Simply Bewitched
Finnish travel writer
Katja Presnal, who was in Sri Lanka recently is simply bewitched by all
things Sri Lanka and writes about her joyful stay in the country with a
promise to return soon -
Sri Lanka is feast for all senses, whether it comes to nature,
architecture, culture, historic sites, culinary experiences, or design.
So is India. Where India might be the 'more exotic' destination, Sri
Lanka is oddly both less intimidating for Westerners yet less tourist
driven than India.
The main reason for the lack of tourism in Sri Lanka in previous
years has been the ongoing civil war.
Now that the war is over, the country is open for business. It is
difficult to say how long Sri Lanka will remain unspoiled by tourism.
Ironically, that's the very reason now is the time to go, before you
find a KFC on every corner.
Western chain stores and brands are already in Sri Lanka, but not
nearly in the same quantities as in many other places in Asia.
It is very easy to experience the authentic Sri Lanka, but in a 'safe
and easy' way. By this I mean that travelling in Sri Lanka is relatively
easy (even by train), the education level in the country is high, and we
met people who spoke perfect English even in the smallest of the towns.
The high literacy rate and education level can also be seen in the
infrastructure.
There were new highways from the capital Colombo to the other parts
of the country, and the railway system worked well. You can even enjoy a
great network of domestic flights managed by CinnamonAir. I visited
Colombo and Kandy, the two largest cities of Sri Lanka, and not even
once felt they were overcrowded by locals, or by tourists.
There are eight UNESCO heritage sites in Sri Lanka. My favourite is
the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy. Since the Temple of the
Tooth Relic is one of the most sacred worship temples, people travel
from all of the country to visit. We saw newlywed young couples coming
together. We saw mothers bringing their children.
I felt like an intruder, not really knowing enough of the religion. I
was just a tourist, taking photos. But when a family asked if I wanted
to take their photo I realized... I was welcome there too.
And that's how I sort of felt everywhere in Sri Lanka - welcome. One
of my favourite towns is the coastal town of Galle. I am a person who
judges places by the "could I live here?" parameter (I have lived in
several countries and states on two continents) and Galle went on my
list of places where I could see myself living.
It was probably because I saw a colonial influence in Galle. I loved
walking the streets trying to imagine how the colonial settlers, first
Portuguese and then Dutch, had felt when they had settled there.
The Galle Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site, and is the largest
remaining fortress in Asia built by European settlers.
I, however, was equally fascinated by the colonial museum, and the
downtown shopping area where I could see the fusion of modern design,
Asian heritage, and colonial past.
One of my favorite shops is owned by Swedes, just confirming my
thought that Galle was, and is, a great spot to settle down - no matter
where you are from.
Some of the real highlights of my trip happened outside the cities.
In Sri Lanka you can experience anything from tea plantations, to
cinnamon production, to luxury relaxation on the beach resorts.
I mention the beach resort, because you can't miss the Beruwala
beach. It is the starting point of the 'golden beach', over 80 miles
(130 kilometers) of golden sandy beaches.
My favorite time for beach time was in the mornings when the
fishermen started arriving on the beach.
There was a serenity in the everydayness of the fishermen, like it
wasn't even their day job, but simply what they truly enjoyed waking up
for every morning. I couldn't really blame them.
Climbing the Sigiriya, Lion Rock a 200-meter-tall rock with ancient
fort ruins on the top was an accomplishment for someone scared of
heights, and one of my real highlights of the trip.
But there's more! Seeing the elephants gathering at the Kadulla
National Park was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Seeing over 60 elephants (including babies) gather in gorgeous fields
was a sight I will never forget.
One of the places that made the deepest impact on my life was
visiting the Ranwali Spice Garden in Kawdupelella in Matale area of Sri
Lanka. I have always liked using natural remedies in our everyday life,
but the visit to the Ranwali Spice Garden finally made me want to move
even further towards herbal medicine and inspired me to join the Young
Living essential oil company shortly after returning from Sri Lanka.
Seeing all of the ayurvedic herbal medicinal plants (such as cocoa,
cinnamon or ginger) that grow in the forest, and are then turned into
products that can help you improve your health was truly inspiring and
literally changed my life after returning home.
Truthfully, the entire Sri Lanka experience is something I will never
forget, and I hope to visit this beautiful country again soon.
About the author
Katja Presnal left her home country Finland without a return ticket.
She met her American husband in Germany, and they have been travelling
together since 1997.
They have three children, all born in different countries. They
recently moved from Sweden to upstate New York. Katja's life mission is
to inspire people to live life to the fullest.
This article was originally featured in Huff Post Travel. |