Colombo, on our way home

our last breakfast in Sri Lanka - we opt for an upscale Italian cafe!

Galle, second visit

the mosque and the lighthouse

street scene

view of the ramparts and Indian Ocean from our rooftop

walking on the ramparts

fish delivered to our guesthouse door

Tissa, second visit

friends prepare dinner for us in their home

Roshan rides me on my bike;

more comfortable than it looks!

funny water buffalo

Kataragama

bathing in the sacred Gem River before entering the holy site

offerings for sale at the entrance to the holy site

the long avenue leading to the Buddhist temple; note the elephant who dispenses blessings!

motorbike trip to hermitage

fearless motorbike driver

waiting for a juicy morsel

peacocks all along the way

water buffalo

helpful road signs

Pottuvil

back streets of Pottuvil

welcome to Pottuvil

young children returning home from school

Arugam Bay

fishing boats pulled ashore

a sober reminder of the tsunami

Arugam Bay is one of the 10 best surf beaches in the world

train travel Haputale to Ella

third class allows for the best photos - no window glass!

Haputale

walking up to Lipton's Seat for a view of the surroundings

the mists cleared as we waited at the top

tea pickers in the mist

Ella

Post and produce in downtown Ella!

walking the tracks with the locals

view of Ella Gap from our balcony

Nuwara Eliya

craving Indian food we stuff ourselves for $2.50C

...and then for a different dining experience! High tea at Labookelie Tea Estate

children of the tea workers

Sigiriya

warning at the moat surrounding Sigiriya Rock

a challenging hike up to see the Sigiriya Damsels

a guide enthusiastically points out an unusual feature of one of the Sigiriya Damsels!

Polonnaruwa

touring by bicycle the ruined capital city of Polonnaruwa, 12th C, with dagoba in the distance behind the lotus pond

a guardstone protects the entrance to a temple

14 metre reclining Buddha, one of 4 Buddhas carved from a single granite block at Polonnaruwa

Trincomalee

the coconut collector starts up our coconut tree

cricket on our beach

fishermen doing their 'line dance'

Sri Lanka 2012: Anuradhapura

two of the dagobas by the 4th C Bassawakkulama tank in Anuradhapura

the 8th C Kuttam Pokuna, Twin Ponds, bathing pools for the monks

the "Burgundy Room" in our Colombo guesthouse