Day 13 - Sigiriya (🦁’s Rock)

Talk about “leg day” … we’ve been known to miss a leg day, or two, in the past but today we most definitely did not miss and probably made up a few days.

Why? Our “gym” today was a journey up to the top of Lion’s Rock. They say it’s a total of 1,200 steps up but felt like a million. All I know is … I almost quit at least 3 times and my un-lady like profanity would have been embarrassing to any truck driver. 🫣 JK … it wasn’t that bad (at least what actually exited my mouth wasn’t).

There are a few stops along the way to catch a breath and some sights but I didn’t want to stop too long, as I wasn’t sure I’d get going again. We pressed on. The stairs got steeper and much more narrow as we approached the top. It was a mind-challenge to remind myself to not look down and not to acknowledge I’m walking on a narrow, iron staircase full of other eager climbers … only drilled and “secured” into this ancient rock (with probably minimal building codes). But I think the burn of my thighs, buttocks and calves (all of it) and the fear that any minute my legs may just become a can’t-doer and block traffic (no shoulder to pull over) … kept my mind focused off of all of the safety concerns and was the push I needed to get myself to the top. God works in mysterious ways, eh?

So why did we do this? Not for the gram or to check a box … but for the sunrise. 🌅 Absolute perfection!

To get up there in time and see this … we woke up Winston before the Roosters, and hit the dirt running about 5am. Gates opened around 5:30am and the climb commenced. We stayed with the flow, so total climb time was at least 40 mins (probably more) of climbing/stairs. Think of the 1990 Stair-master, on a #10 incline for the duration. Yep. That!

One photo op spot (that we did on the way down) was the lions paws. At one time, it was a big stone lion and one would enter the king’s palace through the mouth. Today, only the lion’s paws remain. Fun to imagine what it must have been like thousands of years ago.

The history of Lion’s Rock is a bit of a Buddhist sandwich. The rock’s caves started as a Buddhist monastery but then King Kasyapa made it his new capital during his reign (in the 400’s AD). That’s a lot of what you see remaining today. After his death, the rock and area was returned to the Buddhist monastery until the 14th Century.

As we made our way back down and to Winston … we found that Winston had some admirers. Monkey’s???? Nope. Actually two young ladies who thought he was “gram” worthy (who wouldn’t?) and snapped some photos with him. Winston will probably go viral … Mike and I just waited in the distance and let Winston have this time. 👯‍♀️ + 🚙 = 🤍

Upon return, we had breakfast and relaxed, and then thought it would be a great idea to go take on another temple. That was mighty courageous of us, as this was the Dambulla Cave Temple, which includes more stairs. Well … let me tell you this … we made it mid-way up but then needed a ticket that required us to go back down, hike to a ticket office and then back up to where we were, only to hike more stairs to take in the sight. We threw in the towel …

Remember the video of Winston doing his very very best to climb up the steep hill in Ella at the Tea Cabins … but petered out? Just replay that video to get a visual of me. Thankfully I didn’t slide backwards but had to draw a line as Mike didn’t need to haul me out on his back. Not a good look and I wanted to keep what pride I had left intact for the time being.

Afternoon and evening were quiet … massages and dinner, then bed! Up early again tomorrow for hot air balloon ride over Sigiriya!

Hugs! M&ARead more