A Memorable Family Trip to Down South
Hello to the community,
The last weekend was fun, as my family and I had a getaway to the southern region of Sri Lanka. It was suddenly planned to visit a relative-to-be house. Well, yeah more good news will come soon from my end! Anyway, it turned out pretty great filled with joy, laughter, and unexpected memories at the end of the year.
The journey to Matara from our home town is a bit long around 175km+. So, we started it at 04.00 a.m. and, took some time to gather all the family members along the way. With the expressway, we could reach our first stop at Sister-in-law's house at around 07.30 a.m. Well, yeah it was pretty early as the day was yet to come!
After a lovely welcome, and breakfast we spent some time catching up, sharing stories, and watching crazy acts from the kids.
Then we visited the Wewurukannala Temple, one of the prestigious places, rich in culture and importance to Buddhists.
The Entrance
The temple is beside the main road between Matara, and Dikwella, so it's not hard to find! It's believed that the initial construction is dated back to the 18th century by King Rajadhi (1782 – 1798). Anyway, from time to time, different things have been added to it. The entrance itself gives you a satisfying first impression and an ancient vibe.
There is the temple's elephant there, and a few ancient wells as well. First, we offered flowers and worshipped Lord Buddha, and took some time to peacefully embrace the moment.
The Buddha statues and its drawings
There are three amazing things in the temple. The first one is Sri Lanka's biggest Buddha statue, which was constructed in the 1960s. You can see it in the above-left image. It's around 160 feet tall. And from behind that, we can climb it to the top, watching hundreds of images drawn on the walls. There is an 8-story building attached to the statue, so we can reach the top.
Most of the drawings are relevant to events in the Buddha’s life and Buddhism. It will take hours to clearly and patiently understand those stories. Anyway when you reach the top, we can worship the sacred things that were stored in statues as well.
View from the top
And the view from the top is just breathtaking! Nearby landscapes, lush greenery, and the newly constructed railroad to Kataragama will light your mood again and again.
The Chaithya and the illustration of hell
Then we can go through the tunnel of hell. It's an illustration with sculptures, drawings, and explanations about hell according to our religion. They try to understand the people the things that can happen to people, who commit certain sins in the next life.
After a few hours exploring the culture of Sri Lanka, before noon we reached our main destination. It's our first visit to my little sister's fiance's house. We had to get to know each other and discuss the next steps in their lives. Well, it was a nice experience. They were lovely, and their hospitality was heartwarming.
Anyway, the most important thing is just a 5-minutes from the beach, at Thangalle. No trip to the south of Sri Lanka would be completed without a visit to the beach. Before lunch, we rushed to there. Kids were happy, we we happy, and we spent hours there. Bathing, playing, and enjoying the soothing relaxation of the sea, sunset, and nature.
The family
After long hours on the beach, it was the perfect time for a meal. The food was nice, mixing with the Southern vibe. They have a different taste there, believe me. So, after a few hours in there chatting, and bonding with the new family, we bid farewell.
What to say! It was a perfect and memorable journey doing so many things, in one day! Forever grateful for those moments!
Innocent me
So, that's it for today!! Until the next time! Enjoy!
Thank you.
Best Regards!