You can keep your tropical beach vacation for I’d rather see the mountains. We passed the filming area for The Bridge Over the River Kwai. After a few hours and a few dozen kilometres of rice paddies, and rubber trees, we started driving past the tea plantations with hundreds of acres of tea bushes. It was growing on the steep inclines right to the road’s edge. It really afforded some amazing views. A bit before Horton, we started seeing the tea ladies plucking leaves to add to the baskets on their backs. We saw places where they turned in their collection. Also, there were several amazing waterfalls we saw from the highway although we expect to see others up close tomorrow.
Upon arriving, we went to Victoria Park here. This altitude is so high that it seems very cool here. Being ever prepared, I have an Eddie Bauer flannel shirt in the travel bag. We ate lunch in the rather nice Milano Restaurant in downtown Nuwaraeliya. Next, we found the Pedro Tea Factory and paid the fifty cent admission. One tour has taking place, so we sat in a beautiful reception area and were served … well … tea! After putting on green smocks, we were accompanied through the factory to see the different drying and sorting stages. There were bags and bags ready for shipment worldwide. I found it interesting that the Middle East, Europe, and Russia all like tea of different grades and processed differently.
After a few different false starts, we ended up checking into the Keena Guest House. It was simple but nice enough. The restaurant later served us a great dinner. Before that we again walked downtown. The kilometre and a half there was easier going than after the 6:30 pm sunset. We walked back in the dark. I am luck I packed my flannel shirt. There’s no sweat here!
Lal and I finished a bottle of arrak before and during dinner much to the annoyance of all others. Bed came early at about 9:45. Will we have an early start tomorrow?