Breakfast at Richmond Inn was disappointing. It was just toast, sunny side up egg (which the waiter misnamed omelette), tea and some fruit. The tuk-tuk I hired yesterday came as promised, a trifle late; shrewd of him to book me for the return trip. There was plenty of time for the train anyway so I walked to the main street of nearby Nanu Oya and bought a kind of sweet bun.
I guess if the dog has survived this long it knows that the track isn't in use that day or that it can scoot off in time. And anyway if it doesn't panic the carriage will just pass over it.
Third Class differed from Second only in that the seats were straight-backed and less comfy. The altitude being lower, the scenery wasn't as impressive as the stretch between Ella and Nanu Oya. Again, tea plantations dominated.
In the train I chatted with a Malaysian girl who was travelling with friends. We shared observations about travel.
Approaching Kandy, which is a city of moderate size, about 125,000 inhabitants, Wikipedia informs me.
I was able to replenish my cash at a Commercial Bank ATM just outside the station. As for the train to Colombo I was undecided if I would try to get an unreserved seat, or take an aircon bus, in two days' time.
By this time I was thoroughly sick of Sri Lankan curries and hankered for a western meal. Spotting the smart-looking City Hotel with its set tables I seated myself. Alas, the waiter informed me that the western items on the menu were not available. So it was rice and a selection of curries again. Sigh.
At least afterwards I was able to find a gelateria in Kandy Centre where I tried the spicy kochchi, and coconut with jaggery flavours. The waiter watched as I tasted the kochchi, expecting me to wince at the piquancy but really it was similar to the chilli in Aztec chocolate drink. Jaggery is a bit too sweet for my palate though.
I took a couple of pictures at the head of Kandy Lake before hailing a tuk-tuk to my homestay. Through insufficient foresight I had not realised that my accommodation required a tuk-tuk to reach as it was in a rural area a few km out. The cost wasn't the issue, but I would have to do my sightseeing all in one session as it would be inconvenient to return in the middle of the day. Due to fatigue, I decided to postpone sightseeing until the next day.
The owner of the house served me with a refreshing passionfruit and lime drink with a pinch of salt. He was a amicable retired manager. He and his wife had a lovely, tastefully furnished bungalow. They rented out the spare room, which was immaculate and had an ensuite bathroom. She was currently in Colombo resting after a medical procedure. So I missed out on her home cooked meals, mentioned in reviews, and had to get some small eats for dinner at a shop on the main road. Their daughter was a flight attendant with Emirates.
Seagreen Guesthouse, the one on the right in the photo, was in an old Dutch colonial house. The Fort has a complicated history involving the Portuguese, the Dutch, the English, and even the Spanish. The guesthouse was sparsely decorated but had all the requisites.
It was dusk when I emerged from my nap and got darker quickly. Sunset is sudden in the tropics. This is Shri Sudharmalaya temple.
I encountered many gem shops in my wander of the old city. I was often taken for mainland Chinese as they now have the means to venture to every corner of the world. I used to be taken for Japanese.
I found the Lucky Fort restaurant that had the top rating on Tripadvisor. It was a simple family establishment with a few tables.
I was offered the 10 curry deal, usually for two, at 650 LKR. As you can see the portions are small but the variety large. The only meat in the selection was chicken. This was accompanied by a lassi for 375 LKR. It was a really delicious repast and the restaurant deserved its rank. 10% GST wasn't included in the price. Inclusion or not was inconsistent throughout Sri Lanka.
In case you are wondering what the curries were, here is the menu board.
Back at the guesthouse I repacked my backpack a little but was tired from the long day so went to bed early at 2030 Sri Lanka time which was 0100 back home. Sri Lanka time is the same as Indian time which is 5h30m ahead of UTC.
