We're just about ready to head out for our second trip and we haven't finished posting about our first trip yet!
So where were we? Oh yes, Sri Lanka; or better yet, a whirwind tour of Sri Lanka. Four days of driving, rainforests, gem museums, empty beaches and gorgeous hotels, temples, and roadside pit stops....
With all of this, the highlight of the trip might have been the elephants. Some of you may already know this, but in person, elephants are really quite amazing. They are just massive, carrying a sheer physicality that cannot be appreciated except up close. And it is a size that is coupled with a grace that is hard to even imagine. It is just sheer massive physical presence and beauty. Amazing.
Our elephant adventure was going to be a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, but on the way, our guide made an unexpected stop at a side-of-the-road tourist trap elephant museum to ride some elephants. So first, to have it be said, this was not the best place I have ever been, and I think we all felt quite uncomfortable. Not because it was dangerous or anything like that. But it was clearly a side-of-the-road tourist trap, and a bit shady. First there was the entry fee, then after a two minute guided walk through the elephant museum (which consisted of three elementary school science fair poster-board descriptions of elephants and a partial elephant skeleton) we were hit up for a tip from the 'docent,' then we were directed over to the elephants and taken for a '15' minute ride, that was more like a ten minute walk around the grounds, at which point we were hit up again for a tip from the elephant handler. And then we were directed to the gift shop/snack bar, which consisted of a few post-cards, and a vending machine. And although we didn't see anything, it is hard to imagine this as the best life for the elephants, maybe better than abandonment in the forest, but not as good as the orphanage. So yeah, a bit shady.
But for all of that, we got to ride some elephants. Which is, if you have never done it, a strange sensation, feeling that you are on top of such a massive pile of muscle, just ambling around.
There were no mixed feelings at our next stop, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The Elephant Orphanage was founded in 1975 to take care of abandoned elephants that were found in the wild. Today, the orphanage takes care of about 70 elephants, some that were abandoned by their mothers, some that were captured by poachers and then left to die, and one who survived stepping on a mine left from the civil war. The female and baby elephants wander the grounds as a herd during the day, and the male elephants either roam free or help around the grounds, moving food and supplies.
We arrived at the orphanage towards the end of the day, and so got to witness two of their daily events: bath time and dinner. Twice a day all the elephants get walked across the street and down to the river for a bath and some water play time. Then they get walked back. It was so much fun to watch them play together in the river, and when they walk back they are literally right there on the street next to you.
After bath time, the elephants all made their way back to the orphanage for dinner. I don't remember the stats, but the orphanage goes through a ton of food every day, and it is easy to see why. They eat so much!! They are incredibly helpful eaters, working together to get the best bites off the leaves and trunks, and very inventive eaters: one of their favorite eating tactics is to kick the trees with their feet to loosen the tree fibers, then pull the fibers out with their trunks.
So, yes, the elephant day was amazing.
But the whole trip was amazing. And this is our new dilemma: there is so much to see in Sri Lanka that we could easily go back. It would be worth it to go back and stay at the beach for a weekend. But then what about Hampi, and Coorg, and Bangkok, and Ooty, and Paris, and Goa, and the Maldives, and Singapore, and Cambodia, and Ladakh, and Kerala, and the Taj Mahal, and, and.... Yes, it's going to be a tough two years!
So where were we? Oh yes, Sri Lanka; or better yet, a whirwind tour of Sri Lanka. Four days of driving, rainforests, gem museums, empty beaches and gorgeous hotels, temples, and roadside pit stops....
With all of this, the highlight of the trip might have been the elephants. Some of you may already know this, but in person, elephants are really quite amazing. They are just massive, carrying a sheer physicality that cannot be appreciated except up close. And it is a size that is coupled with a grace that is hard to even imagine. It is just sheer massive physical presence and beauty. Amazing.
Our elephant adventure was going to be a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, but on the way, our guide made an unexpected stop at a side-of-the-road tourist trap elephant museum to ride some elephants. So first, to have it be said, this was not the best place I have ever been, and I think we all felt quite uncomfortable. Not because it was dangerous or anything like that. But it was clearly a side-of-the-road tourist trap, and a bit shady. First there was the entry fee, then after a two minute guided walk through the elephant museum (which consisted of three elementary school science fair poster-board descriptions of elephants and a partial elephant skeleton) we were hit up for a tip from the 'docent,' then we were directed over to the elephants and taken for a '15' minute ride, that was more like a ten minute walk around the grounds, at which point we were hit up again for a tip from the elephant handler. And then we were directed to the gift shop/snack bar, which consisted of a few post-cards, and a vending machine. And although we didn't see anything, it is hard to imagine this as the best life for the elephants, maybe better than abandonment in the forest, but not as good as the orphanage. So yeah, a bit shady.
But for all of that, we got to ride some elephants. Which is, if you have never done it, a strange sensation, feeling that you are on top of such a massive pile of muscle, just ambling around.
The end of the '15 minute' walk, with a quick tip request.
Elephant bath!
Mr. Cliff enjoying the offerings of the snack bar.
There were no mixed feelings at our next stop, the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. The Elephant Orphanage was founded in 1975 to take care of abandoned elephants that were found in the wild. Today, the orphanage takes care of about 70 elephants, some that were abandoned by their mothers, some that were captured by poachers and then left to die, and one who survived stepping on a mine left from the civil war. The female and baby elephants wander the grounds as a herd during the day, and the male elephants either roam free or help around the grounds, moving food and supplies.
We arrived at the orphanage towards the end of the day, and so got to witness two of their daily events: bath time and dinner. Twice a day all the elephants get walked across the street and down to the river for a bath and some water play time. Then they get walked back. It was so much fun to watch them play together in the river, and when they walk back they are literally right there on the street next to you.
Heading home early
Waiting at the gate to cross the street
Play time is over
Um, where you going, buddy? Stay off the sidewalk.
After bath time, the elephants all made their way back to the orphanage for dinner. I don't remember the stats, but the orphanage goes through a ton of food every day, and it is easy to see why. They eat so much!! They are incredibly helpful eaters, working together to get the best bites off the leaves and trunks, and very inventive eaters: one of their favorite eating tactics is to kick the trees with their feet to loosen the tree fibers, then pull the fibers out with their trunks.
A sequence of baby elephants having fun together!
So, yes, the elephant day was amazing.
But the whole trip was amazing. And this is our new dilemma: there is so much to see in Sri Lanka that we could easily go back. It would be worth it to go back and stay at the beach for a weekend. But then what about Hampi, and Coorg, and Bangkok, and Ooty, and Paris, and Goa, and the Maldives, and Singapore, and Cambodia, and Ladakh, and Kerala, and the Taj Mahal, and, and.... Yes, it's going to be a tough two years!
have a wonderful next trip
ReplyDeleteI want to go to the elephant orphanage!!!
ReplyDelete