Sri Lanka: through the eyes of a tourist

The first visitors gave melodic names to the tropical island to visit. The Persians called it "the land of hyacinths". For the Chinese, it was "the island of jewelry" and the Indians called it "the pond of red lotus flowers". However, in 1972 the Sri Lankans officially named their island Sri Lanka and it was called "the glorious island". But this island has long been known as Ceylon.

First of all, I didn't know for Ceylon or Sri Lanka that the world famous tea came from there. However, an invitation to visit "A Resplandecente Island" led me to contact the Ceylon Tourist Office in Colombo, the capital. I immediately received brochures of the ruins of a 2000 year old city, the man-made lakes in the jungle and the pleasantly cool mountains. The biggest attraction? Why national parks and zoos, playgrounds for elephants, leopards, sambar deer and exotic birds! On this lush green island, you can spot a large number of reptiles, 109 different mammals, and nearly 400 species of birds, including migratory birds that arrive from October through March and April.

Sri Lanka is 274 miles long and 142 miles wide (441 x 229 kilometers). Although the average temperature on the coast in the far south of India is a few hundred kilometers north of the equator, it hovers between 26 and 30 degrees Celsius.

Sri Lanka has three climatic zones. The northeastern part of the island is dry and hot. However, the southwest is humid and warm, although a cool sea breeze dampens the heat. The central plateau offers a so-called "European" climate. Each of these three climatic zones has its own characteristic flora and fauna.

Like an emerald

Suppose we look at this green island through the eyes of a tourist. The island approaches Sri Lanka by plane and emerges like an emerald from the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Our host gives us a warm welcome and we immediately feel at home. With the car, we pass a fishing village with a thatched roof. What a pleasure to cross palm trees in the shade and stroll along the paths lined with flowering trees! When we left Frankfurt, snow covered the roofs. Beautiful orchids bloom here. There is also “winter” here, but the temperature is always like that on a pleasant summer day in Germany.

When we went to Wattala, a suburb of Colombo, we passed the red double decker buses. We see huge elephants at work and lean, bulky cattle pulling ox carts. Traffic continues to the left, an adaptation of the English colonial era.

A trip to the mountains

Now for a trip to the highlands. We passed yellow-green rice fields, "weeping forests" and rubber plantations. We climbed the mountain through ravines covered with snakes. Terraces with small rice fields gently descend the slopes. Green hills and bustling crystal clear waterfalls are a pleasurable sight.

The heights densely planted with tea trees seem to be covered with green velvet. Over 550 million pounds (250 million pounds) of tea is harvested here each year.

Kandy: charming mountain town. Kandy is located in the highlands of the central province, at an altitude of 533 meters. Surrounded by tropical forests and near an artificial lake, this is a truly fascinating city. Its landmark is Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth Relic. Under a special vault in an inner chamber of this temple is what many believe to be a tooth of Buddha. The smell of incense and jasmine offered to this relic pervades the room.

This temple is also the starting point of a spectacular procession called the Perahera. For ten nights in July and August, temple dancers, elephants, trumpeters and torchbearers form a large procession. Sometimes more than eighty elephants take part. They are detailed with colorful silk and satin blankets, silver bells and transparent pompoms.

This temple is also the starting point for a spectacular procession called Perahera. For ten nights in July and August, temple dancers, elephants, trumpeters and torchbearers form a large procession. Sometimes more than eighty elephants participate. They are richly decorated with colored silk and satin blankets, silver bells and glittering pompoms.

Peradeniya Botanical Garden. There is a botanical garden about 4 km from Kandy. There is an impressive collection of tropical trees, beautiful roads with palm trees and exotic shrubs. You will find almost all tropical plants. Here. In fact, you can see Casa das Orquídeas and the collection of spices, where we can find plants such as nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and vanilla.

Ratnapura - city with gems. The name "magnificent island" suits Sri Lanka in several ways. Did you know that Ratnapura has been at the heart of a pearl research industry?

Pearls found in this area include sapphires, rubies, tourmalines, amethysts, cat eyes and the rare alexandrite. But if you are not a gemstone expert, be careful with a supposed arrangement. More than one of these souvenirs turned out to be slightly different from what the person thought they were buying. However, the tourist office can provide you with a list of licensed jewelers where a person can buy a beautiful souvenir that will surely become a real gem.

