Raphael Kessler

I went to Sri Lanka from India, expecting a similar sort of country, it is quite different in character though. It is predominantly Buddhist, being home to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, probably the holiest pilgrimage site in Buddhism. It also has a rich history but it is unfortunate that the civil war that has been going on for the last few years is all that is reported in the media.

When I arrived in Sri Lanka I went straight to Kandy (photo 1), to find it was when the England cricket team was over to play  test series and several thousand fans had followed. This mean that finding accommodation was trickier than it should have been, but within half an hour I had somewhere to stay. I didn't go and see the cricket as I find it an incredibly boring sport as a spectator. What was odd though was when I went to a pub appropriately called 'The Pub' to find it filled with English people watching the cricket on the big screen it almost felt like being home again.

Another old capital is Annuradhapura, which has numerous huge stupas (photo 1) and temples (photo 2) around a large complex.

In Polonarruwa there are some impressive temples, but the most interesting bit for many is the Buddha carved from the rock. The grain in the rock adds texture to the carving that gives it a more lifelike appearance.