A month through Sri Lanka and Maldives, December 2003

FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION TO READ ALL OUR DIARY AND ALL OF WHICH IS OUR UNDERSTANDING ...... WE DO A SHORT SUMMARY:
We traveled with Srilanka AIRLINES. FLIGHT OF THE PRICE WAS EVEN INCLUDING TRAFFICKING Colombo MALE 'AND IT BACK' WE HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY AND WE HAVE ORGANIZED A WEEK OF MALDIVES TO STAY LOOKING FOR A VILLAGE VIA INTERNET. WE HAVE IN Srilanka MOVED BY VARIOUS METHODS, BUS AND TRAIN TAXI VEHICLES TO THREE WHEELS ..... We slept in 4 ROOMS easy to DOLLARS BUT ALSO IN A FOUR-STAR HOTELS ... WE HAVE TRIED AND SEEN UN PO 'DI TUTTO!
Colombo HAS MUCH TO OFFER. CITIES 'OLD ARE WONDERFUL AND ESPECIALLY Mihintale Polonnaruwa. Sigiriya E 'ALSO VERY GOOD. Polonnaruwa VA ASSOLUTAMENTE Endorsement BICYCLE! Kandy MERITA ONE STEP (MAGARI TRAIN) BUT MORE LANDSCAPES 'BELLI IS TO ELLA AND ELIA Nuwar. The ADAM'S AND PICK 'FATICOSISSIMO BUT ALL THOSE PEOPLE (ALSO VERY OLD) S'ARRAMPICA THAT NIGHT ON A PATH THAT steep STEPS, FULLY LIT AND THOSE SOUNDS ....... And a memory that will remain 'IMPRESS IN MIND FOR DIFFERENT TIME.
THE PARK IF YOU ARE LUCKY YALA NELL'AVVISTARE ANIMALS AND HOW WE 'BEAUTIFUL BUT HALF DAY (morning) and' ENOUGH!
EUROPE ON THE COAST IS NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN 'monsoon period.
BEACHES OF SOUTH-WEST AND SOUTH OF THE AREA ARE VERY FINE, FOR EXAMPLE Tangalle, Unawatuna Mirissa E. Hikkaduwa AND 'THE LAST PLACE' TO NORTH WEST THAT Council ... DA LI 'THEN IN Colombo TO BEACHES are disappointing ...... NOT ONLY BUT ALSO HOW TO SEA AS GENUINA 'AND TRADITION (if you are curious of the details in any case you can read the diary at the bottom of this ..... and' a summary!)
AND SAY WHAT THE MALDIVES? SEA BELLISSIMO, restful ATOLL, MANY COLORED FISH ......... ALL PERFECT!

 

Departure and Travel

Friday
We get up at 5:00. At 7:30 the plane from Budapest to Frankfurt - Malev flight. In Frankfurt waiting for 5 hours at the airport. There are beds to sleep. Pity that we did not even sleep. To pass the time watching those who clean the windows ... a real company! They must have hired expert climbers since the windows are at the airport at least 30 meters high! Then we drink some 'beer "of Germany "...... with taste of sausage. I believe in order to get there and I see two white sausage floating in a cup of boiling water. Regarding Giampaolo are they wrong order (and excuse), but ..... bring the sausage that I wanted to eat me! But if he keeps them! At 13:30 we board. The plane and 'beautiful. Ultramodern. In addition to TV, radio, telephone and video games, there are even cameras forward and below the plane. From the front the camera off and vision of 'exceptional! It 'like being seated next to the pilot. The service of Srilanka Airlines and 'excellent. The plane then and 'almost empty, therefore we can also relax to sleep ... even if they do not sleep much! We arrive in Colombo at 5:00 local, 6 December 2003-Saturday

Colombo - Anuradhapura

Saturday
Passport control quite fast, less baggage. Rather, the luggage is not delivered at all! Remained in Frankfurt! After compiling the various modules we ensure that we deliver the backpacks, when they arrive wherever we are. Make a copy of my travel plans. Then we deliver a Voucher to be presented at the bank. Receive some money for necessary purchases at the moment. Wow! Well give us 189 dollars! Save even more in the luggage room for the day. What do you want more from life ?...... After the usual cash withdrawals at local ATMs at the airport you take the "good Taxi" to a special stop (920 Rupees) and is going to Columbus!
Are now almost 8:00. Traffic and 'immense. The chaotic movement. To get to Colombo will take over an hour! Station Forth do the tickets for seat reservation Anuradhapura sull'Intercity Express, we are told, part 16:30 (...... was strange to me at 15:50) but there 'also written on ticket! We will venture on foot through streets of Pettah, the old shopping center (say, the market) of Columbus. It 's not interesting how the district or the Chinese market Saturday in Bangkok, however, and' quite picturesque ... We buy two bags of plastic to put in the various sweaters, gloves, etc.. We do not need and weigh on him! It is hot and we start to get even sleep! We decide to take a Three Wheels that for Rs 500 (around $ 5) leads us around a couple of hours. We see among other things, the Hindu Temple of Jewelers of the street (where a guy insists on us touch his snake .... with my daughter who screams with fear and escape ... and a lot more relaxed on the temple in the district of Cinnamon. And 'the Temple of Malakaya.
End up in a shopping mall for something to drink. It 'incredible but we have not seen a bar in the street in two hours that turn. We talk about between a drink and a beer. Colombo we do not like, and 'a set of chaotic and dirty alleys in the middle of modern buildings and mega shopping centers. There are neighborhoods that seem to belong only to foreigners or those who work with foreigners and others just filled with poor people. Remember a city of south america more than Asia. But I've never seen India ....
At noon we are lead by another three wheels at the Grand Oriental Hotel. Choose its top floor restaurant. View of the harbor. The restaurant is' very special. It has old-style colonial elegance English and personal, 'dressed in white with bands of blue silk. Eat! There 'a huge buffet. The prawns are piccantissimi! First impact with the kitchen "spicy" in Srilanka. At the end of the lavish meal tasted Arrak! (A distillate derived from the manufacture of coconut) that will accompany us throughout our. trip.
We have a crazy sleep. We go along the seafront and there sleeping on the benches while our children play on the beach. The young Sri Lankans go on with their bagnasciuga girls: chatting, laughing, water entering clothes. Today and 'Saturday! It's' the sun! (NDR: E 'the first time in ns. Travel will arrive at your destination and it does not rain!)
Around 16:00 we move to the station. After a moment of panic because 'people tell us that the train to Anuradhapura and' already started (with me and shout "I told you that I was there at 15:50 !!!") calmed perche 'instead train c 'e', and arrives back on track 7! E 'certo. Less certain and 'coach booked because' we have the 'E' and the train has the BCD and F. ........... E? ... We sit in the wagon F but are immediately to claim the seats ...... It is discovered that the wagon and there 'but' in the lead, before the "A". A young man explains to me in perfect English that is not 'said that letters should be sequentially, if you think well who said this? Who said that the trains should be the letters in alphabetical sequence? 16:30 split Intercity Express train (also equipped with ceiling fans) part! It begins l 'adventure ... the train makes an incredible noise and waves so dreadful then, the speed starts to jump Carlotta ... and I laugh like crazy .... Giampaolo warn not to put his arm out the window because' it could suddenly cadergli him (I read that 'success to a traveler ... and that is' broken finger). Where is joining the wagons Meanwhile, the plates that serve as a jumping passatoie more I can not even raising 50-60 cm. of each other! The view, however, and 'beautiful lakes, hills, endless stretches of rice paddies and jungle, then again rivers, rice fields and jungle. We also shot a scene traveler who is hit by a stone in the head ......... Rescue and medicated triggered panic among the passengers, therefore all passengers agree to close - not so much the windows - but controfinestre iron fitted with slits for passing the air. I wonder why 'we are? Perhaps often throw stones? However jackets' us off the scene ...... we are dedicated to observe the interior of the train. Passengers are gentili with us ... we also offer the best small peanuts or roasted chickpeas. They are all well dressed and speak good English. they're going on holiday. We are the only tourists on board, or at least not in Asia! precise arrive at 20:30 to Anuradhapura! (and who said that the media in Srilanka are not on time!)
Here we are taking this classic Three wheels mandate from Shalini. And I ask "... and if we had had the baggage?" I did not know yet that a three-wheeled in Srilanka may well lead to two children, two adults and four backpacks .. well as various hand luggage .... Hotel Shalini and 'clean cozy. We have a huge room with five beds (two bedrooms + one ... that would be useful to support us luggage if there were!). Dinner with rice and curry (good compared to say those eaten later .....) until 23:00 and then we go to bed. First night in a bed in Srilanka .. after 37 hours that we had the pleasure of a tap!

