{"id":5321,"date":"2013-05-01T01:16:42","date_gmt":"2013-04-30T17:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mytwogirls.net\/?p=5321"},"modified":"2014-06-18T13:02:00","modified_gmt":"2014-06-18T05:02:00","slug":"sri-lanka-2013-part-2-journey-from-sigiriya-to-haputale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mytwogirls.net\/?p=5321","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka 2013 Part 2 – Journey from Sigiriya to Haputale"},"content":{"rendered":"

The post and summary of the trip can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"From<\/a>This was what we covered on this post. (Credit : Map taken from google map)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u266524th March 2013\u2665<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We have to leave the hotel, Fresco Water Villa<\/a>, early as we have a lot of distant to cover. The girls were complaining that they don’t even get to enjoy the hotel and swim. <\/p>\n

Fresco Water Villa. Our big triple room. The girls love the big beds all joined together, so that they can do forward roll, backward roll on cushioned surface<\/span>\"Fresco<\/p>\n

Our room (bottom right) with a verandah<\/span>\"Fresco<\/p>\n

Oh well, we have 6hrs (6hrs journey with minimal stop. We took 8hrs because we had so many photography stops made.) of driving to cover. Swimming can wait. <\/p>\n

We made many stops along the way. First was at Dambulla<\/a>, where we saw a peaceful demonstration against UN declaration of Sri Lanka Human Right Violation<\/a>. The first demonstration witnessed by the girls.<\/p>\n

Traditional drummers<\/span>\"Drummer<\/p>\n

Monks\"Monk<\/p>\n

\"Monk<\/p>\n

Policeman controlling traffic flow\"Policeman<\/p>\n

Women demonstrating against UN declaration of Sri Lanka Human Right Violation\"Demonstration\"<\/p>\n

\"Women<\/p>\n

Tuk Tuk’s convoy at the demonstration\"Tuk<\/p>\n

The hubs participating in<\/strike> photographing the event.\"Kenneth\"<\/p>\n

Next stop, Dambulla Wholesale Market, this is the largest vegetable wholesale market in Sri Lanka. All kind of produce from the farms in the central district are distributed here.<\/p>\n

Stack of betel leaves\"Betel<\/p>\n

Areca nuts\"Areca<\/p>\n

A stall set up to sell Areca nut & Betel Leave wraps\"Betel<\/p>\n

Sacks of Fresh carrots\"Carrots<\/p>\n

Sacks of Green chillies\"Chillies<\/p>\n

Sacks of Potatoes with smiley workers\"Dambulla<\/p>\n

Even when carrying heavy load, they didn’t forget to smile.\"Man<\/p>\n

While waiting for hubs, a friendly owner, skinned 2 carrots for the girls to munch on. \"ManThe girls, not really a fan of raw carrots, had to munch on it so as not to be rude (under my nudging and ‘glaring’). <\/p>\n

Such is the kindness of the smiley Sri Lankans.<\/p>\n

We went passed Kandi<\/a> without stopping, and then the roads started to be winding as we began to ascend to the hill countries.<\/p>\n

Near one of the estates, there was a Hindu celebration going on. Lots of locals where participating, and then van\/car loads of tourists stopped to watch. We were one of them.<\/p>\n

Local spectating the celebration\"Tamil<\/p>\n

OMG! Men suspended on hooks!\"Tamil<\/p>\n

\"Man<\/p>\n

Women with pierced cheeks who seemed to be in a trance, danced along\"Tamil<\/p>\n

There were lots of cheering, screaming, drumming, dancing. The girls were afraid after a while, I have to bring them away from the crowd and had Asanka help watch over them.<\/p>\n

The local children seemed to enjoy themselves\"Little<\/p>\n

The star of the celebration was this man. He has lots of hooks on his body\"Tamil<\/p>\n

Women were crying and cheering\/wailing for him\"Women<\/p>\n

After a while, I myself got uncomfortable, with all the drumming, the chanting, the trance dancing, and seeing so many men suspended on hooks. <\/p>\n

We drove on, and arrived at Nuwara Eliya<\/a>, a little scenic town which has very strong British influence. <\/p>\n

\"NuwaraWe only had a short toilet stop, because it’s still a long way to Haputale.<\/p>\n

Roads got more and more winding, and I got sick a few times until I moved to the front passenger seat. I breathed a sigh of relief, when we finally arrived at Haputale<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Nuwara<\/p>\n

\"Haputale<\/p>\n

\"Haputale<\/p>\n

More than eight hours car journey, and it’s finally over! Everybody was so happy, we started jumping for joy, starting with Asanka.
\n\"Asanka<\/p>\n

Then the girls.
\n\"Zaria<\/p>\n

\"Zaria<\/p>\n

\"Zara<\/p>\n

Our hotel for the night, Melheim Resort<\/a> is 15 minutes away from Haputale town centre. We passed by a small village before arriving at the hotel, and we saw boys playing cricket (the most popular sport in Sri Lanka) with their self made bat.<\/p>\n

\"Boy <\/p>\n

The Junior Cricket Team\"Boys<\/p>\n

After a couple of photos taken, 2 brave boys came forward and asked, “Pen? Pen?”<\/span> (asking us if we have pens on us to give them).<\/p>\n

We only have one (not enough for them), so we told them no. The boys asked then, “Dollar? Dollar?”<\/span>; and got told off by Asanka. <\/p>\n

\"Boys<\/p>\n

We have some snacks brought from Malaysia with us, so I got the girls to pass the boys a bottle of Pringles. The boys, happily took it and distributed the Pringles with his friends, such a gem they are, for their willingness to share. \"Boys<\/p>\n

The girls were so happy to arrive at Melheim Resort<\/a>. Too dark to enjoy the view, but we could imagine how beautiful it is. Luckily we have Asanka booked the room with half board, we had a good dinner and then an early night.<\/p>\n

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