Kandy Land: The Three Temple Loop

 A rolling Buddha gathers no moss. (So not this one.)

 

Kandy is the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, and most visitors to the country choose to spend at least a few nights there, visiting the Temple of the Tooth (where it is alleged that one of the Buddha's teeth resides), taking in some Kandyan dance and making the day trip to Sigiria. As this was the final stop of my blissed out Christmas "escape from Kathmandu" we ended up booking four nights in order to be able to rest and relax, and so that I could have some quality time with my mum.

As a result, we had time to really soak in the ambiance and attractions that really make Kandy a special place - the Ceylon Tea Museum, Helga's Folly Hotel (one of the strangest places I have ever been - more on that another time), the Royal Botanical Gardens and the Three Temple Loop.

One morning we set out to do the 'Loop' - relishing the chance to get out into the countryside surrounding Kandy and explore some of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples nestled in the hills. Though some folks choose to do this as one long-ass walk, we hired a driver for the trip, and it was well worth the extra cost.

We visited three temples: Gadaladeniya, Lankatilaka and Embekke. Though ostensibly Hindu temples, each had a strong Buddhist presence (Hindus believe that the Buddha was the ninth incarnation of Vishnu, so he wasn't that out of place). Here are some of the most striking images of the day!

You go, girl.

A lotus flower pokes up out of a murky pond at Gadaladeniya, a temple built in 1344 on a rough shield of rock. Depending on who you ask, lotuses symbolize purity, overcoming challenges and/or enlightenment because they must fight their way through muck and yet they emerge a stunning flower. It was a lovely way to start the day.

 

  

Waterfight! Oh. No? That's offensive? Oh. 

After touring the interior of the shrine and circumambulating the stupa, I encountered these multi-coloured plastic vessels scattered about the backside of the temple. They are filled with the water that is used for Hindu puja (prayers), and they totally reminded me of a Fisher Price kitchen.

Best part m'day.

To be honest, this was probably my favourite part of the day. This little guy followed me around the temple grounds,  squeaking and tumbling and being the puppiest puppy ever. The old men at the temple tried to tell me to take him with me, and my mum was like "Do. Not. Tempt. Her."

Serious Business.

They kind of look like hipster ladies with stretched ears. Did I meet you guys in Portland?

A huge Buddha and sculpted apsaras at the Lankatilaka Temple. This was the largest of the three sites that we visited, a vast complex spread out on a hilltop overlooking the valley. Huge Sinhalese and Tamil inscriptions were painstakingly carved into the rock in the 14th century, and many stupas and buildings cover the grounds. There were also fantastic shops outside of the gates, and my mum bought some carvings from a local artisan.

 
Anyone have a bobbypin?

Dirty Dancing? Nobody puts Parvati in the corner! (sorry.)

The third temple on the loop is the most famous - Embekke Devalaya. This is the only site of the three that has no Buddhist presence, and is dedicated to Murugan, a Hindu god popular in the South - (I have always loved him because he rides a peacock. And he's green!) Murugan is Ganesha's brother and the son of Shiva and Parvati- that's a pretty kickass family tree. 

The temple is most famous for its Drumming Hall, a wooden structure that was painstakingly carved in the 14th century. Each ebony pillar is decorated with intricate carvings of animals, dancers and musicians - it was a whimsical place, and well worth the trip.

Kandy is one of those cities that people either love or hate, and I have a sneaking suspicion that those who dislike it are the ones who breeze through and don't give it a chance to charm them. So stay a few extra days - soak it all in, enjoy the art, and make sure you schedule some time for the three temple loop.

After all, you might meet this guy. Isn't that enough incentive?

Little Kandy dog. I'd name him Gum Drop. Or Sugarpie. Or Wayne.

15 photos of Northern Vietnam.

My favourite photo from all of Vietnam. His silver necklace signifies that he is a member of the Black H'Mong hilltribe, the largest in the North. I love his little tongue sticking out between his teeth.

In Canada, this little guy would be a child actor. Look at that expression....

Bia Hoi - a bonus on the trip to Vietnam. Fresh beer served icy cold on the street for 20 cents a glass. Everyone wins!

Water puppetry is an ancient artform still practiced in Hanoi and the North of Vietnam. It is a little corny, a little silly and really cute. These are examples of some of the puppets used.

Mist rolling off of the terraced rice paddies in the early morning.

Sapa is in the very North of Vietnam at the Chinese border. This woman is a member of the Black H'Mong tribe, and was very persistent in her sales tactics. It was all in good fun - we sat and had a bia hoi with her later in the day.

Dzao ladies - another hilltribe in Sapa. They consider body hair abhorrent and shave their hair high on their foreheads. The different headwraps symbolize marital status.

A boy plowing the fields during our trek in the hills near Sapa. It is a hard life, but one that has some definite benefits over our own. Family and tradition are keystones of life here.

In some ways Northern Vietnam looks the way that I expect China to look. There is a magic and mystique in the air that enchanted me - it is a feeling more than an actual thing I can express.

I love the ruffled caps that the Black H'Mong put on their babies. This little pearl will probably grow up speaking 8 different languages and being able to sell embroidery in all of them.

These ladies knew damned well what a pinky swear was - but we educated them on 'sealing it with the thumb.' They made sure that he kept his promise the next day and made him buy stuff we did not want or need!


