When I first told a friend I was going to Sri Lanka, her first question was Are you going to climb that rock? That rock, she was referring to is called Sigiriya Rock, or Lion Rock. It’s the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka and one of the country’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Sigirya Rock (Lion Rock) in Sri Lanka
And yes I did climb it!  Sigiriya Rock is an ancient palace that can only be reached by climbing the almost 200 metre massive rock massive.  Now seeing ancient palaces isn’t usually by goal of climbing mountains, but I was definitely game and this was definitely a unique experience, plus I LOVE castles…even if all that is left are palace ruins.

At one time Lion Rock was the capital.  King Kasyapa built his royal palace on top, which seems rather fitting for a king.  Or perhaps he was health conscious, or more likely he feared vengeance from his brother after he killed his father – oops!  Climbing up and down Sigiriya Rock  every day is a great way to stay fit!

After the king’s death the palace and capital were abandoned and later on it was used as a Buddhist monastery. As I made my  way up the seemingly endless stairs, I was greeted by several stray dogs whose ribs showed through.  If you’re an animal lover like me, it’s heartbreaking!

Fortunately though there was a mother who appeared to be taking excellent care to her clinging infant as she he clung to her chest and she kept her distance from tourists.

Today all that remains are the outline of where the palace once stood.   After you’ve ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhhed’ over the view of the lush plains stretching to the mountains, take a few minutes and plop yourself on one of the brick ruins (it’s allowed).  Take  a deep breath. I found Lion Rock to be serene and calming, whether it’s the leftover energy from the monks or the gratitude that you have for not having to climb anymore stairs, I don’t know.  But I do know that I as I started to make my way down, I was left with a All is right in the world type of feeling.

5 minutes later that changed. I had heard about the giant wasps and someone had pointed out their equally giant nests clinging to the cliffs but assumed they had been exaggerated.  As I entered into a swarm of wasps, I quickly realized the legends were true.  A local ahead of us instructed  to sit down and be quiet.  Apparently noise irritates the wasps.  We waited in silence for a few minutes and the wasps disappeared. Disaster averted! At the bottom there are vendors selling handicrafts and ice-cream!!!! Covered in sweat, I pulled out an equally sweaty 50 rupee.  At that moment I thought that ice-cream was as good as it gets…until I spotted several monkeys!

And that is as good as it gets for me…monkeys and mountains in one morning!!!

Make the Most of Your Visit to Sigirya
◾Go at 6:30 am when it opens. I know it’s early, but it gets really hot, so trust me, you’ll be happy you did!
◾Stop and check out Mirror Wall, it’s well labeled.  Look closely and you’ll see that it still retains some of its shine that it had 1500 years ago.
◾Directly above Mirror Wall look up and about halfway up you’ll see  the little remaining mural.  In King Kasyapa’s time, the entire wall was a mural.
◾When you come to the Lion’s Feet look to the left and you’ll see black things hanging to the side of the rock.  These are the wasp nests that I previously mentioned.
◾You can either return the same way down, or just before the Mirror Wall, take the stairs to the right.  This is where all the vendors are selling handicrafts…and ice-cream!
◾There are also historical gardens there, considered to be among some of the most important in Asia.  I didn’t visit them, but they looked lovely from the top of Lion Rock.
◾Expect it to be busy.  Remember this is Sri Lanka’s most visited historical site.
◾Bring water, you will sweat and there’s no place to buy it once you’ve started hiking up, until you’re at the bottom again.
◾Anyone in reasonably good shape can reach the top, just go slow and take breaks when you need them.  If you are extremely unfit, you may not get to the top.

Where to Stay
I stayed at Chaaya Village Habarana.  I really enjoyed the natural feel of this property where guests are greeted with cinnamon scented wash clothes and the open air lobby and restaurant.  The property  really does resemble a village with the thatched roof huts that guests stay in. Trees line the ample property and monkeys and giant squirrels are frequent visitors!  Even the paint used is in harmony with nature and is mixed with mud! If you’re seeking something more lavish, then try the Cinnamon Lodge Habarna. You can find both properties at Cinnamon Hotels.

How To Get There
Sigirya is approximately a 3 hour drive from Colombo.  If you’re short on time, then consider a Cinnamon Air flight, which only takes 30 minutes. Through October 2015 it costs $223 USD.   Note:  Thank you to Cinnamon Hotels for making my visit and stay possible.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Laurel Robbins – MonkeysandMountains

Blog Post – http://monkeysandmountains.com/sigirya-rock-sri-lanka

Laurel Robbins was hosted by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts and SriLankan Airlines in partnership with the Professional Travel Bloggers Association for TBCasia – Asia’s First Ever Travel Bloggers Conference 2014 in Sri Lanka.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts hosted Lord of the Rings star Dominic Monaghan(Merry) who visited Sri Lanka last year. 

