Livin' La Vida Lanka: Dambulla 1/3

If the Philippines is known as the Pearl of the Orient Seas, our next travel feature is about a country known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. Let's do this... *music please* upside inside out... livin la vida lanka! (When did I ever become this corny? Haha!)

Having just traveled last August during the Eid vacation to the very beautiful Maldives, I didn't think this trip to its neighboring country will push through. What can ever top Maldives this year?! I was still short on travel money and the airfare was getting more expensive as our target travel dates were looming near. As usual, I was also having problems in getting an exit/re-entry visa (when did pre-traveling from KSA ever become smooth for me?!). But as fate would have it, Sri Lanka happened. 

From Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka

Oh my Sri Lanka!

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon (why did they have to make names so complicated and long?), is an island country in the Indian Ocean. It is one of the most diverse countries: home to many religions, ethnicities, and languages. However, most of the Sri Lankans are Buddhists and most of their heritage sites are shrines to Buddha. Sri Lanka has recently opened to major changes and modernity after a 30-year civil war that just ended in a military victory in 2009. This is the perfect time to visit Sri Lanka!

Who wouldn't be enticed to go to Sri Lanka?

And see these presentations of unique culture and tradition?

And try cuisines and spices different from our own?
Photos above are from HERE.

Sri Lanka, known for its natural beauty (thus the pearl nickname), is one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. The teardrop-shaped island country has unbelievably many flora and fauna species considering its size. Apart from having tropical forests and national parks, the island country has eight UNSECO World Heritage Sites. And it's also known for its beaches. Because of this, a 5-day trip to Sri Lanka is not enough to cover every thing.

So how did we pick which to visit? We considered our interests and they became our priority. My friend for this trip and I are culture vultures so definitely, the heritage sites are a must visit. We cannot go to all though so we picked two which are near each other. Then we also wanted to visit the famed tea plantations so that's definitely in. And then the beach. At first, it was an impossible itinerary but, we made a way.

Our itinerary. We only covered a tiny part of the country. All land travel.

As Filipinos, we need a tourist visa to go to Sri Lanka but this is easy to get from the Sri Lankan Immigration website for $30. If you wish to get a visa-on-arrival, you can also do so at the airport before you go through immigration. The visa will cost $35. We got ours online to avoid the hassle and had it printed.

My friend J and I flew via Srilankan Airways and landed at the Bandaranaike International Airport outside Colombo, the first capital of Sri Lanka up to the recent times, at midnight. If you remember, I've flown Srilankan when I went to Thailand earlier this year. We have arranged all our itinerary, driver, and hotels online. As usual, I DIYed every thing. Our driver for this trip is Anton from Srilankan Tours and he was patiently waiting at the airport arrival hall. Our first mission was to get a Srilankan sim card so we can still communicate with out families and friends (in my case, also The Pink Tarha Facebook page). We bought sim cards from Dialog, just in case you're wondering what's the network we got. We admit, we can no longer go offline for days. #internetslaves

Our first destination is not Colombo. Anton drove us to the Dambulla, a site 3-4 hours away from the airport. Truth be told, I am a worry wart when it comes to land travel. I don't like sleeping on the car while we're traveling so I had my eyes open the whole time. Because it's still dark, Anton kept his speed at a minimum, especially on the roads flanked by forests. He said an elephant might suddenly cross the road! Whoah! Thankfully, we reached our resort hotel without encountering a wild elephant, or other animals, on the road.

The Thilanka Resort and Spa is a very ideal place to relax and rest in Dambulla. It's indeed the perfect holiday resort and spiritual retreat. If I somehow forgot that I am in Sri Lanka, I would assume I am in the Philippines when I saw Thilanka in the morning. Lush hilltops in the distance, mango orchard right outside the window, rice and corn fields beside the swimming pool. What a tropical getaway! The accommodation in Thilanka is divided into several buildings but the highlight is the clubhouse where they serve the best grilled pork ever!

Mango orchard... Philippines much?!

The blues and greens you can't find in the desert.

Our room is in the second floor.

The staff and manager of Thilanka were also very accommodating. We arrived around 5 in the morning and the resort was quiet. We had to wake up the receptionist who must have forgotten that I noted in my booking that we were arriving at the odd hours of the morning. He was very warm and friendly though. (Sri Lankans are known for their warmth and hospitality, like us Filipinos! Yey!)