Anuradhapura

Sunday
Alarm prestissimo us at least two adults ... so that we have the opportunity to steal the camera with the image of our "micetti" deeply sleeping under the mosquito net (which would not help either ...). Breakfast. Bike rental and Departure for the visit of Anuradhapura. C'e 'il sole. The sacred city of Anuradhapura and 'immense. We decide to start from further up and falling back. It begins from the site of Moonstone and gradually across Dagoba more 'or less old you reach the Tree of Bodhi. Today and 'Sunday and days of pilgrimage. There 'a lot of people carrying the offerings, all barefoot, all elegant, women wrapped in their multicolored sari with children by the hand, monkeys that steal the affamatissime merenda small faithful ..... Here we find that apart from the requirement to remove shoes and hats, you can enter the holy places in theory discovery belly but you must have your back and legs covered. Since I wear a sleeveless shirt I make him put a sari! For trousers non c'e 'problema jackets' we still wearing a winter. After a disastrous fall in the bike out, you go to lunch at the Rest House near the tank Tissaweva. It 'very typical, old style with lots of green spaces. Cleaning pero 'e' to our much better. family-run pension. The last step, and 'the Vihara Isurumuniya of the third century BC, where and' kept the famous sculpture of lovers. Returning to the hotel we stopped to buy a spare shirt and shorts for Carlotta light .... E 'il minimo! Purchase useless anyway because 'during our night will come. luggage. Dinner once again excellent, Arrak and exchanges of views on the day. I realize that we started only from Friday and we have already seen so many things .......

Mihintale - Pollonaruva

Monday '
After breakfast we went to Mihintale with Three Wheels, which is the ns. preferred means of transport! Mihintale and 'beautiful, ancient sacred city nestled in the jungle and built on a hill top in the' you come across hundreds and hundreds of steps carved into the rock, but not steep. Many poliomielitici asking for alms for the stairs. We are not prepared and we have no coins of small denominations. We are obliged to pretend to nothing and we are sorry. We will organize tomorrow! Continuing in the middle of the jungle and the monkeys at various times and the ruins of monasteries, it is up to the great place for meditation, place on top 'most' top of the mountain. A "pseudo guide" who speaks Italian and that was' stuck in Giampaolo follows us throughout the course and fail to "get rid" only when we start to back down after having to shell out some money also that if only we perche 'helped Carlotta in a difficult stretch! Falling across the mountains from the great Dagoba built on the hill opposite. The scenery from there 'and' beautiful.
It is part of our hotel. Three wheels makes us go for a road along the tank, very panoramic. Thank you. Quick lunch with Club Sandwich, and then you go (with the three wheels) to the bus station ...... this time we also have backpacks and discover that there are miraculous! At the station there 'a lot of people, but there are also many buses. Today and 'day of Full Moon Poya or. E 'festa. Day devoted to prayer (poya appunto). There are four comfortable seats for the driver Polonnaruwa. Backpacks them closely linked to the driving. We are still the only tourists, but really we have seen very few even to Anuradhapura and Mihintale ... The path and 'scenic and quiet. The driver and 'conservative. Travel and 'nice (even here there are the ceiling fans!) And there are also players with an improvised "tambourines". We also stopped at a place of refreshment. After exactly 4 hours (continued to amaze the punctuality 'because' we were not prepared to ...) we arrive at Polonnaruwa. The backpacks are linked so 'that we can not decouple ... We work in three! One of these characters will be 'a meeting the applicant in the next few days ..... Take the "mythical" Three Wheels and we are lead to SuduAralyia. Here we had booked via the Internet, in a beautiful place with a pool, along the tank south of Polonnaruwa. The hotel 'actually quite nice and has a pool and a beautiful garden by the lake, room for four and a' huge, with fridge, A / C (which I also hate) television, etc etc. It 'also very clean! And all for 88 USD per day (around 72 euros) including dinner and breakfast for the whole family! Bath in the pool, welcome cocktail .... Dinner a la carte ..., usually Arrak digester and nanna. (after washing of almost all dresses Carlotta because 'all the shampoon was poured in his backpack).

Pollonaruwa

Tuesday '
After breakfast (at 7:30) will bring the bikes that we had ordered the night before. And here we meet the ladies of the day before. E 'l'uomo bikes! It makes its way to the first ruins of Pollonaruwa (those in the far south). Here is' the statue of the king of Pollonaruwa with a book in his hand? Or with a piece of Papaya ... We move then to the north. The road that runs along the edge of the tank and 'beautiful, there are women washing clothes, fishing husbands and children who are around you. Give to children un po 'di biro pens that we brought from Europe on the advice of a friend. Meet the man of the bicycles. European tourists are still not vedersene. To think that I have booked hotels here in the area because of old cities' crowding imagined .... Let's make a couple of photos at the beautiful landscape and then we continue our. travel by bike to the most 'in the north. The last meters uphill walk them do. Che caldo!. The temple of the images and 'beautiful. Worth getting up quassù '. Beautiful temple in the middle of the jungle with many sculptures and carvings. There are also thousands of dwarves carved around the entire perimeter that the Lonely Planet calls "skip that." We observe long .... sure to give us your sense of static! Points of view? You step down by the various points of interest, Great Vihara, Shiva Temple, quadrangle, the royal palace. Polonnaruwa is not 'a city as' old as Anuradhapura perche' e 'was built between 1000 and 1200, ma e' bellissima. To 14:00 and we end the visit after the last photo on the pool wonderful re-shaped (actually served as a cistern for water). It eats at the Rest House.
Even them 'out there' the man of bicycles .... E 'everywhere! Then you enter the hotel. At the entrance of those reviews? Man of the bicycles. There is a offertaccia: 2000 Rupees for tomorrow, we would drive to Sigiriya via Dambulla. Pricing and 'very good (probably because' we have to get there by bus ...) and then accept. Dip in the pool and sunset over the lake. Dinner. Nanna.

Dambulla-Sigirya

Wednesday '
8:30 am after breakfast (I always based curry ...) is part. The car with driver contracted yesterday leads us through a beautiful landscape to Dambulla. Li 'our climb 532 steps (I counted them and Carlotta!) To go to see the cave temples. Five caves, each with its own history, each linked to a different era. The old frescoes on the rock faces are fantastic. The arcade that runs down the side of the mountain where the caves are opened, it resembles that of our own house .....( so beautiful!). There are a bunch of monkeys. Here we learn ns. despite one of the rituals of Buddhism. Virtually while Carlotta and I were trying to photograph (with the phone) with a nice monkey grabbed his neck piccolino ....... Enormous burst of noise and splash back of liquid on him ... tremendous fear ...... You know what? When a believer has a lot of problems go to the temple, take a coconut, two coconut trees ... depends on how many problems have, and I hope you throw breaking. If the coconut is broken if the problem goes away along with the liquid that comes out (hopefully it is not attacked us ....).
Around 12.30 we arrive at the Rest House Sigiryia, room with three beds booked via Internet - 33 Usd including dinner and breakfast without air conditioning. With the air conditioning was 42 Usd. Since I hate the air conditioner because my son said 'spend $ 9 more'? And now we learn something quite common in Srilanka: Room A / C does not mean that only the A / C but usually e 'anche molto piu' bella. In fact when we do see the room we impressionism ... Scrostate walls and dirty, just three beds placed in the middle of the room, bathroom in need of urgent renovation works ..... "Go well '- we say - for a night we adapt ...." Meanwhile Matthew arrives and says "... mammaaaa looks that the other side there are beautiful rooms." Let's see ... indeed beautiful, with tents, tents of red velvet, mini bar, modern bathroom, tasteful bedspreads, paintings on the walls .. I go to reception and ask ... sorry ... those rooms? Ah .. says .. those are air conditioned, you have booked one without. Sorry but yes, apart from the air conditioning are also a whole different thing ... that is, an abyss ... We do a lot of laughter and then for 9 usd difference change room to the delight of all!
Lunch, I would say very well, then we leave for the ascent to the fortress. Out of the resthouse convince us to take a three-wheeler to go to arguing that the path of which I was not aware existed, and that there was more 'of one km to go on foot ... (this is not true because 'the return we made on foot and we saw where he was also the path !).......
We enter from the water gardens of the King, with swimming pools, flower beds placed on different levels, staircases carved into the ancient rock. From there 'will begin to rise, I have about 1500 steps or more' to get on top but not 'very tiring and it is particularly fascinating. Through narrow paths, walls and tunnels, frescoes and inscriptions we reach the platform from which the final scale (this time in iron), which climbs the mountain on the coast. Here, guys ..... I had to overcome my sense of vertigo ... and after they climb up on top of Sigiryia no more I can 'afford to tell that I suffer from vertigo .......
The view, however, pays any hesitation. It is not 'just a landscape, and' a sense of deep peace that envelops you. Among the remains of the royal palace perched at 200 mt, with its gardens, and even here the inevitable "pool" that after more than 1500 years collecting the water yet ... and where to paddle in even the fish .... Do not get surprised to see Kasypa comes out from behind a corner.
The beautiful evening dinner, we inform you on the departure station (say every half hour) we drained a nice bottle of arrak to recover the forces (and 'was a day full of steps and go to ....) nanna, after the last ice-cream scorpacciata by Matthew (8 cups!)

