Mysore: A short breakaway from Kochi.

I was looking forward for a short get away from my busy schedule in Kochi and we decided to hop over to palace city of Mysore. I am going there after a gap of about 25 years and for my husband it was his 3^rd visit after a gap of 30 years!

05^th Sep 2017: Kochi to Mysore:

We took Airavat bus of Karnataka road transport corporation (KSRTC) from Ernakulam KSRTC Bus stand. It was very comfortable Ac bus departed at 2000Hrs  going via Kozhikode, Wayanad and Gundalpet to Mysore. We reached Mysore by 0800Hrs the next day.

06^th Sep 2017, Mysore:  It was our first day at Mysore. After checking in our hotel, which was a 5 min walk able distance away from Mysore Palace, we decided to visit Rail Museum. It was one of 2 Rail museums in India, the other museum is at New Delhi.

Royal Carriage of Mysore Queen

Nostalgic Steam Engine!!

After rail museum we went to visit Jagan Mohan Palace. If you are interested in architecture then don’t visit this palace. It is nothing in comparison to grand Mysore Palace. But if you are interested in paintings then please make sure that you don’t miss it. There are a lot of collections of painting... .... good collection of Original Raja Ravi Verma painting!!!!  Don’t miss them and these Ravi Verma paintings alone made our visit to Jagan Mohan palace worth the entry fee.

Jagan Mohan Palace Art Museum.

Evening we went to see the night illumination of Mysore Palace. On weekdays its kept illuminated from 1945Hrs for 15 minutes. Worth watching.

07^th Sep 2017, Mysore:  Morning we went to visit Mysore Palace from inside. We made online reservation from the Mysore Palace website and that saved us from standing in long queue. I recommend anyone visiting palace to take e Ticket from their website. Interior of the palace is sooo beautiful. I am posting few photos and photos will speak better than I could write.

View of Majestic Mysore Palace.

Kalyana Mandapa

Ambavilasa,hall used by King for Private audience.

Public Durbar Hall.

After Mysore Palace we took bus number 303 from City Bus stand to visit Brindhhvan Garden. Last stop of Bus 303 is at the garden. 1927 build beautiful garden is worth visiting.

08^th Sep 2017, Mysore: Toady morning we visited Mysore Zoo. 125 Year old zoo is one of the oldest in India. Well maintained, clean and neat. Even the animals and birds are well looked after. While entering all plastic items are tagged by barcode and INR 10 collected per piece. If the plastic bottles are shown at the exit  gate, they will read the barcode and will refund INR 10/ back. Innovative idea by Mysore zoo and the zoo is completely litter free, spick and span, which is a common menace in India. How they have maintained the zoo made me proud as an Indian.

After zoo, we went to visit St. Philomena Church. Built in Gothic style, was looking majestic.

Evening we walked down to visit historic Devaraja Market.

Devaraja Market

09^th Sep 2017, Mysore – Kochi:

Today evening we said good bye to Mysore and caught same KSRTC Airavat bus to Ernakula. Thus ended our short breakaway trip to Mysore.

Sri Lanka: A Teardrop emerald Island in Indian Ocean.

It was for a long time we were planning to visit Sri Lanka with our daughter. It was in 1997; exactly 20 years ago we, without our daughter (she wasn't born then), had been to Sri Lank for the last time.

04^th Apr 2017- Kochi - Colombo:
We departed Kochi at 1530Hrs and landed at Colombo airport at 1640Hrs. Immigration was a breeze. Though airport is called Colombo but it is not at Colombo but close to Negambo. Checked in an hotel close to Airport at 1830Hrs. From 05^th our Sri Lankan expedition starts. Overnight we stayed in a hotel at Katunayaka near Airport.

05^th & 06th Apr 2017: Anuradhapura:

Morning 7 O’clock we departed from Katunayaka by “Hop on Lanka” bus. Through out our tour around Sri Lanka we will be using their buses. We reached our hotel at Anuradhapura by noon. Evening we walked around the Anuradhapura town and had dinner.

Anuradhapura was the ancient capital of Sinhala Kingdom, since 380 BC, which existed in Sri Lanka. Later when South Indian Kings of Cholas started attacking Sinhala kingdom, they had to leave this capital and moved further south to Polonnaruwa. Then ultimately ending up at Kandy.

Today we went to explore ruins of the ancient capital. Architecture is similar to Ayutthaya, ancient capital of Thailand. Since we had seen Ayutthaya, Annuradhapura did not excited us much.

