Sri Lanka

 

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First of all a premise: who had intended to move from Italy for a idlenss holiday in the Maldives, should give serious consideration to the idea of extending the stay to discover a country really fascinating: think that when I was there, a week tour with full board in Sri lanka cost only 200 euro more than the package only for Maldives. Even today, despite increased spending it is not prohibitive.
In Sri lanka there are incredible sights to see: for me, to understand better, there are places comparable in importance to the Chinese wall, or an aztech temple, or a pyramid. The country is made of many small historic sites just important for a foreigner, many are Buddhist temples, some anonymous perhaps, a capital city, Colombo, that has no particular attractions, but all these things, combined with natural sweet and relaxing athmosphere, its people poor but proud, a sense of spirituality that you can tap at any place, from a ceremony at a temple to the confusion of a market, make it an unforgettable destination.
But the beauty of Kandy is really indescribable, with its colors, its smells, its people.
People here are really poor, the houses are built with mud and wood, children, especially in the countryside have nothing, just come down in their midst they ask everything, sometimes insistently, certainly for need but even for habit. Prices are low for silk, food and precious stones.
The narrow streets, sometimes unpaved, cross unforgettable scenarios, sometimes between the plantations of tea, sometimes in the midst of high palms, or dense vegetation. It can happen that you should stop because meetings of elephants on the road which are conveniently eating.
The luxurious facilities for tourists are in so incredible contrast with the poverty around you: it leaves you perplexed, it's difficult to understand such a world, a lifestyle so different, especially for a young boy like me used to have everything.
Yet the quiet life cycles: the wealthy and lucky pupils well dressed with their white suits who visit the botanical garden, a couple who kisses under a tropical plant, a man who works the earth, women who harvest the leaves of tea under a burning sun, a grandfather extracting rubber with medieval methods, a woman in a chinese temple intent to pray. The strength and wealth of country is this: the lack of economic and industrial resources with the spirit of its people through a deep bond with their religion.

But here's a brief guide of the main places to see, indeed, those who have somehow affected me:

Kandy
The image of Kandy when you arrive at sunset is something that leaves you breathless with throat: located at the foot of green hills directly above a lake which reflect the colors of the sun, the few lights on the road, people walking to go to the sacred places... Fantastic. The resort is famous for its spirituality, which can be better understood by visiting the Temple of the Tooth of Buddha, so named for the relic that holds inside.
The visit of the temple is something that affects you deeply, an indelible trace. The long boulevard that leads to it is surrounded by kiosks selling petals of flowers of different colors that pilgrims buy to bring as an offering. Just cross the entrance, you immediately realize that they entered into a world different from yours, the colors are alive, dazzling and evocative of the donation as ceremony begins. Some monks playing drums with engaging rhythms, the crowd is unbelievable and pilgrims dressed in white are waiting for their turn to move in front of the relic and submit an offer, people prone on the ground intent to pray: you can not know Buddhism, you can not be a believer, but you realize that this is religion, this is the way to practice a religion if you feel a believer.
Hard to explain the feelings, the only way you live, even for few moments. But the mere fact that I am describing these feelings after 14 years, is because it's something that has left me so much .
Kandy is also famous for its botanical garden, in a park where you can admire huge trees from around the world (including a plantation of cocaine).
The center is very distinctive, with shops, traditional markets where we lose, deafening noise and typical curved roofs from buildings.

NUWARA ELIYA
From Kandy during the day you reach the highest places in the country, almost 2,000 meters high, and reached from a road that follows a breathtaking route through green plantations of tea where you can see women at work, really hard, and stop in one of the many factories to see the manufacturing process. When you arrive at Nuwara Eliya, it seems to be in England. The lawns are green and well cared for, the buildings are typically British: in fact the location was established during the period of colonization by the British, who turned into a holiday resort, thanks to its cool climate.

Colombo
The capital has left me not exciting memories: the city has spread to temples, churches and mosques reflecting the mixture of different races hosted. Very particular the pedestrian area where there is a bazaar fixed but at the same time improvised, loudness crowds and kids who fake to enchant snakes pulling them with a wire, the classic image with wicker basket and snake that rises. I remember a very special temple, the name escapes me, because of so many statues one above the other, forming a kind of pyramid.

SIGIRIYA
This is perhaps the most spectacular site of the island. A rocky mountain 200 yards high with a wall-to-peak, which stands isolated in the flat savannah. Perhaps nothing particular if was not that in the fifth century AD, a king had the brilliant idea to transform its top in an incredible "fortress palace" with at his side a thousand concubines (blessed him) .
Not more of it has left, but the climb through that steep stairs hung on its walls, leaves you to imagine its history and what it could be at that time. The climb through its almost 1500 steps, even if very tiring, makes possible the sight of curious and intact frescoes and a splendid glance. Needless to say, this was almost impregnable fortress. Nearby is Dambulla, one of the most striking temples, where in a huge cave were placed several statues of Buddha, one of which is carved into the rock, very impressive.

POLONNARUWA
These are the remains of the capital of Ceylon, and now houses many temples. The most striking, Gal Vihara (one of the most beautiful) houses four huge statues of Buddha, in a crowd of monks dressed in orange, with the classic umbrella that walk barefoot.

It is to recall also that in Sri lanka a civil war is running , and the north is not opened to tourism.
It also need malaria prophylaxis.