An inviting escape from the urban world.

I can chill in this place all day!

On our first morning, we roamed around the 25-acre property and also got ourselves an ayurvedic foot massage. Ahhh bliss! That was some massage! Sri Lanka is known for their ayurveda, an old system of traditional medicine and practice. You should not leave Sri Lanka without getting an ayurvedic massage!

I automatically think of a spa when I see this ensemble.

And then it was time to head off to one of Sri Lanka's UNESCO World Heritage site... the Golden Temple of Dambulla.

Statues of monks welcome you to the temple complex.

The Golden Temple of Dambulla

The Dambulla temple complex is a vast isolated rock mass where King Valagam Bahu took refuge in the first century BC. He turned the caves into rock temples in honor of Buddha. A friend warned me that going up the Dambulla Cave is not an easy peat and indeed, it wasn't. Yes, you might say it was just a series of stairs but for someone like me who hasn't exercised like ever, it was a series of torture. Haha!

Stairs? Pffft! I can do this!

Overlooking the flatlands

I was heaving and puffing like crazy much to the chagrin of our driver/tourist guide. I needed to stop once in a while in the pretense of taking photos. Hahaha! However, looking at the colossal figure of Buddha carved out of a living rock and painted with gold has kept me busy during the climb. That was huuuuuge!

Stairs again?!? Insert series of cursing here. Joke!

Upon reaching the top few many minutes after, I already wanted to sing Miley Cyrus' The Climb. I thought my lungs and legs would give up halfway. Haha! But I was too embarrassed not to continue with the climb because little kids and students were running up to reach the summit. Quitting would have made me look like a total wuss.

Hey kids, how'd you do it that easily?!?!

We had to leave our shoes before going in the complex.  From the courtyard, we have a nice panoramic view of the flatlands surrounding Dambulla.

A captivating view! Hello, Sri Lanka!!!

Can you see the monkeys on those branches?

There are more Sri Lankans than foreigner tourists. :)

Finally, we reached you.

Each small cave is a shrine of Buddha.

The temple complex have five caves and I'm not exactly sure which is which already. I did enjoy my time looking at the statues and frescoes inside. Some of them were more than 2,000 years old!

A jar that never fills up.

There's an interesting jar sealed inside a wall of mesh wire in the middle of one of the caves. Our guide said that water is dropping from the ceiling in constant intervals but the jar never overflows. It's just full but the water remains at the same exact volume even if there was no way the water inside it decreased. Amazing indeed!

Me in my mandatory photo at the entrance to the largest cave.

A Bodhi, Buddha's tree.

It was starting to rain when we went down and the sun has already set but we were meeting Sri Lankans who were still on their way up.

Looking back at the Golden Temple, the view was breathtaking:

Goodbye for now, Dambulla!

Along the way to our resort, we saw a few fruit stands and we got curious on the red bananas and orange coconuts. Yes. Apparently, these fruits have different colors in Sri Lanka.

I went bananas over these colored fruits.

The King Coconut (aka Thambili) is widely-cultivated in Sri Lanka. Like the usual coconut we have in the Philippines, it's known for its many uses. However, this orange coconut is said to be sweeter than the usual. Indeed! The juice which we drank straight from the coconut was sweet and refreshing! The red banana is also like the ordinary banana; it's just that the skin is red. It's also packed with lots of carotene and Vitamin C. Other interesting finds on a Sri Lankan fruit stand:

Cute mangoes!

Forest tamarind (yes, these are sampalok!!!)

When we reached our hotel that night, we were so tired we started doubting our ability to climb the next site in our itinerary. But you know what, Dambulla proved to be a very nice prelude for what's about to come the following day.

Home sweet home at Thilanka

Do you believe in the saying "life begins at the end of your comfort zone"? You should because I do and I'll tell you why on my next Sri Lanka entry. ~ Sundrenched

Most of the pictures on our Sri Lanka entries are from my travel buddy, Jou. You can find her work at www.500px.com/unjour or www.flickr.com/jou_issance.

