A monkey right outside the Dambulla (Sri Lanka) caves.
Looks like he might have been the role model for Mr. Spock?

The giant Buddha statue of Mihintale.

Only a few kilometres from Anuradhapura is Mihintale which is generally regarded as the place where Buddhism was first introduced to Sri Lanka.
The stairway leading up to the famous Buddha statue (cf. “Mihintale Buddha“) has 1840 steps.

From the lion’s paws forming the entrance, it is a steep climb to a plateau 200 metres above, where you can see the remains of the ancient fortifications.

The Buddhist “dagoba” once was among the greatest of its kind, but now it is completely overgrown.
A stupa is a Buddhist monument, normally housing a relic. In Sri Lanka, the stupas are called “dagoba”.
This one once housed the famous tooth relic now venerated in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.

Loha Prasada in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

a close-up of the famous reclining Buddha of Polonnaruwa.
The Buddha statue lying on its stone cushion is actually 14 metres long.
By the way, the reclining Buddha depicts the moment when Buddha enters the Nirvana - at the end of his life.
A sitting and a standing Buddha statue are nearby.

A juggler balances 5 rotating dishes on sticks.
Seen in Kandy, Sri Lanka

A dancer bowes after the dance in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
The photo was taken on the same occasion as the one of the dancer in motion with and without flash.
more pictures from Sri Lanka

A rather meditative atmosphere…

Another shot of the dancer I portrayed before. This time, I used a flash combined with a long exposure time.

The reclining Buddha of Polonnaruwa (Sri Lanka) at night.

Dancer in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

12 years ago, in 1992, I visited the Pinnawela elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka.
Now, rescanning some images from Sri Lanka brought back some very fond memories!
Pinnawela elephant orphanage is a truly unique institution that raises motherless young elephants.
Of course, there now also are many growm-up elepjants at Pinnawela and it is a special experience to see all the big and small elephants take a bath in the nearby river..
The “stars” of the orphanage are the baby elephants however, who already wait for their bottle(s) of milk and the special treat, a sweet rice ball.


Read about Pinnawela elephant orphanage at the Absolut Elephant
I was glad to read that Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage will not only be maintained but even upgraded.
Also, I was quite surprised to read how the dung produced bythe elephants helps to finance the Pinnawela orphanage - in the form of business cards!

Buddha statues in Dambulla.
You find pictures from Sri Lanka at the main photo gallery.