Nuwara Eliya - Cool holiday resort in the mountains. Our travels also take us to Nuwara Eliya. This Sinhalese name means "city of light". This complex is located almost 1,905 meters above sea level and the average temperature rarely exceeds 16 degrees Celsius. The English governor had his house built here. Sir Samuel Baker, the famous discoverer of the Nile, brought architects and workers to these plateaus and built a village there in typical English style. The whitewashed houses and garden fence will surely remind you of one of England's charming Lake District towns. Mount Pidurutalagala, at 2527 meters above sea level, is easily accessible from Nuwara Eliya. It is the highest mountain on the island.

Highland Garden. Not far from Nuwara Eliya is Hakgala. The botanical garden here is one of the few places in the tropics where imported flowers from Europe can be grown. The fertile soil, abundant rain and warm sunshine are perfect for flowers such as daffodils, gladioli, carnations, chrysanthemums and violets.

In the mountainous area, there are actually animals such as the Ceylon leopard, porcupine, deer and the giant squirrel. Birds that are most likely to be seen in the highlands include the Ceylon magpie, the white-eyed, gray-haired flycatcher and the thrush.

The city of the jungle ruins. Although the pyramids were important to the ancient Egyptians, the city of Anuradhapura is important to the Sinhalese. In addition, it has long been a religious center for Buddhists, just as Benares has been for Hindus.

In the heart of the ancient city of Anuradhapura, which has many ancient ruins, is the Sri Maha Bodhi tree. It is considered to be a branch of the tree in India, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. According to tradition, this tree was made in the 300s BC. Brought to Ceylon by Indian Princess Sanghamitta. Today it is one of the holiest sites in Buddhism. The tree has been surrounded by a golden balustrade since 1966.

Irrigation system

While about 500 cm of rain falls in the mountains every year, it rains on the plains only three months a year. Monsoon rains fall on the earth like a flood. Then the dry period for many months dominates.

Ruhunu National Park

About 282 kilometers from Colombo in the south-east of the island, it is one of the most beautiful natural parks in Sri Lanka. Elephants, wild buffaloes and peacocks live in Ruhunu National Park. Each year, thousands of visitors enjoy the adorable herds of deer, painted deer, elk and sambar deer. Herons, herons, storks, flamingos and pelicans provide many interesting subjects for your camera.

We want to get out of the car and iron the animals. Those who have been in this cell for several years seem docile. One can easily reach 20 meters from a herd of elephants. But getting out of the car would be dangerous. Animals are easily afraid, and their actions are unpredictable. We therefore wisely stayed in the car.

Vital coconut tree

Life on this tropical island is hard to imagine without the versatile coconut palm tree that we so often see on our trip. The wood comes from the trunk of this tree to build the village huts. The roof is covered with palm leaves. But what about the coconut itself? Green coconut water is a clean, refreshing drink that is packed with minerals. Moreover, the "container" does not pollute the environment if it is thrown away. White meat oil works well for cooking and frying. Many people use it as a hair oil that makes black highlights glow.

Jaggery is a delicious dessert made from the sweet juice of titanium, coconut and palm. The sap of these trees is also the basic ingredient in palm honey, which is delicious when mixed with sour buffalo milk pulp. Toddy, as this juice is called, ferments quickly and then looks like a good beer. Most often, however, it is distilled to make araca, a strong drink like vodka, often referred to as "poor whiskey."

It's not just the hardworking residents of this beautiful island who make sugar with the palms of their hands; They also produce salt using old methods. Along the coast, we find that sea water can flow into shallow lagoons. These are then closed by ponds. With the help of solar heat and wind, the water evaporates and the salt crystals remain. This process is repeated until the salt layer is thick enough for harvesting.

For the Sri Lankan visitor, paradise seems closer than ever. It really is an emerald death. Sunny beaches, meadows, gray-green jungle, sparkling man-made lakes, yellow-green rice fields, olive green tea plantations, and rich wildlife make Sri Lanka a wonderful island.