Sri Lanka Part 1 - February 2020

Our first land travel in Sri Lanka focused on the “Cultural Triangle”.

We visited the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, took a half-day safari, climbed Sigirya and its neighbour, Pidurangala, and then visited another ancient city - Anuradhapura.

Click to see the full image and a description.

Curd Stand by the side of the road - it was delicious!

I couldn't agree more.

At the start of our tour of Polonnaruwa - a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The entrance to the original main palace at Polonnaruwa

Going about his daily business, oblivious to the history surrounding him,

Jen doing the same. Seriously, this was a latrine in the palace.

Cool pillars at Polonnaruwa - hard to believe the carvings are still so clear after 2,000 years

A small selection of Polonnaruwa Buddhas

A Stupa at Polonnaruwa

The sacred Quadrangle of the Vatadge

Buddhists on a mission.

This was awesome - 4 huge Buddhas, all carved out of the one piece of granite.

This was awesome - 4 huge Buddhas, all carved out of the one piece of granite.

Happy Families

Iguana in a tree

Some kind of Eagle

Why did the peacock cross the road?

Nobody told the peacock we were on an Elephant Safari

Elephant!! Our first sighting.

He looks happy, doesn't he?

Up close and personal

Our friends Mark and Susan from S/V Erie Spirit.

Looking pensive... Sunset on the safari

Jen tells me how she really feels

Massive rocks, jeeps elephants, and sunset. Magical.

A great spot for sunset

Hoe many elehpants can you spot on the plain below?

It's a bird

Just hanging out by himself.

Just corsisng the road without a care in the world.

Pretty.

Another bird.

Now this I can get excited about - it's a crocodile, hanging out right next to us at Sigirya

Sigirya at daybreak.

Jen at the beginning of the 1,200 stairs. See how fresh she looks?

One third of the way up Sigirya

Two thirds of the way up Sigirya

View from the top of Sirya towards Pidurangala

From the top of Sigirya, towards Kandy

View form the top towards the water gardens... where the croc was hanging out

Pretty spectacular, huh?

SQUIRREL!!!

2,000 years old, and looking good

He's off - a bit camera shy...

At the bottom, looking relieved (and pretty fresh, actually)

Some cliches are awesome...like this one!

Yikes!

Sleeping Buddha half way up Pidurangala

Sigirya from Pidurangala, at sunset

Aw...

Aw some more

Selfie time

We were lucky - we were there for full sun

Monks' swimming pool at Anuradhapura

And here come the monks!

They seem to be gettin younger and younger these days...

Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura

Another giant pizza oven

Morning prayers.

The most ornate moonstone in Sri Lanka...seemingly.

Jen channeling her inner Buddhist

Offerings for Buddha.

Gotta love your elephants, no?

the biggest pizza oven of them all

DEsperate for pizza, she fell at the final hurdle

Cool walk to the main Bodhi tree