Su ltry
S ri Lank a
A revealing look at ancient Buddhist sites,
wild elephants and the perfect cup of tea
By Waheeda harris
A
India, Sri Lanka’s original capital,
Anuradhapura, was founded in the
fourth century BC. It was part of the
Silk Road, the legendary trade route
that connected South and Central
Asia with the Middle East and
Europe. Known as Ceylon under
British colonial rule, Sri Lanka
severed ties with Britain in 1972
but quickly spiralled into a 26-year
civil war. The conflict ended in
2009, and since then tourism has
taken off, with travellers curious to
discover the ancient culture of this
South Asian country. »
fter hours on the
road, I find myself
somewhere in north-
west Sri Lanka. I’m
exhausted, but the lush vegetation
bordering the highway soothes my
bleary eyes. Road signs feature the
curvy characters of Tamil and Sin-
halese; bursts of fluorescent light
illuminate curbside vendors and
soon I’m welcomed into a local hotel
with cool drinks, the scent of fresh
flowers and a quiet room to rejuve-
nate before my explorations begin.
Sitting near the southern tip of
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Fall 2018
AMA InsIder