Sigirya-Negombo

Thursday '
Hours 6:30 alarm. Quick breakfast. Payment of the account. It expects the bus. The réceptioniste us last stracciatissima proposal (yesterday we had already 'rejected two respectively at 5000 and 4000 rupees ...):
3200 rupees to bring us up to Negombo (minimum 4 hours ...). Quickly evaluate the fact that the bus we'll at least seven ... (with two changes and having to move from Columbus) and then accept!
12:30 Indeed we are already 'in Negombo in ns. Hotel "All Inclusive", full of most Germans' or not so young ... ie practically the hotel seems to be the destination of the trips for the elderly ... little male c'e 'gymnastics in the pool .... The beach of Negombo and 'as any ocean beach, sand, wave with the water cloudy enough. Let the sun all day for not getting to the Maldives tomorrow with tanning cyclist that we are all! Eat drink ... 16:30 Giampaolo and I decide to go and see the channels near the Dutch port .. Try renting a bicycle but are not calling here and there are now a family that we "rent" her. My 'acceptable to Giampaolo a disaster ..... But 'we need to get to the ... News Media 5 km .... Pant pant ... Armed with camera and video camera (with strictly low battery ...) shoot the fish market ... a huge square, sporchissima, full of blacks and corvacci cows ... with all the fish to dry and fishermen to remittances networks. A olezzo .... but the beautiful colors! We pass in front of the old fort and Dutch reach channels. They are beautiful and arrived just in time to capture the sunset! Shame that the battery of my camera is over ... Giampaolo still makes beautiful pictures. Then at the end of a film during the last drag is felt that the film is broken ... "S'e 'rrott'..!". Return to the hotel looking for a photographer who is a dark room ... but nothing ... goes well, '... will test tomorrow morning. After dinner (the buffet was not bad at all) is to find Chris, a friend of a ns. Hungarian acquaintance who worked in Srilanka few years ago. He and 'Sri Lankan. Very nice, chatted throughout the evening, we promise that we will reserve tickets for the train panoramico Kandy (which we are not able to do because 'you can' book no more 'than 3 days. Before). When we return from Maldives them will 'be! Towards midnight we go to bed ... and here is the scene fantozziana. Myself, to kill the insect spotted on the ceiling by Matthew, in an unconscious raptus pushes his hand through the blades of the fan in motion by making an evil dog .... The insect you save !!... less hand ...

Negombo - Malé

Friday '
Good time at a three-wheeler go looking for a photographer ... but it 'so good now that are still closed. Expect. Settled the matter of the film (which was actually broken), we returned to hotel and breakfast. We leave the room until 16:00. Well, so 'we can go to the airport be made after a nice shower.
Sollazzo day at the beach. Lunch. Then he plays a little 'to' mongalizza "in waves, and luggage out! (NDR mongalizza and 'a kind of pork curl Hungarian)
The plane to Male 'and' at 19:20 and told us to go to the airport 3 hours before! It seems to me too but since we must first go to the offices of Srilanka Airlines to see you move the return tickets (we return to 6:00 am on January 1, ....) depart at 16:00 from the hotel. Waiting lists on which we are on 4 January is always in "waiting".
We do check-in and then touring around the airport ... Who knows why 'call three hours before?! Next we only 2 hours before!
Arrive in Male 'at 19:45 local time. At the airport we meet someone from the village of Halaveli that tells us to be the next morning at 6:50 at the airport .... I tell him that we had to call Mr. Solih, he tells me that Mr. Solih and 'party ... However we decide to avoid misunderstandings of the same phone to Mr. Solih just arrived at the hotel. We take the boat taxi to the center of Male 'and then, backpacks on their shoulders are going to walk to the ns. hotel booking via the Internet, not 'distant. Meanwhile Giampaolo complains about how all the other tourists left with super luxury boats ....?!?
It arrives at the residence Buruneege where, after waiting half an hour .... there is the awful surprise that the suite with red curtains and four beds booked on the Internet is not 'just a bad squalid room with two beds, no windows, which opens onto a dining room ... This is a 65usd? I am very angry indeed more '. At that point, I do talk on the phone with the "manager" who asks me what I am prepared to pay ..... Not even a penny! There we go .... After several attempts to find 70 usd a beautiful room with three beds at Kam (think he was right in front of the wharf where we stood with the taxi-boat ... ah ah ah ...). Comunichiamo the village (which confirms that Mr. Solih e 'in Srilanka) that we are a new hotel ... They say that we are to take tomorrow morning at 8:30 to take us to the airport. OK!
After a short shower we look at the city of Male '. Giampaolo that there was 30 years ago found this completely changed. Indeed looks like a modern city, well kept, clean and organized. We drink a nice bottle of sparkling wine (strictly non-alcoholic) in a Barettini where Matthew and Charlotte compete for huge ice cream (not without consequences ...)! Then we move towards the hotel, passing in front of a hotel in the holiday sights of a Muslim marriage .... that elegance! In ns. hotel's' pool but also the return we have more 'desire to take a bath and then' ridiculous take the first bath in the pool in the Maldives in Male ', no?

Malé - Halaveli

Saturday
8:30 am responsible for a precise ns. come take a village .... A walk takes us to the pier, puts us on a boat-taxi (which pay us) going to the airport and says that 'we will find another charge ... Well ..... could the trouble to phone and tell us we would have arranged for themselves .... However, we arrive at the terminal of seaplanes and ... wait, give us the e caffe'.... And we wait ... at 10:30 it does load on a seaplane beautiful red, which is a wonderful effect on the blue sea ... Experience dell'idrovolante e 'eccezionale. Pilots are in shorts and without shoes. The landscape and 'breathtaking. Two milestones in two other atolls, we arrive on the platform of Halaveli. But 'do not see anyone. The village looks beautiful from there '... but how do we get? After ten minutes of waiting the master dell'idrovolante contract which clearly could not abandon the platform, sfodera his mobile phone that has an immediate effect. After two minutes we get some Maldivians are running on the pier, jump on the boat li 'berth and depart to reach us !!!... Perhaps we have not seen arriving ... pero 'e' is not strange that we have "heard" because 'in the quiet of the Maldives seaplane that lands does not pass unnoticed! Welcome cocktail, formalita 'different then accompany us in the room, beautiful, spacious, with a beautiful Latvian and two comfortable beds, a beautiful veranda and the tap to clean the feet before entering ... two meters from the sea ........ Organized the room and the closets we have a swim and then we go to eat ... Italians are all ........ but look ...... and 'a village of Great Travel .. meglio cosi 'magari Matthew and Charlotte make friends. Negative there 'even a child! Today and 'Saturday. We have 8 days to go here.

