peak

White House Guest House Restaurant, Adam's Peak

White House Guesthouse Gardens

White House Bedroom, Delhousie

View of Sri Pada from White House Guesthouse

Relaxing at the White House Guest House, Delhouse

A great river bath for those sore muscles at the White House Guesthouse, Sri Lanka

Local Swimming Hole at the Guesthouse

White House Guest House Gardens

White House Guest House Gardens, Delhouse

Contact the White House

You’ll find the White House down a steep driveway on the left hand side as you enter Dalhousie (Delhouse) and the guesthouse is only 10 minutes walking to the trail-head for Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak). If coming by local bus just tell the ticket collector and they’ll drop you off at the driveway. Its best to call ahead to reserve a room as often the guesthouse fills up super quick due to its popularity.

Phone: 0777-912009 or 052-3530398

Website: www.whitehouse.lankabiz.lk

The rooms at Saubagya Inn have a slight boutique feel to them with timber furnishings and semi stylish décor. Our room had two single comfortable beds pushed together and a good sized ensuite with hot water. The bathroom had a slight smell to it, however the area had seen some intense rain and the smell cleared after a few hours. Each room has mosquito nets however no fridges or internet.

The atmosphere had a more mature feel to it with many mature travellers and their drivers staying overnight. The food was a little overpriced compared to the street food located a mere 30 seconds away, yet well sized and delicious. You’ll pay about 500rp for a curry and three vegetables which turned out to be a great spread. Thirty seconds from the guesthouse is a local bakery and eatery which provides tasty hoppers, yummy cakes and any provisions you may need.

We paid 2500rupees a night and that got us a fan cooled room.  3000rp will get you air conditioning however at this time of the year fan cooled was perfect. Security is good both on the doors and windows. The owner, Sunil, was very friendly and warmly welcomes his guests by telling them that “My house is your house”.

My only small issue with Saubagya Inn was the front room merged into the restaurant and on our last night we had to ask the friendly but boisterous travellers to quieten down at 11pm at is started to turn into a late night drinking session. Besides that, Saubagya Inn was a comfortable and quiet place to spend a few days in Anuradhapura and well recommended.

Saubagya Inn is tricky to find as there is no signage or street numbers (Google maps says it is on the airport runway!), however it’s on the same street at Milano’s and just south towards the T junction. Saubagya Inn is next door to the bakery and look for the white walls and tables in the foyer.

Saubagya Inn Room

Saubagya Inn Bathroom

Saubagya Inn Restaurant

Saubagya Inn Yummy Dinner

Contact Saubagya Inn

Email address for Saubagya Inn: saubagyainn@yahoo.com

Saubagya Inn Phone Number: +94252223490

Saubagya Inn Address: 10/395 Bandaranyake Mawatha, Kada Panaha, Anuradhapura

The Sacred Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba, Anuradhapura

As the soles of your feet touch the soft earth, the whimsical smoke from the sweet burning incense floats through the air around you and the soft murmurs of prayers takes you to a enlightened time, a time recorded in stories and by the religious offerings made by the many pilgrims that surround you. The ruins of Anuradhapura is nothing like I’ve ever seen before and will leave an impression on me for the many years to come. For this Photo Junket I wanted to share with you the incredible site of Anuradhapura in Northern Sri Lanka. Never heard of Anuradhapura before? Well, think Angkor Watt without the hordes of tourists! Anuradhapura is a sprawling town that is home to many impressive ruins, colourful Buddhas and grand Dagobas surrounded by jungle keen to return the man-made structures to nature. It’s four hours by train from Colombo or two from Kandy. I hope you enjoy these photographs, they only give a glimpse to the grandeur of this former capital!

Reclining Buddha at the Abhayagiri Dagoba, Anuradhapura

A solitary Monk chanting his moring prayers at Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba, Anuradhapura

The Elephant Guard at Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba

The Crumbling Jetavanarama Dagoba, Anuradhapura

Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba Prayer Flags, Anuradhapura

The ancient Abhayagiri Dagoba

Abhayagiri Dagoba Buddhism Artwork

Ruvanvelisaya White Dagoba, Anuradhapura

The Intense reds and yellows of the incense burner at Thuparama Dagoba

Jetavanarama Dagoba Ruins

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

The room we had was basic however clean and secure with a small bar fridge. Each room has a small ensuite with both a western toilet and the Asian bucket system, which was again clean and maintained well. The shower could do with a new head but was fine to bathe under. Only cold water was available, however not really an issue as it hot and humid here in Sri Lanka.  Our room also had two ceiling fans.

