Sri Lanka, Part 3 - Kandy, Adam's Peak

As we leave Dambulla we are approaching the mountainous area of SL.  This is known as the Central Province.  We are heading towards the town of Kandy, where we will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Temple of the Tooth Relic.  Along the way we visited a spice garden near the town of Matale.  I wasn't sure what this meant when I saw this on the agenda but once I got there it made sense.

We were greeted by a young man when we pulled into the parking lot.  I don't remember his name and his pitch is that he is a university student studying herbal medical and working there part time to pay his fees.  He dove right away about the different popular spices:  ginger, turmeric, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, etc.  These are the tropical spices that drove the Europeans to come to Asia in the thirteenth  century onwards.  They add flavor to the food and in this pitch, there is medicinal value in these spices.  I agree there may be some medicinal values in some of these spices but they are not scientifically proven.  You can believe what you want to believe.  My conclusion is that this is just a sales pitch and I am glad I walked away with buying only a bottle of cream for 3,000 rupees that is supposed to help me sleep.  It was educational but I won't say I am totally convinced about all the illnesses that the herbs can cure.

Raw Turmeric

A Ginger Plant

Vanilla Bean Pod

We drove a circuitous mountain road to almost to the top where we checked into the Skyloft Kandy Hotel.  It is a beautiful hotel and beautiful views of the mountains and the surround area.  It is modern and the service was excellent.  On the way here we stopped at a supermarket to buy a small packet of laundry detergent.  Being here for 2 days allowed me to do my laundry and get them dry.  I could've gotten it done by the hotel but it costs 150 rupees (about 85cents) to wash a T-shirt.  Maybe I am too cheap.

The next morning we drove to the Temple of the Tooth Relic in the middle of Kandy.  This is a very important shrine for the Buddhists in SL as it is supposed to hold the tooth of the Buddha.  It was bombed by the Tamil Tigers in 1998 but has been restored.  The morning we were there there were many tourists and local worshippers.

To see the Tooth Relic we had to go on a slow-moving line of worshippers and tourists to a small window where we can see the relic.  The locals stopped to offer prayers and offerings.  We have to keep moving so if you don't know what you are looking for you don't know what it looks like.  No photography or videos are allowed.

Entrance to the Temple.  US$10 per foreigner

The Temple

Inside the Temple but not where the Tooth Relic is housed

Panoramic View of the City of Kandy

One of the main streets in Kandy

After visiting the Temple we stopped at a Gem Factory and Museum.  I think it was more of a showroom to sell gems because there was only a couple of glass cases to show the gems and the "factory" has about 2 or 3 jewelers talking to each other rather than working on the stones.  But that's how tour companies earn their extra commissions.  Bring gullible tourists to such places.

Gemstones found in Sri Lanka

Late in the afternoon we attended a local cultural dance.  It is a showcase of local dances performed by several men and women.  Some of the dances seems to be more gymnastics with back flip and back somersaults.  This is followed by an outdoor performance of fire-eating and fire-walking.  That is a Hindu ritual.

A Cultural Dance

Fire-walking demonstration 

The biggest physical challenge comes on the 8th day - climbing Adam's Peak, a 7,000+ feet mountain  in Central SL.  Locals call it Sri Pada.  It is supposed to contain the "footprint" of Buddha.  We checked into the White Elephant Hotel about 1:30pm.  I rested until about 4pm and we drove to the starting point of the hike.  There were many people there and many vendors on the side of the trail selling all kinds of foodstuff and souvenirs.  It's almost a carnival atmosphere.  I was one of the few foreigners.  The locals greeted me warmly.  Some talked to me, some just said hello.  Some offered me snacks.  The steps are concrete.  I was told in the old days there were no concrete steps and older folks have to write a will before they climb because they might not make it back.  The pilgrims, if I may call them, come in all shapes and sizes, young and old.  There are some who I thought were totally unfit to climb, in my opinion.  But, this is their pilgrimage.  Some do it once a year.

However, the climb was very challenging.  I was told that it'd take about 4 hours to go up and 4 hours to come down.  I was a little skeptical.  But, with the crowd, it somehow slow you down as you get closer to the top.  It took about one and a half hours instead of 30 minutes for the last part.  It was one step at a time.  That's because at the summit the line narrows to one line and everyone stops to pray and offer offerings in front of the shrine.  Offerings of money, flowers, etc.  No photography was allowed.  I could only see a bright area through a small window.  Some people chose to stay at the summit for whatever reason.  Some also rang a big bell to indicate how many times they have been up there.  For me I took a glimpse of the shrine and start heading down.  At first I went down the wrong stairs and couldn't find my shoes.  I realized it looks different from the way I came up and went back up and came down the right stairs.  It would've been funny if I can't find my shoes because those are the only ones I brought for the trip!

Coming down was not that easy either.  My legs were tired and weak.  I had not eaten anything except a few crackers they gave the climbers on the way.  The steps are not small either.  I had to hold on to the railing in case my legs crumble.  It seems to take forever for me to get to the bottom.  When I thought I was almost 15 minutes to the bottom I texted my driver Mohan that I am almost down there.  I was wrong.  It seems to take forever to get to the bottom.

Sign at the start of the trail

Adam's Peak is in the distance in this picture

Crowd at the start

Some choose to take a detour and wash in the small stream

Statues of Praying Monks

A white Stupa on the way

Getting to the steep part

It was midnight by the time we got back to the White Elephant Hotel.  I was dead tired.  Mohan was surprised that I made it to the top.  He thought I'd give up half way.  That thought did cross my mind. It's another feather in the cap.