TOUR OF SRI LANKA - DAY 1
COLUMBO
We drive up the east coast to Columbo with lovely views of the many beaches and coastal towns. We see evidence of the tragedy of the tsunami here. 40,000 people died and 10,000 are missing. We see a train which was struck by it and can´t believe the damage it caused.
We visit a moonstone mine. They also grow cinnamon and cashews here.
Local tractor
At Columbo we change drivers. Mahindi has excellent English and stays with us for the rest of the trip.
We then have a wonderful visit to the elephant orphanage - Pinnawala. This is a marvellous institution where young elephants are brought in to be cared for. Their mothers may have been shot, e.g. by farmers protecting their crops. We watch the elephants for several hours and feed some of them bananas as they bathe, swim and drink water in the river.
The eldest one is 65 years old and is blind. There are several babies, the youngest of which is 1 month old, and so much fun to observe. Then we walk over to their feeding pavilion. They are given coconut palm fronds and the younger ones are given several bottles of milk. It is all a wonderful experience, especially giving an elephant a bottle of milk.
The eldest one is 65 years old and is blind. There are several babies, the youngest of which is 1 month old, and so much fun to observe. Then we walk over to their feeding pavilion. They are given coconut palm fronds and the younger ones are given several bottles of milk. It is all a wonderful experience, especially giving an elephant a bottle of milk.
DALADA MALGAWA IN KANDY
We visit this famous temple of the tooth relic of Buddha. This temple was bombed by the Tamils in 1996, but is now restored. We are frisked twice before we can enter. It holds manuscripts which are 2,000 years old and are still in good condition.
Our dinner tonight is a really local experience and lots of fun. It is an Indian restaurant, the Ram, near the centre of Kandy. There is no alcohol served here so we order and then go a few doors up to a quaint pub, the Victoria, for a beer. They call us when our meal is ready and it is absolutely delicious.