(PHOTOS of ANNURADHAPURA)

Historical Park Anuradhapura, Old capital of Sri Lanka.

07^th & 08^th Apr 2017: Dambulla:

07^th noon we departed from Anuradhapura to Dambulla. Dambulla is a good base for heritage sights around it. It was 2 Hrs drive from Anuradhapura to Dambulla. 08^th morning after breakfast we went to see Dambulla cave temples, there are about 5 temples carved into mountains. The first cave dating almost 2000 years. Other caves were added by following  kings. Entry fee for foreigners LKR 1500/Person.

(PHOTOS OF CAVE TEMPLES)

Cave Temples at Dambulla.

Inside Cave Temples.

09^th Apr: Dambulla – Kandy:

Morning 9 o’clock we departed Dambulla and proceeded to Kandy. On the way we stopped another Buddhist Hill Cave temple Matale Aluvihara.

Interior of Matale Aluvihara Temple

Matale Aluvihara Temple

Way to the Matale Aluvihara Cave Temple.

Way to Cave Temple.

. By noon we were at Kandy Hotel. Evening we went for a stroll around Kandy Lake.

10^th & 11^th Apr: Kandy:
Visited Tooth Temple where Buddha’s tooth is kept. Visited other historical places in Kandy including Kandy Railway station.

Kandy Lake

Kandy Town

Statue of first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

Tooth Temple Kandy

Inside Tooth Temple

Inside Tooth Temple

Look at the Wood Carvings at of Tooth Temple.

Pavilion where Buddhist devotees chant mantras.  

St. Anthony's Church.

Sri Lankan food served in Sri Lankan Costume.

Kandy Railways station.

12^th Apr  Kandy – Nuwara Eliya:

Nuwara Eliya is hill tea plantation area built by Scots. Nuwara Eliya means City of Light. During British rule it was used as summer retreat during boiling summer of plains and costs. When we drove from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, it was like escaping from heat. It was cooler in Nuwara Eliya.

13^th & 14^th Apr Nuwara Eliya:

We walked and explored the Nuwara Eliya. On 14^th it was Sinhala & Tamil New year and Nuwara Eliya was in festive mood. Decorations, songs and people every were. Temperature was really cool, a good escape from the tropical boiling heat. 14^th was also Good Friday we attended the service at St. Francis Xavier church. Service was excellent. 

Grand old Grand Hotel. One of the Oldest Hotel.

Post Office.

War memorial.

Good Friday Service at St. Xavier's Church.

15^th & 16^th Apr: Ella:

Noon we departed from Nuwara Eliya to Ella, another hill area of Sri Lanka. It was 2 hours drive, after we checked into the hotel we went for a walk….and Ella was not at all upto the mark. It seems to be a backpackers hill resort area. We walked to Ella Railway station. 

All streets were teaming with European Backpackers. Nuwara Eliya was far better, where even locals were coming for vacation & New Year celebrations.

We were happy that we had only one more day to spend here. Ella is not at all recommended. If we ever visit Sri Lanka again, Ella will be out of our list.

17^th Apr: Ella to Galle:

We departed Ella morning 06:30Hrs. On the way we had to pass through Wildlife area and happened to see Elephant.

. By 1400Hrs we reached our hotel in Galle Fort.

18^th & 19^th Apr: Galle:

The old city of Galle is located within the fort, built by Portuguese first and strengthened by Dutch. Many Dutch characters are still visible.  

This was the hotel for P&O First class passengers a century ago.

Dutch reformist Church.

Entrance to Galle Fort.

Clock tower at Galle Fort.

Old Ship's arrival & departure report board of Lloyd's agent office

20^th Apr: Galle to Colombo:

We departed Galle on 20^th morning around 0930Hrs. It took almost 3 hrs to reach Colombo using the express way. Our hotel located in the Fort, close to the Port of Colombo. Last I came to Colombo was in 1997, exactly 20 years ago!!!

21^st to 23^rd Apr: Colombo:

As we stayed at Fort, all the heritage sights were at walking distance, also to shopping area of Pettah and to the Galle face beach. Lot of shopping we did at Colombo.

Dutch Hospital

Pettah and Fort Railway station.

Inside Fort Railway station.

Heritage area in Colombo Fort.

Independence square.

24^th Apr Colombo to Kochi:

Time has come to wind up our 3 weeks trip through Sri Lanka. As I write at the end of each of my blogs, time just flies and our God has taken a good care of us. A big thanks  to our Lord for making our trip safe and sound.