Our redezvous was the capital of the last kingdom of the old Sri Lanka, Kandy. This town is a special place for many Sri Lankan people, and its rich history and beautiful setting certainly impressed us.
The Temple of the Tooth holds a sacred relic of the Buddha, and is an important pilgrimage site for Sri Lankan Buddhists.
Norny liked being in the hill country, where the cooler air means you can enjoy the sunshine.
We took the chance to visit an English language bookshop, and Dad stocked up on wildlife literature.
Near Kandy is the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, which has some excellent examples of Sri Lanka's native plants, like these palms. It is also a popular spot for young couples to meet, away from the parents.
These toque macaques were whiling away an afternoon in the shade.
There are also many fruit bats in the Botanical Gardens, roosting during the day before heading out to feed at night. Their wingspan looked to be around 1 metre.
Later we saw a display of traditional Sri Lankan dancing. This girl is demonstrating the peacock dance.
These men are showing the traditional Kandyan dance and drumming style. We also saw fire eating and fire walking!
Finally, we visited the tooth relic inside the famous temple. This has been a symbol of Buddhist Sri Lanka since ancient times, and in the nineteenth century was apparently used by the ruling British to end a drought.
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