The Kandy House is located about a twenty minute car drive from the city in quiet lush green countryside. The area around is safe to explore on foot if a little slippery around the rice fields but if  The Grey Traveller can manage it I am sure there are many others who would want to explore.

The Kandy House looks out over the rice fields and there are pathways edging the crops which we wandered about on until we met a solitary cow blocking our way. We took this as a sign to turn round and I am so glad we did as we bumped into a glorious white pagoda rising up out of the ground. So definite evidence of a Buddhist community locally along with a monastery where we could see some novices entering. We could regualarly hear a call to prayer and on enquiring discovered that the village north of the Kandy House was mainly Muslim.

No pavements in this area so we took care to avoid the tuk tuks and the bright blue Leyland buses  who toot to make you aware of their presence.

All the locals greeted us including children in their white uniforms and every house was a different example of colour.   Dogs roam the streets and old men chuckle at the mad dogs and Englishmen going out in the mid day sun!