RTW Day 75 - Kandy

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We are breaking the return journey with an overnight stop in Kandy. This time we take the express train. It is a modern Chinese train with an air conditioned first class carriage. It’s quicker, more comfortable and we face the direction of travel. But it doesn’t have openable windows so it’s not so good for viewing the scenery as we descend towards Kandy. The difference in altitude is 1400 metres, so whereas we chugged slowly uphill two days ago, our return involves hurtling downhill at breakneck speed. It is a relief to reach our destination as a selection of small children have swung from the seats and parcel shelf for much of the journey.

We reach Kandy around lunch time. We check into our hotel and head straight to the rooftop pool to cool down. It has a great view over Lake Kandy which we enjoy whilst sitting on sun loungers drinking beer (due to a religious festival, alcohol sales have been prohibited for the previous two days).

Then we walk along the lake to Kandy Garden Café for some authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. We order Kottu; we’re not sure what this is - we’re told it’s a sort of bread. It is, in fact, eggs, onion and vegetables cooked on a griddle, then bread is added and shredded into the mixture. The old man orders a mixed Kottu which contains all manner of extra ingredients; meat, seafood, sausage, cheese - it’s all in there.

We walk back along the lake, observing the wide array of birds, fish and turtles who inhabit it, and retire for the night.

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