Galle Fort – Our Final Stop in Sri Lanka
After two and a half whirlwind months touring Sri Lanka, we pulled into Galle with exhausted bodies and tired minds. This would be the last extended stop of our 91 days in the country.
Nuwara Eliya
Known around Sri Lanka as "Little England", Nuwara Eliya is the highest city on the island, at around 6128 feet above sea level. Throughout history, this mountainous patch of the country had been almost entirely unpopulated, but the British recognized the potential value of its soil and climate. In 1846, explorer Samuel Barker (who would later "discover" Africa's Lake Albert) founded Nuwara Eliya, which quickly established itself as a favorite retreat for the ruling class, and eventually gained prominence as a center for tea cultivation.
The Kandy Garrison Cemetery
Tucked just behind the Temple of the Tooth is an odd relic from the kingdom's colonial days. The Kandy Garrison Cemetery holds the remains of about 150 British souls, who were buried far from home in the early 19th century. The weathered tombstones and neatly-kept grounds make for an atmospheric escape from the throngs of people at the temple.
A Concise History of Sri Lanka
Originally settled about 36,000 years ago, Sri Lanka has one of the world's oldest histories. So attempting to condense its long and turbulent story into a "concise" version is a fool's errand. But then, we are the foolish children of a modern age, without the time for outdated concepts like thoroughness or nuance! Give the history of Sri Lanka to us in 140 characters or less, please.
