Kandy

5:30 in the morning and the Buddhist temple was broadcasting some kind of service.
On to Kandy- the ride down the mountains was spectacular.

We got a chance to stop at a tea factory and see how the tea leaves are processed.


Then, it was on to Kandy. Our hotel was in the center of town- the Casa Mara. It wasn’t much to look at, but it had A/C and a hot shower (unfortunately, no electrical outlets that work!). We managed to find an email place where we could pay our AMEX bills and got off a few emails- then we walked to the Temple of the Tooth (where they have Buddha’s tooth enshrined). Major renovations at the temple. Not only do they have the tooth, but also the stuffed remains of the “Tusker”- the temple elephant.

We passed by the local Chinese restaurant, “Eat Me Chinese Restaurant” and the local “Dental Mechanic”

A ride to the hills overlooking the city to see a view of Kandy. It was a beautiful city- lots of small guesthouses, a lake, the temple- a few panoramic views and we headed back into town. The touts were everywhere- always trying to engage you in conversation so they could either sell you their services or take you to their brother’s store to buy stuff.
Dinner at a wonderful Chinese restaurant… We had the best waiter- a wirey Sri Lankan guy dressed in a tux who had obviously been trained in fine restaurant techniques….all this for a restaurant filled with Caucasians tourist, grubby and disgusting. We had a bottle of French wine and some excellent Chinese food- crispy fish with Thai chile sauce and a spicy hot veggie dish. What a wonderful evening.