SRI LANKA CULTURE AND WILDLIFE (1)

A holiday to Sri Lanka to celebrate her ladyships big birthday,taking in the cultural triangle and several wildlife sites.
Arrived in Colombo early afternoon and met up with our driver Adam who took us to our first hotel on the beach at Negombo.The Heritance was a bit grand to say the least and us at our scruffy best.
Anyway we went out for a quick walk on the beach and almost immediately got soaked by a torrential shower but managed to find shelter and had the first of many Lion beers.

FISHING DHOWS FROM THE HOTEL

LION BEER

HOUSE CROW

The next morning we left for the cultural triangle in the central plains area it has ruined temples and ancient cities combined with national parks and reservoirs.UNESCO world heritage sites include the stunning rock fortress of SIGIRIYA and the archaeological treasures of Polonnaruwa.

First up though was an afternoon jeep safari to Minneriya NP.The afternoon was overcast with rain always threatening therefore the light was dismal for photography but I did my best.

 BLACK BACKED DWARF KINGFISHER.

 CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE

 GREY HEADED FISH EAGLE

 ELEPHANTS GALORE HERE.

 PALLID HARRIER

 LESSER ADJUTANT

 PADDYFIELD PIPIT

PAINTED STORK

 INDIAN STONE CURLEW

 GREAT THICK-KNEE

GREAT THICK KNEE

STORK BILLED KINGFISHER

 CRESTED HAWK EAGLE

 CRESTED HAWK EAGLE (CHANGEABLE HAWK EAGLE)

 INDIAN PEAFOWL--PEACOCK

 LITTLE GREEN BEE EATER

MALABAR PIED HORNBILL.

It was dark when we got back to the car and it was a long drive to the hotel an interesting one to say the least.An encounter with a very large bull elephant was probably the most memorable.

After what seemed an age and several diversions Adam eventually found the Heritance Hotel Kandalama designed to blend seamlessly into the rainforest which it did admirably.

HERITANCE HOTEL.

The view in the morning was stunning looking out across the lake to Sigiriya in the distance.

After breakfast we left for a village tour where we were taken on a traditional dug out canoe albeit a fibreglass one,a traditional village where we grated coconut, ground rice,then ate a traditional lunch off a banana leaf with our traditional fingers of course.After this the boat ride continued further up stream then we got off and were taken back on a traditional ox cart,probably the most uncomfortable ride ever.

However apart from the tourist bit a few birds were seen mainly from the water.

 BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON

 BCNH

WHISKERED TERN.

 MONKEY PUZZLE

 THREE SPOT GRASS YELLOW

PSYCHE

The next day we set off to visit Sigiriya but on the way stopped off to see

 SRI LANKA JUNGLE FOWL COCK.

 SLJF HEN

 WHITE BROWED FANTAIL

 WBF

 WATER MONITOR

 BLUE GLASSY TIGER

 COMMON CROW

 COMMON CROW

MALABAR PIED HORNBILL

SIGIRIYA or LION ROCK from ground level.

 LIONS PAW SIGIRIYA

FROM THE TOP.

In the afternoon it was more culture at POLONNARUWA.

 SLEEPING BUDDHA

That was enough for one day,and I will now pause on my journey to give you a break too.

MORE TO COME SOON.