Chennai ( India )

Yesterday in the late afternoon I arrived in Chennai from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

My last night in Sri Lanka ( Negombo ) very nice. I met some nice people from Germany in the Rodeo bar and we had some beer and arrack. I came back in my hotel around 00:30 am. My flight on Wednesday was very quick and easy. The next couple of days I will stay in Chennnai. On Sunday Genesh is taking a bath in the sea together with some other gods. So on Sunday I will have a look at the beach to see this event.

--
Happy travels,
Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

The pinups of sigeria

The pinups of sigeria,
originally uploaded by mjrijnen.

These drawings are few thousand years old, you can find them in Sigeria, Sri Lanka. Just click on the picture and see some more pictures of Sri Lanka.

Buddha image in the temple of the tooth

Buddha image in the temple of the tooth,
originally uploaded by mjrijnen.

Hi,

I uploaded a couple of new pictures in the set Sri Lanka, click on the picture or go to the link under the subject "pictures" on the right side of the webpage.

Colombo to Kandy, Sri Lanka

On the 12 of August I left Colombo for Kandy. I'm staying in the Burmese Resthouse for the last 14 days and it such a nice place. On Monday the 14 of August I applied for my Indian Visa at the Assistant High Commission of India here in Kandy. This is a great place to apply for a new visa because there are no long lines and no chaos it takes about 15 minutes. 

 

In Kandy I played flute, read my book, listen to music, drink more tea at the Burmese, drunk occasional Tree coins beer at the Pub, eat at the Devon restaurant. This restaurant has a very nice curry and  5 vegetables for only 51 rps. Then there is a streat stall in the street with the YMCA, close to Cargills they have after 7pm very nice food for 50 rps.

 

The YMCA has very nice Soya Ice cream a daily present.

 

Yeah I had a good time in Kandy, tomorrow I go to Nogombo and then on the 30 of August I fly to India. 

--
Happy travels,
Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

Horton Plain National park, Sri Lanka

8 August

 

In the early morning we left for Horton plain, entry for this park is a massive 14 US$ and 6 US$ service charge per party. It is a nice park but not for 14$ park. World end is just the end of the Cliff. Like the cliffs of Dover not very special. But we had a nice walk. We had breakfast at the beginning of the park with the food we bought in the Supermarket in Nuwara Eliya. Around afternoon we left for Nuwara Eliya, in the evening we had our goodbay party. With more music, tabla, singing , Arrack and Lion Beer (better is tree coins beer)

 

Tomorrow 9 of August I go to Colombo and Manu, Maria, Laia and Emma go to Elle.

 

We had a great time together and it was very special. 

--
Happy travels,
Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka ( 6 )

7 August

 

We woke up not so early, but very relaxing we had a nice breakfast played Carambol. Somewhere in the early afternoon we decided to go to a tea factory about 1,5 hours  away from Nuwara Eliya in this way we see something of the country side, as we past we see more tea plantations but we finally we arrived at our tea factory after a short free tour we went to the shop for some tea tasting. Manu and the girls bought some more tea for back home and as a present. On the way back we made up a new song about:

Golden tea, White tea, green tea, BOPF, dust 1, dust 2, dust 3 etc......and happy tea. On of the french song we tried to make variants like rap version, an opera version, a blues version and a Jazz version. We had a lot of fun in the car and the driver I don't know.

 

In the evening we had another great night with food, open fire and a Arrack, beer, coke and music Tabla and other live performance.

 

Encore une petite chanson pour alimenter les souvenirs...
A little song to feed the souvenirs

 

ALINE
Paroles et Musique: Christophe   1965

J'avais dessiné sur le sable
Son doux visage qui me souriait
Puis il a plu sur cette plage
Dans cet orage, elle a disparu

Et j'ai crié, crié, Aline, pour qu'elle revienne
Et j'ai pleuré, pleuré, oh! j'avais trop de peine

Je me suis assis près de son âme
Mais la belle dame s'était enfuie
Je l'ai cherchée sans plus y croire
Et sans un espoir, pour me guider

Et j'ai crié, crié, Aline, pour qu'elle revienne
Et j'ai pleuré, pleuré, oh! j'avais trop de peine

Je n'ai gardé que ce doux visage
Comme une épave sur le sable mouillé

Et j'ai crié, crié, Aline, pour qu'elle revienne
Et j'ai pleuré, pleuré, oh! j'avais trop de peine

Et j'ai crié, crié, Aline, pour qu'elle revienne
Et j'ai pleuré, pleuré, oh! j'avais trop de peine...



