Galle

Sinharaja rainforest

I always fantasised about letting myself lost in the rainforest, far from a noisy modern world and away from the daily problems it brings. I started with very empiric and romantic thoughts and instead I got a scent of basic life, going back to the roots. This time, it was not flesh and blood as in Varanassi last year, but water.

Small villages scatter the edges of the rainforest

it started to rain, and i was having second thoughts about going further.

...and the car cannot go further, so we had to continue on foot....

in half an hour, i was to find out that it did not matter whether it rained or not - the air humidity reaches the saturation point, and you simply get wet in a few minutes, with no chance to dry. Ever !

As some point, vegetation got so thick and so tall, that it feels like diving in a huge pool.

This is why they call it RAINforest, everything is wet. breathing becomes difficult, and walking means floating or swimming in the humidity around.

small insects and animals, you just need to look carefully.

Palitha Rathnayaka advising on how to get the leeches off. He was full of them, since he was walking the first one “to scare the snakes” as he put it.
Palitha’s first car was a second hand Aro from Campulung. He had to sell it after a long time because he failed to find spare parts.

ceylon tree, extremely solid and heavy.

aerian roots

We got into the rainforest with the kind help of mr. Palitha Rathnayaka, a cultivated and most funny biology professor from Deniyaya. He also runs a small guesthouse in Deniyaya, Sinharaja Rest on the Temple road in Deniyaya (sinharaja_rest@yahoo.com). Call him a few days in advance to arrange.

Tangalla

serene beauty of a deserted place - Tangalla.

Once a very popular seaside resort, only a few foreigners could be spotted here and there this time. “There’re no tourists this year, it’s so sad for us. All the small hotels, motels and bungalows by the beach are closed or empty“ – complained the depressed locals.

and the beach becomes virgin again

Fishermen find it difficult to sell their catch, so very few go out at sea these days

...but not the old ones, this is their only chance to help their families

remains from the tsunami break the idyllic scenes everywhere

Guess who crosses the road?

Marketplace and meals, this is the paradise of fruit adicted people.

trustworthy tuk-tuks on hire everywhere, just bargain a little before you hop on

Mulkirigala rock temple

All faithless, beware, thisis the last warning !

Steps lead up to a series of cleftlike caves in a huge rock in the middle of the rainforest. A small Buddhist school of young monks appears before the caves.

the place has a little of Dambulla and Sigiriya about it.

wall paintings inside the caves which serve as prayer rooms

a homosexual prince surrounded by demons

continue barefoot to the second level to a second set of caves sheltering large reclining Buddhas, together with other, smaller, sitting and standing figures.

the Boddhi tree and its prayer flags

fierce animals and demons guard the entrance to the sacred cave

thedemons keep the evils out, so you're nothing to fear inside

she looks familiar, giving birth to a God.

dagoba perched on top of the rock and inspiring views over the surrounding rainforest.