We are touring Srl Lanka and visiting “must see” touristy sites. Today we climbed The Lion Rock (600 ft.) in Sigiriya enjoying the pathways, terraces, ponds, cave paintings and sculptures on our way up.  It is hot here but the Sri Lanka’s King coconut kept us going. The day was completed in Polonnaruwa, Medieval Capital City, another UNESCO heritage site, followed by Ayurveda massage (2 hr, $35).

On a way to Sigiriya we stopped at the Elephant Orphanage, however, we did not enjoy the place. It was very sad to see the injured elephants; baby elephants tided by the chain; elephants marched to the river for a bath… they looked like the prisoners.  But when we concentrated on the final results, the sadness went away – most of the animals have been healed and returned back to the nature, and this is more important that the visual impression.

The ancient city of Anuradhapura, is another UNESCO site that we liked a lot. Many beautiful Buddhist temples, statues of Lord Buddha, and magnificent White Stupa. No photograph can portrait the overwhelming power of this architectural wonder.

Then was the Golden and Rock Temples – worth to climb all these stairs to see what is inside! 

The night visit of the Sacred Temple of the Toot Relic in Kandy was another highlight of the trip. Beautiful energy flow accompanied by the drum bits, monks’ chanting, smell of the lotus, jasmine and the lily flowers offerings, flickering light of incenses and candles in the dark … and then a shot walk to the hotel around the calm lake. What a day!

Another day started with the visit of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Paradeniya where we explored the spectacular plant life, including the orchid garden.

Then a long but amazing scenic drive through the tea plantations, hill stations, waterfalls, with the night stay in the very nice hotel in Ella (stayed at Ella Gap Hotel, a nice one!).

On a way back, we stopped the Rawana Waterfall.  According the epic Ramayama, King Rawana (the bad one) captured and kept Seetha (wife of Rama) in the cave behind of that waterfall. And Seetha used to take bath in the waterfall’s water. Amazed by the beauty of that place, my husband commented: “ Amazing place… maybe Seetha liked to be kept here and did not want to go back to her husband…