Searching for Health and Youth through Medicinal Tonics

January 12 

Drive From Sigirya to Kandy ~

Searching for Health and Youth through Medicinal Tonics and Oils

Mongoose 

We leave the beautiful Heritance Kandalama paradise on what turns out to be a 7-hour journey to Kandy.  A  mongoose couple say goodbye to us.  

Also on this day we learn that the Holy Father Pope Frances has arrived in Colombo.  Karu our guide is very excited about this and thinks it will be good for Sri Lanka. The front pages of the newspapers have photos of Pope Francis amid a gathering of anywhere from 400,000 to a million. He canonizes Joseph Vaz, Sri Lanka's first Saint. 

 Local Weekly Market 

The drive through the tropical forest is scenic passing by small villages and many rice fields.  We stop at a local weekly market which sells everything from clothing to kitchen items to fresh and salted fish and many kinds of fruits and vegetables.  Everywhere vendors are yelling out “cheapest prices here” in Sinhala.  People seem pleased to have their pictures taken and greet us with smiles, curiosity and interest.  

There are no hawkers attempting to sell us things nor do we see beggars.  This friendly open atmosphere seems in sharp contrast to other markets we have visited such as in Burma, Oman, and India where people were less friendly, often didn’t like to have their pictures taken and we encountered more beggars.  For this reason Steve calls Sri Lanka ~  "India Light."  I continue to be struck by the peacefulness, authenticity and kind tolerance of these people.

Ayurvedic Village 

Special cacoa drink to relax us

Inside Cocao Nut 

This impression was somewhat dispelled when we stopped at the Ayurvedic Village for what we thought was going to be informative and educational tour of spice plants. Instead it was a 2-hour tour advertisement of medicinal potions with a guide/salesperson. He tells us how a tonic made of cocoa plus tea and bananas will relax us and reduce our stress.  He demonstrates how a cream of turmeric, coco butter and avocado will permanently remove hair by putting some on my arm as well as Steve's arm.

Steve's arm before 

 I am intrigued to learn that 3 months of a special sandalwood oil combined with vitamin A,D & E has a 100% guarantee of getting rid of wrinkles and dark spots ~ maybe I should try this? The guide demonstrates to Marie how a sandalwood cream will make her skin look less wrinkled.

Comparing both arms 

Or better yet, he says if I use the King Coconut Oil on my hair it will make it thick, long and black like the gorgeous Sri Lankan ladies.  This is tempting me! 

I will have hair like this! 

John and Steve wander off as the guide explains that 3 bottles of a drink of pineapple, lime, citron and lemon will reduce weight in 45 days and how 2 tablespoons of a herbal syrup will reduce our blood pressure. He has potions, oils, syrups, creams, balms and tonics that he claims will cure diabetes, heart disease, stomach disorders, tooth decay, varicose veins and asthma. I am particularly interested in a ginger syrup for stopping snoring and thought I should buy this for John. The guide promises a money back guarantee if any of the syrups or potions don’t work and tells us we can contact him via email.  Marie asks what is in the herbal diabetes tablets which are to be taken twice a day for 3 months. The guide replies, “lots of herbs” but when pressed by Marie he can’t name the precise herbs. 

Steve checks out the smell 

As expected at the end of the tour we arrive at a store selling all these products.  Marie and I thought the experience was hilarious, while Steve didn’t like the sales pitch and John was unhappy with the lack of science behind the claims.  

The best thing about the tour was the massage at the end which we all found relaxing. 

Leg and foot massages

Masseuse

However, despite the special oils used it did not make us look younger, although Steve and I had no hair on our arm. 

After 

Later we stopped briefly at a wood carving factory and a batik dying fabric store. 

John wants to bring this elephant home 

Nowhere did we buy anything so their sales pitch didn’t seem to work on us.

Arriving in Kandy the traffic is as bad or worse than Seattle and  incredibly slow partially due to the children getting out of school and being picked up by vans and buses. 

Buddhist Nuns waiting for bus

The driving is dicey with tuck-tucks, lorry vans and trucks using the white road line flexibly. I’m glad we are not driving ourselves.
There is so much to view of Sri Lankan life. 

At 4 pm we arrived at Amaarya Sky Hotel perched above the city of Kandy. 

Our Kandy Hotel

We had large adjoining rooms with wonderful views of the hills surrounding the city set in a mist which I hope isn’t pollution.  We had wine on our balcony as the sun set followed by dinner on the hotel deck. We were the only dinner guests but thoroughly enjoyed our discussions and reflections of different cultures, religions and travel. The climate is cooler and relaxed.