Watching a waterwheel in the small village of Cat Cat after an exhausting trek in the heat. This was a really calming, peaceful place.


I really think that traveling Vietnam with a baby is the way to go - you have dozens of willing nannies at every stop. In Sapa, the women could not keep their hands off of this fellow. We saw the family around town numerous times, and this little blondie was always in different H'Mong hands. They LOVED him. And it is obvious he loved them too.

In some places in Thailand and Laos, people dress in hilltribe costumes just for the tourists. Not so in Vietnam - people and children even far from the tourist circuit were in their traditional garb for day to day life. We saw these little boys on the way to Ta Van, where we spent the night in a home stay.

Seriously, kids are just kids. It does not matter what country they are from - they all act the same.

A lesson for all of us, I suppose.

Top 30 India Photos.

It is of 2 little girls who swarmed us the moment our camels set us down in Jaisalmer, the fabled sandcastle city in Rasjasthan. They begged for money, barrettes, make-up - they even snatched the hairtie off of my wrist. If you didn't give in they began to sing - LOUDLY. And terribly, like little desert hijras (Eunuchs who also sing until you pay them.)



I bought bangles from this woman in Jaisalmer - she complimented me lavishly even though I was oozing sweat and wearing a lumberjack shirt. It's expensive to keep that baby in eyeliner.


This little guy approached us in Jaisalmer and asked if we wanted to see a magic show. Normally I never give money to children, but come on. This was great.



A Tibetan monk spinning prayer wheels at the Dalai Lama'a residence-in-exile in Dharamsala. While I am definitely a strong supporter of Tibet and the plight of its people I think it is important for the West not to over-cuddlify (yes, I made that up) the religion of Tenzin Gyatso himself. There were problems pre-1950, no one denies that. But let's give them the chance to fix them. This was a beautiful, peaceful place



Tibetan prayer flags strung in the trees of McLeod Ganj. The farther into the Himalayas you go the more Tibetan and Burmese faces you see.


A man reflecting at the Golden Temple, in Amritsar. I respect Sikhism so much - it is an egalitarian, casteless religion that is a breath of fresh air from some of the archaic classism in Hinduism and the mysogyny of Islam in India. Sikh Gurudwaras are a really welcoming place - and they feed you!


The chaos of labrynthine Old Delhi, as seen from the back of a cycle rickshaw.


Men strolling across the vast plaza at the Jama Masjid in Delhi. This was commission by the same king who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Agra, so the style is very similar.


This old fellow sold me some peanuts in Rishikesh and posed very seriously when I asked him if I could take a photo. I love everything about this.


Ganga Aarti (evening Ganges prayer) in Rishikesh. The huge statue is of Shiva - a sexy, meat eating, tiger slaying god with millions of incarnations. I can still hear the chanting if I close my eyes.

In Goa everything changes - it was a Portuguese colony for 500 years and locals are proud of it. It is pre-dominantly Catholic, and the people have curly hair, biblical names and they dress differently. This is Mama Mary, half deaf and eccentric as hell, buying her day's supply of fish from the fish-wallah (Note the hungry cat circling - she made a huge racket.) When I saw this, I thought of the old feminist saying "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" and I was like "Hey! Maybe they do!"


A sar-clad woman strolls the shore at sunset, Anjuna Beach.


This photo was taken in an Isreali cafe in Arambol, Goa. I loved that little pup! Unfortunately, looking at this photo nearly makes me sick as this is the place that gave me dysentry. :(
Everyone gets sick in India, and often it is not from Indian food.


An old couple fishing from their cornicle boat in the river that runs through Hampi. We took a ride in one, and the driver spun us around like a Tilt-a-Whirl.


This old woman is a temple guardian - we gave her a donation and she gave us a tikka mark.


Women washing clothes on the banks of the Hampi River. They were all smiley and waving in the other shots I got of them, but I managed to take one where they relaxed.


OMFG. This is the cutest puppy I have ever seen. This was taken as we rested at a temple located on a huge hill, inhabited by ganga smoking sadhus. Note his little red collar with tiny bells!


Perfume vendor in Mysore - he and his brother charmed us so much that we agreed to buy some essential oils and incense.


Typical South Indian meal, eaten with your hands and served on banana leaves. This was delicious - and less than 2 bucks for both of us.


These guys were splashing, joking and playing in the water in Kerala. Wayyyy more fun way to take a bath than in the West.


The eyeliner is thought to protect small kids in a belief that it makes them ugly and the gods will not want them. I think it makes them look like adorable little glam rockers.


Also in Kerala, where a boat can provide a good living.


A few things to note: the monkey, the "Beware of Monkeys" sign behind me and that fact that I am holding a stick while I eat with my right hand. The moment you put that stick down, the monkey attacks you for your food. I am clearly not impressed.


Tea pickers at a Tata tea plantation in Munnar.


Pretty much the greatest feeling that exists. This right here.


Each day, twice a day, men have to carry these golden animal and God statues to different locations in the temple. Shiva and Parvati are placed in the same room at night so that they can have 'alone' time.


This was just weird.
Those kids above are also with this family - this was taken on Holi in Mamallapuram. On Holi people splash water and coloured powders on each other and drink epic amounts of bhang lassi (pot milkshakes) and get gonzo. We eventually backed slowly away from these people, and they just kept dancing and laughing. Creepy.