Today was a feast of Hindu Temples and seeing the mindless destruction of the civil war coupled to a visit of Sri Lanka’s northern most point.
I didn’t leave Old Park Villa until well after 8am due to the dilatory nature of the staff. I don’t think they are used to folks wanting to dash off. Amazingly the route I had planned took me straight past the stunning Nallur Kandawamy Kovil, so impressive I stopped and went inside after been made to take shirt and shoes off!
Once leaving I spied a ice cream parlour – yummy yummy huge bowl of ice cream to keep me going for the day 🙂
The route then took me past at least 10 more temples plus some pleasant fishing villages some still with tsunami damage others blown up in the war! I suspect there will be aland grab going on soon for all the empty plots overlooking the ocean, I eventually made it to the northern most part of Sri Lanka, Point Pedro. Did my selfie then moved on as not a lot there.
I started heading south the wanton destruction everywhere, whole villages blown up and flattened. I came across the HALO mine clearance encampment, what a job! they’ve cleared tens of thousands of them but still 100s of thousands more. Staggering. Apparentlt it was like WW1 with trenches, barbed wire everywhere.
I made it to Kilinochchi and stayed at the first hotel AKR basic but OK. Walking through the town later I came across the blown up water tower, now a memorial, one of the last acts before the town was taken by the south. It reminded me of my Danube trip and Vukovar shot up water tower left as a memorial.
A bigger shock then came in that the town is a dry one 🙁
Days Strava is here
