Day 2: The climb

Monday morning we were picked up and driven to JetWing Vil Uyana in the Sigiriya region. Before getting there though we made two stops. The first stop was to a local supermarket where Ram treated us to all kinds of Sri Lankan treats, cookies and candies, wafers and crackers, chocolate and lemon. We had enough snacks for the rest of the week. The second stop was for lunch at a local restaurant that Ram knew with traditional Sri Lanken food. It's hard to see from the picture below, but the buffet went almost the entire length of the restaurant.

Our hotel, JetWing, had a very zen vibe to it, as it was built on top of marshy rice fields so there was water on all sides. Many buildings were connected by foot bridges and the dwellings were crafted from traditional, eco-friendly materials. We were only here for two nights, but we were here for a very specific purpose.

One of the main things we wanted to see, but also one of the things that was giving me anxiety about this trip, was climbing Sigiriyia Rock. The picture at the top of this post is not one that we took, but gives you an idea of the height of Sigiriyia.

Sigiriyia is also known as Lion Rock, as that is exactly what it is. Believed to originally be an ancient rock fortress, and was selected by King Kashyapa (AD 477-495) for his new capital. Though he was the oldest son, he was not heir to the throne. He acquired the throne by overthrowing his father and usurping his brother who was the rightful heir. He killed his father and his brother fled to India in fear of facing the same fate. King Kashyapa feared eventual attack and moved the capital to a more secure location, Sigiriya Rock. He constructed a large citadel and elaborate city and his palace was built on top, the formation of an enormous lion midway up as you enter the palace. It was chosen as the capital because of the strategic advantage of unhindered views in all directions, moats were built all around and there were gardens and pools built throughout. Eventually, the brother did return from South India with an army to claim his right to the throne. King Kashyapa ended up killing himself with his own sword instead of being captured.

Sigiriya is a UNESCO world heritage site and is believed to be one of the 8th wonders of the world due to the construction done on top of the rock.

Upon entering, you first take a long walk through the garden section. The gardens are amongst the oldest landscaped gardens in the world and are divided into three distinct forms: water gardens, cave and boulder gardens, and terraced gardens. I found the boulder gardens the most interesting because it consisted of several large boulders, linked by pathways. You can see that there are cuttings that were used as footings for walls and beams. They also used to push boulders off from the top to attack enemies when they approached.

After getting through the gardens and a bunch of steps there's a small area where you can step aside and take a break before the next climb. We waited a few minutes while Ram told us a story on the background and history of Sigiriya. We then continued our climb, which was probably another 3-4 flights of stairs before getting to the base of the lion. You can see in the image below the lion paw that made up the original structure so many years ago.

Here's where things get dicey. As some of you know, as an adult, one of the things I have become less fond of as I get older, is heights. Go hiking? Absolutely. Go hiking up the side of a cliff or up 100 old, metal, rickety steps? Not so much.

On the other side of this however, I knew I would probably never get a chance to do this again so I was making it up those steps. I found that day that my new trick to getting up and down ledges is to stare at Jon's back, don't look down, and sing a song in my head to keep me distracted. Lucky for me, there's always a song in my head.

Up we go.

Getting to the top was worth it. There are unobstructed views 360 degrees around the entire rock. You could see for miles on end, and this was on a rainy day. There were different levels to the palace showcasing the different rooms that were developed. It was also believed there was a pully system in one area to get the king to the top.

After making our way back down, we headed back to JetWing for some relaxation and dinner. Another busy day coming up tomorrow!