The Mount Lavinia Guest House had a great kitchen, lounge room and outdoor area to read a book or play with the local turtle. You do have to pay 200 rupees to use the kitchen for cooking dinner only but wifi is available free!

Priyani, who is the guesthouse owner is lovely and greets guests with a great smile and is there to answer any questions. However you hardly notice she is around and just lets all her guests relax in this great little guesthouse. I paid $14AUD (about 1500 rupees) a night for a double (two good sized beds pushed together) which was good value. No breakfast included in this. Mount Lavinia Guest House is a 15min walk to the local station, 5mins to the beach and 2mins from local street vendors and supermarket. Overall I really enjoyed this place and would recommend it if your looking a good basic budget place that is safe, secure and clean.

Mt Lavinia Guest House - Bedroom

Mt Lavinia Guest House - Bedroom

Mt Lavinia Guest House - Bathroom

Mt Lavinia Guest House - Kitchen

Mt Lavinia Guest House - Lounge and Dining

Fort Station in Colombo

Coach 15707 - Fort Train Station Colombo

Considering it was early morning, the city was alive with people going about their prayers, local business men buying their morning coffees and soldiers completing their intense Rocky Bilbao montages. Picking up some fresh fruit and roti from the local street stalls, we boarded our 6.50am train for Anuradhapura. If you’re like me and when you think of Asian trains you think of old carriages falling apart at the seams, chickens running lose and the carriages so crammed that people under your armpits can tell what type of deodorant you’re wearing, you’re in for a pleasant surprise! Niki and I  boarded our clean 2^nd class carriage with only eight other people and as we took our seats, I sat with an anxious wait to see if anyone else was to board. Surely there had to be more people, every other train arriving at Colombo was so packed with early morning commuters that if someone farted a person would be pushed out the door! However to our honest surprise, we left on time in a quiet cabin bound for Anuradhapura.

Onboard the Train from Colombo to Anuradhapura

Waiting for The Train to Pass

For the first half hour of our trip we passed through the urban sprawl of Colombo city, passed shunting yards and other trains  full to the brim with people. We eventually broke out into the green rice paddies and small villages that dotted our trip over the next four hours. The mountains shrouded in low mist were a constant backdrop. Everywhere you looked birds of vibrant colours where nesting and buffaloes were grazing in the fields. The further north you got the deeper into the jungle you went, with train stations becoming more overgrown with vines and tropical flora. Every stop would see men and women wandering the aisles with the most savoury and sweet dishes; from spring rolls to mangoes and my personal favourite, salted peanuts.

One of the many rivers you'll see from Colombo to Anuradhapura

Potuhera Train Station

As we travelled north, we also begun to notice more and more train wrecks and carriages on the side of the rails that the jungle was slowly claiming back. The wrecks, either by accidents or by more sinister doings, indicated that the north wasn’t going to be as tourist friendly as the south, especially considering I read that only a few years ago a bus was destroyed when it hit a landmine in the area. It was slightly unnerving to think that Sri Lanka was still in a state of military readiness and that Niki and I were moving closer to the areas that were under heavy observation and military occupation. There goes Niki’s first rule about politically sensitive areas.

A colourful lady walking through the Rice Paddies

Niki watching Sri Lanka go by.

About an hour from Anuradhapura station the clouds opened and started a monsoonal down pour that would last for the next twelve hours. Later on we would discover that this wet weather was the left overs from a big cyclone that hit the south of Sri Lanka and sadly took the lives of some of the villagers in the area. On arrival, we were greeted by the usual line of touts and were whisked away to our accommodation. We paid 100 rupees for a taxi tide to our accommodation at the Surabagya Inn. Even if this was too much the rain guaranteed that our driver held all the bargaining chips. The train was 380 rupees ($3.80aud) with reserved seating that we had booked the day before and gave an interesting insight into the local Sri Lankan life as well as provided a comfortable and very affordable travelling option to Anuradhapura.

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.