The truth about Kandy

Kandy 22^nd-24^th June

I hope that not too many Kandians would get offended when I say this, but Kandy is one of my least favourite cities in Sri Lanka. This is partly my fault because I have the tendency to go around the city stuck in rush hour traffic, completely clueless about where my turn off should be. Thankfully, I can now rely on my smart phone to point me in the right direction! This time’s trip was all about site seeing because Keith; a friend from my university was in the country and I had to show him around.

As we went along the Kandy Road, almost every town we passed had an interesting feature and a reason to pull over. Rambutan, a small red fruit similar to lychees is sold along the roadside in Kalagedihena when they are in season. A few other interesting towns on the way are Kadjugama [which literally means ‘cashew nut town’] that is famous for selling cashew nuts and Wewaldeniya [where ‘wewal’ means cane] that is famous for selling cane furniture.

Our decision to start the site seeing with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dalada Maligawa [the Temple of the Tooth Relic], determined our outfits for the day as you are required to dress decently when entering a temple. As the name suggests, the temple holds the tooth relic of Lord Buddha, which was said to have been smuggled into the country in Princess Hemmamali’s hair after his passing, played a significant role in the history of Sri Lanka as the people believed that the ruler of the country was the one that held the relic.

Although I visit Kandy often, it has been a few years since I had gone inside the temple. As I wandered in, I was greeted with the intricate and colourful art that adorned the walls of the temple. We were then pushed into a slow, congested queue that went up to the crowded second floor where the relic was kept. The claustrophobic queue experience aside, we found the temple to be very airy as we walked around admiring the architecture and the craftsmanship of the palace.

The delicate design on the roof

The intricate art

The detailed carvings on the pillars

 

Our next stop was the Botanical Garden in Peradeniya. Just after we had agreed on what route to take around the garden, I decided to play a game where we would count all the cosy couples that we could spot on our way. I gave up five minutes into the game because there were too many to keep track of! I believe that the garden is popular amongst couples because it is so enchanting that at times I found it to be unreal. The palm garden, the orchid house, the different types of grass [I never knew there were so many!] and the cascading tree were my personal favourites.

Over 20 different types of grass!

The Cascading tree

Keith underneath the cascading tree

After the two main attractions were done, it was time for me to check out a new resort in Madulkelle, which is about an hour from Kandy. Although the access to the resort wasn’t that great, the view from the rooms made up for it all because it was a gorgeous 180 degree view of the Knuckles Mountain Range. It was the kind of jaw dropping view that you could stare at all day. Needless to say, I was convinced in an instant that I would recommend this dreamy place to my clients as soon as it is up and running.

I live for these moments that take my breath away. That’s why I love this country so much. I would love to share what I experience and make you see [like I do] how unique Sri Lanka really is.

Let me plan your dream holiday in Sri Lanka.

Contact me via www.mylankandream.com