Maldives. 14th to 21st December

Let your stay in Maldives: sea, wonderful time, lovely village, beautiful beaches (both for swimming and for snorkelling), good food. During the week they arrived in Italy for other children in our. children have enjoyed very much .... We hand after five days we started to get bored a little'...... apart from a couple of exits snorkelling, "endless" rounds of either on foot or by canoe, appointment of the seven in the evening on the pier to see manta rays and sharks that come ashore to eat this' casting their tourists ... With a lot of books read and a 'photo shoot, suntanned as Africans, all around us flowed slow and pleasant except ....:
During a quiet evening, and took the drink, get two pairs that do not hardly ever sat in ns. table and tell us we can sit here with you? But certoooooo! And Caspar, I begin to tell you have found enormous spiders in the room (which is in one another), big and hairy blacks and jump that well. Mannaggia to them ... mica could not talk to someone else? I that the only "beast" and I hate that 'the spider ... then jumping ...?! After the first two nights to observe the room from top to bottom, to seal the door to the bathroom and to spray insecticides, I decided that we could not enter! Chapter closed. Indeed we have seen. There is always the doubt that they were really spiders ... not 'that the case had crabs?

Halaveli - Malé - Colombo - Kandy

Sunday
After paying a frightening series of extras (in two shots .... one last night and this morning ... because 'perhaps ashamed to pay us all together) lead at 7:30 on the platform from which we came, where expect that the seaplane, punctual to arrive (thank goodness because 'within an hour and a half we have our. flew to Columbus!)
The plane for Columbus gela ..... c'e 'l'air conditioning at most ... are all with heavy jackets ... lucky because they are 'arriving from Zurich and we have at hand ....... Punctual to go to Colombo, the hours are 11:50 a.m.. We try to call Chris, our. Sri Lankan friend who among other things having to recover the tickets for Kandy. We had to go to lunch together. Can not 'come to dinner with us unfortunately. Has a relative in hospital but 'make' a quick trip to the restaurant to give us tickets. Really nice! After a brief visit to the offices of Srilanka Airlines for ns. waiting lists ... (unnecessarily again) ripasso Taxi from the bench where two weeks ago sold the coupons to the center of Colombo to 920 Rupees .. We are told that the taxi desk is not working for foreigners ... but protesto .. and two weeks ago? We say NO ... Goes well, 'sometimes things change. Leave out. There are taxis for foreigners! 1500 rs. Begin to discuss ... ma perche 'se 2 weeks ago I paid 920 will now have to pay in 1500? In the end we give for 1000! We decide to go eat all'Oriental Hotel, on the other hand, landscape and 'great and we eat well ...
Chris reaches us and gives us the tickets. We insist to pay but said that 'a gift of welcome in his country. Abuwayan! At 15:15 we go to the station. The train departs at 15:35. It 'Sunday, menomale we booked ..... The ns. carrozza and 'pan so that there can be' wrong and 'last! You travel seated in the opposite direction and the final part of the train consists of a large window! This time there are two pairs of foreign tourists besides us! The train travels as the other. Waves and skipping ... but now we have become accustomed. I make friends and chat a little 'with a Sri Lankan lady. E 'in Kandy, speaks good English, which came today and' Sunday in Colombo to take a ride with their 5 children, all boys! Carlotta arouses my curiosity ', so' blonde ... Entering into the hills the landscape is truly beautiful, waterfalls, mountains and jungle jungle jungle ... Every now and some upland rice grown in and then jungle. The tracks here also serves as a pedestrian street, but when the train arrives everyone forward in the jungle ..... and then re-emerging .. come from nothing. E 'beautiful view from this position, the swarming of people just past the train to reappear on the track and dozens in a row.
18:00 arrive in Kandy. I booked by phone at the Queens (I had chosen another family-run, but there 'was to find the spot). Upon arrival, the hotel is very good. Beautiful colonial building in the heart of Kandy, a stone's throw from the temple of the tooth, and the lake. The lobby very impressive. Staff friendly. Give us the rooms. Bruttina but especially dirty ... Here too the problem and 'the air conditioner? No, we do see more ... all equal. The description certainly does not match that of the Lonely Planet, with the old bedspreads?!. However we install in ns. two adjacent rooms and the baggage system. Discarding all even because 'we stay here three nights! Then I go to call the service plans and ask him kindly to clean .... why 'the disgusting bathroom, tiles ... the flushing of water loses ... also the nursery. And under the beds' filled with "cats" ... those of the powder for luck. Meanwhile, we go for a drink. The story that the cleaning and 'my son Matthew:
"They came in two in a room with a dirty rag and ruined as the one with which we clean the dog. One and 'went into the bathroom with a rag, wet it a little' and he then banged on the floor with one leg e 'skipped over and the seeds wet rag and' out of the dirt so that instead of cleaning, the bathroom was' dirtied a little more '. Then without even rinsing the rag and' left the bathroom and gave all 'but gliel'ha asked. What I had not more' the rag began to kick the bed to move it as' the other was clean with his rag (dirty) floor. Then I went the other side of bed and from there 'have pushed the foot back to a place. and then' hit the bedside table, one has turned up and then spring to the earth as' one of the glasses and 'fallen ..... Then they changed the towels and went away. "
In the evening we decide to try a small local restaurant where we ate with a few U.S. dollars .. But all of them have given me perche 'non e' liked! Moreover you can not 'organize everything perfect in two hours ....

Kandy

Monday '
Queens say breakfast is outstanding! Certainly repays the level of the rooms ... so we decide to dine here in the evening. The restaurant inspires us! It now goes to the Temple of the Tooth in the right time to visit all the prayer halls, the museum dell'elefante, etc.. reserving the main temple to 10:30 am when the signal is given for the beginning of the prayer to the sound of the drum! These are the players of drums Kandy. Also witnessing a ceremony that seems to remember but a baptism and 'behind closed doors. Going to attend the opening of the door where and 'kept the tooth. One sees the golden casket. The sounds. Here are the sounds impressed. The drums in the background (playing incessantly for an hour, the prayers that rise from the melodious chorus of the faithful piled along the stairs and everywhere there is.
Even the scents remain impressed, shame they are not in any way "canning." After photos of the elephant with routine to guard the temple, we go to visit the Hindu temples minors. Then visit the museum of Kandy, where trying to sell us tickets for the show dances held at the center of culture ... We, because of my mistrust, not buy them .... At us board another character who tries to turn and urged them to sell tickets ... We go directly to the cultural center. Li 'buy tickets ... but - in all cases - a committed crafts center that is located inside. We also reserve the posts marking the site. names on the chairs? The prices are the same everywhere. We have not understood exactly how the sale of tickets .. but we have. Li 'also buy the most' beautiful oggettini craft that we have so far seen around. Shame that we still have many days of "backpack" in front of us so we must give up things more 'bulky. A brass engraver creates when an elephant in Charlotte with his name engraved. Success. Him to order three more in the evenings to give to friends. Lunch them 'the cultural center: there is' a very nice restaurant. Do not serve alcohol at lunch but you can 'avoid. In the afternoon continue the scenic ride to Kandy with a three-wheeler. Let the station to book the train to Nuwara Elia and Ella for days ..... There is no 'place! They say we can risk ... but to travel by foot for hours to enjoy the panorama of the area of the mountains and 'absurd. We will have to give us a taxi. Telephone to a guy known the night before nell'osteria. He had proposed to accompany us to Pinnewala see elephants tomorrow for 2,000 rupees. Confirm the appointment, then we will discuss with him the charge for the day. thereafter. Meet 8:30 at Queens. Aandi to buy a bottle of shampoo so 'we visit the shopping district of Kandy, I mean the area where they live, where we are their shops, their restaurants, etc.. Let Srilanka by airlines but still no news .... Indeed tell us that, however, the waiting list of 4 via Frankfurt is not 'valid because' as the ns. ticket 'via Paris, you can just change the date but not the path! (good news !!!......) We put on the list in Paris but who knows now not jump 'out of place ... not even a Pause to look in a shop Batik, silk, sari, etc. .. The prices seem quite high ... ma? We have yet to compare. E 'already late and we run the show. We arrive at the cultural center ... i ns. places "reserved" with a band bearing the ns. name are still there '! Perfect. The dancers of Kandy are good but the show after a little 'tired ... (There are also tourists who sleep ...) It gets to the end where there are those who walk on burning coals, and eat fire. Something to shoot! .... But the usual battery plant in my ace! Finished the show go back to the hotel for dinner. While men go up in a moment bedroom Carlotta and I c'intrufoliamo in a covered market, just opposite the hotel, which sells shoes, clothing, sari, tablecloth, thirsty ....... of everything and a short drive. Immediately we notice that the same shirt in the store today here liked to Giampaolo third coast! Do not even buy anything because 'is about to close but we intend to come back tomorrow night! There are also the batik! Dinner with wine excellent Sri Lankan!.

