Sri Lanka - Kandy
On the Way to Kandy The bus ride from Negombo to Kandy takes three hours. I was the only "foreigner" on the bus, catching friendly yet curious glances from locals đ. There was no air conditioning, and the speaker blared Indian pop songs on and offâthings got a bit stuffy and hot. After a while, an elderly busker boarded, singing in a high-pitched, unintelligible tune. Even after listening closely, I couldnât make out the words, and honestly, it didnât hold a candle to the Indian hits. He sang for over ten minutes, then pulled out a cloth bag to collect money. A woman next to me gave 2 rupees, so I awkwardly followed suit. Once he left, a young man with rambutans in a basket hopped on, followed by an old man selling peanuts. The bus chugged on, and I bought a bag of rambutans for 2 rupees and a tiny pouch of peanuts for 50 centsâso small, maybe just 50 grams! I was amused by the miniature portions. Staring out the window, I felt a mix of excitement and eagerness for the journey ahead đż. Kandy Three hours later, we arrived in Kandy, and it was pouring rain đ§ď¸. I quickly ducked under a shelter, where an old man with a lottery ticket basket was sitting. I stared at his setup for ages but couldnât figure out the game. It was bafflingâwhen someone bought a ticket, he rummaged through his basket forever. If only it were as simple as scratch cards, I mightâve struck it rich right there! Though once the capital, Kandy isnât big. Wandering around Kandy Lake feels like seeing the whole cityâmuch like Kunming, itâs beautiful with hills, water, and lush greenery đď¸. By the lake stands the Queenâs Hotel, a local spot where youâll spot couples taking wedding photos or cozying up for dates. At night, the city isnât as brightly lit as back homeâmaybe to save electricity, haha! But with less light pollution, it feels surprisingly peaceful. I grabbed a plate of local stir-fried noodles and started wandering aimlessly. There were young men in cowboy hats waiting for buses, đ Muslim grandfathers shopping at supermarkets, and teens buying alcohol from a shop with a tiny hand-sized hole in the iron bars (probably because are pricey here). I even had locals ask me to "buy drink"âat first, I didnât get it until I caught their - accented English. I waved them off, yelling "a little English" and "I donât understand," hightailing it out of there. Who knows what might happen if they were drunk? đ #KandyDiaries #StreetPhotography #KandyHiddenGems #Kandy #TravelInspiration
