00:00I'm Lily Dauss and this is Grand Voyager.
00:04From my base in Qatar, I travel the world to discover incredible places filled with culture, luxury and adventure.
00:13Along the way I meet the people, taste the flavours and experience the moments that make each destination unforgettable.
00:22Today I'm travelling from Qatar to a tropical island just off the coast of India.
00:32I'm here in the south of Sri Lanka, a region known for its tea-covered highlands, breathtaking views and stunning beaches.
00:40Hi Bawain and welcome to Sri Lanka. In this episode I'll be discovering its ancient history, its bold flavours and the people that bring the story together.
00:51In Sri Lanka, history and spirituality are deeply rooted in the culture, so I'm starting my journey at an ancient Buddhist rock temple in the south of the country.
01:02Known locally as Yatagala Rajamaha Viharaya, this site is over 2000 years old and one of the island's oldest places of worship.
01:11It's full of colourful wooden carvings that are remarkably well preserved.
01:17The temple is open to the public and welcomes visitors from all backgrounds.
01:22It's an important local landmark and a fitting place to begin my journey.
01:28Close by is another historic site, Gore Fort.
01:32I'm meeting Emily Parnell to learn more about this fortified old town.
01:37Hello Emily.
01:38Hello, welcome to Gore Fort.
01:40We're going to start our tour here today at the Clock Tower, which is a colonial landmark built in 1883, right at the entrance of the fort.
01:48Gore Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where colonial era buildings sit alongside homes and everyday life.
01:56This is the highest point out of the fort. It overlooks the city on this side and then you can see the rest of the fort behind us here.
02:03The fort was occupied by several European powers. Today it's firmly part of Sri Lanka, a great place to wander and explore.
02:12So we're now walking on the actual walls of the fort. They go around the whole parameter of Gore Fort and they have some bastions on each corner.
02:20Next, we head to one of the area's most recognizable spots, the lighthouse. This beacon has guided ships along this coast for centuries.
02:29Gore is known not just for its colonial history, but also for its gemstone trade.
02:35Today, Emily and I are traveling by Tuk Tuk to a gemstone workshop to make some jewelry of our own.
02:42Gemstone cutting is a craft that takes years to master. The process begins by wetting the stone before carefully grinding it into shape.
02:51Now it's my turn to get hands on and give it a go.
02:55Polishing is the next step. The process takes around two hours to slowly bring out the stone's natural shine.
03:03To finish the piece, the silver is melted and carefully shaped by hand. The result is a beautifully finished ring. A perfect souvenir to take home.
03:15The next morning, I'm up early and getting around again by Tuk Tuk.
03:19Today, I'm heading to a nearby beach to try one of the country's most popular sports.
03:24This is the Shack Dawata, a relaxed beachfront cafe right on Dawata Beach, where you can take surf lessons.
03:31Farouz, the cafe's surf instructor, starts by explaining the basics of the board, then shows me how to get on and paddle out properly.
03:40Put all arms under the water, pressure under the water. We need more strong paddle, otherwise we always miss the waves.
03:47There are several steps, but Farouz keeps it simple. The key is balance and timing.
03:53Look up, chest up. Paddle and bring your hand under the chest, lift, back and front, bend your knees and relax.
04:03Now that I've learnt the basics, it's time to try it myself.
04:07After a couple of tries, I eventually start to get the hang of it.
04:10Hands up and bend your knee, hand curling this straight, this ankle and bend your knees and straight.
04:18Yeah? Yeah. And relax.
04:20Next, we head down to the beach and make our way into the ocean.
04:24Out on the water, we spend some time putting everything into practice.
04:29It's much harder than it looks, but with every fall, I start to feel a little more confident.
04:35Before long, I start to find my balance and enjoy the waves.
04:39It's easy to see why surfing is such a big part of life here.
04:44After a morning of surfing, I've definitely worked up an appetite.
04:48This is Mom's Kitchen, a family-run restaurant and cooking school known for its authentic, home-cooked Sri Lankan cuisine.
04:56Today, I'm joining a private class to learn how to make some classic Sri Lankan dishes.
05:01And there's certainly a lot to prepare.
05:03Today is, firstly, rice cooking, pumpkin curry and jackfruit curry, mango curry, potato tempered, coconut sambal and papadam.
05:14Okay, lots and lots of cooking. Well, luckily Sri Lankan curry is my favorite.
05:19We start by making the locally grown rice, carefully measured for four people.
05:24Next, we make a traditional red lentil curry known as dal.
05:28I absolutely adore dal.
05:30This is made of red lentils, garlic, red onion and spices.
05:34Mmm, that smells amazing, yes.
05:36Together, we prepare the ingredients and everything slowly starts to come together.
05:41Sri Lankan cooking makes the most of fresh vegetables and bold flavors.
05:46One of the key ingredients in traditional Sri Lankan cooking is coconut, used for its flavor and richness.
05:53Oh, wow, that is beautiful.