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts together with their eco-tourism arm Nature Trails brought yet another celebrity to Sri Lanka to explore and present Sri Lanka’s natural world to the world by facilitating a feature on Sri Lanka’s nature and biodiversity on the high profile ‘Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan’ show.

Well known for his character as Merry the Hobbit in the famous movie ‘Lord of the Rings’, the actor and wildlife enthusiast Dominic Monaghan’s  show features on Travel Channel and is one of the most watched wildlife television shows around the world. Sri Lanka will be featured on the 6^th episode of the all new third season.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts has yet again sustained its commitment to putting Sri Lankan on the global tourist map by bringing down yet another celebrity to Sri Lanka who will popularize Sri Lanka’s flora and fauna through his wildlife show. During his stay in Sri Lanka, the celebrity experienced signature Cinnamon hospitality at Sri Lanka’s biodiversity hotspots.

Dominic Monaghan explores some of the most remote corners of far-flung countries across the globe such as Brazil, Zambia, Thailand, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, in search of dangerous and elusive creatures of the planet. In Sri Lanka, the celebrity came in search of the Spectacled Cobra, while also focusing on other creatures such as the Russell’s Viper, Indian Rock Python and the Giant Scorpion.

Nature Trails had chalked up an exciting itinerary for Monaghan which included stilt fishing and a visit to the turtle hatchery, Kandy, Sigiriya and the Hyare and Udawathtakale forest reserves. He also spent time on a farm in Habarana and experienced how local farmers tend to their crops. His highly rated wildlife show ‘Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan’ takes the viewer deep into the country the episode is shot in, offering insights into the flora, fauna and biodiversity of the land.

Cinnamon has kept up a steady momentum of creating significant value for Sri Lanka, and Dominic’s shoot in Sri Lanka is yet another landmark event for Cinnamon.

“Slave Island contained a mud village, an excellent parade ground and two gentlemen’s villas. One of these had been built by the Dutch as a Freemason’s Lodge”

– Century volume of Colombo Municipal Council by H.A.J. Hulugalle published in 1965

The Victoria Masonic Temple is situated in Colombo on Sir Mohamed Macan Markar Mawatha. It is housed between the Christ Church and Al-Ameen Vidyalaya . The banquet hall of Grand Lodge and Masonic Temple to the Sri Lankan chapter of arguably the world’s oldest and most prestigious fraternity will open its doors to the audience of Cinnamon Colomboscope 2015 for the festival segment The city.Identity.Urbanity. To date, this Temple functions as the Head Quarters of the Freemason Lodges across Sri Lanka.

Masonic identity, ritual and tradition was carried across the seas to Sri Lanka by British planters according to sources at the premises, written records may indicate otherwise leaving one to navigate through speculative histories. The very first Masonic Lodge in Sri Lanka was set at the site named the Sphinx Lodge in 1861 (certain literature traces roots of Freemasonry to ancient Egypt), thus the Irish constitution of Freemasons was established in Colombo. It was followed by the St. Johns Lodge in 1839 of the English constitution and the Bonnie Doon Lodge of the Scottish Masons. To house these three lodges in the city of Colombo, the Victoria Masonic Temple was constructed in 1901.

The term Lodge as described by its administrative secretary in Masonic understanding stands for an Association. According to him, the Freemason Movement headed by the Worshipful Master of the Lodge is an Association which is non-political and non-religious. However, a pre-requisite of entrance to this elite club (restricted to men) is belief in a Supreme Being, regardless of which name one may ascribe to it. Reference to the Freemason movement in the Sinhalese language reads Siyaluma Agamkiyanne Sandhanaya, which loosely translated to an alliance of many religions.

The main doors of the Lodge lead to a grand hall showcasing the emblems of the sixteen Lodges across Colombo, Kandy and Kurunegala. A grand wooden stairwell leads to a floor of which houses its centuries old library. This library extensively covers Freemason history, antiquities, jurisprudence and literature. The classic well preserved bookcases house literature brought from London by the first Freemasons to Colombo which is still used by members.

Erected in 1901, the Victoria Masonic Temple surpasses the Antiquities Ordinance with regard to historical buildings in urban areas being over a hundred years old to prevent demolition in the face of urban redevelopment.

Cinnamon Colomboscope is a rare occasion of public gathering at the Lodge banquet hall.

By: Ramla Wahab-Salman