En route to Wilpattu National Park

We stop off at a small coconut plantation just outside Negombo to see a toddy tapper in action; toddy is the fermented sap taken from the stems and stalks of coconut flowers using a knife and mallet and the tapper is the man doing it (high off the ground). It is collected in a container and used to make arrack, a local spirit. The sap is OK, but the arrack (as I found out later that evening) is a lot better!

From here, we stopped off at Madampe to see a Hindu temple built and owned by a local wealthy person; unfortunately, it was closed for renovation.

After a stop-off for lunch (an excellent Sri Lankan curry buffet), we proceed to Wilpatthu National Park.....Read more