We began the way all days should - looking at elephants! This time, our elephant-time took place at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, just outside of Kandy. The excitement was the same as it always is pre-elephants, but unfortunately, the buzz was a wee bit killed when we showed up and checked the place out. It wasn't anything like what I had experienced in Kenya - where stories were told of individual elephants and donations could be made to "adopt" the ones you fell in love with most. Nope. This one was a big tourist trap - that cost us $20 each!!! For $20, we could enter a place where you could order drinks, food, shop and stare at elephants while you are doing so. The elephants were adhered to random areas of a river by metal chains and men with big sticks were wandering about to ensure the orphans remained at a safe distance away. Which didn't really make any sense - because we got right up there - in touching distance - and they weren't poked then. I don't know! Anyways, there was a really wonderful part of the experience - and that was seeing the tiniest elephant we have ever seen before! He must have been a newborn, because he was falling all over the place - showing little ability to balance and coordinate his legs!
After a quick stop for fresh fruit (YUM!!!!!!!) and a look at red bananas (bizarre!), we hurried over to the GEMMMMMMMM Factory to pick up our rings, that had been re-sized. My turned out to be three sizes too small, which turned out okay since they provided us with a lovely tea party as it poured rain outside! My ring was re-sized once more and came back PERFECT :)
Our lunch this day was spent on the river, where we watched the rain turn from spitting to pouring to down-pouring and back to spitting. There was a glimpse of hope that it would hold off at the Botanical Gardens, but the rain continued and so we headed to the FREAKY part of this day - to the Spa, where they practice a traditional style of medicine called "Ayurveda". Now, in order to keep things "PG" here....let me just say that we now know the meaning of "violated" in a way that bonded Emily and I for life! Ah, ya. There was us.....side by side....naked....Then there was them....not naked....making us feel really awkward about being naked. Then there was the oil that drenched us from head to toe (LITERALLY) and made the meter-high table (that we were laying on!) a "what about safety?" slip 'n slide. Or how about that oil-dripping apparatus that spilled boiling hot (like third degree burn hot) oil on your forehead for 20 minutes? Or that too-freakin'-hot coffin they locked us in? The one that may have made me claustrophobic for the rest of my existence. Um...ya....never again. THE END.
Before we could re-shower (because one shower was NOT enough to rid us of the oil), we went to see a cultural show - with VIP seats! Yep - we sat in the very front row and absorbed Sri Lankan culture in the most colourful way! The costumes, the music, the dancing, the FLIPPING!, the comedy....it was SUPERB! And thanks to Lal, we were up front and center!
At the hotel, we showered immediately (3 shampoos later - and still - NOTHING!). Dinner was characterized by greasy-haired girls, which was funny enough on its own. But then Emily ranted about being sick of rice and curry. And then Phil said pineapple was his new favourite fruit. And then there were bats flying into the restaurant. And I felt like we had entered the twilight zone.
Catchphrase ended the night, as did the creation of Colleen's trip nickname - "C-TOTES". Don't ask. Just enjoy it.
ok so this one had me laughing out loud. that "spa" was SO scary! BAH! also i love that picture of the dancers! xoxoxo
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