Sri Lanka Sacred City of Kandy

“The lake is home to many trees and a number of bird species. Around sunset I had also my “Birds the Movie” horror moment when all the birds (it must be thousands of them) started to twitter and shout loudly so that I was not even able to hear what my partner next to me. It was phenomenal AND scary. I’ve never seen (heard) such a thing before. Jurging from the white bird shit all over, this one special corner is apparently the meeting point for all the birds in the city. I can’t say the walk around the lake was super pleasant, unfortunately the honking busses, autos and tuk tuks do not allow to have a relaxed walk. Around 6pm, near to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic the Buddhist religious music can be heard through the speakers installed in the trees. The pelican on one of trees and the Water monitor were my personal highlights.”

“Beyond the forecourt, we passed through an archway to arrive at the inner sanctum of the whole temple complex. The atmosphere was festive and full of different moving parts. Case in point, the group of drummers and trumpet players guarding the entry said to perform for hours without a break. The throngs of pilgrims made the places lively without being chaotic. Like the Vatican, the temple complex comprises a series of different chapels for veneration [...] The view of the Kandy Lake was spectacular, and it was not difficult to see why the King might enjoy this lovely perch.”

“Visiting a place of worship has always been a big part of our trips. I could honestly say that our visit to the shrine was quite a cathartic experience, head and shoulder above any other temple that we visited in Sri Lanka. Is the place touristy? Yes! But don't let foreign tourists deter you. There are too many parts of this palace/temple complex to explore. It is a place where one should allow oneself to be fully immersed in the rituals and not be rushed.”