Sri Lanka
ශ්‍රී ලංකාව

sri_lanka/elephant_baby

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Kegalle, Sri Lanka — September 13, 2004


sri_lanka/kandy_castle_moat

Royal Palace, Kandy මහ නුවර, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/buddha

Giant golden Buddha, Dambulla, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/sigyria_rock

Sigyria rock, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/cave_buddha_gold

Sri Lankan Buddha, Dambulla, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004

The Sri Lankan Buddha has similar characteristics as the Thai Buddha. Included are the one-shoulder robe, semi-lotus sitting position, and a flame coming from the head. Thai Buddhism originally came from Sri Lanka, and is often called [name.]


sri_lanka/trees

Foliage, Sigyria, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/sigyria_painting

Rock paintings, Sigyria, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/colombo_cloudy_sunset

Nearing dusk, Colombo, Sri Lanka — August 29, 2004


sri_lanka/lilly_pads

Liily pads, Sigyria, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/sri_dambulla_buddha

Sri Lankan Buddha, Dambulla, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/elephant

Blind tusker RAJA at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Kegalle, Sri Lanka — September 13, 2004


sri_lanka/sigiriya_group_view

Enjoying the view from the top of Sigyria, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/temple_dome

Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/dambulla_giant_golden_buddha

Giant golden Buddha, Dambulla, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/sigyria_painting

Rock paintings, Sigyria, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/temple_elephants

Kelaniya Temple, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/colombo_temple

Kelaniya Temple, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/cave_buddhas

Inside the cave temples of Dambulla, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/colombo_temple_wall

Kelaniya Temple, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/temple_bodhi_tree

This bodhi tree is a direct descendant of the original tree in Bodhgaya, Colombo, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/colombo_flying_kite

Flying kites, Colombo, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/colombo_sunset

Sunset, Colombo, Sri Lanka


sri_lanka/sigyria_painting

Rock paintings, Sigyria, Sri Lanka — September 14, 2004


sri_lanka/sri_lankan_plane

Sri Lankan Airlines A330-200, Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), Colombo, Sri Lanka — August 27, 2004


Sri Lanka Journal Entries
guidebooks/sri_lanka

27 August, 2004     

Sri Sri Lanka is like a breath of fresh air coming from India. Wow, what’s that noise? Oh, it’s no noise— that’s silence. The locals have figured out that constant honking sucks and no one is horning here. And what’s that? Oh, it’s a woman, and look, she is outside, by herself. And hey, why are these store owners ignoring me as I walk by with wads of slippery cash in my pockets? Yes, I instantly take a liking to Sri Lankan culture and am eager to explore.

Colombo, the capital, is one city that most visitors pass through. But I enjoy the place to its fullest. Not only do I gulp down my first sushi in eight months, not only do I stay in an adorable home-stay with charming locals, not only do I revel on the beach with thousands of other Sri Lankans flying kites, picnicking and enjoying, but I also finally find peace in this part of the world. The only problem though is a nagging fever of about two degrees that seems to come on in the evenings. And this cough from India is causing my lower back to ache. Cough, cough.

extras/buddha
Buddha Images

Three days later, I hop on the observation deck of a Sri Lankan train heading east through the rigid central mountains and lush tea plantations. It is here that the locals notice my guitar that I have been lugging all over the world and demand a tune. My head is pounding and cough torturing (cough, cough) but I finally succumb. I begin playing G, C and D chords at random and no sooner does the entire car of 40 people start singing old-time Sri Lankan anthems in perfect unison and harmony. It doesn’t matter that my guitar isn’t playing the correct melody either as it all seems perfect. Magic arrives and our train floats on for five more songs. A Dutch family on board is overwhelmed and begins video taping and then they bust out some Dutch tunes and the Sri Lankan all start laughing. Am I in a movie here?

Some 12 hours later I arrive to the sleepy town of Arugam Bay known the world over in the surfing community for its incredible left-hand break, warm water surf, fine sand beaches and raging parties. It is here the Jonathan and I trial-and-error for four days until we too are finally rippin’. On my last day, I catch the ultimate wave of my life. I see the swell and paddle hard. I feel that my board has momentum and when I stand and look to my left: There is white. Then I look to my right: And there is aqua. I have finally found it— the sweet spot. Moments later, when the wave ends and I bail, I look around and see a Japanese guy displaying the thumbs-up— meaning “Good wave, bro!” I am hooked. Too bad my time is up— my visa expires in four days and I have to get going…

Singapore Airlines cradles me away on one fateful midnight run. What a nice airline.

sri_lanka_route_map Colombo Kandy Colombo India
Sri Lanka Route Map
local_airport