Onward to the Cultural Triangle

Monday 22/02/16

We had breakfast of omelette and fruit before settling our bill and waited for our driver. The journey onward to Mihintale was a complete contrast to the previous day with a considerate driver and fully working A/C! The surrounding countryside en route was lovely. Water tanks filled with lotus flowers and white and blue water lilies. Open plains and rice paddies. Increasingly rural and unspoilt.

Our accommodation for the next 6 nights was to be in a rustic villa (Saji Sami), with a stunning view of an impressive stupa (shrine)and an important religious site for Buddhist pilgrims.

On arrival we were greeted by the owner who gave us a refreshing drink of "green orange" tastier than it sounds! We then had a chat with him before retiring to our villa and unpacking. Later and with a cool Lion beer in hand we enjoyed time on the terrace as the sun went down.

Dinner in the evening was at the hotel and consisted of vegetable curry and rice with Dahl, lady fingers, green beans, popadoms and small potatoes all washed down with another beer!