Colombo and Kandy

A couple short flights later we arrive in Sri Lanka. First stop is the capital Colombo, which runs along the west coast next to the Indian Ocean. It is a bustling Sri Lankan city which has only recently become a stop on the travellers itinerary. It was used to grow cinnamon in during the Dutch rule, and only became a city when it was ruled by the British.

We were unfortunately staying in the opposite end of Colombo to where all the action is, so our activities were a bit limited. A walk at sunset along Galle Face Green was a spectacular way to end the day, with the sky offering up mind blowing sunsets come rain or shine. Navigating the city was a bit of a nightmare as the maps were fairly inaccurate and few people spoke english, or wanted to help.
We had a good night out at a bar which ended up with a party in the pool on the roof of some flats. We made good friends with the chap who rented the flat, so hopefully will stay with him before we fly out of Sri Lanka. Hopefully staying more centrally on our return to Colombo will enable us to see the sights a bit more freely.

After a couple of nights in Colombo we shot off east to Kandy. We went by train and quickly discovered the hidden delights that Sri Lankan trains offer. They take you higher and more precariously through the countryside than you would be able to go in a bus. The views are indescribable. The sort you could stare at all day and not tire of.

Kandy is a town that moves at a gentle pace, and is very easy to enjoy. The main attractions are the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic which supposedly houses one of the teeth of Buddha. Legend goes that the tooth was stolen from the funeral pyre of Buddha and taken back to Sri Lanka hidden in the hair of a princess. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, or Tamil Tigers) detonated a bomb just outside the temple in 1998. The damage is almost undetectable, but vigilance remains high with bag checks and security around the temple. The temple was interesting enough but expensive to get into at £5 each.
It is a very solidly built temple with none of the delicate touches that you get with Thai temples. Situated next to the lake, you can see why they picked this as the spiritual home for such an important relic. It has an ethereal feeling to the whole place and I'm glad we came.
We filled one of our evenings with watching some Kandyan dancing. This is showcase of Kandyan traditional dance that is undeniably touristy but very interesting. They show you the dances that take them years to learn and have been performed in their villages for generations. They perform the different dances such as Mayura Natuma (peacock dance) and Gini Sisila (fire dance) and finish the evening off with a display of fire dancing. The whole performance is very tribal with lots of costumes and an ever pounding drum.