I slept like a rock last night, through my alarm and everything-well actually not through the alarm because I later realized that it didn't actually go off since I set it for PM and not AM in my sleepy daze last night. But oh well, I don't care, I'm on vacation and obviously I needed more sleep. Being serenaded by the sounds of the river mixed with elephants trumpeting made getting ready for the day more enjoyable and less chore like.
He was so excited to see a picture of himself. That is one thing that doesn't get old to me--seeing the excitement of the locals looking at pictures of themselves on my camera.
I found a grocery store that had essential American products such as Ritz Crackers and Chip Ahoy cookies. I also stumbled across a Burger King so of course I ate there. I brought my driver along and fed him lunch too. And I made him put on a Burger King crown and let me take a picture of him. He was a good sport.
And because he was such a good sport I had to play fair:
My tuk tuk driver from last night offered to take me around again today, and our first stop was downtown Kandy.
Our first stop was to see a famous Buddhist temple that contains one of Buddha's canine teeth.
Appropriately, it was called the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (aka Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple).
You don't get to see the actual tooth, only 1 tourist ever 5 years gets that privilege. Considering the temple sees thousands of tourists each day, you know you've done something right if you get the privilege of seeing it. My guide literally ran through the temple, talking and moving so fast I could barely keep up with him. It became pretty amusing really.
After our light speed tour I spent some time walking around and taking pictures so it was all good. I was surprised by how busy the temple was. When I think of temple, I think of peaceful, quiet, orderly, etc. This was anything but that. There were so many people there, tourists and devotees alike. I honestly felt bad for the devotees who were there worshipping amongst all the other going ons, but they seemed okay with it and were probably really use to blocking all the other people out.
(Although I felt bad I still felt the need to take a picture....don't worry, they didn't see me)
The workmanship of the temple was very ornate. One of my favorite things was laying flowers in front of the monument that encases the container that encases the tooth. Although it had no spiritual meaning for me, it was beautiful to see and participate in.
The actual tooth is in there--the little smidgen of gold thing. I know, you can hardly see it. Parents and what I am assuming are grandparents due to age of some of them, bring their small children up to this relic where they are blessed. It's like the Buddhist form of a baby blessing/christening. I wasn't about to fight through a bunch of women waiting for a sacred spiritual ritual for their child so this was as good as it got. They do have copies of the relic around the temple, so the fourth picture below is what it would have looked like had I been able to get closer.
My other favorite thing about the temple was when a small child, who was being held by grandma grabbed the top of my water bottle and refused to let go. It took a couple of adults to pry him off. Laughs were shared by all.
And here are a few more pics from the inside of the temple:
There were Buddha statues EVERYWHERE...........
This room contained Buddha statues from every country in Asia
This bell/gong was a gift from Japan. It is super special but I don't remember why either. There was so much info thrown at me I couldn't contain it all. I'll have to read up on it I guess.
The amount of incense burning was unreal
After the temple I explored some of the surrounding parts of the town. I was walking by this guy when one of his friends stopped me and asked me to take a picture of him. I was given strict instructions that I must post it on the internet so here you go.
Our first stop was to see a famous Buddhist temple that contains one of Buddha's canine teeth.
Appropriately, it was called the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (aka Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple).
You don't get to see the actual tooth, only 1 tourist ever 5 years gets that privilege. Considering the temple sees thousands of tourists each day, you know you've done something right if you get the privilege of seeing it. My guide literally ran through the temple, talking and moving so fast I could barely keep up with him. It became pretty amusing really.
After our light speed tour I spent some time walking around and taking pictures so it was all good. I was surprised by how busy the temple was. When I think of temple, I think of peaceful, quiet, orderly, etc. This was anything but that. There were so many people there, tourists and devotees alike. I honestly felt bad for the devotees who were there worshipping amongst all the other going ons, but they seemed okay with it and were probably really use to blocking all the other people out.
(Although I felt bad I still felt the need to take a picture....don't worry, they didn't see me)
The actual tooth is in there--the little smidgen of gold thing. I know, you can hardly see it. Parents and what I am assuming are grandparents due to age of some of them, bring their small children up to this relic where they are blessed. It's like the Buddhist form of a baby blessing/christening. I wasn't about to fight through a bunch of women waiting for a sacred spiritual ritual for their child so this was as good as it got. They do have copies of the relic around the temple, so the fourth picture below is what it would have looked like had I been able to get closer.
