Dambulla and Polonnaruwa, you’ll be the ruin of me!

Sometimes it’s easy to feel old, Jarrod.  That dull horror when you realise you wore current trends ‘first time round’ twenty years ago. Seeing TV programs that were the cornerstone of your youth remade for a new audience (get lost, new MacGyver! You’re no Richard Dean Anderson!). If you want to feel young though, like ‘a mere blip in the scheme of the universe’ young, then visiting ancient cities like Dambulla and Polonnaruwa is a good place to start. Because there’s nothing like walking past paintings 2000 years old and the remains of civilisations 1000 years old to make you feel like a veritable fetus!

Like, totally ancient

The journey from Sigiriya to Dambulla is easy peasy. I splash out on a tuk tuk for the trip (the equivalent of $10AUD) rather than taking the bus, because I know I’m in for a cheap as chips day so I can afford to treat ma-self! My accomodation is booked for the night at the gorgeous Sanemro Villa (click for link to book–DO IT), costing me $41 a night. Airconditioned room, queen sized bed, private bathroom and breakfast included. And when I say breakfast, I mean BREAKFAST. They bring out so much food I feel compelled to anxiously remind them “sorry, you know it’s just for one?” The host looks at me bemused, because they know that, of course it is. Apparently this is food for one…

That’s two fried eggs, spicy sausage, Dahl, rice, beans, four pancakes that are filled with a mixture of treacle and coconut, fresh rotis, an egg and salad roll, and a plate of fresh fruit. Not pictured: cup of fresh juice that arrived seconds later, and pot of tea. I might never leave.  Sadly though, I have to, because inconveniently, the Dambulla cave temples won’t come to me.

The cave temples are free to visit. (Lonely Planet says they cost US $10 but they waived the entrance about a year ago according to my tuk tuk driver). They also call the Golden Temple at the entrance ‘monstrous’ but I think it’s quite pretty! It’s kitsch pretty. Kritty, if you like.

After my two days in Sigiriya that involved lots of uphill climbing, I am quite looking forward to exploring the cave temples. In fact, I’ve even naively scribbled in my diary “it’ll be nice just wandering round some caves at Ground Zero.”

Hahahahahahaha. Of course they’re not at Ground Zero. They’re 160m up above the road and you have to climb 25 mins up a hillside and sloping rock face to get to them. (Honestly, Buddhists, if you’re looking to release attachment to things, maybe a good place to start would be releasing attachment to relentless uphill climbs in order to access your temples?!)

On the plus side, there is free entertainment as you make the trek up in the form of cheeky temple monkeys. You see, there are vendors selling all manner of foods and floral offerings on the way up and it doesn’t involve all that much foresight, imo, to predict that monkeys, being monkeys, are likely to snatch edibles from you. But dupes keep buying stuff. Paper cones filled with sliced mangos, ice creams, bread rolls. It’s quite the spectator sport to walk behind them and silently count 5, 4, 3, 2….1, at which point a monkey will inevitably dart out and snatch the purchase from the marks hand.

The cave temples when you reach the top are spectacular. You have to remove your shoes before entering and brave a hot walk across midday sun seared concrete to get to them, (I feel like I’ve done walking over hot coals) but the setting is truly amazing.

There are five cave temples in all, containing over 150 Buddha statues and paintings. The only disappointing thing about the caves to be honest, is that none of your pictures properly do it justice!

Eventually, I reach the point where I’m looking at a reclining Buddha somewhat enviously, and thinking the concrete pillow would be a pretty nice place to lay my weary head, and I realise it’s time to leave. I scurry back across the hot concrete to my Havianas, and make my way back to the guesthouse.

I had planned to bus it to Polonnaruwa and stay there a night to visits the ruins, but the couple who run Sanemro suggest doing it as a day trip the the following morning, before boarding the bus to Kandy in the afternoon. (They’re not getting an extra night accomodation or anything out of this, and it’s great advice as it frees up a full day in my itinerary that I would have lost travelling to and from). They arrange a tuk tuk transfer there, with a driver who is also a qualified guide #bonus.

The tuk tuk drive takes about 75 minutes and I sit back and enjoy the scenery with the breeze whipping through my hair.  Remember the frenzy over the Rachel do from Friends? Well guys, the tuk tuk tousle is going to be the next big thing. You heard it here first.

The ticket price for Polonnaruwa is a little exxy (US $25- ouch!), which I must admit has me muttering to myself “this had better be worth it.”

We start off at The Royal Palace, which dates from the reign of King Parakramabahu I. Yes, his name sounds like an excellent Pokemon but he was in fact the kind under whose rule Polonnaruwa really had its heyday. The Royal Palace was said to have 7 stories but sadly only two remain today and, well, they just look like old walls, really.

Onto the Audience Hall, where things start looking more impressive and I’m reassured that the ticket may have been money well spent. I’m gathering this was where 12th century open mic nights were held, amongst other things.

I try to get a photo of the entrance unobscured by tourists but it’s a pointless endeavour as every man who goes up or down the stairs feels the need to tap on the stonework as though trying to find a stud/ verify the sturdiness.

Artists impression of critics/ reviewers at Audience Hall

Tucked away in a corner of the palace group is the King’s Bathing Pool. It’s obviously been a while since the pool boy visited.

We hit the Quadrangle next. Archaelogical nirvana. I half expect to bump into a swooning Indiana Jones.

The guide insists on taking a picture of me in front of the Vatadage, but it’s unlawful in Sri Lanka to be photographed with your back to Buddha. So he positions me side on. Here I am looking like a particularly awkward Miss Universe contestant…

Everywhere you look there are stunning details, right down to the moonstones on the ground. Oh for a chisel in my daypack (and a cavalier attitude to rampant vandalism!!)

We go to dagobas:

ancient lotus ponds….

And just when I think I’m ruined out, it’s off to the Gal Vihara, a group of utterly magnificent Buddha carvings. All cut from one enormous slab of granite.

The standing Buddha is 7m tall

You have to agree, there’s a wealth of history and beauty in Dambulla and Polonnaruwa and I think they’re a must visit in a journey around Sri Lanka, but as always I’ll throw it over to you and the readers. Dambulla and Polonnaruwa, Jarrod, would you go there?