We checked out of the hotel in Negombo in the morning and were met by our fantastic driver Shelton. He drove us through the countryside to show us what the real Sri Lanka looked like. We passed coconut plantations, banana trees, both yellow and red (!), rice fields, tea plantations and real jungle that consisted of mahogny and teak trees, enormous and very valuable trees that had to be guarded by security. Amazing! Then we saw rubber trees, with a man walking around, emptying small cups of rubber from the trees, and a whole river full of clay, that was used for pottery and tiles. Suddenly the houses looked much more modern and wellbuilt. Rich people lived her, said Shelton. They own the plantations and the farms. Somehow, it seems so strange and sad that such a beautiful country full of natural resources, is so poor. After a long drive we came to Pinnawala, the elephant orphanage, where they take care of old elephants that cannot work anymore. Their job is to carry timber from the forest to the water, and here is where they retire. A beautiful place full of very sweet elephants. Jonathon and the kids all rode on one elephant. I decided to pass, because of my allergy. Kind of regret it now, but anyway....After the ride, they cleaned the elephant in the river, scrubbing her all over with coconut shells.
The we started our long winding journey up the mountains to Kandy. We stopped once for rice and curry in a new, expensive looking (clean) restaurant with real local dishes. Everything was odd or too hot for the kids...but we tried. Jon was the only one who truelly enjoyed the food, I think.
Kandy is situated high up in the mountains and the market started on the
mountain road, winding up towards the city. Quite astonishing to see. Must be a
pretty dangerous place to shop! The hotel was quite nice, but the problem was
that they were renovating it, which made it pretty dangerous for the likes of
James. The pool area had no fence around it and it was pretty steep on the other
side of the pool. And then there were the monkeys....everywhere, even drinking
from the pool. Then we went into the little town in the evening and it was
pretty buisy and dirty and everyone was touching the children's hair and wanting
to sell things. When we decided to take a tuctuc back to the hotel, 2 men
started arguing about who was going to take us, which ended in a proper fight!
Talk about culture shock. The next day we decided that we would leave Kandy a
day early and head south. Besides, the coffee was absoloutly horrific, not only
in the hotel, but in the caffees as well. After a whole day in the botanical
garden park (which was beautiful), and no coffee, and one boy kissing Emma on
the cheek and James spilling icecream all over himself and the kids fighting, we
fell asleep early....
mountain road, winding up towards the city. Quite astonishing to see. Must be a
pretty dangerous place to shop! The hotel was quite nice, but the problem was
that they were renovating it, which made it pretty dangerous for the likes of
James. The pool area had no fence around it and it was pretty steep on the other
side of the pool. And then there were the monkeys....everywhere, even drinking
from the pool. Then we went into the little town in the evening and it was
pretty buisy and dirty and everyone was touching the children's hair and wanting
to sell things. When we decided to take a tuctuc back to the hotel, 2 men
started arguing about who was going to take us, which ended in a proper fight!
Talk about culture shock. The next day we decided that we would leave Kandy a
day early and head south. Besides, the coffee was absoloutly horrific, not only
in the hotel, but in the caffees as well. After a whole day in the botanical
garden park (which was beautiful), and no coffee, and one boy kissing Emma on
the cheek and James spilling icecream all over himself and the kids fighting, we
fell asleep early....
