Next leg of our travel around Sri Lanka was to the cultural heartland. There are relics of civilisation going back thousands of years,, some abandoned and reclaimed by the forest before being rediscovered and restored by archiologists. One of the most well known is Sigiriya, a massive chunk of bedrock rising hundreds of metres above the surrounding plain. Apparently it had been used by man for thousands of years, but developed into a citidel a thousand years ago. The top of the rock has been landscaped and built up into a palace and refuge. To get to the top involves a steep climb with stone and steel stairways. The view was magnificent. The next destination was Polonnaruwa, a city with sprawling ruins of a large religious and administrative centre. It was so spread out we used bikes to get around. The site is on the edge of a large man made lake, the king responsible for most of the work (800 years ago) saying not one drop of rain should fall without being utilised by man. The lake fed a complex system of canals, tanks and agriculture. The ruins contained a mix of Buddist and Hindu temples, reflecting the changes of power and successive invasions of the area. It was pretty hot and crowded due to full moon festival time but we joined in the fun and upbeat atmosphere and answered each question as honestly as we could. "How old are you?" "How many children?" (the answer is always greeted with disbelief.) The Sri Lankans are the sweetest, friendly people and they are understandably proud of their history and country. Sri Lanka with its unspoiled beaches, cool and lovely hill country, eight Unesco World Heritage Sites, elephants and great train lines is proving to be one great destination we're lucky to be discovering on our 'plan B.' |