You say Dagoba I say Stupa

Teegar! No sitting on the ancient walls.
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Quick observations:

The roadblocks all have advertisements from corporations on them.  Thus: This roadblock brought to you by Singer - as one example.

Hot in hot out.  The food here is a fiery experience at both ends.

I cannot believe more people do not end up run over.  People just walk out in front of the car continuously.

carved into the steep side
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I started the morning at dawn climbing up the Lion Rock or Sigiriya.  It is an ancient fortress on a big slab of rock in the middle of a vast forest.  There were pleasure gardens with pools and then an elaborate rock garden then the climb up.  At the top very little remains but the view is commanding.  On the way down you climb a spiral staircase which takes you to a set of frescoes.  The maidens of Sigiriya.  There are a number of bare breasted beauties strewn across the rock face.  There are the usual touts who throw back the protective curtain.  It is like a strange sort of baudy show.  In fact I was led to look upon some of the 'secret hidden ladies' for a little cash.

for climbing up and down
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I was glad to have started the climb early because it heats up very rapidly and those following me an hour later were looking rather worse for wear.  I cannot get over how pristine the forest looks.  So little sign of modern life.

We then drove to Polonnaruwa which is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka.  It has a very well organized museum with very inspiring reconstruction models of the buildings on the site.  I had the luxury of riding in the car from one spot to the next vs.  humping it in the heat.

A kingfisher hanging out near the car park
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There are several parts to the site including a very sizable monastary with medical facilities and living quarters and cemetaries.  The great acheivement of these people was the creation of reservoirs in this relatively dry country.  There is a vast series thoughout the north central part of Ceylon which still feeds the rice crops and other farming.

I was well worn by the time we stopped for a local Sri Lanka dish called hoopa.  It turned out to be one of the more edible items I have had here.  I think I have lucked out by staying at the Lions Gate guesthouse as the German lady, Gaby has hired an excellent cook.  The meals are very nicely prepared and presented and veggies are safe to eat raw.

The famous ladies of Sigiriya
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I have decided to lighten up about my attitude toward Sri Lanka.  It is what it is.  And it is a beautiful country full of wildlife that is easily seen.  For example there were three mongooses (mongeese?)  who crossed the road last night in front of us.  Elephants have to be chased off from local gardens with firecrackers.  The lakes attract a flurry of wild birds.  The sound of song birds in the morning is totally out of one's fantasy of exotic places.  There are tree frogs living in my bathroom.

the ruin of the great 7 story palace that once held reign over the city of Polonnaruwa
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I am having trouble with internet here so I will do my next entry from here:

Burning Soles or the Hell of seeing Buddhist temples

Observation:

There are stares which connote simple curiosity.  There are stares which imply interest and there are stares which make you feel you have just sprouted a third arm covered with cysts.

a resting beggar
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Day before yesterday was Adupurna something or other.  It is the oldest city area of royal lineage and stretches for a vast area of land.  Today there remain only foundations and columns.  Interspersed are Dagobas of massive size.  In fact the largest is comparable in height to the Largest pyramid in Egypt.  This was in fact the most interesting site because it is under construction with UNESCO funds.  In fact UNESCO has done a great deal in this country with rebuilding its historic sites.  The labor is all pretty much manual.  Something to see lines of men and women going up the side of this bell shaped building lifting one brick at a time.

a clutch of monks - note the variety of color you find here in monk attire
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The next morning I awoke with an upset stomach and the runs.  I got worse with the morning.  We left the hotel and headed toward Kandy where Priyantha said we would stop at a hotel for the day.  We made one stop at an Ayurvedic herb place.  There a fellow made me a nutmeg concoction which along with a ginger beer settled my stomach from cramping.  I hit the bed at 12:30 and did not arise except for necessities until 7am.  Now I am puttering along at about 80% which means I can type but hardly give a shit about what I might be seeing along the way.  We are traveling through huge areas of tea plantations.  They go on and on and on.  Each plantation has its tasting room and they guide you about explaining the process.  Wouldn't you know in all of this area of tea I get the guide with the most garbled English.  I would just stare and try to look positive.  Most of it was self explanatory as the drier, the separator, the fermenter and the sorter.  BPOF is the top grade.  They only pick the top 3 leaves and the stem for processing.  I am starting to feel my ability to comprehend is getting worse the more I travel.  Here in a country where you actually see signs that say 'Elocution lessons in English'  I am better off pointing and gesturing.

A large standing Buddha being undressed by natural erosion
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We are now in Nuwara Eliya the highest point in Sri Lanka.  The tourists are here in mass from Colombo who are starting a weeklong holiday which will culminate in the national new year.  Not another fucking New Year.

This is one thought that really doesn't go here but I am going to write it anyway.

There is a style of tourist who believe they are not tourists - a word said by them with a spitting gesture.  Their goal is to have the most authentic experience.  This is exemplified by the gaunt Dutchman who will happily plant his bony ass on the wooden seats of a 3rd class train for 12 hours straight in order to be sure to have paid the least amount of money.  Then there is the plummy British lady who with a chuckle will regale you with the horrors of her past evening in her $2 hotel where a rat bit her ankle.  More power to them.  Give me the fucking pool with fresh towel.  Hmmm....Can I spell burnout?