Breakfast by the lake – a cool, glorious morning for us to explore & the local monkey gang to set off on their Triumphs.

Today is all about Buddha arriving imn Sri Lanka. I’ll try get it right!

Having visited the sacred Bo-Tree,2,200 years old we go to Ruvanvalisaya Dagoba stupa- a shrine for monks and the man’s remains.

They clean the plaster dome very three weeks swinging around it on this ladder:

The highest stupa was over 100 metres high although the top is off it now.

To reach Mihintale where the monk Arahath prayed & converted locals you have to climb 1000 odd steps. Here he is at the top in his teaching pose.

Then the pre monsoon storm comes early and a retreat is beaten to the veranda to watch the lightening through the sheets of rain. Oh, accompanied by tea, of course!