There’s a patch of lawn at the back of the garden that catches the early morning winter sun, and around this time of the year I sometimes see a wallaby with her joey warming herself and nibbling the grass. I remember earlier this week wondering if she would visit again this year, and this morning there she was …
She’s very timid so I had to take the photo through my bathroom window. I suspect from the size of her tummy that she has a joey in her pouch, but this time it didn’t show its face.
Bromeliads used to be on my list of ugly scruffy plants, to be politely rejected if offered as a gift. But I’ve changed my mind. I now realise that they were just un-loved or in the wrong spot.
In the interests of economy, I’ve rescued them from a friend’s skip, dug up a weed choked clump at the back of my property and picked them up from the roadside where they have been discarded by other gardeners. Given water, early morning sun and food, they have rewarded me with pups and in many cases surprised me with beautiful technicolour flowers. Some have even flowered in winter bringing a touch of colour to an otherwise dreary garden and, dare I say, rescuing me from a touch of post Sri-Lanka holiday depression!
And if that wasn’t enough, frogs hide and breed in the pools of water between their leaves, and honey eating birds drink from the flowers. I’ll never say another bad word about bromeliads.
I’m hooked…
Inevitable, but a long time coming … a post on Sri Lankan frogs!
Many times during our holiday I heard frog calls, but without suitable clothing and equipment a frog expedition was not really practical, so I had to wait patiently until either the frogs came to me or until I stumbled upon one. Considering that there are 118 frogs recorded as existing in Sri Lanka my chances were pretty good.
High up the mountain in a lily pond at Dambulla Caves there were several very plain, not particularly photogenic and as yet un-identified frogs. But at Lunuganga, with the assistance of Damien the in-house wildlife expert, we spotted multiple frogs, two of whom I managed to photograph.
It’s two weeks since I last posted an entry … and I am blaming this on a combination of sensory overload, a tummy bug and lack of access to wifi.
In the last days of our holiday, the highlights came thick and fast. After leaving Kandy, we travelled through Sri Lanka’s Golden Triangle, and I think it’s fair to say that we were all overwhelmed with culture, colour and history.
We stayed at the Heritance Kandelama hotel, designed by the famed architect Geoffrey Bawa. Built around a rocky cave outcrop and covered in vines, the hotel offers guests views of Sigiriya Rock and offers the local monkeys views of the guests.
We visited the wonderful world heritage Dambulla Cave Temple complex commenced in the 1st century BC by King Valagamba. A series of five rock temples situated approximately halfway up a 500 metre granite outcrop, they contain a rich collection of paintings, narrative panels and innumerable golden buddhas. Possibly the highlight of my holiday.
Then to Polonnaruwa, another world heritage site. Once the capital of Sri Lanka from 11th to 13th centuries and a massive 122 hectare complex of stupas, baths, shrines, hospitals, houses and ponds, built at the edge of the even larger ancient man made tank (reservoir) called Parakrama Samudra.
On Poson Poya day we joined thousands of pilgrims at Anuradhapura one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities and extensive ruins in the world and one of the eight world heritage sites in Sri Lanka. With it’s multi-storied monasteries roofed with gilt bronze tiles, encircled by great walls and containing elaborate bathing ponds, bathrooms and pavilions, it must have been an amazing sight.
And finally, two peaceful nights at Lunuganga, Bawa’s legendary country estate. Surrounded by lush, inspirational tropical gardens and overlooking Dedduwa Lake, there is no television, wifi, room service or a mini bar, just simple food and the sound of birds and the rain dripping from the trees. Lunuganga has the air of a gently decayed historic site.
Ayubowan Sri Lanka, and thanks for the memories …
A Bellingen Diary 