Street walk Galle Forte!

More HERE http://http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galle

Unawatuna, Galle

The coolest things i did there!

Here is the 1202nd step, the King's Castle used to be right here...

The climb was gruelling... but the view and wind was very refreshing.

I dont know what got into me, but for the first time i wasnt afraid of a snake, and neither was my 3year old son.

The snake charmer stood bye. He had 2 cobras in a basket and he asked us to watch while he made them dance but i guess they were not in the mood because they didnt budge.

Here am i on the elephant, holding on tightly, its a very rocky ride.

1600 year old beauties...

The view from the top of the rock is breath taking, its seems that time has stood still .The jungle around the rock has remained unchanged.

There were over 500 of these paintings, but they were rubbed of by monks who wanted to uses the space for meditation after the reign of the king ended.

Sigiriya...The Castle on the Rock!

The view of the rock from the hotel was not very impressive, Abuja's Zuma rock gives more of an intimidating sight. However as soon as i set foot on the grounds of the castle, i fell in love with the wonder of the past that must have lived here and let my imagination to carry me further from the present algea filled pools, to a time when beautiful concubines wade in the crystal clear pools trickling down from the rock, and sever guards must have stood alert, protecting their patricidal King.

Fountains and Swimming pools, Caves and Paintings of topless maidens.

Sigiriya must have been a world of luxury and royal overindulgence.

Sights Myths are made of...

My Journey to the 1600 year old castle on the rock rejuvinates my spirit and awakens in me a sense of thrill and adventure.

I rode an elephant, touched a python and for a moment became queen (in my head).

Standing on top of the rock, time stood still for me and i was grateful for the chance to experience it all.

Leaving Srilanka's commercial Capital Colombo by train, the uninspiring view of the shabby houses of the city's poor, eventually give way to breathtaking sights as we approach Kandy, Srilanka's Cultural Capital.

Lanka Looks!

Elephant show...

Nagin!

Birdie!

Timon's relative

Whose Bear?

Sky Sight outskirts of Colombo

Swiming with Demons and Ghosts

Tonight the moon will complete its cycle, Srilankan Buddhists revere this day in every month. It’s a day to remember the five precepts (pretty much the same as the Ten Commandments, except the - Buddhist have a no drinking alcohol rule).

Many Lay Buddhist go to the temple to recite prayers and meditate, many others just spend it at home or go for family outings. For me, I begin the wee hours of dawn finishing my first novel by a Srilankan Author, aptly titled “If the moon Smiles”. It’s a sad story, it chronicles the life of a Srilankan woman living in Australia, her husband is a control freak who verbally abuses her, her children self absorbed youngsters of immigrants caught in the cross cultural divide. It ends as she ages, I follow the story as my nerves twist in anticipation of happiness for her, but she never finds it.

After a late breakfast, we ride the three wheeler to the beach nearby. The sea touch the sky in the distant horizon beyond where demons dwell, or so says Sinhala folklore. But for now I shrug off such tales and ignore the imaginary ghosts of the Tsunami hovering in the waters and plunge in. The thrill of immersing myself in the cold salty waves are just as pleasurable as I anticipated. The sand is white beneath the clear shallow waters. We don’t dare go further than our waists as wave after wave of foaming sea flow furiously towards us, reducing in strength as it reaches the shores.

Many others are further in the sea, diving from the rocks firmly planted in the raging waters.We look on in dread and admiration. I float facing up, the coconut trees and blue skies give me a picture perfect memory to store.

After the Swim, Its still early evening, we go walking along the fortified walls of Galle, the forte built for war has now become a lesuire park. Lovers with umbrellas and fathers with kites, occupy the windy lawn. A light house stands tall in the horizon, a white Stupa admist green forests further in the distance.

A visit to Nuwareliya

It was raining when we reached.

The train ride through cloud colored forests is an experience I would cherish forever. I was so excited as the train left the station at 9.45am prompt, the journey to Srilanka’s “Up Country” is one I’ve wanted to undertake since the first time I came here in 2000.

“It’s very cold there” everyone told me, but I refused to believe anywhere in this tropical country can be that cold. Boy was I in for a surprise!

The view immediately after leaving Colombo Station is the dreariest I’ve seen here in Srilanka. The first slums I’ve observed lay sprawled several kilometers on one side of the rain tracks, like sprouting mushrooms, ramshackle homes lay close-knit. People, young and old, go about their business, engrossed in their own worlds, some stop to watch the train go by.

After about thirty minutes of uninspiring view, we leave behind muddy waters and coconut tree strewn forests and we ride past tall pine wood trees that stand guard on the uneven landscape.

A picturesque view, breath taking in its simplicity is created by the cultivated spaces.

Particularly the tea plantations that surround the grounds near the rail road. Tea leave pickers can be spotted bent before the shrubs that have been Srilanka’s export produce for generations. At certain places the train tracks pass so close to deep Ravines that, my heart flutters , I’m giddy with excitement as I look down at the settlements below.

Reaching our destination, a bus takes us to our hotel, we check in and have a huge dinner. It’s a small hotel with first class service. The hospitality is disconcerting!

The next day, we visit a famous garden, Hakgala Gardens, Hindu Mythology attribute the location to Lord Hanuman, their monkey god.

Its beautiful indeed, its easy to see why mythology thrives here. The clouds trickle down tall mountains and linger as mist in the lower valleys, the scene is Sureal.

Humid Heaven

We arrived my humid heaven on 7-7-07. I ‘m excited to be here, though the holiday has not even begun. So far medical check ups and immigration details have become priority. I’ve fallen in love with the country all over again. The extremely polite immigration officer contrasted so much with the ones in Nigeria who managed to extort N500 from us as we left the Departure lounge of the Lagos international Airport.
So far, when i'm not going though the congestion of the city center, I am lazying under the ceiling fan, the triple blades turning the humid heat into cool soothing air. Not even an overnight stay in the hospital for an unexpected sugery has dampened my enthusiasm.

The Quiet Village we reside in is pollution free, a big contrast from the Capital city Columbo.

So far i've read interviews in the papers of Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. Who ever thought Srilankan literary community will be intreasted in Nigerian Writers.

Am i feeling inspired?

Yes.