Expenses so far:
Srilankan Airlines Roundtrip Airfare: SR 2,200
Insurance via World Nomads (optional): approx. SR 105 ($27) 
Car and driver for 5 days (includes gas, driver's accom, food, and tips) via Srilankan Tours: approx. SR 1,300 ($340)
3 days/2 nights stay in Thilanka Resort&Spa via Booking.com (includes deluxe twin room and breakfast): SR 750

TIPS on DIY-ing your Trip:
- Book as early as possible. Apart from Srilankan, Fly Dubai also flies to Colombo at an affordable rate.
- Book your accommodations via Booking.com because even if it needs a credit card to reserve the booking, most hotels don't require you to pay the fee immediately. You can pay at the hotel. This is a good option, just in case your plan gets derailed.
- Hire drivers and cars from reputable companies/websites. If your driver can't speak English, or if you have a hard time understanding him, ask for a replacement because he'll be with you every step of the way so it's a must that you understand each other.
- Listen to your driver's suggestions when it comes to scheduling and places to visit, esp. when you did not do your research.

Getting Fit @ NuYu

I HAVE BECOME quite the gym buff lately. Make no mistake, I am the larger one out of all The Pink Tarha ladies, but that's all the more reason I have started a lifestyle change more than six weeks ago. And while my personal weight loss journey won't be the highlight of what you'll be reading today, the reason I mentioned it is because my NuYu experience came at the perfect time.

First off, NuYu is a fun and dynamic new fitness studio led by impressively passionate individuals who are keen in making a difference in the lives of women in Saudi Arabia by encouraging them to be active and healthy in a fun environment at an amazingly affordable price. I was fortunate enough to meet the "mothership" of NuYu composed of its Owner, HRH Princess Sara Al Saud, Ms. Susan Cass, General Manager and Ms. Kate Fearon, Consulting Manager along with Ms. Yasmin and fitness trainers, Ellie, Dominique and Keriyah. In our conversations, I noticed how enthusiastic they were about their vision and they shared how fitness has changed their own lives. I was inspired.

And inspired is just one of the feelings you'd encounter as you walk through the halls of NuYu. You will be welcomed with a brief, security check in the entrance but with very accommodating receptionists (Shoutout to one of our loyal readers, Amantullah who was as ecstatic as I am to meet her!). Their lounge area is inviting and plain cozy, something you'd feel if you were coming home to your own, chic apartment. The hallway leading up to the studios has a "cinema" feel to them and rightly so, their changing rooms look like a prep-room for a theater production - complete with the big light bulbs, mirrors and all. (Pardon me, it was hard to take personal photos for The Pink Tarha since it was an area filled with abaya-less women, so I will be showing you official photos provided by NuYu instead.)

The cozy and chic lobby.

The Spin Room, fashioned after New York's Radio City Music Hall. 

This is where you get your sexy back! 

On my day at Nuyu, I had the opportunity to try out their latest training program called the Private Group Training.

It's the latest fitness trend that's treading the line between a one-on-one class and a group class. The difference being is that in a one-on-one class, it's pretty much self-motivation and you can easily fall off the wagon without a proper support group; meanwhile a group class usually runs the risk of being too generic and not necessarily addressing the specific needs of every student in the class. What PGT is trying to achieve in a class of 6 to 8 people (maximum) is to offer every participant the opportunity to benefit from effective and personal training whilst giving its participants  the feeling of teamwork and solidarity that can only come from a sense of belonging. 

PGT is essentially a six-week program that is result-focused and notably affordable since there are 6 to 8 of you sharing the services of a dedicated trainer. My one-day PGT experience began first with an InBody Assessment which will let me know what I am starting with. The InBody Assessment is done with a simple-looking machine that I can only later on describe to be magical. It's important to have the assessment done prior to starting your PGT so that you can be well aware of your current state and from there, plot the goal you need to reach in six weeks' time. 

Now nothing can be more scarier than the truth, but it can also set you free. After reading my InBody Assessment, I had a better sense of how hard I needed to work to lose all the "bad weight" I've put on through the years. The assessment will print your details on your body's composition (Skeletal Muscle Mass, Body Fat Mass, Total Body Water), an obesity diagnosis (Body Mass Index, Percent Body Fat, Waist-Hip Ratio), reading of your Segmental Fat and Segmental Lean Mass and an Exercise Planner that suggests several activities for you to work on. 

