Sri Lanka It is an island country located 37 km from the Southern tip of India. Because of its shape, it is also referred to as the Drop of the Indian Ocean or the teardrop of India.
General Information About Sri Lanka
Until 10 years ago, the country was in a state of civil war with the Tamil Guerrillas who dominated the north of the island, a compromise was reached and there is no security problem in the country anymore. The northern regions are also open to tourism. Only military facilities built on the north-south line still exist. The millet is the head of our country.
The country is green because it is in the tropics. It is full of tropical rainforests. This means a nature like paradise. One advantage of being an island is that many species have survived on the island. Sri Lanka is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of living species. There are only 180 kinds of orchids, which are still found in nature.
Due to its high natural wealth and its strategic location in the Indian Ocean, it was under British, Portuguese and Dutch colonization, and especially the British and Dutch influence is still very intense.
Climate in Sri Lanka
The country in the tropics is under the influence of monsoon rains, with the most precipitation in April. The season for sea vacation starts in November. If you are going to the island to enjoy the Indian Ocean or to dive, make sure to plan for after November.
The inner northern parts of the island (where the historical cities are) have a sunny and drier climate than the country in general, so rice is grown especially in the Polonaruwa region.
The mountainous region, which is also in the middle of the island, is the coolest and most rainy place in the country, and mostly tea and vegetables are grown here.
Sri Lankan Economy
50 Sri Lankan rupees is about 1TL. Although the prices are reasonable in general, it was a more costly trip than I expected since the tourist accounts are in USD and the dollar is constantly gaining value for us. The fact that the entrance fees to historical places are 25-30 usd pushed the budget a little bit. However, one of the reasons I chose Sri Lanka this year was to travel cheap.
The country's economy is mainly based on tea, and the tea plantations were built by the British. Most of the properties belong to the British. It is the biggest manufacturer that produces under the name of Macwood and is sold to the world under the Lipton brand. Sri Lankans working in the tea plantations continue to live in poverty.
Life in Sri Lanka
The country looks like us 20 years ago, from furniture to train stations, it's like we went back in time.
The people do not have the culture of eating out, everyone disappears after 20:00 in the evening, whereas in hot countries, life is lived at night and on the street, I could not see this in Sri Lanka. It's almost impossible to see strangers outside at night, as travel books around the world (like lonely planet) say don't go out at night. We did not have any problems when we returned to the hotel at a late hour, but it could be pure luck, of course. Still, it's worth asking the people who live there.
Alcohol is sold in markets or in shops with bars that say “wine store” and it is prohibited after 21:00 in the evening. Beer is available in most hotels and restaurants.
We used banks to exchange money. It is broadcast on Animal Planet TV screens in bank branches (in different banks), and we came across it in a few restaurants.
Traffic in Sri Lanka
Traffic is much heavier than we are used to. Tuktuk, motor, car, truck, all vehicles use a single round-trip road. You can travel 70 km in 2-3 hours. This causes your plans with land transportation to be completed in a much longer time than you expect. Be sure to pay attention to this if you are planning a trip to Sri Lanka.
Also, the traffic flows in the opposite direction for us, just like in England, be careful when crossing the street!
The reputation of our double roads came to Sri Lanka. The first question of our driver is that the roads are always double, is it true 🙂
Clothing in Sri Lanka
A large number of people still wear local clothes. While men wrap long fabrics around their waists like skirts, women wear local clothes called saares. Employees in government offices, schools and banks are required to wear a saree. In addition, the saree is definitely worn on special occasions.
Apart from that, modern clothing is also common all over the island.
Buddhism and Religions in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a very important center for Buddhism, many Buddhists from around the world come here to make pilgrimages. We also visited important stops and temples. They especially value the Bodhi tree, which is found in every temple and believed to radiate from under the Buddha's philosophy. It is referred to as Bo-tree in many places. You have to take off your shoes when visiting the Buddhist Temples called Stupa. It is not fun to step barefoot on the scorched ground. Make sure you have dark socks with you to avoid burning your feet.
Because of the Buddhism philosophy of not harming any living creature, cows, dogs, monkeys, all kinds of bugs roam freely in the streets, everyone is careful and respectful towards them.
It is easy to distinguish Buddhist temples from their colorful flags. In addition to Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam are the religions that are common on the island, and they are grouped in certain regions. Although the number of Christians is low, the number of churches is quite high, and you can distinguish churches with blue-white flags.
What I am most curious about is how the Buddhists, who do not harm animals and worship their own sculptures, and Muslims who sacrifice animals and who are clearly denied idol worship, live in peace. Since religion is such a sensitive subject, I couldn't ask anyone. However, even though I was there during the feast of sacrifice, I did not see any sacrifices. I think they respect each other and do not sacrifice in open areas.
I also visited a Hindu temple for the first time in my life in Sri Lanka, in Mattala, a Hindu squire. It was very colorful and very different from the places of worship I have seen so far.
Sockets in Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the sockets are theoretically the same as in the UK, but the converter I used in the UK did not work, because the ones I have are angled, they are round. I learned a super tactic in one of the hotels I stayed at; You insert a key into the top 3 hole and lower the tongue inside, so your existing adapters can easily fit into the bottom 2 holes. If you get bumped while trying, I won't accept any liability. In some places there were sockets we know, luckily.
Sri Lanka is definitely a very rich geography with its tropical climate and nature, biodiversity and different religions. I definitely recommend adding it to your travel list.
1 Comment
Mattala is listed.