We already told you that we were backpacking around Dambulla ... although the objective of this stage was not its caves but to visit the Lion Rock of Sigiriya and the mountain of Pidurangala, that both the friends of street travelers and without a fixed destination had advised us ... the problem?
It is already known that Lety's passion for trekking, walking and sports is equal to that of a cat towards the water! Will our heroes have achieved the objective or Lety's complaints have made Rober and Jordi commit suicide by throwing themselves from the mountain?
Let's go in parts man that if I tell you now there is no taste!
PART ONE: SCALING A LION (Sigiriya)
One of the most famous symbols of Sri Lanka is a lion… and I don't speak of Lion Borrachin beer! I speak of Lion's rock, a sacred mountain of about 370 m, which owes its name to the shape of a lion, although it might well be called “stairs rock” since the stairs that you are going to have to climb to reach its top are soooo many.
The road is beautiful, although with the heat you will probably have to stop to take energy (or to admire the old men who climb the mountain in beach flip flops and wool hat).
When you reach a spiral staircase you will know that you are close to the Sigiriya maidens. Do not get your hopes up that you are not waiting for beautiful girls in flesh and blood ... the maidens are paintings, famous for being one of the most beautiful in Sri Lanka although we more than look at the colors and the quality of the brushstrokes we look at something suspiciously round ... And without cosmetic surgery! How is it possible?
Do not tell me that the eyes are not round!
Rober and Jordi looking round eyes
But there is no time for questions that we only walk in half! We continue climbing stairs until we reach the famous lion claws where, of course, it plays a jumping photo (well, Lety, as always, does not get to jump on time or get off the ground ... what are we going to do!) and without (almost) realizing we have already done almost all the way.
Well, we believed this before seeing the stairs that await us (if you have vertigo get ready!) Although without many complications (if we do not have a Japanese going down the narrow staircase in the opposite direction) we can reach the top where the first thing we do is sit down and relax ... although just in front of the mountain of Piduragala reminds us that today could be "the day we climb two mountains".
Even Jesús Calleja would be proud of us.
PART TWO: ALPINIST-MASOCHIST LEARNERS (Pidurangala)
The man is the only animal that stumbles twice on the same stone, so not only did we climb the mountain of the Lion Rock but also with the adrenaline shot we had decided to go for the summit of Pidurangala! Luckily the entrance did not hurt as much as that of its neighbor, although who would tell us that we would pay twice in a day to climb stairs ?!
We begin the path that passes through a Buddhist monastery and enter the forest: the feeling of calm and tranquility takes hold of us, how therapeutic nature is! With a little "SSS" (luck, sacrifice and sweat, bleah) we reach the (almost) summit, where we see a beautiful statue of a lying Buddha, I never envied a statue so much!
There is also no time for envy, because we know that the difficult part is yet to come: the last part must be climbed, and this time it is not about stairs but rocks. And piece rocks! At first we did not even consider that the path is the right one, but it was. We get strength from where we don't know (it was not very successful to eat only one coconut roti!) And we climbed like 3 monkeys, that even with a redbull (you know, it gives you alaaaas) we would have done better!
And there is our reward: in front of us, among the infinite green of the jungle of Sri Lanka, the Lion Rock looking at us. And to think that only a few hours before we were there!
We did it! The moment is so magical and spiritual that we cannot resist the temptation to ask a French boy for the orange peel that he was eating to make us some teeth… perfect!
Today he has taught us several things:
- If you want something go for it, no matter how much it costs you!
- Water tastes better when you are very thirsty.
- The old men of Sri Lanka like to climb the mountains with flip flops and a wool hat.
- It is always the right time for a session of jams.
USEFUL INFO
SIGIRIYA
How to get?
On the Dambulla-Habarana highway there are local buses that take you to Sigiriya every 30-45 min (take the right one, which takes the turnoff to Sigiriya). It costs about 20 or 30 rupees depending on where you take it. Leave at the crossroads to the Lion Rock, less than a kilometer from the entrance that is walking perfectly. To return the buses run until 18.00.
Price
It's 30 dollars or 3,900 rupees.
Visit
You pass first through some gardens, then you start an ascent of stone steps between terraces, until you reach the spiral staircase that leads to the famous frescoes. It goes down and goes back up, now by metal stairs on the side of the mountain, until it reaches the top. In total it goes up in about 1 hour, going quiet and making stops. Water essential!
PIDURANGALA
How to get?
You can go in tuktuk from the Lion Rock, calculate about 200 rupees. Or like us ... walk! It's 2km, the Lion's Rock square is surrounded and a turn-off to the left is taken. On the road it is signposted.
Price
300 rupees, we do not rule out continuing to rise, in fact we would bet our savings on doing so. Update 2019: indeed, we have just been told that it has risen to 500R :-p
Visit
There are a few steps that await you, but it's worth it! You first pass through a monastery from where you have to take a stone staircase (eye that there are two, you have to catch the farthest, if you have doubts ask the box office). You climb for a long time in the shadow of the forest until the last part, which is the most complicated because you have to climb some rocks. It will seem to you that it is not the right place although if you continue straight ahead it starts to go down (the rocks are on the left). If we get it ... you too!
