 放大圖片
■佛教是斯里蘭卡其中一個重要宗教，除有大批佛教善信之外，佛像亦隨處可見。 資料圖片
Lily Poon
Sri Lanka(斯里蘭卡)reminds me of images of a former British(adj.英國的)colony(n.殖民地)with hills carpeted with the best tea plantations(茶園) in the world. I visited Sri Lanka, an island South of India, with my photographer friends last month. The first impression(n.印象) I got of this country was its beautiful tranquil(adj.平靜的)countryside(n.農村). The British colonialists(殖民主義者)arrived in 1796 and expelled(v.驅逐)the Dutch out of the country. The British then occupied the whole Sri Lanka after year 1815. The nation was declared independent in 1948 after the Sri Lankan people's armed(adj.武裝的)uprisings(n.暴動)against the British colonial rule.
Our tour guide drove us from the Airport Garden Hotel to the Elephant Orphanage(大象孤兒院) in Pinnawala the next day. Apart from being a tourist spot(旅遊點)where we can observe elephants from a short distance away, the destination is also a centre of education. A scientific(adj.科學的)captive-breeding(受控制的繁殖)programme for elephants with the help of local and foreign elephant experts has been started in Pinnawela.
Theravada Buddhism(佛教) is the major religion in Sri Lanka. Monks(n.僧侶)from Sri Lanka play an important role in spreading Buddhism across South-east Asia. We visited the Dambulla Rock Temple built by King Walagambahu in the 1st century BC. I was impressed by the statues of the Buddha(佛像)in the caves and the colourful religious images painted on the ceilings.
Our tour continued by road to Sigiriya Rock fortress(n.堡壘)which is a UNESCO(聯合國教育科學暨文化組織)World Heritage Site(世界遺產). It is a fortress-place built by King Kasyapa in 5th century AD. On our way to Sigiriya, I saw people who live in primitive(adj.原始的) bungalows(n.小屋)and walk with bare foot(沒穿鞋). We were always welcomed by friendly children. We climbed up to the Lion Rock and enjoyed the summer breeze at the top.
The next day we travelled to Kandy, the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. I bought a traditional Sri Lankan women's garment called Sari while my male friends bought sharons. We enjoyed a cultural show after some shopping and dressed up like the Sri Lankans for dinner.
Sri Lankan food is generally spicy(adj.加有香料的、辣的). I tried their delicacies like curry fish and beans. Yet I find the local cuisine difficult to suit the Chinese palate(n.口味). We visited a spice garden and were introduced to different kinds of spices for which Sri Lanka is famous for. Despite the fact that I can't eat spicy food, I bought a pack of local spices as souvenir(n.手信). After a long day, we checked in a hotel which used to be a tea factory. Tea production is very important to the Sri Lankan economy and is one of the country's main sources of income. Renowned(adj.有名的)Ceylon tea(錫蘭茶)from Sri Lanka is famous for its taste and aroma(n.香味). We joined a tour to pick(v.摘)tea leaves(茶葉)early in the morning under the instruction of a staff from the tea plantation. It was an unforgettable experience for people who live and work in the city!
We enjoyed a sightseeing city tour(市內觀光)of Colombo in the last day of our trip. Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, is the commercial centre of the country. It is comparatively clean to the rural area. At least there are no cattle(n.牛群)on the roads! We were very surprised to see statues of Chinese gods in a local temple(n.廟宇)in the city centre. British-built colonial buildings are well preserved in Colombo. The city itself is such a vibrant(adj.充滿生氣的)mixture(n.混合)of different cultures.
|
放大圖片
