Blogs from Sri Lanka, Asia - page 158

SINHALA & TAMIL NEW YEAR Religious festivals in Sri Lanka converge around the full moon period in April. Christians celebrate Easter, Muslims celebrate the Holy Prophet’s Birthday, Buddhists celebrate Bak Full Moon Poya Day, together with Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day celebrations. The country slows down and the temperature heats up as the nation enters the summer holiday period. Things don’t really kick back into life until after May Day and Wesak festival of light celebrations in mid May. Children’s Sinhalese New Years Celebrations. Activities include a pillow fight on a high beam, a slicked up coconut tree climb, clay pot bashing while blind folded, and a marathon (which saw many children collapsing - very dramatically). Other interesting traditions were milk boiling; sweet making and swinging while singing folk tunes (see pictures). Miriam got to ... read more

So we arrive by taxi and not public bus as we once again wus out as we were offered a pretty cheap deal to our next destination - Kandy. A little while ago you may have read we were in the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean, and while we were there we met a great kiwi couple called Leigh and Gail from Auckland. As it turns out one of their good friends lives in Kandy - and also lives in a large house and had some spare room for a couple of wondering souls and very kindly offered us a roof over our heads while we were in Kandy - Danny you’re a star. So after we’re dropped off at the pub it’s not long until we meet our new host and then it’s a ... read more

Beep Beep - Beep Beep - it's 3am, only about 2 and half hours after getting to bed, BEEP BEEP - BEEP BEEP, ouch. The reason for the ludicrously early rise from our slumber is of course Adams Peak - the holiest mountain and largest pilgrimage in Sri Lanka - this is apparently where Adam (as in Adam and Eve), first stepped when he left heaven and they have a footprint to prove it - although it's always covered up so who knows...? Regardless how could we say no so we dragged ourselves out of bed and headed off under the moon and stars to the summit - up some 5200+ steps no less. The start of the trek is surrounded by stalls 24 hours a day selling supplies, mainly cookies and other energy biscuits and ... read more

Just a quick update this time as the views from the train were pretty spectacular - I also thought I would show that we don't always get taxi's while in Sri Lanka - just nearly always it seems. Anyway, the views from the train were pretty spectacular with more lush greenery and beautiful waterfalls to pass the time from Ella to Dalhouse - very nice indeed, although the trip was jaded a little as when we got on the bus to the hotel a local woman starting screaming abuse at us in mumbo jumbo - she was clearly distressed at something and it clearly looked as if it was directed at us - especially as everyone else on the bus kept on looking at us and laughing, fortunately a group of westerners arrived to catch a ... read more

So as we survived Jumbo's super charge at the 4x4 in Yala we then headed towards Ella and the Tea Plantations - cup of tea anyone...? The drive to Ella leaves you with no guesses as to why this area is called the "Hill Country" - it's hilly my friend - very hilly... and also green - very green... also has a few beautiful waterfalls thrown in for good measure. Apparently the hill country was first of all used to grow coffee rather than tea but to some unknown reason (there is only so much I can take in when listening about tea I'm afraid), so tea is now the major export of the area. And of course where there's tea there are tea factories and of course we were invited to see how tea is ... read more