Sri Lanka - Day 2 (evening Cultural Show)

Our driver meets us at 4.45pm for the short drive to the theatre.  It reminds me of an old school hall.  It's cooled by six fans so we opt to sit towards the back under one.  It's hot in there even with the fans.  Hall fills up to near capacity and I later learn that friends of mine from Abu Dhabi were there as well.  In fact, most people we ran into were from AD.  Because of the short flight and reasonable prices it was a very popular destination in that week.

The show begins with drums that don't stop until the end.  It's hot and I didn't bring any water!  A small glass bottle of coke sells for 80LK but I don't buy one.  I begin to get a headache - 30 minutes is enough for me, 1 hour is a bit too long.  We are treated to an energetic display of male prowess with spinning, cartwheels, intense drumming, and jumping all performed with lavish costumes.

It is difficult to take pictures due to so many arms raised with cell phones.   Here are the ones I got inside the hall.

The show ends with an even more impressive fire walking demonstration.  It begins with one of the guys throwing diesel onto what looks like a large flat BBQ.  Flames shoot into the air with clouds of thick black smoke.

 The fire swallowing is not as impressive.  Perhaps he is new to the job.

Our driver is waiting for us at the end.  He is great but many things are lost in translation!

I've asked for a traditional dinner with a vegetarian option.  The restaurant he takes us to sports a Trip Advisor poster so I'm hoping it's ok.  First impression is that it isn't clean, tables are not wiped, tin cups of water are put on tables filled from the hand washing tap.  But the driver recommends it. He is parking while we enter and take stock.  We invite him in to join us and sit down to sample the delights...

150LK buys us bread with 3 dipping sauces (chickpeas, potato curry & a spicy white yoghurt).  40Lk for a starter (savoury donut & white sauce; pumpkin balls (delicious) and same white sauce.  We order fizz to be sure as we don't want to risk the water.  The fizz arrives in a cup not a can as expected.  We tentatively sip it while eating our food.  Our trepadation is caused by the many stories of food poisoning that friends have experienced and we know to avoid salads, fresh water and various other delights.

We pay 760LK for 3 of us (including the driver) and hope we tolerate the food & drink.  We kiwis tip 20Lk only to receive an aghast look from the waiter.  We add another 20LK.  Still horror!  We ask the driver who reluctant to say.  Eventually he suggests 150-300LK.  OMG!  We are under tipping big time so add another 100LK as the guy has been back and forth repeatedly.  He finally smiles (and forgives us random foreigners - we hope)>

Sri Lanka - Day 2 (Negombo to Kandy)

We were on the road at 9am which was very civilised.  The driver (Nemal) had suggested leaving directly for Kandy from the airport and it was a decision we should have taken.

It's hot down by the Indian Ocean and I wished I had more cotton clothes with me.  We set off on a journey that is 2 1/2 hours in the guide books.

I'm impressed by the greenery which is one reason I wanted to visit.  As we pass our first river, albeit brown, I feel myself begin to relax, a feeling that was to continue throughout the trip.

After driving for several hours the first stop is The Millenium Elephant Foundation.   One of my goals was to ride an elephant so after opting out of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage due to mixed reviews the driver assures us that this place is better.  I hand over 3000LK at the entrancce which should get me a 15 minute elephant ride.  There seem to be no spare guides so we wander around for a while and wait.  Elephants are bathing in the brown river with their Mahouts.  The option is available to wash them but getting soaked isn't really on the agenda at this stage.  I have to exert myself to get onto an elephant.

Never having been one for riding horses, I find the elephant high up off the ground.  I thought I'd be getting a hoodah but find out they are nearly illegal in most countries.  Clinging on for dear life, it is a bony, uncomfortable as hell, ride.   And did I mention scary?  I'm hanging on for dear life and it doesn't feel safe.  Every time she, 'Matria', goes down a small incline I think I might slide off over her head.  But I don't and I manage to complete the journey although it will be a 'one-off''!

What do you know?  My phone is flat and as that is my only camera I don't get any photos.  Staff were following the elephants around snapping pictures.  I only had my mahout with me.