Kandy

Tuesday '
Un'abbondantissima After breakfast this morning in my case was based piccantissimo kind of curry with noodles shaped nests (the buffet and the Queens' own excellent!) At 8:30 we are to take our. driver and leaving for Pinnewala, where the elephant orphanage. We had planned a stop since 'The Lonely Planet gave no news of pensions and hotels ... Instead there are dozens! Even restaurants with terrace directly on the river where they bathe the elephants ninety children and adults. There is a poor without a leg .... Matthew is very angry because 'another elephant (Bad!) Or pushes and he falls. He struggled to get up ... We bought the tickets but that 'in theory to see only bathing the elephants was not .... Control them just across the street where there is a real school ... we are going to visit, but while all the elephants are the bathroom and above there is absolutely nothing to see. Only a few elephant, also bound with chains that he pretends to work. After the visit and returning to Kandy we do stop for a moment about 3 km. There is another school for elephants (the Millennium Elephant Foundation) where you can 'even do a walk over .. Expensive! Take an elephant just go in there and I and three children .... Comes the elephant, to bring a cuscinone in croup and we are getting ... fear ... After that we went to Thailand was the scaffold with the seats .... It goes well'.... We hope decides to descend Jun 'to the river .... Twenty minutes stroll in the countryside and return. The guy of offers to do the photos .... It was not even a ... Patience! After ns. driver insisted we see a garden of spices. Carlotta and I drowned it with laughter because 'the boy who was driving by I do not know whether out of shyness or other, every time I ended a sentence was a giggle "hi hi hi hi". And this for the whole lap. The tour is free but we offer to purchase different oils and ointments ... the same people who stand at any cost Sri Lankan quarter. Do not buy anything we leave a small tip.
The ns. autista out because there is no 'rubber has a laundry and went to change it .... Waiting under the sun. It does not rain here ever since December 6, we have not yet seen a drop of rain .... We enter a shop and discover the delicious chocolate Sri Lankan ... will buy a few packages. Meanwhile our reach. driver and brings us into a restaurant alas he chose this time .... Sin. Eat fast and we move towards Kandy. Stop at the Botanical Gardens. Not to be missed.
At five we return to the hotel and begin bargaining with the ns. autista so 'bring us the next three days from Kandy to Dalohise by Dalohise to Nuwara Elia and finally by a Tissamaharama Nuwara Elia (Yala Park) from Ella. Between a beer and give us a arrak for $ 100 all inclusive! (80 euros). Handshake and appointment for the next morning at 9:00! Colossal quarreled with the reception that I had prayed in the morning to give me an urgent fax (always in the history of the aircraft) and not me you did so because 'cost two dollars and 80 cents and did not know if I'd agree. Me he does now! Then it goes to market and make purchases. Matthew found a shirt like "Horses" beautiful .. $ 2. Giampaolo will buy two or three ... I would not buy anything (the eternal undecided ...). Then some batik ... a jar of balm.
Dinner at hotel all'orientale ever. Giampaolo evening and I do walking in the city. We buy a bottle of Arrak from us on the road and chocolates (the good ones!). Then nanna.

Kandy - Dalhoise (Adam's peak)

Wednesday '
After yet another disappointment at the offices of Srilanka Airlines ... go!
After a few meters the driver stops the car down the road crosses kneels before a small temple and pray. Sara 'a bad sign? Then comes the ns. travel through the hills. It is a little 'nuvolo but we can not complain.
The restaurant today pero 'lo I choose from my Lonely Planet. A Dickoya, and do well because 'it is great. The Upper Glenclairn and 'a palace of the early 900, with windows and terraced garden. It has a wonderful view on the lakes and 'full of flowers. In addition 'we also ate well and spent virtually nothing. After lunch we continue and we reach Dalhoise. Li 'I booked the Green House. Two rooms for $ 4 each. There are 200 meters on foot with backpacks on their shoulders because 'the Green House is located on top of everything else, with terraces to "palafitte" and a final steep steep ladder full of flowers and plants ... so 'we train for this night! We are here because 'we do tonight climbing all'Adam's Pick! The driver after a discussion with the owner because 'he does not sleep he goes. It seems that here in Srilanka have all the beds free for the drivers that accompany the tourists) but the lady of the Green House had rented the sofa entry for the night .. SO'...... We take possession of our. Rooms are simple but nice, the lady offers us tea, we enjoy a little ', landscape, then take a walk in the country. ...
They're getting so many faithful, some with blankets, others armed with heavy woolen caps, others with backpacks and sleeping bags ... very few tourists. Some believers are bathing in the river. It is the rite, purify it before the pilgrimage. It is so 'beautiful. You begin to hear sounds. The sounds of Srilanka.
We do a tour of the stalls for men and women separately, we need to buy some gifts for Christmas to exchange each other tomorrow night but .... We have chosen the right place! Here are just stalls for the locals .... Headset ... dolls ... benefit for children ..... costume jewelry ..... Carlotta and I retrieve a necklace for Matthew and a strap of cotton crochet worked in that you can 'adapt to reggi-glasses Giampaolo. Even if you can not 'do better.
We return to the rest house for dinner. E li 'surprise! As dinner comes the daughter of the owner dressed as a Santa Claus with gifts for all ... too good! The owner must be a really smart person. It is the Women's Marketing Dalhoise ... Dinner for most of our components. family (excluding myself) is inedible as it is pungent and spicy. Giampaolo butta giu 'something and the children do make eggs. The lady is concerned ... was not good? No no .. - You regret even in these cases ... do not know what to say because 'the spicy for them is like the parmesan for us ... without the pasta is not so 'good!
Around 10:30 am we go to bed.

