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Published: January 26th 2017
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24th Jan
Well it's rain again and we were travelling on to Polonnaruwa. Apparently you normally see deer, wild elephants and all manner of wildlife on this route. We saw a bedraggled peacock and a large monitor lizard, everything else was hiding due to the rain!
Despite the weather we decided to try and visit the Somawathiya Temple, apparently not many tourists go there as it was another hours drive from Polonnaruwa but as it was tanking down it was that or sit in the guesthouse so on we went. I was so glad we did!
Sajith convinced the guards to let us park really close by instead of in the normal car park - this lad has the gift of the gab! So armed with the brolly we set off.
The temple was the usual large white stupa with shrines dotted around and it's reputed to hold one of Buddha's teeth. We did a quick skirt round the edge as we couldn't face taking shoes off and paddling. Then Sajith led us behind the temple to another building and on the way he explained that the temple was a very special place, of special energy and that
aliens had visited it. He then showed us the wall in the building covered in newspaper articles about the temple it was amazing! We hadn't heard anything about this aspect of the place but there were photos of UFOs near the stupa, strange lights coming from the top of the stupa and even pictures of the aliens!! We had found the Buddhist Roswell, get in! I took lots of photos of the photos and was well chuffed, even though the aliens did look a tad suspect. But it certainly brightened up a dull day 😊
We then drive back to town, saw a statue of the king and then spent ages trying to find our guesthouse for the night - Ruins Villa. It was right out in the sticks but fortunately they provided dinner as there was no way I wanted to attempt finding it again in the dark!
The place was very basic but ok for one night and I'm sure when it isn't raining it's lovely as it is 'surrounded by nature'. Deer and elephants pass by each night apparently but didn't on that night, bloody rain!
Another older English couple were also staying there
Somawathiya Temple
Evidence of UFOs near the temple - for 6 days! And spent the whole time we were there going on about birds to the guy who ran it. We made the mistake of saying what a shame it was about the weather and got a lecture on how we shouldn't wish a drought on any country! ! That was the end of any attempt to communicate.
The next morning it wasn't raining yet!!!!! We set off to explore the ancient ruined city. Another former capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th-13th centuries.
Once more it covered a vast area all set in the jungle and totally beautiful. In the museum they had models showing what the 7 storey Royal Palace and 12 storey monastery would have looked like and it must have been such awesome sight.
We explored monasteries, shrines, temples, buildings and the palace, all now ruins but still impressive. We saw gigantic Buddha's and ancient frescoes and even got taken into the secret passageway within the Tivanka Image House.
It was a great day's sightseeing, with not too much rain; and we were knackered by the end it but Sajith took us on to show us the vast lake created
Somawathiya Temple
Newspaper report of aliens at the temple by the King of the time and we spotted a couple of wild elephants yaaaay! There was another ruin but I was ruined out by then and left Howard to it!
Driving on to Sigiriya we caught glimpses of the famous rock before arriving at the lovely Otunna Guesthouse ran by the friendliest, jolliest young lad and his mother and as it was tanking down again they made us fried rice for dinner.
We went to sleep to the sound of monkeys scampering around on the roof 😊
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