The bus from Kandy to Dambulla took about three hours. The A/C wasn't working full time so it got a bit stuffy with closed windows and a packed bus; some folks stood up in the isle for most of the trip. We dropped our luggage off at our hotel and went to the Golden Temple. Having missed the sign to purchase tickets near the entrance, we climbed all the stairs and then had to send a volunteer (Sue) back down to buy the entry tickets and come back up. A guide came up to us (we're getting wise to that game), but in this instance, we agreed to hire his service for a small donation (to him) in order to better understand the caves which make this temple so special. There are 5 caves carved into the rock, several of which are 2100 years old, the largest of which houses 157 Buddha statues. Much of the original painting is said to be original, with the guide pointing out areas which were re-painted 300 years ago. Don't know how accurate he was, but the overall ambiance is definitely special and worth viewing. It took us a few hours to view everything, and we returned to our hotel to relax. Dinner was a very good chicken curry; the chef here at the Sundaras Hotel did a nice presentation and the meal was good value.
Check out www.goldentemple.lk/
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