Anuradhapura It is the first of the historic cities we visited in Sri Lanka. But we won't remember her for her ruins, dagobas, temples ... but for being the meeting point with our friend Jordi, who comes to backpacking for 3 weeks with us!
After a long wait at the bus station in Anuradhapura, it is finally time to arrive at the bus from Colombo with our friend. Instead we see him appear in a tuctuc with "the captain", a boy he has just met and who has brought him very kindly. It's so cool to see each other again ... meeting someone you know while traveling gives you immense joy! Especially if you know that he has two fuets behind him waiting to be devoured. After long conversations of everything that has happened in these two days of travel to the meeting, we take the backpacks and the hotel, which has already thrown the night on us.
the white beard is for a lost bet ...
And piece hotel: it even has swimming pool! We already have a plan for the next morning (and tan Huelva style strawberry too). But not only bombs in the water lives a backpacker, and the adventure calls us so we decided to catch a tuk tuk to know as much as possible the ruins of Anuradhapura. Of course, we make it clear that we DO NOT want to pay the entrance fee (we have already realized that the tickets in Sri Lanka are abusive!) So Rauff, our tuktukero, took us through interesting places, and free!
We visited royal gardens, dagobas, statues of Buddhas, a sacred tree born from the tree branch where Buddha received inspiration and a monastery. The afternoon flew by and we were so tired that we begged Rauf to take us to a cheap beach bar for dinner. And that's where Jordi tastes his first fried rice (which we suspect will not be the last!). But it will be impossible to enjoy dinner, because a cloud of demonic mosquitoes are devouring us, so pale hotel with the dinner, talk session and pampering ... that tomorrow we go to Dambulla!
USEFUL INFO
How to get?
We catch a bus in Trincomale to a city in the middle of the road where we change to another. The first part of the route was very slow, with unpaved roads and many works (eye to those who want to come in rented tuctuc), the second part was somewhat better. The entire journey cost us Rs 160 per person and lasted about 6 hours. Arrive at a different station to the Colombo Stand, from there to the hotel that was about 6 km we caught a tuctuc for 250 rupees.
Where to sleep?
We stayed at the Thilaka Holiday House
Visit city
The entrance costs about 25 dollars, gives you the right to go to the "best" ruins, in the easternmost part of the ancient city. But there are scattered some points of interest that can be visited in tuctuc. We had trouble finding a driver who spoke English until we met Rauff, who, apart from taking us from one place to another, served as a guide (not in vain is an official guide). In total for half a day (about 3 hours and peak) we pay 2,000 rupees between the three. The visit was entertaining and Rauff told us many things about each place. We did not have to pay any extra admission. We recommend Rauff 100% as a guide, this is your phone: 0777036828
