Thursday 21 March 2013

Sri Lanka Day 4: Spice Garden at Mattala and Aluvihara Rock Cave Temple



Took some photos of arround Hotel Sorowwa while waited for our driver Rohan to arrive.  Upon arrival, Rohan later told me that there was a strike by the driver-guide union today but it had been settled.









Our first stop was Kandalama Hotel, designed by famed architect Geoffrey Bawa.












The hotel was fully booked during our time there, so the next best thing was to visit the hotel. It was built into and round the rocks.












 

Kandalama Hotel was located in a beautiful setting, overseeing the lakes.  The swimming pool seems to blend into the lake.












This hotel would be great if you intend to spend 1 day specifically there.  Very relaxing.  It is located near to Dumbulla Caves.












Drinking the yello-tusk coconut.  It tastes good and its flesh is soft.  However, the Thai coconunts are better.

















Onward to Mattala, where we stopped at a spice garden Isiwara Ayuvedic Village.  








We were given a guided tour, with quite a heavy emphasis on sales of product. 













There were demonstration of rope making and rice husk removing. 

The price of the products were very expensive but the staff did not arm twist us to buy.  Why can’t the owner just quote a more reasonable price?








Aluvihara Rock Cave Temple was a good break between journey (Rs250). 

















This temple would not deem spectacular to me. There were  a few reclining Buddhas and wall murals of 18 chambers of hell, quite similar to the Chinese mythology.  It is more a good place to break the car journey.










We finally arrived at Kandy near noon. We had fried noodles at Senani Restaurant which overlooked the Kandy Lake.  The view was great but the food wasn’t.  It took a long time to serve our food.  Later, we were told that due to the proposed strike by the driver-guide union, the restaurant did not prepare for any guests to turn up.  The waiter was nice enough to provide dhal curry for us to go with the noodles.





The consolation was the good view of Kandy centre.



Read more: Sri Lanka Travels












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