05:56We scoop out the fresh coconut flesh and mix it with water to make coconut milk.
06:01So this is how we make fresh coconut milk.
06:04This is very therapeutic.
06:06Yeah.
06:07How often do you make coconut milk? Every day?
06:10Every day, okay.
06:11Once the dal is prepared, the mixture is placed on a low heat and we move on to preparing the rest of the dishes.
06:18It's the aromas. Everything smells incredible.
06:21Food is such a universal language, right?
06:24No matter what, you can understand food.
06:26With the dal bubbling away, it's time for a quick taste.
06:30That is incredible.
06:34Well done, team!
06:36Yeah!
06:37Sri Lankan cooking is often a team effort, with everyone pitching in and sharing tasks together.
06:43There is so much going on, so many colors, smells and different dishes being prepared.
06:48I'm really enjoying contributing to each dish.
06:52After all that time in the kitchen, we finally sit down to share the meal we've made together.
06:58I have our final dish!
07:01All of our amazing cuisine that we made today.
07:06Everything in Sri Lanka has been absolutely amazing, but definitely trying the cuisine is up there.
07:13I need the recipes to take home, but also I'll be taking home these amazing memories.
07:21From the coast, I'm heading into the green tea-covered hills of central Sri Lanka
07:26to learn more about one of the country's most important exports, tea.
07:31In the heart of the lush green hills is an iconic train route that cuts across the area's famous tea-growing plantations.
07:40Today, I'm boarding a train to travel to the famous tea-producing town of Eller.
07:46Traveling this route feels incredibly freeing, and it's easy to see why it's considered one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.
07:58My first stop in Eller is Flying Ravana Adventure Park, a popular spot for outdoor adventure with stunning views over the surrounding hills.
08:07It's a great place to see Eller from a different angle.
08:10Today, I'm exploring the landscape by ATV with instructor Jagan.
08:15He's been riding here for years and knows the trails inside out.
08:20This is your helmet, wearing for your safety.
08:23Jagan shows me where everything is, from the brakes to the accelerator.
08:28Once I'm comfortable, it's time to start the engine.
08:31You have to switch on your start button like this.
08:35The handle on the left side, your yellow collar button.
08:38Like this.
08:39Like this.
08:40That's it.
08:41Yes.
08:42After a few final safety tips, we're ready to set off.
08:45Are you ready?
08:46Yeah.
08:47We'll go amazing.
08:52The bikes are powerful, so we take it slow as we head out onto the trail.
08:56Jagan leads the way and I follow behind.
08:58Hold on tight.
08:59Hold on tight.
09:00Yeah.
09:01Yes.
09:02Keep your fingers always in the brake, right?
09:04Yeah.
09:05Yes.
09:06The trail winds its way through the hills with twists and turns along the way.
09:10The views of the lush fields really help bring the experience to life.
09:15It's an incredible way to experience this part of Sri Lanka.
09:18What an incredible experience riding through the tea fields.
09:31This has put a whole new meaning to tea for me.
09:35After driving through these green hills, I want to learn more about Sri Lanka's tea making tradition.
09:40So I'm visiting the Halpivata Tea Factory in Elle.
09:43This plantation produces the famous Ceylon tea and is one of the country's largest producers.
09:49I'm meeting Saleh, the factory tour guide, to see what goes into the perfect cup of tea.
09:55Welcome to Halpivata Tea Factory.
09:58Now I'm going to introduce the green leaf.
10:00This is the perfect leaf in my hand.
10:02The two leaf in a body is the required standard that goes for the export quality.
10:08The third and the fourth leaf that goes for the local market area.
10:12Sri Lanka is a small country.
10:14We produce only very small quantity, but quality wise always number one.
10:20After learning about the perfect tea leaf, I'm keen to try plucking for myself.
10:25So I join one of the local tea pluckers to see how it's done.
10:29Oh, thank you.
10:34She's so quick.
10:37Thank you very much.
10:38Very fast.
10:41The plantation has around 125 workers.
10:45And each tea plucker collects a minimum of 20 kilograms a day.
10:50It's hands-on work that requires both speed and experience.
10:54Oh.
10:57There's so much tea.
11:00With a bit of help, my basket starts to fill up.
11:03It's hard work, but it's really enjoyable working in such a beautiful setting.
11:08After getting hands-on, it's time to taste the fruits of my labour with Sivanathan, the cafe manager.
11:14We have different types of tea.
11:16We have black tea, green tea.
11:18This is a real tea that we have the silver tips.
11:21Silver tips.
11:22An unprocessed part of the tea, which is now having a lot of antioxidants, which is a medicine.
11:29There's a wide variety of flavours, each with its own character.
11:33Tasting the tea here brings the whole process together, and I leave with a new appreciation for every cup.
11:39Sri Lanka is a land of beauty and diversity.
11:43From iconic train journeys to ancient temples, colonial forts, and the people I've met along the way,
11:50it's been an unforgettable experience.
11:52But for now, it's on to my next adventure.
11:55To the next adventure.
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