--
Happy travels,
Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

Sri Lanka ( 5 )

5 August

 

Laia is very happy today. Today she picket up here bag at the Queenshotel, finally she can try all here clean clothes. Just must see here she really happy. Today a relaxing day, with internet, washing and in the evening we went to the Kandy Festival to see even more Elephants. We had a very nice spot just in front of the Queenshotel. A group Korean had reserved seats on chair they paid about 40 dollar for this privilege plus regular searched by the very nervous security people. More then 7000 police men were deployed for the security of this festival. The police were more nervous because of the fighting in the north between the Army and Tamil Tigers. But the festival was great.

 

6 August

 

I decided to postpone my my journey to Colombo for a visa extension, instead we (Manu, Maria , Meinoud, Emma and Laia)  go to Nuwara Eliya. We take the 8:55 am train, this train leaves 30 minutes later in Perediniya we have change to the train coming from Colombo. We had no change of getting to the second class so we ended up in the third class but we were happy we had a seat. In 4 hours we drift trough the hill country of Sri Lanka we see many tea pluckers, waterfalls and amazing views. In Nuwara Eliya we were picked up by a man who showed his hotel for 100 rps at the end we stayed in very a nice guesthouse with only tree rooms. The guesthouse looks like a cottage, i can not remember the name but is was something with "Fern" at the end we stayed 3 nights here.

We had lunch at our place and in the afternoon we played Carambol I played many times with Manu but I seem to lose as many times. Maybe next time, Manu!!!

In the afternoon we went in to town to by some Arrack for tonight, by the open fire at the balcony. The owner prepared our meal, we played more Carambol.  After dinner we drunk Arrack, coke and some beer, the owner played tabla and sung some songs and we tried to sing some songs. Or we made some song up like Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti shambo......

 

or one of Manu favourites:

 

Je suis une poupée de cire
Une poupée de son
Mon cœur est gravé dans mes chansons
Poupée de cire poupée de son

Suis-je meilleure suis-je pire
Qu'une poupée de salon
Je vois la vie en rose bonbon
Poupée de cire poupée de son

Mes disques sont un miroir
Dans lequel chacun peut me voir
Je suis partout à la fois
Brisée en mille éclats de voix

Autour de moi j'entends rire
Les poupées de chiffon
Celles qui dansent sur mes chansons
Poupée de cire poupée de son

Elles se laissent séduire
Pour un oui pour un nom
L'amour n'est pas que dans les chansons
Poupée de cire poupée de son

Mes disques ont un miroir
Dans lequel chacun peut me voir
Je suis partout à la fois
Brisée en mille éclats de voix

Seule parfois je soupire
Je me dis à quoi bon
Chanter ainsi l'amour sans raison
Sans rien connaître des garçons

Je n'suis qu'une poupée de cire
Qu'une poupée de son
Sous le soleil de mes cheveux blonds
Poupée de cire poupée de son

Mais un jour je vivrai mes chansons
Poupée de cire poupée de son
Sans craindre la chaleur des garçons
Poupée de cire poupée de son.
-------

 

 

 

Sri Lanka (4)

4 August

 

After again a very nice breakfast for many rps and a very soft eg. We take the car and go to our first sight in the south of Polonnaruwa. Wauw the first sight is free yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh and there were no souvernir sellers great. The sight is beautiful set in a small Forrest there are a stupa and a image of a man. Later we went to the main sight " The royal palace group" . It is difficult to describe all the different sights but I think there is one sight  that is amazing and that is Gal Vihara. Gal Vihara consist out of a view Buddha images one of the images is 7 meter tall and there is a reclining image of the Buddha which is about 14 meter.  We did spend a long time at the sights in Polonuruwa more then 5 hours there are so many structures to see it is an amazing place. Around 1pm we left for Kandy we made two stops one for lunch and one for Nalanda.  We arrived in the evening in Kandy we stayed in the Burmese Rest, this is very nice hostel in Kandy and is also the cheapest in Kandy  150 rps a night . In the LP they say there is  only a bucket but  there is more there is even a shower.  For dinner we bought some food at Cargils .



--
Happy travels,
Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

cave temples Dambulla, Sri Lanka ( day 425 )

cave temples Dambulla,
originally uploaded by mjrijnen.

Manu, Meinoud, Laya, Emma and Maria in Dambulla. Click on the picture to see some new uploaded pictures from the Kandy Festival, Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage and from Dambulla cave temples

Sri Lanka (3)

3 August

 

 

We get up for an early breakfast with tea, coffee, eggs, fruits and toast with jam and butter. After breakfast we pack and then we go to Sigirya. Sigirya is famous for is rock fortress ( entrance is 20 us dollar or 40 us dollar for most sights in the Cultural Triangle). The fortress was once on top of 200 meter rock, the only remains what can be seen now are the foundations. The rock is surrounded by ramparts, water gardens and some frescoes. The frescoes are also called the Sigirya Damsels. The frescoes are in a cave halve way up to the fortress. The frescoes contains a serie of beautiful woman. These pinups are painted in the 5 century.