Climb to ADAM'S PEAK - Nuwara Elia

Thursday CHRISTMAS
Alarm at 1:30! Starting at 2:00 .... In the end we start to 2:15 because 'there is the snack you have prepared the lady of the board and hot biscuits!
We then head down the path ..... and walk ... walk ..... thing to laugh every time I get text messages ... Indeed, it is Christmas Eve and Italy and Hungary-where we live - is 9:00 pm. Make the best wishes from us and now we are almost a struggling ... But the greatest difficulty comes after the first hour and a half ... Things would not believe at some point it seems that not make it more '. Then you look around in the midst of all this crowd of pilgrims, children, old people, sick people ... ce they do, but scarcely able to do. So go ahead. Every time you stop in one of the many halls, drink the ... you rest .... Then after a while 'also quit drinking tea because' you pee escapes and toilets are scarce on the road ............
4:30 a wild boar at full speed at times overwhelms me and Charlotte! And this raises the hilarity 'of many. At 4:45 we can not go more'!!!... The staircase is always more 'steep and the steps more and more' high! Not to mention even the most 'of us. Carlotta only have the strength to run .... and sings well! At one point we meet a couple of Italians ..... MERRY CHRISTMAS !!... I ask them if they know what is yet .... I am incredulous look then you say: if we had already 'been there would have certainly met here .... At five and something we come to the stairs where there are railings! CHE BELLO! I confess that for them 'on, I climb to the force of arms (the legs do not feel more'...).
At 5:45 we arrive at the top all'Adam's Pick (2200 mt.)! The footprint of Adam or the Buddha or to whom it is strictly covered by fabric, silk cushions. So no one sees. Give us a bid and make us kneel to sull'orma ... Goes well, '... preghierina .... The sounds are not very attractive quassù'.... There is this entry all'altoparlante communicates a lot of incomprehensible things, covering the songs and prayers ... After a brief tour around the sanctuary (there is not much to see) we head up a side staircase that leads to a small terrace. We want to see the dawn. Carlotta, who has done everything in its path without any problem jumping right in when the sun is about to head to urge a visit to the toilet ... so ', in the midst of the crowd we are pressed hard on the road to look for toilets that are (obviously) on the opposite side of the shrine .... Let us return to the race just to film the sunrise! After the sunrise all moving across the mountain from where you can 'see the shadow of the mountain itself projected on low clouds. I read something on the Lonely Planet about the butterflies that go on the Peak of Adam to die but I did not imagine that they were so 'many ... beautiful colors ... .
There are some 'slide .... Then he begins to fall! And if we go up we have 3 ½ hours it takes to go down more 'than 4! (Me and Matthew almost five) ... We come to look with envy those who go ...
The knees do not hold up .... Bhe ... pass.
Arrived at Mrs. Green House is proposing a hot bath with herbs that we now accept ...
Before I go and Carlotta. In a bathroom quite rural, with some little spiders on the walls, we can accept a big iron tub with hot water and leaves and various weeds that float in it.
Carlotta and I (after having introduced in cold water to avoid burns) we dive. It's nice and we're a good half hour. Then we come back in a room and say that Giampaolo and Matthew can go ... tell them that there is a beautiful marble bath that awaits them. They start all happy and we laugh.
12:3 comes to ns. driver and we are about to leave when the lady of the Green House brings us breakfast! He says that is included in the price we have to eat it ....
We do breakfast at this point and decided to skip lunch ... anche perche 'tonight we are a mega Christmas dinner in a hotel in Nuwara Elia!
After a wonderful journey through the plantations and mountains, we arrive at Nuwara Elia at St.Andrews duly booked well in advance via the Internet. Come limping in the beautiful colonial style rooms. It is very beautiful, classic and elegant. This evening we wanted to own.
In the evening dinner with poor exchange of gifts (but the thought is what counts) then a couple of glasses of Arrak floor hotel bar. I make a suonatina piano too ... but only arouses the interest of the pianist (who is probably grateful to me because 'it rests!). Then, we'll always limping nanna. Room there is some sign of battle .... but Matthew and Charlotte now sleeping deeply.

Nuwara Elia - Tissamaharama

Friday
We wake up with pains in the legs mad. The Pick Adam's you hear .... 8:00 am breakfast! (Buffet gigantesco ...) I take a lot of ...... something that I Olives ... but which unfortunately are incredibly fruit acids. Then we leave for you. In the evening we have to be a Tissamaharama. Let's visit a factory of The (Pedro the summer) where we do make a nice guided tour. Still limping we arranged the best one off up and down 'for various scales ..... and ladders. Also includes the!
Facciamo un po 'di slides for women who collect the tea plantations in the mountains. What beautiful colors. Earn only $ 50 per month ... but they are but 'all very decent. And this is Asia. It is also what I like Asia. On the way we stop for a brief visit to the temple of Dowa rock ..... Giampaolo complains .... scale yet ... For you (if you're an avid mountain trekking apart from the views there is much to see) we stop for lunch in a restaurant chosen by Lonely Planet. Un po 'hard to find .... By ns. driver who does not understand why 'we persist to go to a place instead of' another ..... But the choice this time is also good! Excellent mountain views. Gentilissimi owners. You eat well and spend little. After lunch we start. Step required to famous waterfalls of Ella. Today's folklore ... also is a feast for them, schools are closed and they are all on a trip. Make the bathroom, singing, laughing, there is also un'orchestrina improvised by a group of boys, in truth, slightly drunk, but cute.
You depart for Tissamaharama. The journey is still long. 17:00 we arrive at Tissamaharama. After downloading the luggage, took possession of the rooms (negotiating the price on the use of air conditioning or not paid .....), ns. driver ...... go up the fly on a "three-wheeled" to look at the surroundings before sunset. Cruise on the river. Stupendo. Three or four photos to the temple of Sandagiri with the reflections of the sunset stagliate the imposing white walls, a filmatina to bathers in the canals and into the tank (lake) of Tissa Wewa. Two steps below the trees teeming with bats. And then back to the hotel. Lite with children for the choice of the room then to dinner. Take agreements for the safari park tomorrow at Yala, but we soon: it's the same owner who organizes and go with his off-road! At this point we also agree on a final deviation of the tour so 'we can go dl the village of Kataragama ... at 18:00 in time for the hour of prayer). Then dinner! Cigar smoke, bevutina of arrak long chat with the owners - Mr. Tissa and family. It is very pleasant stay here. Say that behave in a way very similar to that with which we treat our customers. farm. Congratulations!

Safari in Yala Park

Saturday
Alarm at 4:30. At 5:00 for the safari park of Yala. The weather is beautiful as ever (this year we were very lucky !!!!). After an hour we enter the park. Pay for inputs (salatissimi. .....!!!) then start with a "guide" entrusted by the management of the park, with a manual from bird watching. At 6 and thirty sighted gia 'the first elephant. Not difficult to see ... we practically bar the way. It 'also one of very few elephants in Srilanka with tusks!
It is dawn. 7:20 to "skip" the clutch of ns. Discovery ..... "s'è ro'tt!" But ns. driver is very good so will continue throughout the day without! Around mid-morning and spotted a leopard ... echo the cries of our. Help the Park ".. you are just lucky, you just fotrunatii!"
Then we saw Pomellato deer, crocodiles and over the myriad species of birds, many buffalo, crocodiles, monkeys and Varani.
The Yala park is very beautiful. There is steppe, jungle, forest, lakes, swamps, rocky hill, canals and beaches! Beaches ..... Here in fact we arrived at 11:30 on a beach where we are told that up to 15:00 will not again. It would be useless to explain to us why 'is too hot and the animals during this period of time is rintanano in the forest. 12:00 we have already 'finished ns. sandwiches and ns. beers. Water there is little ... There annoiamo. If we had understood that we had to stop so 'long or we would have taken the' beach equipment (except that the sea here is horrible), or we would have chosen the half-day safari. Is that the more money 'or not is the same ... then we thought just as well ... but ..
Sleep a little'.... Walk another po '... then convince our driver as a 'first ... ah .. ah surprised them while they are learning from our guide the names of wild animals in the park in English!
In the afternoon sighted far fewer animals than during the morning. Apart from a splendid elephant (also with tusks!).
16:30 we start to head out of the park, this time to the north. Download the "Guide of the Park" and not even give a tip ... in fact our. driver told us that if we ever expect ... patience. Since the ns. driver will also know at least ten times more 'Guide ... it was decided between us that the tip to give him (if only for the effort that has to drive without the clutch all day!).
17:30 we arrive at Katagarama. The first thing that strikes us are the stores that display the fruit .... Beautiful decorations. And as we are in the center of the town these stalls infittiscono to be attached to the other. Hundreds of stalls displaying fruit so 'well prepared .... a show! The ns. driver explains that the trays are prepared for the offering to the temple. We head towards the area sacred, cross a bridge over a stream in which children Women and ... families bathe. 18:00 are already 'in dozens of the faithful queue trays overflowing with fruit, pending the opening of doors of the temple. In the garden of the temple there is a greater angle to the "rupture" of coconuts. Also meet the Austrians who had met the Queen of Kandy. Then we return to the hotel. Dinner tonic and nanna!