My other favorite thing about the temple was when a small child, who was being held by grandma grabbed the top of my water bottle and refused to let go. It took a couple of adults to pry him off. Laughs were shared by all.
And here are a few more pics from the inside of the temple:
The next two pics are of the most sacred place in the Buddhist religion but I'm not entirely sure why...
Ancient Scripture
There were Buddha statues EVERYWHERE...........
This room contained Buddha statues from every country in Asia
This bell/gong was a gift from Japan. It is super special but I don't remember why either. There was so much info thrown at me I couldn't contain it all. I'll have to read up on it I guess.
The amount of incense burning was unreal
After the temple I explored some of the surrounding parts of the town. I was walking by this guy when one of his friends stopped me and asked me to take a picture of him. I was given strict instructions that I must post it on the internet so here you go.
He was so excited to see a picture of himself. That is one thing that doesn't get old to me--seeing the excitement of the locals looking at pictures of themselves on my camera.
I found a grocery store that had essential American products such as Ritz Crackers and Chip Ahoy cookies. I also stumbled across a Burger King so of course I ate there. I brought my driver along and fed him lunch too. And I made him put on a Burger King crown and let me take a picture of him. He was a good sport.
Oh and there were some elephants walking in the street. Just among the cars like it was totally normal-which I guess for them it is. I've been here for two days now and one thing I have noticed and absolutely love about Sri Lanka is that the elephants are more or less just part of their transportation/work force systems, just the same as cars and tractors.
I didn't take the top pic, I saw them like that but I was never able to get the picture in time. Mama Young took this when they were in Sri Lanka last week.
On the way home from Kandy we stopped at an Herbal Garden/Auyvedic Medicine Center. They had all the different herbs growing as well as information to what each of them are used for. It was incredibly interesting to me and helped me to understand Auyvedic Medicine that much more--although I am still basically eastern medicine illiterate because it encompasses so much.
After the herb garden I went riding on an elephant. Honestly, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I wasn't sitting in a cage or rushed in any way like it was in Delhi. There have only been a few times in my life where I really wished I had a GoPro camera strapped on my head or chest, and this was one of them. Taking it all in, being so high up, having his cold and floppy ears slop over my feet, watching his trunk reach up for the banana I had or to spray water on me--it was all so surreal. This event gets its own blog post, but here are a few logistics that are not in that post. First of all, I needed to change into clothing I could get wet in so they led me to this shed that held a "mummified" elephant in it. It was HUGE. This particular elephant was used to carry the portable incasement that holds Buddha's tooth (from the temple this morning) during all the different celebratory festivals that call for such. He had HUGE tusks--apparently the largest on record in Asia.
I don't know why but I found it so amusing that I was in the middle of Sri Lanka, changing my clothes, in a storage shed in front of a ginormous dead sacred elephant. I used the room to change back into dry(er) clothes as well, and it was still amusing to me then. Also, I was shown this:
That's an elephant tooth. I guess people in Sri Lanka have a thing with saving teeth but I'm glad because it was cool. Ginormous really. I may or may not have envisions being a dental assistant that works on elephant teeth-and it was......interesting.....
But back to the whole riding experience, I've always dreamed of doing something like this, and loved being able to do it up in Delhi, but my experience riding an elephant in Sri Lanka seemed a lot more personable and authentic. Now all I need to do in life is find a guy, married said guy and have children and I can die happy. Of course I still have a few more continents I would love to visit, but if that never happens at least I've been able to check off most of the major items on my bucket list.
That's an elephant tooth. I guess people in Sri Lanka have a thing with saving teeth but I'm glad because it was cool. Ginormous really. I may or may not have envisions being a dental assistant that works on elephant teeth-and it was......interesting.....
But back to the whole riding experience, I've always dreamed of doing something like this, and loved being able to do it up in Delhi, but my experience riding an elephant in Sri Lanka seemed a lot more personable and authentic. Now all I need to do in life is find a guy, married said guy and have children and I can die happy. Of course I still have a few more continents I would love to visit, but if that never happens at least I've been able to check off most of the major items on my bucket list.