 

We spent a lot of time in the gardens beneath the fortress but also up on top of the rock. The views from there are great. We met a nice couple with kids from England  the live in Saudi Arabia but don't like it, they work for the English government. They still can drink beer but bacon is not possible.

 

Around midday we leave for Polonnaruwa. In Polonnaruwa we stayed in Devi Tourist house this about 1000 rps per night. It is a nice place we have lunch there (expensive compared to the Gall face hotel) and we play Carrambol. Our driver tries to convince us that we can see the sights in 2 hours, but we decided to relax. Manu goes for a run and Laya, Maria, Emma and me go cycling along the lake.  

--
Happy travels,
Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

Sri Lanka (2)

2 August

 

We want to leave early with the car we arranged yesterday. The coming 3 days we want to see the culteral triangel in the north of Sri Lanka. Yesterday (1 august) we went to the Kandy Esala Perehera. This is a procession to honour the sacred tooth (the tooth of Buddha) This festival runs for 10days and started on the 31 of July. The procession was led by 1000nds dancers, drummers and more then 50 elephants

On the  second of August Laya makes another phone call to the Airport here luggage has not arrived jet. On this 3 day tour Laya has the smallest bag.

 

First we go the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage after paying 500 rps each (for foreigners), soon we found ourselves between heaps of Elephants and heaps of red burnt tourist (mostly Dutch). Some people paid for touching the Elephant, touching cost about 100 rps. Around 11 am the Elephants are moved to the river for a bath we had a look as well as all the other tourist.

 

We were a bit late so in stead of going all the way to Anuradhapura we go first to Dambulla, but first we had a very nice meal along the road and played carrambol a board game. After this we went to Dambulla's Cave temples. The cave temples are just amazing, in every cave we saw amazing Buddha images,standing, sitting meditating.  

 

In the evening we stayed in Sigriya, the prices were a bit of shock after staying Kandy for 150 rps a night ( Burmese Resthouse) here we paid 2500 rps incl breakfast for 5 persons (2 rooms).   Later I will ad some pictures from our first day on tour  



Ohm shanti, shanti, shanti 
www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
From Amsterdam to India by bus and train

New pictures from Ladakh

polo in leh,
originally uploaded by mjrijnen.

I uploaded some new pictures of Ladakh. I hope you like them.

Sri Lanka

One day after my Vipassana course on 31 of July in the evening my friends Emma and Manu arrived. The next day in the evening Maria and Laya arrived from Spain. We are finally a group again, the same group as about 1 year ago when I travelled trough Iran and met them in Yazd.  Just imagine how amazing it is to meet people during my travel and then year later I see them again and this time in Sri Lanka. They are on holiday and I'm still on my journey. This was not a coincedent but planned meeting. From the first of August until the 9 of August we travelled together. So in my next stories I will tell about this journey trough Sri Lanka and upload some pictures of this journey. 

 

Were I'm now?

 

I'm in Kandy, in the middle of Sri Lanka on the 9 of August I left Nuwar Elee and my friends  for Colombo to extend my visa. Due to the troubles in the north of Sri Lanka there is a lot of security people on the street, searching many vehicles and people. I stayed in the YMCA in the Fort area. The next day I extended my visa with one month for about 4500 rps for Dutch and English People it is very expensive to extend other nationality like Germans they pay the halve very strange. In Colombo I enjoyed Barista for a proper coffee and I had high tea at The Galle Face hotel (500 rps) all you can eat I had a beer and good conversation with a director of an NGO how payd for my beers. The next day I returned for the lunch buffet all you can eat for 825 rps (6 euro), Colombo is great i managed one meal a day. 

In some other tourist places in Sri Lanka they ask 450 rps for some noodles. The Galle face hotel is a 4 star hotel.

 

On Saturday 12 august I returned by train back to Kandy were I stay one again in the Burmese Rest. The cheapest place in town 150 rps a night. On monday I went to Indian assistent High commissioner for an Indian Visa. Next Monday I can pick it up.

 

Links:

Galle face hotel

the city of Kandy

 





 

Vipassana course Sri Lanka

Naomi, Trudy, a swiss woman living in the Maladive and on the right our teacher,
originally uploaded by mjrijnen.

Hi guys,

I uploaded some pictures from my last Vipassana course in Sri Lanka. Just click on the picture to see all the pictures.

I also uploaded some new pictures to the picture set Dharamkot april/may 2006 and also made two new picture sets for Ladakh and Sri Lanka.

In the coming days I will add more pictures to picture set Ladakh and to the set Sri Lanka. If you want to see any of the pictures of Ladakh just click on link "All pictures"

I also will upload some new stories. Kandy is the best place to right the stories because of the cheap Internet.

Today I applied for a new Indian Visa, hopefully on 30 augustus I will fly to India.

Take Care,

Meinoud,
Kandy, Sri Lanka