Sri Lanka Day 7 (Kandy): First Train Experience in SL
Rise and shine with a takeaway breakfast. Have to take a 45min-1h bus from Negombo to Colombo before taking a train there to Kandy.
As expected the 1st class train ticket is taken and therefore we opted for the 2nd class tickets. A local guy who is deaf helped us along the way to get a seat on the train and then showed his liscense. It was likely to be a scam and I felt bad not giving me any money in the end, even thought it might be a scam. Sharing seat was rather horrible especially when my butt was falling off the seat and I didn't want to have any physical contact with the guy next to me.
I had a culture shock because everyone was just rushing onto the train without it being fully stopped because they wanted to get a seat. In front of me were 2 guys fighting and pushing each other, arguing over who got the window seat first. It was a totally new, yet scary experience. Definitely have to get the 1st class ticket next time.
Reached Kandy and the owner of Camarin Residence helped us direct the Tuktuk driver. Once we reached, I could see him waving happily at us from the balcony. I felt so welcomed. The staircase was narrow and so I didn't expect much. In the end, he gave us a really spacious room with a double bed and a single bed for only $34/night. The room was so beautiful with balcony and aircon. Most importantly, it was clean! (Much much better than Misuki)
Put our things down and off we go to the area near Kandy Lake. Got lost a couple of times and being under the hot sun wasn't helping at all!
Finally reached the Lake!
And the first time we did was to fill our stomach at the Empire Cafe. I like the princess-y concept.
Ordered Chicken Carbonara. It was so-so only, the pasta is like the ban mian we have back in Singapore but I'm so grateful to be eating some western food at last.
Also bought some cakes because I have been craving for them. This was the soya cupcake which did not have any soya taste and it was hard as rock.
Went into the Tooth Temple. You have to remove your shoes entirely for the whole journey so it was a must to wear socks if not your feet would get burnt. The entrance fee is around $10 per person if
you are a foreigner while locals can get in for free, I think.
Photos are allowed in the ample, which is very unusual but no posing with the buddha statues are allowed.
Once you get in, you will see many Buddhists praying sincerely and sitting all around in the temple.
Around the same area is also the Kandy Royal Palace, the Assembly, Musuems, etc.
This is the Kandyan Palace
The assembly which is the place that Kandyan King hold his meeting.
The International Buddhist Museum
Walked around the lake, trying to find the Garden Cafe and getting followed by the locals, who try to get us on his tuktuk.
A tennis court near the Garden Cafe.
Didn't really do much that day actually! We were lucky to be in the Garden Cafe while it was raining. Continued to walk around to find the botanical garden and luckily, someone told us that it was closed already. Imagine we travel all the way there and it is closed?
So instead of going back to the hotel too early, we decided to walk around the streets, go into random departmental stores. Got some snacks for our colleagues.
I also went to try out at almost every bakery that looked good. See the Baker House below. It is so huge so the cakes should be good enough for it to expand to this big right?
Looked good eh?
But it was also very hard ): Given up on the cakes here in Sri Lanka.
More photos of the streets
Went to KFC too because I was so deprived of food. Anyway, I was so happy that mashed potato is sold at $0.90 here while in Singapore, it is twice the price. I wanted a big big one but the staff said they don't sell other sizes. Waited 10min for it! I was just so excited!!
Finally got my mashed potato. But it was not smooth and super dry ):
It was 7pm already and it was pitch dark. OMG. There was no street lighting at all! Also the hotel was located up the hill and we had to take this really ulu path and I thought I was going to die if anyone were to hide behind some trees and confront us with a knife. HAHAH. My imagination... But it was really scary and I have never done that in my life before. At times like this, I wished I had a religion.
Anyway, really glad to be back in the hotel safely with a comfortable room and hot shower. After a long day of sweating and walking around aimlessly, we were really grateful for that. We slept at 8.30pm all the way till 7.00am the next morning. Very happy with the good sleep especially since both of us have not been sleeping well in Misuki.
