I must say Anton Pavlovich has always been not indifferent to the islands. Initially, he went from romantic motivation to Sakhalin, and from there in October 1890 despairing Sri Lanka. Chekhov's notes are full of delights, which the author from the completeness of the feelings silent the obscene vocabulary. "Ceylon is a place where he was paradise. Here, in paradise, I made more than a hundred miles along the railway and rushed with palm forests and bronze women, "the classic wrote. Further in the text - solid obscenity.
Today, the majestic Buddhist temples and palaces of Anuradhapura remained only a pair of bas-reliefs
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Arriving on the island on the steamer "Petersburg", Chekhov settled in Colombo. Today, his example, few people followed that it is reasonable: there is nothing interesting in the capital. A pair of Buddhist stupid and shining novelty against the background of the swollen shackle of the Tower of the World Trade Center.
The closest to the capital the resort of Nembo is also a sick-stop-place. Suitable to relax after the flight, learn the funny word "ABOVAN", which local residents welcome each other, and get used to non-parted squirrels, jumping into open windows. Well, the beach of the resort is a genuine test of your love for swimming for strength: completely high sand veryans, overcoming who feel like a novice bushman. But here you can take a week for rent a car with the driver and go to the jungle that we did. They themselves did not take risked behind the wheel: unusual, movement on Sri Lanka - left-sided.
National Park "Yala" - a popular place for lovers of safari
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The farther in the forest
The borders of the volatile foxes are the first thing that pay attention to, leaving the coastal zone of the island. In the afternoon, these animals sleep on the branches of trees growing at the roasolines. Sweets from them down their heads, as if gigantic black pears. Further more. The closer we get closer to Anuradhapur - the first capital of the island lost in the jungle, the more often the surviving Varanians are moving along the way. Each is a meter of half a length.
In order to avoid overpriced expectations, I will immediately say: Anuradhapura Vietnamese Angkor, of course, is not a competitor. Yes, in the first century, one hundred and thirty thousand people lived here, but today only the core of the bas-reliefs remained from the majestic Buddhist temples and palaces: after all, the city, founded two thousand four hundred years ago, was destroyed by the troops of the state of Chola in the 9th century. But the lack of ruins in Anuradhapur is compensated by an excess of monkeys. Martyshki sink everywhere, drag pieces of watermelons, bananas and other sentences left by pilgrims on the Altars of the Mahabodzhi Temple. It was erected by the sacred tree of Bodhi, grown from the sprout of the legendary tree in the grove of Uruvell, who meditating the Gautam's prince reached enlightenment and became a Buddha.
Exotic for Europeans catching fish can be observed near the village of Unawatuna
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In the second capital of the island - Polonnaruva, where the locals moved after the destruction of Anuradhapura - more interesting. Although the city-ghost, lost in the impassive jungle, he became in the XIII century, the giant statues of the Buddha were preserved here, the former part of the temple.
By the way, the rulers of Sri Lan-ki major sizes always respect. The best proof of this is huge paws of a destroyed statue of a lion at the foot of the Sigiria Mountain. However, from a geological point of view, this is not a mountain at all, but a piece of magma, remaining after the destruction of the volcano. It's best to come here at sunset when the scarlet rays of the sun penetrate into the cave of sygribia and highlight the image of the ghost maids applied to the walls on the walls. Some historians believe that semi-nailed beauties are a repetitive portrait of the goddess containers, but the inhabitants of Sri Lanka do not agree with them. They are convinced: wonderful female images are written with concubines of the Usurper Casak - the illegitimate son of the King of Datsen, who captured the power in the V century on Ceylon and the commanding to build a palace at the top of Sigiriya. According to legends, the Casapa lived on the world of eighteen years. True, as he got it - a big question, because the wind is there - the strongest, and sometimes he knocks down.
According to the legend, the CasApa lived on the mountain of Sigiriya eighteen years and built a palace here
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However, it is even more difficult - to resist his two on the top of the neighboring Mount Dambulla, where in the first century the Buddha's stone temple acting and to this day was erected. It is allowed to roam on his caves only barefoot, but, as they say, you want to see the statues of the Buddha, which is almost two thousand years old, - then do not complain about pain in the feet.
In the animal world
"Look, Elephant!" - shouts the guide. I look binoculars and distinguished in a thick foliage the back of the animal. It seems that it lies ... A minute stop - and our jeep rushes further on the dusty road of the Yala National Park, where we went to safari. Want to see leopards. In vain. Happy they sleep. Other animals (with the exception of melancholic buffaloes) tourists are sideways. And in general, the process of acquaintance with the Fauna Park "Yala" reminds the game "Seek me, if you can": Even a peacefully dormant crocodile at our approach, the speed has developed an unusual reptile, jumped into the water and was such.
Benton resort - real paradise on earth
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Another thing is the rain forest of Sygarada. He is investigating on foot, and the person here is not the king of nature, but a shy guest, carefully pushing through the paths, in order not to disturb sleep in the foliage of pythons and fussy dickerages. However, in Syharaj, it is necessary to fear not only wild animals, but also of omnipresent leeches. They dug into the body even through dense fabric, so a walk through the forest where trees grow, from the fruits of which healing oils are made on Ceylon, inevitably turns into a session of forced hirudotherapy.
Lankan dances with fire in Candy - one of the bright attractions of the country
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And in Sygarage, pilgrims are starting their way, making climbing the peak of Adam - Mountain, on the top of which there is a vpina in the form of a human foot. Some call it the following Buddha, others - the foot of the feet of the feet expelled from Paradam. The most desperate even climb the mountain at night and meet the dawn on it - I did not decide on this. Still, the jungle live according to their laws, and at night, the border is not worth their crime.