00:00Λίλη Δασ, και αυτό είναι Γιάνντ Βοηατία.
00:04Από την κατάσταση, από την Κατάρ,
00:07μέσα στον κατάσταση, έτσι, έτσι,
00:10έτσι, έτσι, εξαιρετικά μεταφέροντα.
00:13Μετά μέσα στον κατάσταση,
00:15έτσι, έτσι, έτσι και οι φύλλοί,
00:17και έτσι, έτσι, έτσι, έτσι,
00:18να κάνω κάθε πρόσφαλή,
00:21δεύτερο κόσμος.
00:22Υπότιτλοι AUTHORWAVE
00:52Sri 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 2,000 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.
01:15The 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.
01:26Close by is an other historic site, Gull Fort.
01:32I'm meeting Emily Parnell to learn more about this fortified old town.
01:37Hello Emily.
01:38Hello, welcome to Gull 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.
01:48Gull 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.
01:59It overlooks the city on this side and then you can see the rest of the fort behind us here.
02:04The fort was occupied by several European powers.
02:07Today, it's firmly part of Sri Lanka, a great place to wander and explore.
02:11So, we're now walking on the actual walls of the fort.
02:15They go around the whole parameter of Gull Fort and they have some bastions on each corner.
02:20Next, we head to one of the area's most recognisable spots, the lighthouse.
02:25This beacon has guided ships along this coast for centuries.
02:30Gull is known not just for its colonial history, but also for its gemstone trade.
02:34Today, Emily and I are travelling by tuk-tuk to a gemstone workshop to make some jewellery of our own.
02:43Gemstone cutting is a craft that takes years to master.
02:46The process begins by wetting the stone before carefully grinding it into shape.
02:52Now, it's my turn to get hands-on and give it a go.
02:57Polishing is the next step.
02:59The 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.
03:08The result is a beautifully finished ring, a perfect souvenir to take home.
03:14The 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 de Wata, a relaxed beachfront cafe right on Dewata Beach, where you can take surf lessons.
03:31Farouz, the cafe's surf instructor, starts by explaining the basics of the board,
03:37then shows me how to get on and paddle out properly.
03:39Put all your arms under the water, pressure under the water.
03:43We need more strong paddle.
03:45Otherwise, we always miss the waves.
03:47There are several steps, but Farouz keeps it simple.
03:50The key is balance and timing.
03:52Look up, chest up.
03:55Paddle and bring your hand under the chest.
03:58Lift, 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, ankle in this straight, this ankle and bend your knees and straight.
04:18Yeah?
04:19Yeah.
04:19And relax.
04:20Next, we head down to the beach and make our way into the ocean.
04:25Out on the water, we spend some time putting everything into practice.
04:30It'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.
04:40It'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,
04:53known for its authentic, home-cooked Sri Lankan cuisine.
04:57Today, I'm joining a private class to learn how to make some classic Sri Lankan dishes.
05:02And there's certainly a lot to prepare.
05:03Today's firstly rice cooking, pumpkin curry and jackfruit curry, mango curry,
05:10potato tempered and coconut sambal and papadam.
05:15Okay, lots and lots of cooking.
05:17Well, luckily Sri Lankan curry is my favourite.
05:20We start by making the locally grown rice, carefully measured for four people.
05:25Next, 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.
05:37Together, we prepare the ingredients and everything slowly starts to come together.
05:42Sri Lankan cooking makes the most of fresh vegetables and bold flavours.
05:45One of the key ingredients in traditional Sri Lankan cooking is coconut, used for its flavour and richness.
05:52Oh, wow, that is beautiful.
05:54We scoop out the fresh coconut flesh and mix it with water to make coconut milk.
06:00So this is how we make fresh coconut milk.
06:03Yeah.
06:04This is very therapeutic.
06:05Yeah.
06:06How often do you make coconut milk?
06:09Every day?
06:09Every day, every time.
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.
06:19Everything smells incredible.
06:21Food is such a universal language, right?
06:24No matter what, you can understand food.
06:26Yeah.
06:27With the dal bubbling away, it's time for a quick taste.
06:33That is incredible.
06:35Yeah.
06:35Well done, team.
06:36Yeah.
06:38Sri Lankan cooking is often a team effort, with everyone pitching in and sharing tasks together.
06:44There is so much going on, so many colours, smells and different dishes being prepared.
06:49I am 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.
07:03All of our amazing cuisine that we made today.
07:07Everything 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.
07:17From the coast, I'm heading into the green tea-covered hills of central Sri Lanka to learn more about one of the country's most important exports, tea.
07:29In 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.
07:44Travelling 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.
07:53My 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.
08:11Today, 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.
08:27Once 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, that's it, yes.
08:41After a few final safety tips, we're ready to set off.
08:45Are you ready?
08:45Yeah.
08:46We'll go amazing, huh?
08:51The 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, yeah.
09:00Yes.
09:01Keep your fingers always in the brake, right?
09:03Yeah.
09:04Yes.
09:04The trail winds its way through the hills, with twists and turns along the way.
09:09The 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.
09:26What an incredible experience riding through the tea fields.
09:30This has put a whole new meaning to tea for me.
09:33After driving through these green hills, I want to learn more about Sri Lanka's tea making tradition.
09:40So I'm visiting the Halpa Vata Tea Factory in Ella.
09:44This plantation produces the famous Ceylon tea, and is one of the country's largest producers.
09:50I'm meeting Saleh, the factory tour guide, to see what goes into the perfect cup of tea.
09:54Welcome to Halpa Vata Tea Factory. Now I'm going to introduce the green leaf.
09:59This is the perfect leaf in my hand. The two leaf in a body, the required standard,
10:05that goes for the export quality. The third and the fourth leaf that goes for the local market area.
10:12Sri Lanka is a small country. We 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.
10:28Oh, thank you.
10:35She's so quick. Thank you very much. Very fast.
10:41The plantation has around 125 workers, and each tea plucker collects a minimum of 20 kilograms a day.
10:50It's hands-on work that requires both speed and experience.
10:57There's so much tea!
10:59With a bit of help, my basket starts to fill up.
11:02It'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. We 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. Tasting the tea here brings the whole
11:35process together, and I leave with a new appreciation for every cup.
11:39Sri Lanka is a land of beauty and diversity. From iconic train journeys to ancient temples,
11:47colonial forts, and the people I've met along the way, it's been an unforgettable experience.
11:52But for now, it's on to my next adventure.
11:59Thank you so much.
12:01Thank you for pointing out.
12:02Bye.
12:04Bye.
12:06Bye.
12:07Bye.
12:09Bye.
12:11Bye.
12:13Bye.
12:13Bye.
12:14Bye.
12:16Bye.
12:17Bye.
12:18Bye.
12:19Bye.
12:19Bye.
12:21Bye.
12:26Bye.
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