Tissamaharama - Tangalla

Sunday
Three-wheels for the bus station and then Tangalla direction! The bus is overflowing hai hai hai! E 'Sunday! There are also the place to pay for backpacks .. few euro cents anyway ....
Certainly that experience is not like the previous one (from Anuradhapura to Pollonaruwa). The driver, just outside the city began to run like a madman ... surpasses cornering, brakes, accelerates, the horn sounds like a madman .... The bus sways, jumps and waves! My family all quiet. I feel the weight of their glances of disapproval for choosing the bus as a means of transportation .... So nothing too. Besides how can you predict? The trip went smooth as oil. After an hour we arrived at the town of Amabanatota ..... and that the bus? He stops for a quarter of an hour because 'it in advance! Incredible ... and why 'then ran cosi' tanto?
Arrive after an hour "sprint" on Tangalla and wait five minutes for the three-wheel that had come to the board last night that Mr Tissa has booked for us .... But is not nobody ... then take a three-wheel event. Arrive at the Fisher King owned by a retired German (which the Sri Lankan cuisine) and a relative of Mr. Tissa. Make us see our. rooms with bath and A / C but dark and dark on the back .... I stick to two other ... beautiful, large, with spacious windows overlooking the sea, with private bathroom ... but who cares? The bathrooms are li 'out to 2 meters and clean.
They cost even less (4.5 usd instead of 6!) And then save it!
Posiamo while baggage and expect the troop systems are running on the beach! Ahhh che bello il mare ... in fact some 'rough .... Indeed if I look good mossissimo! It goes well ... can not 'be all perfect ... while the good weather there has never abandoned this holiday. When the rest of the family gather on the beach a little 'shell and then we decide to make a trip. Take a three-wheel (which novita '!). We look at the post in the west bay of the country. In the center there is also a market where we do a short tour but do not buy anything .. Then we are brought to the restaurant "Cactus" on the beach, in the far south of Tangalla over the promontory. There's only a gentleman, who does everything: cooking, serving, taking orders? Excellent! Colossal meal of shrimp, squid and various. There was also the wine. Low cost. In addition 'the bay where the restaurant is also sheltered from the waves and you can' take a bath!
We end the day at the beach Gongolo in the sun! We know the evening is a Swiss li 'by three months ....! Bhe 'in fact if you calculate the prices ... and a person does a job that allows him .... (writers, translators, journalists, unemployed ...) certainly spends less than it being at home!
In the evening dinner at the hotel also because 'we are lazy lazy! You spell well. Li 'we know a couple of Australians who are doing around the world: 8 months ... thought to wonder. After dinner they go to see the turtles which lay their eggs ... we have already 'seen two years ago in Costa Rica and then overlook. The children then gia 'sleep. During the night we are forced to wake up the owners (and thank goodness you are woken up!) Because 'going to the bathroom and there is' closed the door with the keys inside ...!! Ha ha!

Tangalla - Mirissa

Monday
After breakfast we leave for Mirissa. We are sorry to leave but in theory Tangalla between 3 days we already 'on board! At the phone Srilanka Airlines does not give us any news ... and therefore in doubt, we are obliged to speed up the steps. Sin!
Along the way we make two stops: one at the "Camino Ho-o-maniya", a rock formation on the coast where sea water is pushed by the waves strongly within a groove 23 meters high. resulting in leakage of spray high!
The second stop is the Temple of Wewurukannala a number of times where in addition to the statue of Buddha seated among the most 'high of Srilanka, there is a temple decorations type cartoons depicting all sorts of tortures and punishments inflicted on sinners. Really impressive ... Giampaolo that much and I leave. Strangely i ns. watch all the children and leaving ... and laughing .... One can see that we identified too ....
Means of transport chosen this morning (35/40km .)... guess po '? THREE-RUOTEEEEE !!!!!
A Mirissa have some difficulty finding the place. The hotel where we finally availability is so 'well' and dirt but enough ..... beach e 'stupenda! There are also many Italians ... in practice are almost the first that we see (except the Maldives) ... but most of them do not stay them ': they are part of organized trips from Hikkaduwa, think a little'......
Rest and eat huge fish. Sea beach ... Cocktails on the promontory. Coca Cola hot (no alcohol) or water (too hot) ... have just opened the restaurant (even officially open tomorrow morning) so do not even have a refrigerator! Greetings!
Dinner at the hotel where we make friends with a couple of Bologna and after dinner we go for a drink together in one of the many beach bars (including Matthew and Carlotta muttering that for the "mediocrity" of disco music).

Mirissa - Unawatuna

Tuesday
At breakfast we friendship with a pair of Rimini, which is on you to Unawatuna! All without reservation .... Perfect! It will see some beautiful because we are on the eve of St. Sylvester! We salute giving appointment somewhere on the beach in the afternoon ... but long before we shall meet! We pay the bill and after half an hour of three large-wheel (now beyond our means of transport) to arrive Unawatuna. Yesterday I had already 'made several phone calls to reserve rooms ... but all they said or full ... or saying no to a night ... I thought better to go in person! But the situation was not the best. With my good Lonely Planet in hand I begin to scour the rest house .... where I happen within the first FULL board ... even the second, third and fourth .... well!.
The ns. driver at one point tells us ... I bring me from a friend ... Squalor of the place, at least 200 meters. From the sea .. Eh NO! The last two days I do them on the side!. Forward back after an hour, offered the most 'convenient or not (in essence I have seen 80%) of hotels in Unawatuna, we find one (1) room at the hotel free Unawatuna Resort (4 ****) but only for a night! The price for the entire family is $ 90 including breakfast and dinner buffet .... (70/72 euro ... a given environment waned!) .. pero 'just for a night .. And tomorrow? Then we continue the search and go to east .... Are placed in the horrible hotel in the bay (No, in fact the hotel was nice and in a fantastic location ... rooms were painful ...) claimed that 25 us dollars a room just for sleeping, children NO discount. .. then in 4 people: $ 50 per night per room would call obscene! Li 'Rimini meet those that run them even more' for an hour. They take them to the room '. We are told that they have seen worse ... we go back racing at Unawatuna hoping that there is still room! There is! And tomorrow? Tomorrow, they tell me, if there is good will give 2 double rooms in an outbuilding in the back. Maybe the rooms normally reserved to drivers? Cost 33 usd for a double room with breakfast and dinner !!.... as well as' the use of all services of the swimming pool, tennis courts, bar loungers on the beach, towels, etc etc .... Well .... The greatest! Accepted. Deposited in the baggage room and do yet another phone call to Srilanka Airlines, where as usual we do not give good news on the waiting list of 4 January. Will we have to start New Year's Eve ... sigh! I make the last attempt and I ask what is the first available flight? I meet the 7! 7? E 'fantastico. We rushed to the taxi in Galle while children are in the pool and after two hours and a half (?) Waiting with our exit. tickets changed ... Flight for 8! We decide to stay at Unawatuna until 3rd The beach is very beautiful, the sea, the hotel is very well kept and the service is excellent .... There are also Italian and Matthew and Charlotte have already 'made friends with other kids. Then at lunch we sunbathe on the beach. The sea is clear and quite calm. At the west of the beach then it is an "oil". There are also the colorful fish! Scour the entire beach to see what offers and found (close to our own. Albergo a small little restaurant that promises very well. Tomorrow will try. In the afternoon, take a catamaran ride! But imagine a real cat! Built with logs original wood! Towards evening we meet people from Rimini, and we are chatting in front of an aperitif in one of the many beach bars. Dinner at the hotel with a truly exceptional buffet! book (must be booked!) for sparkling wine dinner tomorrow night and ... and yes, even a bottle of wine (call costs). And 'the last of the year and we should celebrate. Then we go to bed.

