Sri Lanka

September - October 2019

September - October 2019 Read more

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skip's retirement travel Sri Lanka
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- Sep 16, 2019, 8:39am
- 🌧 28 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- Sri Lanka Northern Province Uppukkulam Perukadi Kulam 8.98354, 79.910548°59’1” N 79°54’38” E
Day 3
Mannar, Sri Lanka
September 16, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌧 28 °C
First tour stop here in Sri Lanka. Mannar is located on an island just off the northwest coast of Sri Lanka. Being surrounded by water, first the Portuguese and the Dutch both had forts here to protect trade. The current fort, currently under restoration, is the Dutch fort built after they destroyed the Portuguese. The next 2 pictures are of a 17th century Hindu temple, also the under restoration. Next is a baobab tree brought by the Dutch and planted about the time as the fort was built. It is said to be the largest tree in Sri Lanka. The last 2 pics are of our Lady of Madhu church. Also founded in the 17th century by the Portuguese but destroyed by the Dutch. The current building is only a few years old.Read more
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- Sep 17, 2019, 10:47am
- ☁️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 7 m
- Sri Lanka Northern Province Delft Centre West Maveliturai 9.52737, 79.713779°31’39” N 79°42’50” E
Day 4
Delft Island, Sri Lanka
September 17, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Small island off the northwest coast, about 30 km from Jaffna, accessible only by boat or helicopter. This was an important site to the Dutch and British as the waters around it are shallow, making it difficult to attack.
The pics are of the old Dutch hospital being restored, the Dutch fort, the ruins of one of the Dutch stables (this one was 150 meters long), a rock that is growing (rising out of the ground, probably a geologic process) located in front of a Hindu temple, a look at the coral field walls, unique in Sri Lanka, and finally the boat to the island.Read more
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- Sep 18, 2019, 9:51am
- 🌧 28 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- Sri Lanka Northern Province Thikkam Palmyra Point 9.83515, 80.212529°50’7” N 80°12’45” E
Day 5
Point Pedro
September 18, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌧 28 °C
The extreme northern tip of Sri Lanka. The first pic is of a map that shows the water world that northern Sri Lanka is. Next is a look along the shore at a bit of the fishing community that lives here. Notice the rocks and coral. This is typical of the Palk Strait between here in India. The next picture is the beaches to the east along the Bay of Bengal. If you look closely at the last picture, you can just make out the limestone and coral extending out from coast by the overhanging palm. This marks the end of the Palk Strait and the change in the shoreline from rock/coral to sand beach.Read more
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- Sep 19, 2019, 1:43pm
- ⛅ 31 °C
- Altitude: 96 m
- Sri Lanka North Central Province Basawakkulama 8.34958, 80.39628°20’58” N 80°23’46” E
Day 6
Anuradhapura
September 19, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
An ancient capital and religious center. This temple dates to around 600 AD. At o e tiñe, as many as 12,000 monks lived here. Most important is the tree in the first picture. This is said to be 2,000 years old and grown from a sapling taken from the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha meditated and received enlightenment. Next is the great stupa followed by a portion of the wall surrounding it. Scores of carved elephants are carved here, all the way around. Next are a couple of pics of the grounds including done of the many ruins from the time when this was a major center. Last are a couple of the permanent residents.Read more
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- Sep 20, 2019, 9:12am
- ☁️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 171 m
- Sri Lanka North Central Province Mihintale Namallewa Wewa 8.35148, 80.51498°21’5” N 80°30’54” E
Day 7
Mihintale
September 20, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Sacred mountain to Buddhists. This is considered to be where Buddhism began in Sri Lanka. It is said that a disciple from India was meditating in one of the caves when a king came along. He called the disciple down to talk, and the rest is history.
The pictures are taken from the top, looking at the two lesser peaks with a stupa and a Buddha statue. Then looks at the viewRead more
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- Sep 21, 2019, 8:51am
- ☁️ 29 °C
- Altitude: 296 m
- Sri Lanka Central Province Sigiriya Sigiri Rock 7.95739, 80.759917°57’27” N 80°45’36” E
Day 8
Sigiriya
September 21, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C
Former capital of Sri Lanka in the 5th Century. The site was also a Buddhist monastery, both before and after its use as a capital. The larger rock to the right in the first pic is Sigiriya. It was developed in a lion shape and called Lion (not Pride) Rock. This picture was taken from a paddled catanarn "cruise" to Hirawadunna (see another post). The main palace was at the top and is shown in pics 2&3. The 4th pic looks at the final stairway to the top as it is today. This is taken from Lion's Paw Terrace, and if you look to the left of the stairs, you will see what's left of one of the original paws. 5th is one of the natural boulder arches around the main rock that is used as part of the accesway to the site. The last pic looks down on the western part of the city from the top. This was originally an extensive water garden, one of the oldest of it's type in existence.Read more
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- Sep 21, 2019, 12:08pm
- ⛅ 33 °C
- Altitude: 170 m
- Sri Lanka North Central Province Hiriwadunna Hiriwadunna Wewa 8.01958, 80.733438°1’10” N 80°44’0” E
Day 8
Traditional village life at Hirawadunna
September 21, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C
Visited a family in a traditional house where the hostess demonstrated weaving palm fronds into a mat, threshing rice (both shown), grinding dried chilis and hand grinding rice flour ((both not shown). All the implements used are hand made right there. The highlight of the visit was being treated to a local lunch. The 5th picture is the "buffet," while the last is my lunch on a lotus leaf. No utensils--eat with fingers. Most wonderfully, everything was from their garden or fish caught in the lake. Nothing store bought. An incredible treat.Read more
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- Sep 22, 2019, 9:34am
- ⛅ 30 °C
- Altitude: 266 m
- Sri Lanka Central Province Matale Division Dambulla Dambulla Rock 7.85652, 80.648757°51’23” N 80°38’56” E
Day 9
Dambulla cave temples
September 22, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Sat by back 2,000 years and more, this temple is a series of 5 caves together about 150 meters above the valley where the town of Dambulla is located. The first pic is of the courtyard where all the temples face. Second is flower petals art in the courtyard. All the rest are in the caves. There are innumerables Buddhas, reck b ng, seated and standing. Much of the ceiling and walls art is original. They're starting to restore some now. It is an interesting feeling by seeing the art work as old as thisRead more
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- Sep 22, 2019, 9:53am
- ⛅ 31 °C
- Altitude: 173 m
- Sri Lanka Central Province Padeniya Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya 7.85563, 80.652077°51’20” N 80°39’7” E
Day 9
Dambulla views
September 22, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
The Golden Temple is an important religious and pilgrimage site located at the foot of the ridge beneath the cave temples. The Golden Buddha and golden stupa are the two best known features here. The rest of the pictures are views of the central highlands where all this is locatedRead more
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- Sep 23, 2019, 9:02am
- ☁️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 515 m
- Sri Lanka Central Province Kandy Temple of the Tooth 7.29312, 80.641387°17’35” N 80°38’29” E
Day 10
Kandy
September 23, 2019 in Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
Main city in the central part of Sri Lanka. The first pic looks over the city from a viewpoint on a hill. The second is the main structure at Kandy's most important shrine. Behind the golden doors is a reliquary that is said to house a tooth of the Buddha, taken from his funeral pyre. Third is in the second part of the temple, housing this worship space with a series of paintings showing how the tooth came to be where it is. Another important spot is the Royal Botanical Garden. One picture looks at the garden while the last is in the orchid house.Read more
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