Breakfast was included in our tariff and was also served out on the open deck. Whilst the day started out a bit hazy, it soon cleared and it looks like were are in for another hot one.
Checked out and ready to go by 8.30am, Ryan turned up on time with the minibus, and we wound our way down the very narrow road to the city proper. This morning we are visiting the Temple of the Tooth, one of the most famous Buddhist relics. We parked a fair distance from the temple and had walk through town and past the Queens Hotel, the most prestigious hotel in town, with a strong colonial history.
Queens Hotel
Soon we are at the entrance to the temple complex, and have to pass through security to enter. Apparently there was an attempt to blow the temple up during the Tamil uprising.
Once inside the compound we saw a few interesting sights on the way to the main temple.
A dog practising meditation
A Cannonball Tree
A group of cute school kids in uniform, including ties, returning from their temple visit
One wall of the temple was damaged by explosives during the civil war and after the repair the painting that was badly damaged was reconstructed from pieces and put back as a reminder.
Buddhist flags flying inside the temple
In this hall the story of the Tooth relic is told with a series of illustrated panels
We arrived at the chamber in which the tooth relic is secured just in time to see offerings being made.
Having left the main temple we passed a number of smaller temples on the way out, some of which also had ceremonies under way.
Near the exit we passed a Stupa which also contains a relic of the bowl that Buddha took his last meal from.
Just outside the temple compound, is a Christian Church, built by the British to try to convert the locals from Buddhism to Christianity. Apparently success was limited, but the Church still functions today.
We walk back through the streets of Kandy to find our minibus and head off to our destination for the next 2 days, the tea growing hills near Hatton.
Traffic is terrible, so progress is slow whilst we wind our way out of Kandy and through very busy surrounding villages. We are climbing in elevation all of the time and see a lot of rice paddies, pine plantation forests and eventually, tea plantations.
Rice paddies
Some quite mature pine forests
And finally, tea plantations dominate the landscape
Tea Processing factory
The towns we pass through are now predominantly Hindu, as most of the plantation workers are Hindus. They are currently celebrating a festival, so the streets are quite colourful and decorated with trees.
Our destination is a plantation owned by Dilmah, who have developed a number of bungalows built for plantion managers into luxury accommodation. We will be staying in the Castlereigh Bungalow, which consists of 5 rooms and is located on a lake. There are 5 bungalows in total in what is marketed as Ceylon Tea Trails.
As we turn off to Castlereigh Bungalow, we goin only a short way down the road before we run out of road and are greeted by some staff waiting for us. Unbeknown to us, the trip from here is by boat to get to the bungalow. The staff hoist our bags up on their heads and shoulders and take off in the direction of the lake.
When we arrived at the other side of the lake, and at the pontoon in front of our bungalow, the process was repeated. The water level in the lake is quite low at the moment, as we are at the end of the dry season, so the climb up the hill is considerably longer.
Our destination, Castlereigh Bungalow on the other side of the lake
Castlereigh Bungalow
Once off the boat, we are met by the Ceylon Tea Trails operations manager, who escorts us to the Castlereigh Bungalow and introduced us to the butler who will look after us during our stay.
First priority is to introduce us to one of the 2 chefs who briefed us on the meals for the day. Lunch is 3 courses and dinner 4. He went through the menu to make sure everyone is happy with what he is proposing and so we can make selections where there are choices. Alsao he checked for any food allergies.
Room allocation is next, and we have been allocated the Palmer room, very comfortable and homely.
First priority is to introduce us to one of the 2 chefs who briefed us on the meals for the day. Lunch is 3 courses and dinner 4. He went through the menu to make sure everyone is happy with what he is proposing and so we can make selections where there are choices. Alsao he checked for any food allergies.
Room allocation is next, and we have been allocated the Palmer room, very comfortable and homely.
We overlook the lake on one side and the garden on the other as our room is a corner room. It didn't take us too long to settle in.
Anyway, its lunch time. There are no fixed dining times, so the staff just get things under way when you turn up. Lunch is served out on the veranda overlooking the pool.
John explaining something of great importance
Lunch main course is very nice
Everything is included in our room rate, so a nice glass of wine with lunch just tops off the experience.
During lunch we are provided with some maps of walking trails, both around 6km, which we think will be a great idea to do after lunch.
Unfortunately the weather had other ideas and the heavens opened with very heavy rainfall for a few hours. There is always tomorrow!
Predinner drinks were served in the sitting room, we we met another English couple straying here. The place is actually fully booked.
Dinner was great, with accompanying wine, so we all slept well.
No comments:
Post a Comment