Sri Lanka: On the Way to Colombo

By 8:30a, we were back on the road to Colombo.

Traffic was non-existent … just as our guide had predicted. So, when he suggested a stop at the Pilimathalawa Tea Factory, we once again agreed. After all, you can’t come to the home of Ceylon tea and not have a taste.

A lovely young lady first explained about the differences between black, green, white, and gold tea. Then she took us around the factory, explaining how they process, package, and ship their teas around the world. Finally, we went up to the tasting room. Here she showed us the color of the different teas when brewed, and then invited us to take a seat at one of the tables to do a tasting.

This stop made a dent in our wallet. After the tasting, we went up to the counter to pick up a couple of bags of the rare blend of tea made with the golden tips of the tea leaves … available only in Sri Lanka. You can bet that we will be drinking this tea sparingly … and will savor each sip when we do drink it.

Leaving the tea factory, we made a few stops for photo ops as we continued on to Colombo.

Kadugannawa is the pass between the Kegalle Valley and the Kandy Valley. Traditionally, this pass was the main access to Kandy for invaders approaching from Colombo. Though the Sinhalese managed to stop most, they were unsuccessful with the British … the first foreign power to occupy Kandy permanently.

In order to secure access, the Brits constructed a road from Colombo to Kandy. Instead of blasting it to go around the mountain at the pass, they tunneled through the rock. This rock — known as the Kurunegala Tunnel — is off the present day road, but it is what our guide wanted to show us. A small detour was, therefore, in order. He explained that the tunnel is a symbol, created to fulfill an old Sinhalese prophecy that there is no way for foreigners to rule Kandy, unless they pierce the mountains. Thus, the British went out of their way to include a tunnel on the road.

(While this may well be the story people tell, it is disputed by those who say it was constructed in 1823.)

The next stop was at the Table Mountain Overlook. Though distant, the mountain was clearly visible and it was easy to see why it was so named. But what was of greater interest to us here were the monkeys. Specifically, the toque macaques … which are one of the three species of monkeys found in Sri Lanka … and one of the two that is endemic to the country.

There were a number of macaques sitting on the fence. However, all but the one male quickly scampered away. We stepped out of the van just long enough for a selfie. Then back inside the safety of the van as the male seemed a bit stressed out by some of the people who were getting just a bit too close for comfort.

After this stop, we continued on to Colombo without stopping. By noon, we were back in the city.Read more