Jaffna.
The humidity’s ethereal fingers encompassed us as we await on Anuradhapura station to travel north to Jaffna. It is in Jaffna, that the Liberation Tigers Tamil Eelan (LTTE) embarked on a 30-year violent struggle with the Sri Lankan military for the establishment of a separate homeland in the North. Over 75,000 people died during the conflict and over 1,000,000 land mines still lace the ground. Our journey North took around four hours on the local train, and as we watched out the window, the toll of the war was still apparent. Abandoned homes, derelict farms and destroyed infrastructure litter the landscape, we later learnt that 16 of the 19 military battalions are still stationed in the North and that people are slowly returning to their homeland.
The humidity’s ethereal fingers encompassed us as we await on Anuradhapura station to travel north to Jaffna. It is in Jaffna, that the Liberation Tigers Tamil Eelan (LTTE) embarked on a 30-year violent struggle with the Sri Lankan military for the establishment of a separate homeland in the North. Over 75,000 people died during the conflict and over 1,000,000 land mines still lace the ground. Our journey North took around four hours on the local train, and as we watched out the window, the toll of the war was still apparent. Abandoned homes, derelict farms and destroyed infrastructure litter the landscape, we later learnt that 16 of the 19 military battalions are still stationed in the North and that people are slowly returning to their homeland.
Our ferry, to Nainativu Island, the Northern most point in Sri Lanka, was simply a converted wooden fishing boat, (aka people smuggler limousine). As our boat neared the Island, we were greeted with the first glimpse of Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple. This ancient and historic Hindu temple is dedicated to Parvati and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people. It houses four gopurams (gateway towers) ranging from 20–25 feet in height, to a soaring at 108 feet.
Jaffna also houses the famous Dutch Fort which is a legacy of the country’s colonial past and maritime heritage. The Portuguese built the fort in 1618 and was re-built by Dutch colonisers who took over the Fort in 1680. The Fort is all but ruins but provides a spectacular viewpoint from the rampart to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean.
Back on the mainland we visited a local family for a cooking demonstration followed by a delightful dinner of traditional cuisine.
Local bus on to Trincomalee.
An hour on this bus was quite sufficient to get the drift of public transport in Sri Lanka. The aircon consisted of open windows to allow the local transport fumes to congest our lungs as the Sri Lankan 'top of the pops' blared at full volume. We stopped at the various stations, more people boarded and eventually it was standing room only. The ticket master made his way through the crowd after every stop to ensure all had paid their way. A tad worried when the time to disembark but although it looked quite chaotic, all went smooth and we made it in one piece.
Trincomalee is a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka. A popular holiday destination for both tourist and local alike. We had some free time here with sea side options available. We choose snorkling and a lovely couple of hours were spent out on the reef. The underwater garden was lovely although bias as we are; not as gorgeous as our own Barrier reef. Our free afternoon was spent wallowing in the sea without a stinger in sight, bliss!
Back on the mainland we visited a local family for a cooking demonstration followed by a delightful dinner of traditional cuisine.
Local bus on to Trincomalee.
An hour on this bus was quite sufficient to get the drift of public transport in Sri Lanka. The aircon consisted of open windows to allow the local transport fumes to congest our lungs as the Sri Lankan 'top of the pops' blared at full volume. We stopped at the various stations, more people boarded and eventually it was standing room only. The ticket master made his way through the crowd after every stop to ensure all had paid their way. A tad worried when the time to disembark but although it looked quite chaotic, all went smooth and we made it in one piece.
Trincomalee is a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka. A popular holiday destination for both tourist and local alike. We had some free time here with sea side options available. We choose snorkling and a lovely couple of hours were spent out on the reef. The underwater garden was lovely although bias as we are; not as gorgeous as our own Barrier reef. Our free afternoon was spent wallowing in the sea without a stinger in sight, bliss!
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