The journey begins from the capital Colombo, as well as me and my wife is also Alessia five years old. Leaving the airport waiting for us the guide: target Kandy. Immediately after leaving the airport we are already wrapped in the messy and chaotic traffic of Sri Lanka. All surpass all and at all times, the road is full of tuc tuc-, carts and buses whizzing between a stop and the next. Driving here is really a company but for our driver, everything seems normal. On the way to Kandy we climb into the mountains, in theory, should be initiated in the dry season, but it's raining outside. The vegetation is lush, very green. The road is surrounded by innumerable banquets fruit ... do not resist stop for a taste. There are all kinds of tropical fruits including pineapple giant, but we are not attracted by the red bananas ... we had never seen before. The flavor is indescribable to those of us accustomed to eating in Italy is harvested unripe bananas that ripen during trip! In Kandy you can do many things. First of all a visit to the botanical gardens with its collection of orchids including rare, then a visit to the relic of the Buddha, and why not a little 'shopping since it comes from this area of ​​Sri Lankan gemstones: rubies, sapphires, etc.. . The various laboratories are also equipped to show the phases of the underground search and processing of precious stones. Next stop Habarana raised practically in the jungle. We stay at Cinnamon Lodge (www.cinnamonhotels.com), a beautiful hotel made up of many small houses scattered in the vegetation in a lake. Outside the door in complete freedom you can meet, monkeys, iguanas, squirrels and even for those who want the tour is an elephant. Habarana is situated near the famous rock of Sigirya. The effort of the climb is rewarded with panoramic views over the plains below and the sight of the most famous paintings of girls in Sri Lanka. From Habarana and Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, you can visit the archaeological sites known respectively and for the passage of the Buddha. During the move I've made a lot of shots out the window, you see dilapidated shops which sell a bit 'of everything, meet the children after school in a white uniform almost white, then older people who wash the river, many people walk without shoes in the dust. A note characterizes the common people of Sri Lanka: everyone smiles! Returning to the coast must visit the elephant orphanage in Pinnawella. We stay in Bentota near Kalutara fifty kilometers south of Colombo. Here there are long beaches not yet invaded by mass tourism, as is well known Sri Lanka is recovering from years of civil war that have kept away some potential tourists. It 'a succession of storms and sudden frenzied followed by large patches of sunshine, but despite what the temperature is always above the thirty degrees. The ocean water is always hot ... unfortunately we are now awaiting the sad now back in Europe in early December cold.

Stefano Gazzoli

All picture taken in November 2010

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