Visit to Polonnaruwa 2

Last May, I was in Penang and visited a Buddhist temple which contained a large statue of a sleeping Buddha, which was made of plaster and garishly painted. I couldn't help but recall
the Gal Vihara, which represents the pinnacle of Sinhalese rock carving. The serene facial expressions and liquid flow of the robes are all carved from the same massive slab of granite.

The 14-meter long reclining image shows the Buddha passing away and entering nirvana. The face, delicately flecked with variations in the natural colour of the rock is especially beautiful. The statue has been carved with such tenderness and attention to detail that even the bolster like pillow carries a subtle depression under the head. The standing Buddha statue that is 7-meters tall is supposed to be unusual because the arms are folded, the eyes half-closed, and the face bears a sorrowful expression.

Sunset over the Parakrama Samudra from the Rest House

Earlier, we had lunch at the Polonnaruwa Rest House, a small government run hotel, located overlooking the picturesque Parakrama Samudra. Instead of returning to Dambulla, we decided to stay overnight at the rest house, famed for hosting Queeen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their first visit to Sri Lanka in 1954. Despite the recent addition of several rooms overlooking the Samudra, the rest house has declined in both service and appearance, but the location is incomparable.

Where water should have been, sand has appeared

The severe drought that Polonnaruwa has experienced was evident in the shrinking f the Samudra, with the water having receded. Still. we saw a number of small fishing boats. This being the windy season, strong winds blew all day and night.

Fawzia relaxing on the terrace.

A flock of gulls against the setting sun

In the evening, Ranjit Hulugalle, the "gentleman farmer" blogger, came by for beer and dinner. Ranjit runs"From Dream into Reality", one of the most popular blogs in the country

Ranjit stayed for a long chat. He's seen with his faithful steed the Tata pick-up

Driving back to Dambulla the next morning, we stopped at Giritale Tank, another ancient reservoir. Here's Beaula wading in. Fawzia took a dip in the cool water.