We took the same van and driver which we always do. He favours back roads and short cuts when going anywhere, so the roads and scenery are always very interesting. I've seen places surely most tourists never have. There was no need to get up early as we didn't leave until 8:30 in the morning.
Clicking this image will take you to a larger version on Flickr.
We first stopped at the religious site with a functioning Buddhist temple. There were many religious ruins as well. Near here, we found the large circular moat with a place where a small palace once sat in the middle. This is where in legends a lovely princess was imprisoned so as to keep suitors away. For a soothsayer foretold that if she were to bear a child, he would kill the king and seven brothers. (I'll post that on Flickr someday.)
Where we had parked the van, few sellers were out. Yet, we did manage to buy a whole load of clay cooking pots as this is the area they are made.
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We continued nearby to monastery from the same period. I uploaded an Instagram image to my Facebook wall saying, "Old Skool, literially. 12th Century)
We stated back and had lunch around 1 o'clock at a nice hotel in Kuliyapitiya. We were home by 3:30. It was a very pleasant way to spend our last full day in Sri Lanka.