Kandy is located practically at the centre of Sri Lanka in the Hill Country famous for its tea growing. It is also renowned for being the home to the famous Temple of the Tooth but our group decided that we’d had sufficient exposure to Buddhist relics in Myanmar and decided upon other pursuits.
Kandy is a vibrant, bustling and seemingly over crowded city and it serves as a major government and general administrative centre for much of Sri Lanka.
Another claim to fame is Kandy’s heavy involvement in the production of fine jewellery, a direct consequence of the nearby mining for precious and semi-precious gemstones. Sri Lanka is famous for its moonstones, blue sapphires, rubies, cat’s eyes and zircons.
We had breakfast at our home-stay on an open terrace overlooking the Mahaweli River which is the longest river in Sri Lanka. Our rooms are on the left bank of the river and during breakfast we watched men on rafts collecting sand from the river floor. They use improvised pontoons made from 200 L fuel drums lashed together and they scoop up river sand using long bamboo poles. The washed river sand is prized for cement and mortar production.
Men collecting sand on Mahaweli River, Kandy
After breakfast we drove to a local market area where the crowd and bus traffic was super high density making the crossing of the road a challenge of some proportion.
At the market we met Rukshana (Ruki) who was to be our chef for preparing lunch today. She took us to the inner sanctum of the market where the smells of vegetables, spices, dried fish, raw meat and other such delights provided an olfactory extravaganza.
Spice stall at local market, Kandy
Fruit & vege stall at local market, Kandy
Fruit & vege stall at local market, Kandy
Under Rukshana’s supervision we purchased an interesting array of vegetables, spices and chicken meat. There were several types of vegetables we’d never seen before. There were at least three types of aubergines on sale and snake gourds. Strange looking tubers were on sale too and although we thought they were a variant potato we were later informed that the flesh was sweet and used in desserts.
Rukshana making purchases at fruit & vege stall at local market, Kandy
Snake gourds at local market, Kandy
Loofahs at local market, Kandy
Fish stall at local market, Kandy
Rice stall at local market, Kandy
Mr Hanlffa, Stall keeper at local market, Kandy
Man carrying goods at local market, Kandy
Rukshana making purchases at fruit & vege stall at local market, Kandy
Vegetable stall owner selling us veges for lunch at local market, Kandy
Chickens for our lunch at local market, Kandy
Coconuts at local market, Kandy
Chicken stall owner preparing chickens for our lunch, local market, Kandy
Having collected our culinary goodies we then drove up a steep and narrow road to Rukshana’s home where the task was to use the purchased provisions to prepare a Sri Lankan feast. Rukshana’s house was at the top of a narrow concrete path and this happens to be the only access she has from the road below. This means that all provisions such as building materials, furniture, appliances, food, etc.. have to be carried up a 120 m stepped pathway.
Their house is built from mud bricks and nearby there is a nicely appointed and furnished tree house that is used as a B&B unit.
Tree house at Rukshana's house, Kandy
Steps to Rukshana's house, Kandy
The preparation of the meal was supervised by Rukshana with us as her assistants plus four other women employed by Rukshana to do various tasks.
Group preparing lunch at Rukshana's house, Kandy
Group preparing lunch at Rukshana's house, Kandy
Jak splitting coconut at Rukshana's house, Kandy
The meal was a sheer delight and we all felt that it was such a privilege to experience this culinary exercise and to enjoy a truly delectable meal within the privacy of a Sri Lankan’s home.
Lunch at Rukshana's house, Kandy
Group at Rukshana's house, Kandy
Group with bus outside Rukshana's house, Kandy
After the luncheon some of us then went to the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens. This 150 ha garden was first mooted in 1747 but it was under the guidance of Sir Joseph Banks that the gardens were finally established after having been originally developed on Slave Island.
We spent a good deal of time in the orchid house which had a magnificent display in flower. The most prominent species being vandas, dendrobia and peristreria.
Orchids, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
Orchids, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
Orchids, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
Orchid, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
Orchid, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
Chocolate orchid, Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
The peristeria elata or Holy Ghost orchid was in flower and is easily recognised by its beautiful waxy cup shaped flowers and its huge pseudobulbs. It is the national flower of Panama.
Peristeria elata (Holy Ghost orchid), Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
We learnt that there are about 188 orchid species in Sri Lanka and 110 of these occur in the Kandy region.
We strolled around the extensive gardens marvelling at the beautifully presented plants and trees within lovely lawns and ponds.
Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
We encountered a group of delightful 16 year old school children keen to practise their English with us. We chatted with them and took lots of photos with them particularly wanting ‘selfies’.
School children at Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy
We then returned to our riverside accommodation and after some pre-dinner drinks we had dinner and prepared for an early night after a fun filled day.
Bridge over Mahaweli River, Kandy
Thotupola Residence (our home-stay), Kandy
Drinks at Thotupola Residence (our home-stay), Kandy
Dinner at Thotupola Residence (our home-stay), Kandy
Tomorrow we do the scenic train trip from Kandy to Nanu Oya and then travel by bus to Nuwara Eliya where we’ll spend the next three days.