Feeling ripped off by the lack of staff (who were dressed in green uniforms) I was astounded at the end when my mahout demanded money from me.  Suddenly, at the end, there seemed to be a surplus of staff checking that I was happy.  "So, are you finished with my services now?"  Yet they had done nothing so didn't get a tip.

The foundation ran an education programme and a small museum on the property had many interesting facts regarding the elephant population around the world.

We jump back into the car and head towards our next stop, a Spice Market.  Roadside stalls look inviting so we pull over to sample a King coconut (yellow husk) drink.  I love the way they hack the coconut open and pop in a straw.  We purchase a few red bananas, a new fruit for us, and find out that they are expensive but well worth it.  Apparently they are an aphrodisiac!  Whatever, they were very sweet and tasty.

On arrival at the Spice Market, our guide is extremely knowledgeable as he hands us a cup of spiced tea to begin our journey.  I enjoy wandering through the lush gardens where each plant and tree is named.  We sample a few of the spices and play guessing games using our noses to identify various spices.

At the end we are offered a complimentary massage by uni students who are on their practical training.  They work on a tip basis.  They already have 3 years of training and have another 3 years to go.  My 20 year old young man had hands to die for!  I am treated to a variety of products, white sandalwood for my face, red oil massage of my body.  I'm lying down on a park bench in the gardens and you'd think I was in the most expensive massage parlour in the world.  The red oil continues seeping into my bones for a long time afterwards.  My friend and I tip generously in response to the wonderful experience.  A hot chocolate with red banana syrup is perfect to conclude this amazing interlude.

While we continue on our journey to Kandy I absorb all the sights and sounds of Sri Lanka.  They drive on the left, same as NZ.  Many times I had to breathe in as there seemed to be no room for the car to get through the tiny gaps between oncoming traffic and vehicles travelling in the same direction as us.  The road is two lanes but passing occurs anywhere.  There is a plethora of cars, buses, motorbikes and tuk tuks everywhere.  Buses seem to have right of way and pull out in front of oncoming traffic all the way.  Tooting is second nature.

My eyes are delighted by the kaleidoscope of colour everywhere.  Stalls line the road side selling an array of products.  Tuk tuks and bikes come racing up on our left.  It is slow travelling and speeds of 50km per hour is speeding.  Police are 2 to a motorbike.  Soldiers shoulder weapons.  School children all wear white.  Ramshackle shacks line the road, mayhem abounds with tuk tuks, motor bikes, buses stopping everywhere.  I am struck by colour, culture, clothes, vehicles, buildings old and new.

As we approach Kandy, the buildings become newer.  We pass over the Mahiri River, the longest river in Sri Lanka, where the bridge is jammed with traffic.

Kandy is surrounded by hills with its main feature being a beautiful lake.  Traffic is a nightmare as we arrive around 3pm and make our way slowly to our hotel.

Hotel Suisse was chosen online and I'm hoping for a better level of accomodation than Negombo.  We are not disappointed.  Hotel Suisse has mixed reviews but the English trained staff in white uniforms bring back images of long gone Colonial Days.  The hotel is a grand old lady and you can imagine the aristocrats lining up as they arrived and left.  We are offered cold refreshing watermelon drinks on arrival while we wait to check in.  Historic photos line the walls and the history is plain to read.

After instructing the driver to pick us up for a cultural show at 5.30pm we head to our rooms to relax.
So much for the 2 1/2 hour drive!

This time I get the double room while my companion gets a twin.  We are right at the end of left back wing overlooking the garden part of the restaurant.

We head down to check out the food - they offer a lovely buffet for 1700LK which we will do tomorrow night.  Wine is advertised as 20% off but when we order a glass it seems to be false advertising and they remove the sign.  After speaking to the manager we decline to purchase the French red Bourjelous at 4500Lk for a bottle and head up to our room to fill our water glasses with our duty free Wolf Blass Reisling.  We take this and a water bottle down to the garden bar and relax.  You can't fool us!!!

The hotel has a nice pool and spa with massage.  Overall we are very happy with tonight's choice and decide to book for another two nights and stay put in Kandy.  We are offered the same rate by the coincerge who then goes onto ask where we got such a good rate from.  Booking.com is my go-to website for hotels.  So at $70 US per night we felt we got a great deal.