We spent the night at the Cinnamon Lodge in Habarana, which was simply a 5-star experience in the heart of nature.
Morning harmony
We enjoyed a morning walk across the lakes and mingled with the gardeners who were generous enough to guide us around and provide us with some insight about their chores maintaining the forest surrounding the hotel.
The forest had an untouched soul and a beating heart. Everything was alive. Wherever we looked we could see a sign of life: wild animals, insects, birds, plants, and trees lived in harmony sharing the same earth, water, air, and sun. It is only us humans who found it difficult to share.
Sigiriya rock fortress
We wished we could have appreciated it more. Fortunately, we had a whole country that we were looking forward to exploring, so we had to hit the road towards Kandy. But first and foremost, we had to climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress which is a world heritage site also know by the Lion Rock because of the giant lion claws gate located halfway up the staircase to the top of the rock. An unusual citadel rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle surrounded with a 70-hectare fortified town.
After a few hours on foot to the top of the rock and back and wandering the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures we jumped back into our mini-van. Shortly after we were making our way towards Kandy, the second-largest city on the island and the capital of Central Province of modern Sri Lanka.
Kandy
Time passes quickly when you’re surrounded by friends. I still remember the silly jokes and the crazy laughs we shared along the way. We reached our destination in Kandy at around 9:30 pm. The place was an unusual hotel that gives you the feeling of being in a fairy tale or Alice in Wonderland known by the name of Helga’s Folly located in the midst of hills surrounded by tropical plantations.
Although we didn’t get the chance to meet Helga, the hotel structure, design and service could say a lot about her. Staying at Helga’s Folly is not for the faint-hearted and certainly not for those expecting 5-star room service.
After checking in we were redirected to our rooms through the mysteriously painted stairways. It seemed that this hotel was continuously being renovated and painted over and over by artists who stayed there. From broken mirrors to monstrous eyes watching all over along with half-lit chandeliers and squeaking old wooden stairs leading to the rooms, a creepy feeling pervaded the senses while closing and locking the ancient room door.
A local experience
At night we drove to the city center, parked the mini-van on the side of the road, and started walking aimlessly. That night, we surely must have looked like some naïve tourists waiting to be fooled by some kind of con.
“Hello, do you want to buy good quality tea for a good price?” a Sri Lankan man tapped me on the shoulder. At first, I hesitated and took a defensive stance, carefully thanked the man and continued walking. “I know you” he added. “You are the visitors who arrived late to Helga’s”. Surprised and puzzled, I had to refuse his offer a second time. “Listen, man, I don’t need anything from you, and I surely don’t mean any harm, I am the gardener at Helga’s Folly and I recognized you from the minivan. It is rare that we receive visitors who are driving themselves, especially in a vehicle like yours”. I slowed down and looked him in the eyes and said: “You are that guy who was fixing the tent near the car park, I remember you now!” With a humorous smile, I added: “You know where we’re staying, and we know where you work, so you better have a good offer for us!”
Trust
While the tension and confusion were building between Chantal, Ronnie, and Nataly, I lead the way with my new friend. “How do you trust this guy?” Chantal whispered in my ear. “It’s late at night and he could be taking us anywhere” she murmured while she slowed down behind me. I looked back and I saw Ronnie smiling, and shaking his head in a negligent gesture. “You have my back!” I said. “I’m going to trust this guy. He seems sincere. Where could he be taking us? It is the city center, what could go wrong in a crowded place?” for a moment I was bombarded with all those thoughts. “Sir I have a friend who owns a shop in this center. This shopping center is known by the locals, most tourists go to the shopping mall on the other side of the city center and pay higher prices for the same products. You can go tomorrow and check if you want.” With nothing to say I followed him.
Locals Know Best!
He took some narrow and unmaintained stairs down towards a lower floor and we all followed him with no words. People were looking at us, welcoming us, smiling back at us. We were some of the few tourists who had ever set foot in this center. After a while, we started to feel less tense and we became acquainted with the old walls and the square shops lined up in a U-shape inside that ancient structure. Some people were selling food, some were selling cloth, some vegetables, and others selling handy tools and cooking utensils. A mixture of odors filled the air and the most prominent was the smell of spices. After a short walk, we reached the intended shop. I looked back and said to the rest of the group: “Trust the locals, they know best!”
We headed back to our mini-van with a handful of tea bags, spices, and Ayurvedic and aromatic oils. Was it a fair trade? That’s what we hoped to discover during the upcoming days.
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