Dambulla Cave Temple consists of five caves carved into a massive rock. Each cave contains Buddha statues and is decorated with intricate murals and frescoes. In total, the temple houses over 150 Buddha statues and statues of Sri Lankan kings, Hindu gods, and guardian deities.
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Legend has it that all vegetation on the mountain of Ritigala in central Sri Lanka is protected by guardian spirits known as Yakkhas. These are the guardian spirits of the mountain, said to have helped Prince (later King) Pandukhabaya fulfil a prophecy by defeating his eight uncles at the foot of the mountain.
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We have had plenty of sunny days this past April; however quite often the warm sun was tempered by a fresh wind. But we have also had some almost summer-like days; indeed, on one day quite early in the month the temperature reached 26 degrees in London and that IS summer weather.
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If Sri Lanka is tear-shaped, Jaffna can be said to lie at the upper point of that tear, just as it starts to fall from the eye. Appropriate perhaps for a region that has seen more than its share of conflict. This northern region was for many years the stronghold of the Tamil Tigers. But today it is as peaceful as any other part of the country and has much to reward those who make the long journey north.
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For many years the northern region of Sri Lanka was the stronghold of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, usually abbreviated to LTTE and better known as the Tamil Tigers. But when the civil war hostilities ceased in 2009 visiting the region again became a possibility. It’s a long drive north, but well worth it to see a different side of this island.
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On the north coast of Sri Lanka, near Jaffna and not far from the island’s northernmost point, we visited three very different shrines in close proximity to each other. Together, for me, they illustrated the diversity of religious belief in a country that has seen its fair share of internal conflict but, for now at least, has settled its differences.
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The Regents Canal links the Grand Union Canal in Paddington with the Thames in east London, via the Limehouse Basin. It is 8.6 miles (13.8 kilometres) long and like most canals has a towpath. These towpaths were originally used by horses to pull barges but today are popular places for walking, jogging and cycling (where wide enough).
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Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first capital, founded in the 4th century BCE by King Pandukabhaya. It is considered the first city in the country to have embraced Buddhism. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site, home to massive ancient stupas, vast archaeological ruins, and a sacred tree.
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When our tour company, Selective Asia, suggested we might like a stay at the unique Mudhouse in western Sri Lanka we were in two minds. Would we love the ‘back to nature’ vibe or would we find sleeping in the semi-open with few ‘mod cons’ too much of a challenge? But we took the plunge, booked a two-night stay, and it proved to be a great decision.
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Katara Cultural Village was constructed on reclaimed land along Doha's coastline as a centre for culture and the arts. It takes its name from the original one for this region, Catara, the first record of which appears in Ptolemy’s Geography, written c. 150 A.D.
