I left Negombo early to visit Pinewalla Elephant Orphanage on my way to Kandy. After changing two buses, I arrived at the orphanage. The entrance ticket was very expensive, under the excuse of helping the “orphan” elephants—$17 for foreigners. But the place was not much like an orphanage. There were many elephants of all sizes (more than 50, I think), and they had mahouts who would constantly ask for money from the visitors. I think many of these elephants could be set free to live on their own, but then how would they make money from them?

Anyways, the elephants were feeding and bathing in the river, and people could get close and touch them. I liked seeing elephants, but in a more intimate situation with a caring mahout. Elephants are very intelligent animals, and if their mahout treats them well, they will behave very well. But this was more like a show. Anyhow, it was nice to see those giants up close.

In the afternoon, I carried on to Kandy. I had reserved a room the day before in a guesthouse recommended by the Lonely Planet (Mdme. Clement). The guesthouse was actually Madame Clement’s house. She is a lovely old woman who speaks English very well. She had a big German Shepherd called Niki, who barked at me once I was entering the house. I got really scared, thinking he was going to attack me. But he was really a nice dog. I stayed two nights at Mdme. Clement’s, and it was one of the best stays I’ve had during my trips. It was more like staying in a home than in a guesthouse.

The next day, I headed out of Kandy to walk in the countryside. I walked between three temples located in the southwest of Kandy. It was a very pleasant walk, and the people I encountered were very nice. One invited me to rest a bit in his house, another invited me for tea, and everyone was saying hello with a big smile when passing by.

The day after, I left Kandy for Sigiriya. Sigiriya was the first photo I saw from Sri Lanka: a huge rock shaped like a cylinder, rising out of the lush green plains around it. There was once a palace on top of it, but it’s nothing but ruins now. I arrived there at noon, put my luggage in a nearby guesthouse, and headed out to visit Sigiriya.

I arrived at the entrance on the south, but then found out that the actual entrance is stupidly located on the west side, and you have to walk a kilometer or so to reach it. But what really pissed me off was the flagrant entrance fee: $30! And do you know how much you pay if you are Sri Lankan? A mere 50 rupees, or 50 cents! This is absolutely ridiculous! For the Taj Mahal, the most famous building in the world, you have to pay $15—and I was even ranting about that! Now, for these boring ruins on top of that admittedly magnificent rock formation (which Sri Lankans can take no credit for making), you have to pay twice the Taj’s fee!

I then learned that for other important landmarks in Sri Lanka, foreign tourists have to pay similar fees. I decided not to visit any of them! This is sheer milking of the tourists, and it’s not nice at all.

Anyways, I went up the stairs to the top of Sigiriya, which took almost an hour. Midway up, there were some frescoes of half-naked women, but they weren’t so interesting after all (and definitely not as gorgeous or as old as the ones I saw in Ajanta Caves in India, which they are compared with). The ruins are nothing special—in fact, just the base of the walls remains and nothing else. The view from the top was very good though, and I spent an hour or so up there resting.

I spent the night in Sigiriya, and the next day I headed to Trincomalee.

Interesting observations

  • Here, the first two seats of all buses are reserved for the clergy!
  • The buses here go super slow when they are not full. It pisses me off!
  • None of the banks in Sri Lanka change Indian Rupee! I had some left from my trip and I finally changed it in a jewellery shop.
  • The first three questions you are asked in Sri Lanka:
    1. Where do you come from?
    2. How old are you?
    3. Are you married? Why not?
  • My conversation with a Muslim shopkeeper after he finds out I’m Muslim:
    • (him) Are you married?
    • (me) No.
    • (him) Have you come with your boyfriend?
    • (me, thinking he made a mistake as his English wasn’t good) You mean girlfriend?
    • (him) No, no, we Muslims—no girlfriend!
    • (me, shocked and laughing) Sir, if you have a boyfriend and you are a guy, it means you’re gay!
    • (He didn’t get it—also laughing!)