It’s time to leave Ella and I decided to go to Tissamaharama (Tissa) and do a safari in Yala National Park. At first I didn’t really wa...

Tissamaharama

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It’s time to leave Ella and I decided to go to Tissamaharama (Tissa) and do a safari in Yala National Park. At first I didn’t really want to stop but then I decided that since I’m already here I should do it.


Sandy was going south to the beaches so we decided to take the bus together, At 6:50am we met up at the bus station and waited for bus #31 going from Badulla to Galle. The route had just started 20km before Ella and when it got to us it was already full, so full that people were hanging out of the door!!!



 I tried to get in through the back door but it was so full the guy who collects money told me to go through the front door. I pushed myself in and the driver kept saying to come more in. I think they are afraid that the tourists will fall out. After a couple of seconds of beins squashed like a sardine the driver told me to jump the metal bars and come sit next to him on the platform where we usually put our bags. I was so happy! I couldn’t believe that out of the 10 people around him he asked me to sit there! I think it was some of the praying I have been doing to get seats on the busses.



After two hours I finally arrived at Pannewamuwa and changed to a bus to Tissa. When I got off of course there was a tuk tuk driver asking for 500rupees and I told him I was going to take the bus, he asked if I had a hotel and I said yes, he kept questioning me and put me on the spot and then i told him the name of my hotel, then I thought I shouldn’t have and walked away. While waiting at the bus stop two came came in a blue car and stopped in front of me and said that they were going to Tissa Hotel and that they would take, that busses don’t stop often blah blah blah I think I am smart enough not to trust two guys in a car that know my final destination so I told them “I got time” and waited for the bus.



There is not a lot to do in Tissa but I checked out at least three temples with white stupas. The biggest temple was the Tissamaharama Raja Maha Viharaja. There were at least 15- 20 buses parked around the temple and people coming in and out doing prayers and walking around with lotus flowers on the palm of their hands and setting them by the altars.

I liked watching the people praying








Lots of street vendors on the streets of Tissa and outside the temples






And more temples!
  








My favorite part of the day was walking around the lake. The holiday season had already begun in Sri Lanka so a lot of locals were coming to swim at the lake. There were hundreds of people dressed up in wraps bathing in the lake; most of the people were actually taking a real proper bath and washing their hair and bodies. Many of them were also washing their clothes.










 
As I walked many people talked to me and once I sat by the lake and looked at people and a guy invited me to join them and watch them play drums and dance. While I was watching them a girl came and started talking to me and all of a sudden I was surrounded by her whole family, the eldest girl was being pushed by her grandpa to ask me some question; I was asked my age, my profession, my job status, favorite food, favorite color, how my stay was in Sri Lanka, places I have visited, etc. I also got to ask them questions and they told me there were there for the holidays. I  really enjoy talking to the locals and getting to know a little bit more about their culture, traditions, and their way of living.

I also loved all the green around the lake! So beautiful! 


 Tissa was a perfect little stop to get a taste of the real Sri Lanka without all the tourists!


 


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About Post Author

Hi! It's me... Andrea! In 2016 I decided to drop everything and take a year to enrich my life and travel around the world. It turns out the world is just too big for 12 months! Still on the road and sharing my experience as a solo female traveler around the globe!

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About me




Hi! It's me... Andrea!

In this blog you can live vicariously through my journey around the world!

Please feel free to share tips or places to go!
Contact me: andreaheartstraveling@gmail.com