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1st trip in
november 2010
locations marked in red on the map
The journey begins
from the capital Colombo, as well as me and my wife Monica is also
Alessia five years old. Leaving the airport waiting for us the
guide: target Kandy. Immediately after leaving the airport we
are already wrapped in the messy and chaotic traffic of Sri
Lanka. All surpass all and at all times, the road is full of tuc
tuc-, carts and buses whizzing between a stop and the next.
Driving here is really a company but for our driver, everything
seems normal. On the way to Kandy we climb into the mountains,
it's raining. The vegetation is lush, very green. The road is
surrounded by innumerable banquets with fruit ... do not resist stop
for a taste. There are all kinds of tropical fruits including
pineapple giant, but we are attracted by the red bananas ...
we had never seen before. The flavor is indescribable to those
of us accustomed to eating in Italy is harvested unripe bananas
that ripen during trip! In Kandy you can do many things. First
of all a visit to the botanical gardens with its collection of
orchids including rare, then a visit to the relic of the Buddha,
and why not a little 'shopping since it comes from this area of
Sri Lankan gemstones: rubies, sapphires, etc.. . The various
laboratories are also equipped to show the phases of the
underground search and processing of precious stones. Next stop
Habarana raised practically in the jungle. We stay at Cinnamon
Lodge (www.cinnamonhotels.com), a beautiful hotel made up of
many small houses scattered in the vegetation in a lake. Outside
the door in complete freedom you can meet, monkeys, iguanas,
squirrels and even for those who want the tour is an elephant.
Habarana is situated near the famous rock of Sigirya. The effort
of the climb is rewarded with panoramic views over the plains
below and the sight of the most famous paintings of girls in Sri
Lanka. From Habarana and Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, you can
visit the archaeological sites known respectively and for the
passage of the Buddha. During the move I've made a lot of shots
out the window, you see dilapidated shops which sell a bit 'of
everything, meet the children after school in a white uniform
almost white, then older people who wash the river, many people
walk without shoes in the dust. A note characterizes the common
people of Sri Lanka: everyone smiles! Returning to the coast
must visit the elephant orphanage in Pinnawella. We stay in
Bentota near Kalutara fifty kilometers south of Colombo. Here there are long
beaches not yet invaded by mass tourism, as is well known Sri
Lanka is recovering from years of civil war that have kept away
some potential tourists. It 'a succession of storms and sudden
frenzied followed by large patches of sunshine, but despite what
the temperature is always above the thirty degrees. The ocean
water is always hot ... unfortunately we are now awaiting the
sad now back in Europe in early December cold.
2nd trip in
July 2014
locations marked in green on the map
Also this time the journey begins from the capital Colombo,
traveling companions, as usual, my wife Monica and Alessia our
daughter who is now 9 years old. This time we head to Nuwara
Eliya to see the tea plantations. We climb up to 2000 meters,
the landscape is somewhat similar to the alpine, then begin the
tea plantations and everything changes. Here the climate is much
cooler than the rest of the country and the night gets too cold.
We visit some tea factories where they tell us the various
methods of production. Our journey continues on to the park
nazionele Yala. The description of the park can be found under "Animal
World". Last stop Hikkaduwa to enjoy its legendary beaches
and a visit to the city of Galle with its fort.
Stefano Gazzoli
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