Monaragala - Arugam Bay - 80 km
Eating the leftover spicy fried rice wasn’t the best idea as it gave me severe
heartburn - I never learn.
Shortly before Arugam Bay was the Magul Maha Vihara Ruins, a 5th-century BC
ruin set hardly a kilometre off the path in a densely forested area. Built by King
Dhatusena (473 – 453 BC), the site was most likely part of a royal compound.
I love street food and was in my element in Sri Lanka (or Lanka, as it’s called).
One could pop into any roadside stall and get a taste of the best prawn vadai the
streets of Lanka had to offer. Vadai is best eaten straight from the pan while still
crunchy and is generally served with a dip that includes green sambal, chutney, or
curd.
At night, a plethora of street-side carts dished up kothu, made from godamba
roti. The roti, a softer version of pita bread, is cut into pieces and lightly fried on a
metal tray. Next, the chef adds meat and an assortment of vegetables. Then, the
cook chops all the ingredients together with two metal blades. The result is a
delicious collection of chopped ingredients, comprising of anything from roast
chicken, seafood, sausages, egg, onion rings, veggies, a selection of unidentifiable
sauces and plenty of chillies and spices.
I spent an additional day in Arugam Bay, as it was very much a swing-another-
day-in-a-hammock kind of place. I swam in the lukewarm waters of the Indian
Ocean and ate my way through the day. My favourite was the chickpeas with
chilli, coconut, and curry leaves. It wasn’t too spicy and a delicious snack I could
nibble on while walking.