Maria's European Adventure: June 2010

So it looks like there are going to be a lot of Sri Lanka posts. I have several other trips I need to post about as well, but I have to do everything in order. So here we go!

After the cave temples we drove to Sigiriya. I have to say that I was not so keen to climb to the top of a giant rock, but I am really glad I did. I was also hoodwinked into having a tour guide but he was really nice and was very sympathetic to my illness (though I think he may just have thought I was really out of shape).

This is Sigiriya as seen from the main entrance. Apparently it is the magma plug from a volcano that eroded away a very long time ago. There is a debate about Sigiriya's purpose. Some say it was an ancient fortress and others think it was only used for religious purposes. Either way it is really interesting.

The moat around the whole complex

The complex is covered in really elaborate and really old gardens. Apparently there were numerous swimming pools and fountains all around.

Lizard!

Me looking like a bastion of health and fitness (just wait for the photos of me at the top)

More of the gardens

The rock

There is a chameleon in this tree (though he is red and not really doing a good job of blending in)

And the 1,222 step climb begins. This rock formation amused me.

Scenery along the climb

The view during the climb (not too shabby)

Cave paintings found on the side of the rock.

Me, looking very close to death. And there is still lots of climbing left!

More view, this time with the gardens

The mirror wall. While still shiny today, it used to be super reflective back in the day and people would carve messages onto it. The carvings have proven to be really important in tracing the history and evolution of the Sinhala language.

I took a lot of pictures of the view, but who can blame me?

Sigiriya means lion's rock, which makes sense when you get almost to the top and see giant lion's paws. Apparently there was the whole body but battle/weather/time/whatever else eroded it away.

At this point I feel I should tell you how awful climbing this rock was. I am not unfit. But I was deathly ill and had only eaten four slices of toast in two days. I genuinely had to stop about every 10 steps to stop and catch my breath for at least double the time it took me to walk said 10 steps. My guide seemed very concerned at times. But I made it.

Almost to the top! And holy crow, how beautiful is that?

View from the top. If memory serves me correct most of what you see in this picture is a national protected forest.

I made it (barely).

Man, do I look sickly.

And now for a series of view shots

Seriously, how amazing is this?

Part of the ancient structure on the top of the rock.

Starting the descent

A much needed rest break (2 minutes after the previous one)

Cobra rock - because it looks like a cobra. Clever.

This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. After experiencing a lot of rain in Colombo and the Hill Country, it was nice to have proper sunshine and warmth (though the heat didn't really help my illness much). It was really amazing to see how this ancient site worked and the gardens and the whole thing.

And the saga continues...

We arrived in Dambulla that evening and checked into an okay guest house. Then I noticed the ants. Then I got horrific stomach/rib cramps. This was the worst food poisoning of my life - thanks fancy hotel in Colombo! I decided skipping dinner would be best for everyone, showered with the ants and then went to bed early once a large dose of tylenol helped the intense food poisoning pain subside.

In the morning I was feeling a bit better was but was still rather weak and didn't have much of an appetite. Again, I choked down a few slices of toast and we were off - for the most physical days of all my trip. Prefect given that I'd only really eaten 4 slices of toast in 48 hours.

First stop of the day was the Dambulla Cave Temples. It was only a 300 step climb to the caves which is not an easy feat when one is deathly ill and it is really warm out. But I made it, after several people stopped me to ask if I was okay. But it was most certainly worth the physical excretion to make it to the top.

The main entrance to the cave temples