The Art of Torture

The Giritalle Hotel (about 10 miles from the ancient capital of Polonaruwa) had fantastic views of the Giritalle Lake. Got to hear some good ol' classical baila music (the Sri Lankan twist on old Portuguese music) at dinner.

It was nice to have a couple late nights with pops sipping some arack and soda and hearing about all his glory days of sporting feats and mischief back in royal college…

Giritalle Lake

My Auntie luuuuvvvs me...

A Lil' Baila at Dinner

Pretty bird

The next day we visited another ancient city called Maderigirya, gorgeous ancient Buddist statues and pillars, built in such eerily perfect symmetry.

Maderigirya

Took it easy that day, played some badminton, took a dip in the pool, and learned how to play the game Carram, sort of like a mini-version of billiards, where you flick a puck with you fingers.

Carram

The third day we drove back to Kandy. On the way, we had lunch at a family friend’s place in Kandy. I felt left out of conversation because I was the only one in the room who couldn’t discuss the cuisines served at bugagloos on safaris in Kenya and Tanzania.

Lunch in Kandy

We had hoped to see the famous Temple of the Tooth, where four canine teeth of the Buddha were taken after his cremation, but due to the full moon Buddhist holiday, we could not get in. We also went to the Buddhist caves of Alluvihare, where there are gory images and statues of the torture one goes through in hell, including climbing a thorn tree and having your brains spooned out and fed to you while still alive... mmm...

Buddhist Prayer Flags at Alluvihare

Views from Alluvihare

Mmmm...

Statue near Kandy

Had to swing by the market again and bought lots of pretty colored edible cumquats.

The Marketplace

The Usual Suspect