Unawatuna

Wednesday
After breakfast we shall see the rooms ... un po 'squallidine, a little' dark, but clean and with large bathrooms. We move all the luggage while we sit on the beach. In ns. there is a hotel for the International Protection of Tartarughine. When you spawn the place is fenced and protected and when you take the hatch a few days in small pools of salt water and then helps them to reach the sea without being devoured by seagulls or birds different! And just this evening at 18:00 there will be 'this event! Give us a flyer asking where all work together! And we will be there. You go to lunch in the restaurant spotted the day before (the first towards the West after the hotel) and 'there is raging with shrimp, lobster, cuttlefish .... The service is slow ... but tomorrow will take a trick! It goes to 12:00 you sort ... The aperitif is drunk lying in the sun (they also have beds available to clients) and is ready when you eat. Matthew and Charlotte remained in the hotel saying that eating two pizzas .... But at some point we arrived and devour half prawns! Sob ..!
Giampaolo after lunch goes in the room attacked by a terrible evil ear ... I sit down with Matthew and two Italian children with whom he became friends and joked a little 'together! We laugh a lot (sometimes it's nice to return children!). The females are in the pool.
18:00 Armed with cameras, digital cameras and no we go to the beach to assist with entering the sea of tartarughine. Wow, while hundreds more just 'in there, there are also those that are coming ... are helped to leave the shells and then put into tanks. Che carine. Meanwhile a guy to convince me to put a python around your neck (I have now definitely too drunk to pre-celebrate the end of the year!) Giampaolo but I'm not filming! Justly are the tartarughine, but as another opportunity like '(I mean the snake around my neck) ricapiterà not sure .. I implore the "Giampaolo filmami ... filmami ... veloceeee ...!!!"
Carlotta even caresses the snake (the incredible confidence that manage to strike the mothers!).
Finished the show (I had to pay!) Tartarughine to return, there are waves and some are returning to the shore ... must put in water and be careful with the seagulls!
After a good shower we put more clothes' "elegant" that we brought ... always formed by the relatively backpack ... and we go to dinner. Music shows ... have organized their own good. The buffet is excellent, with scattered islands of the restaurant, the beach and the garden. In the end does not eat much but we drink a lot. Giampaolo that much and I do after a midnight swim in the sea! All of us get wet clothes (poor) and we like to congratulate the owner of ns. restaurant which puts us in a tavolinetto beach with candle and gives us a drink on credit (we had left everything in the room ...). Will pay tomorrow. Reclaim the site. children at the 3:00 and go to sleep.

Unawatuna

Thursday
Alarm clock with a comfortable - breakfast - Giampaolo has more and more 'evil ear.
Let's pay the cognac that we took last night to the credit and the owner of the restaurant is watching us and laughing out loud .... Who knows why '? Day of rest and tan. The weather is always beautiful.
For today we ordered the lobster! ... in the hope that those who eat lobster on the first ....
(NDR: hope for today, unfortunately not confermatasi ...)
Meet the python and flee .... Tomorrow is the last day ... we decide to go to Galle! We have been only for the offices of Srilanka and we have not quite seen the old neighborhood!
In the afternoon we make a trip to the country and there is also a huge store of antiques and old things. There are wonderful things but unfortunately the things we like out of "size".

Unawatuna (Galle)

Friday
After breakfast leave for Galle. Matthew and Charlotte refused to come. We understand, now formed a small group of 6-7 kids all Italians and their age ... Peace, let us. Turn the old town for a couple of hours ... then install it on the terrace of a restaurant but after a few minutes, we realize that it is not anything special, the service is bad and is expensive so there we travel, we take a three-wheel and the fly back to ns. restaurant on the beach! E viaa! Other eaten. Giampaolo has always evil in the ears. This morning they brought antibiotics ... we hope the steps! Hikkaduwa for tomorrow! And the last three nights to make an all inclusive in Beruwela to finish with a flourish!

Unawatuna - Hikkaduwa

Saturday
We start early to Hikkaduwa - always treruote! Hikkaduwa to small pensions and guest houses are all full. Opt for a hotel without infamy and without praise ... is so for two nights. Once you have deposited your luggage in the room are going to the beach ... and 'we discover a reality completely different from previous ones. Hotels and guest house are enclosed .. some even with barbed wire! Loungers on the beach, anything! Romantic restaurants none .... That squalor. The sea, however, since it pays the coral reefs (which are destroying) is there 'a few steps and is full of colorful fish that can be admired even while standing in water. Let's do snokelling but it is stressful because 'dozens and dozens of motorboats carrying tourists on a trip you go to the right and left, creating waves and making an incredible noise .... And then .... poor reef ....
We make two steps to the long beach .... It is absurd ... seems that the beach does not belong to the village. There is very little and yet the people are all full pension ... The guests are all inside the fence, each in his hotel. Cots can not carry out ... roba da matti! We do not find anything nice to have lunch and then we decide to stay at the hotel but the menu is depressing. Giampaolo in the afternoon and I do another long walk on the beach and spot a family run ristrantino on piles. Not bad: we eat them tonight '. And eat fine! So much so that we order the lobster for tomorrow evening.

Hikkaduwa

Sunday
Beach in the morning but after lunch we decide to make an excursion on the lake. Catamaran (always true of those!) Visit the banks of the lake, crocodiles, the Varani and various species of birds. We stop to visit a temple on the coast. There is also the school! What sull'isolotto place in the middle of the lake is a place of retreat. You can not 'even dock!
Towards evening we take a three-to Ambalangoda, town famous for mask carvers. The place mentioned by the Lonely Planet is now closed .... Because better 'seemed a little' too much tourism. The ns. taxista us then with a foster family, where we find things beautiful and a bargain prices! We buy the latest gifts, chatted a little 'with the owners ... A girl and 'all happy to know that we are in Milan because' his father worked them ', for years. Also gives us a picture.
Return loads of masks (where will tomorrow ???... take the train!). We travel to our restaurant (lobster awaits us!) And we decide to bring their tribute in what we will not need more '... also because 'we do not have more' space: the beach towels and clothes of Matthew and Charlotte, at least that will certainly be un'altro'anno to their children. We add to that family (who I saw several children). Fabulous dinner. Then he goes to sleep.

Hikkaduwa - Beruwela

Monday '
At half past eight we go to the station in Hikkaduwa. Train to Beruwela. One hour walk in between shocks and Saltelli ... usual. But this train 'and' full of tourists! Matthew and I do a lot of laughter because 'the Sri Lankans by us continue to eat !!!... obviously make breakfast. We arrive at our. 4-star hotel with a three-wheel ... all Malvestiti and backpacks on their shoulders ..... We look strangely ... 11:00 gia take 'possession of the room ... Very beautiful, very elegant. We make beautiful colored bracelets at the wrist and it is our hotel!
You go to the beach ... Also here everything is closed and fenced. In addition 'there are guards at the gates open to the sea. Cots are carefully laid out on the inside of the fence and as the final - very disappointed - we discover that the sea is horrible ... I like to Negombo although at least li 'was all developed on the beach ...
What sadness .... But because 'we were not in Unawatuna? It 'clear that if we knew before the change of the flight could also do three or four days and over' and also to Tangalla Mirissa. Those are places that were at the sea!
However now we are here. Let's enjoy the quiet and all inclusive!
The children are all day in the pool. We walk a little 'on the beach but it is really disappointing, muddy ... a disgusting! The sea for more 'dirt and moved!
The cuisine is excellent in the other ... You drink the wine .... It is all included in the price ... cosa vuoi di piu 'dalla vita? .. the Mareeeee! Patience. Serata in disco.

Beruwela. 6th, 7th January

Tuesday '/ Wednesday
The last two days we spent sleeping, eating and drinking by the pool in the bathroom ... No! ..... There was also the course of Yoga! In front of the beach (to the guards and strictly controlled) and various vendors and souvenir sellers sarongs exposing their goods every day .... It was not clear whether they were marginalized those outside of us or if we were the "tourists in a cage!" Last night we saw the time! Here we made friends with a couple: him and her Italian Srilanka - live in Belgium! Very nice. So 'we have passed a pleasant couple of afternoons. This morning we wake up and after breakfast we learned that today we should not alcohol! (carino. .. you're in an all inclusive and you can not drink anything!) because 'it is a day of poya (prayer) and total ban on serving alcohol in the entire nation ... happens once a month .... We obviously happens right here and its the last day ... Patience ... After sunset pero 'begin to exit the first birrette etc. .... I spend the last few rupees to buy sarongs on the beach and other gifts to the ladies of our clothes. children. Superb dinner. Ballatine in nightclub and ... Good night to all: the taxi is tonight at 2:30!

Return trip

Thursday
We arrive at Colombo at 4:45! Perfect Hours: two hours to the exact departure!
Procedures for the quick check in and boarding time. 6:45 it takes off. After months of this wonderful holiday there remains only the bitterness of having wasted the last few days in places that do not worth the penalty.
After a scenic trip to Paris to kill the five hours of waiting at the airport to Budapest start at 18:50! Arrival in Budapest at 21:00 .. thank goodness that there is our friend Gabor we came from. Another 150 km in the car and finally a nanna! Tomorrow is the school for the ns. children and the return to routine for us.