This quiet provincial town, which is an entry point to Sri Lanka's hill country, appeared to be more crowded than Bombay on New Year's Day. It looked like all of Sri Lanka descended on Kandy to pray at the Temple of the (Buddha's) Tooth. Of course the crowds thinned by sunset.
There is a permanent relaxed and holiday feel in Kandy. A walk around the small lake is always a pleasure and it's quite a spectacle to see the birds go crazy at sunset to find space in the trees. Kandy, is an early to bed, early to rise town. It looks abandoned after 7 pm and activity starts from 5 am, with the prayers at the Temple of the Tooth.
I have been to the temple a countless number of times and not once did I pay for an entry ticket. Now that my Sinhalese is not bad, no one on earth can tell I am an Indian. At worst, I am a Sri Lankan, who lives/was raised abroad.
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As far as hotels go, the Queen's Hotel is one of my favourite boutique hotels in the world. Old-world charm and elegance are personified in the hotel. I love the red-carpeted wooden staircase, the antique elevator, the elegant ballroom and the wonderful rooms with wooden flooring and a lake view; not to mention the wonderful architecture of the building.
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Kandy can now proudly boast of a large shopping mall (sigh). The mall contains everything from electronic stores to bookshops and a supermarket. Why oh why do the authorities insist on playing instrumental Bollywood music from Shah Rukh Khan's films? Oh did I mention that the 2 bookshops in the mall have more books written by Indian authors than those written by Sri Lankans? It is impossible to find Martin Wickramasinghe's classics in English anywhere in the country!!!
***
One of the "best kept secrets" in the city is no longer a secret. The wonderful hill from where you get a great view of the lake and the temple and the city as a whole, has now become a tourist attraction. Yes, the area is full of souvenir stalls, touts and package tourists! I am glad I enjoyed the place before it was discovered.
There is a permanent relaxed and holiday feel in Kandy. A walk around the small lake is always a pleasure and it's quite a spectacle to see the birds go crazy at sunset to find space in the trees. Kandy, is an early to bed, early to rise town. It looks abandoned after 7 pm and activity starts from 5 am, with the prayers at the Temple of the Tooth.
I have been to the temple a countless number of times and not once did I pay for an entry ticket. Now that my Sinhalese is not bad, no one on earth can tell I am an Indian. At worst, I am a Sri Lankan, who lives/was raised abroad.
***
As far as hotels go, the Queen's Hotel is one of my favourite boutique hotels in the world. Old-world charm and elegance are personified in the hotel. I love the red-carpeted wooden staircase, the antique elevator, the elegant ballroom and the wonderful rooms with wooden flooring and a lake view; not to mention the wonderful architecture of the building.
***
Kandy can now proudly boast of a large shopping mall (sigh). The mall contains everything from electronic stores to bookshops and a supermarket. Why oh why do the authorities insist on playing instrumental Bollywood music from Shah Rukh Khan's films? Oh did I mention that the 2 bookshops in the mall have more books written by Indian authors than those written by Sri Lankans? It is impossible to find Martin Wickramasinghe's classics in English anywhere in the country!!!
***
One of the "best kept secrets" in the city is no longer a secret. The wonderful hill from where you get a great view of the lake and the temple and the city as a whole, has now become a tourist attraction. Yes, the area is full of souvenir stalls, touts and package tourists! I am glad I enjoyed the place before it was discovered.
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