The island nation of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is located south of the southern tip of India, surrounded by the Indian Ocean.

Once connected to India by a land bridge that was destroyed in a monsoon, it is about the size of Ireland and has a population of 23 million, comprised primarily of 74% Sinhalese and 11% Tamil. 70% of Sinhalese are Buddhists, and there are numbers of Hindus, Muslims, and Catholics. Buddhism first came to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC; Hinduism around the 10th century AD. The temples are ecumenical. For example, a Buddhist temple will have Hindu statuary; a Muslim mosque will have a figure of Jesus.

The history of Sri Lanka is long and very complicated. Since 500 BC, Sri Lanka has had a written historical record. Beginning in the 1500’s, it was ruled in turn by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British. The country became independent from Britain in 1948. However, it did not become a Republic until 1972 when the country’s name was changed from Ceylon.

Literacy is high at 94%. Healthcare and education are free. Women are well-respected and obtained the right to vote in 1931. The first female Prime Minister was elected in 1960. Traditionally, land has been distributed by the government. The economy is socialist. The largest sources of income to Sri Lanka in descending order are: money sent home from people living in the diaspora; apparel production; gems (especially sapphires); spices (especially cinnamon); tea (always hand-plucked); and tourism (2.5-3 million visitors a year from India, Russia, Germany, and other nations). China has developed a majority of the infrastructure. The government is most closely allied with China, Russia, Iran, and American Republican administrations.

Beginning in 1976, Tamil terrorists from the north of Sri Lanka began a civil war with the Sinhalese, wanting their own country. Their most horrific act was in 1998 when two suicide bombers exploded their devices in the holiest of Buddhist temples in the city of Kandy and 96 people died. The war didn’t end until 2009.

My friend Sue and I arrive in Colombo, a seaport and the most populous city, at 3 am or so, after a very lengthy journey of 20 hours flying time. The night air is warm and humid, frankly a welcome change from what we Californians consider cold (low 40’s, wind and rain). We join a group of 5 other women and a woman trip leader.

The highlight of our stay in Colombo is Perahera, an annual festival that takes place on the night of February’s full moon. Many thousands of people fill the streets to watch dancers in colorful costumes move to propulsive drumming, and huge Asian elephants dressed in glittering attire.

Departing Colombo, we head to the country. The scenery is lovely-thick forests, green hills, lush rice paddies, all nourished by the plentiful rain.

We are taken on an Asian elephant safari in Hurulu Eco Park where we see two elephant families including babies as young as two weeks old noisily crunching their way through the abundant foliage.

We visit a primary school where the eager children give us flowers as we give them gifts of sporting goods and school supplies. Afterwards, we go to a small monastery and have a lively discussion (through a translator) with the head monk about what led him to be a monk and how he addresses the issues the people in his community bring to him. We take tuktuks along narrow lanes through local villages and on rocky dirt roads through the jungle.

Climbing the enormous granite rock at Sigiriya is a singular experience. In the 5th century, the Sri Lankan king built a huge palace at the top with a swimming pool! It’s difficult to imagine such an undertaking. We had to climb 1200 steps to get up there. The view is spectacular.  The ruins of the palace are extensive (having been excavated in the 1800’s) and its labyrinthine drainage system is an engineering marvel.

On several days, I take a yoga class. I feel the warmth of the early morning sun embracing me as I move slowly from pose to pose. All is awakening around me. I hear the many sounds of birds that whoop, boop, snap, coo, twitter, chirp, honk, or shriek. I hear the gentle brushing of brooms smoothing out the red clay soil. Such a remarkable way to begin the day!

We are taken to many holy sites including to the ancient capitols of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are more than 800 Buddhist stupas as part of one temple complex. We enter caves  with many depictions of Buddha and stunning wall and ceiling frescos. 

Always there are depictions of the Buddha.

Kandy is a beautiful hillside city in the center of the country with important historical and cultural significance. It was the capital of Sinhala kings and the location of the Temple of the Tooth, a relic of the sacred Buddha.

Our journey takes us to the highlands at 6000’, quite a change from the lowland heat and humidity. We arrive at a tea plantation in late afternoon with fog swirling around us. It felt a bit like home.

Coffee was originally grown in Sri Lanka but became blighted by a virus. In the 1800’s a Scottish man brought tea planting to the country. We walk the tea fields and learn about the growing of tea and the its processing after being plucked. Tea is plucked only by Tamil women in very hard conditions. They work 8 hours a day in hot sun plucking the leaves and filling sacks on their backs. They are required to pluck 20 kg of tea leaves daily and are paid the equivalent of $6 per day. The work is passed on generationally. Currently, over 200,000 hectares of tea are cultivated in Sri Lanka.

We stay on a rice plantation and stroll along the edges of the rice fields with a guide observing the birds, butterflies, and layers of rice paddies in various stages of development, deep green for the newly planted, yellow/brown for the soon-to-be harvested. At dusk, the sun setting on the rice casts a golden glow.

Such a journey would not be complete without seeing the exquisite gardens and the peacocks!