Dominique facilitated our InBody Assessment and explained to us what we needed to do and how PGT was going to help us achieve that. And so, off we went to get a taste of NuShape (one of the aspects of the PGT) with fitness trainer, Ellie. This is where the sweat starts. 

One of their workout studios.

NuShape was NoJoke. I had just started to learn planking a few days back and after my NuShape session, I have officially become a planking addict. The NuShape session was comprised of warm-ups,  a circuit training of weight lifting and core strengthening exercises. Think repetitions of weight-lifting machines, squats, planking and more planking! Hahaha! I was compelled to do more than six 30-second plankings after having just learned how to do 15-second ones days ago. But that's how workouts are I suppose, it's about pushing yourself to doing more than you think you can. 

Ellie was great. I started to see what they mean about the attention PGT can offer to its participants. She was equally watching and guiding each of us in our moves and positions. My fellow blogger Daniyah, who was also a participant in the event, was very encouraging to me all throughout the session and I started to get a glimpse of that team spirit that PGT takes pride in. Feels good, so far! 

After the 30-minute NuShape session, it was time for the NuVibe session which was headed by fitness trainer, Keriyah. NuVibe is conducted using the Power Plate -- a state-of-the-art exercise equipment with a vibrating platform initially developed by NASA. It may look intimidating at first, but the results that a Power Plate delivers are astounding. Think of doing 30 squats on a regular floor -- if you do the same number of squats while on the Power Plate, you double that amount while exerting the same effort. It maximizes your time in the gym with favorable outcomes. 

The Power Plate Studio.

The Power Plate, for me, had me a little disoriented. I suppose as a first timer on it, it was only natural to feel a bit dizzy while doing the exercises on a vibrating platform. But Keriyah was very accommodating and she always asked me if I could still manage. I did my best, but I was ready to give up at that point, truth be told. A NuVibe session can also go for 30 minutes and you'd definitely need an instructor to constantly guide you. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish the entire session as I had a driver waiting overtime for me already. I bid Keriyah and Daniyah goodbye and thanked them for an awesome, sweaty time. 

You would think that I was ready to collapse at this point, but after a couple of minutes recovering and hydrating, I actually felt really good. Yay for happy hormones thanks to exercising! I really thought all the planking and power plate-ing was enough to make me slash my wrists, but funny enough, it made me want it more! 

If this got you thinking about considering PGT or merely changing your lifestyle into a healthier one, please do go and check out NuYu personally or at their website here. All of your questions regarding price and schedules can be accommodated by their wonderful team of people. Right now, they only have that one branch in Exit 8 but by 2014, two more new branches are set to open in the city. I am excited! 

Cheers to all the gym gals out there! You all rock! xoxo

-Eyecandy

NuYu
King Abdulaziz Road,
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
T: +966-11-810-4111

W: http://www.nuyu-ksa.com

Email: community@nuyu-ksa.com

Location Map:

Saison Du Pain's Floss Buns, And More

When I was younger (and by that I mean... uh, I can't remember anymore when was that, haha!), I used to watch a Japanese anime called "Yakitate! Japan." It's about a boy who loves baking and wishes to come up with a bread worthy of Japan's name. I remembered being so hooked with it; I was amazed by the passion of the characters in the series over bread. For some reason, I can relate. Bread is not the number 1 carbs in a Filipino's diet (hello rice... and extra rice!) but we eat it a lot. I like bread a lot and I go the extra mile just to find delicious, unique breads in Riyadh. Remember Bread Talk? So, here's another bread shop in Riyadh that might pique your interest.

Bread is always in season at Saison Du Pain

Saison du Pain was suggested by one of our readers in our Facebook page. I got curious and visited their Instagram and found out that most of their patrons are Malaysians. Now that got me even more adamant to visit the place but it's in Exit 14. Should I venture out of the city center just for bread? Hmn, of course!!! For the love of bread. Haha! So, one fine morning, I visited Saison du Pain in Rabwa Plaza in Exit 14 (map below). It's a little store beside Baskin Robbins. 

The Saison Du Pain store

What to choose?

Yummy breads!

The store is bright and airy and the breads are well displayed in covered trays on wooden racks. I can clearly see the bread inside and naturally, I gravitated towards the floss bun:

Ahhhh floss buns!!!

A floss bun is a soft, fluffy bread topped with meat floss ('rousong'), a light and fluffy dried meat product that originated in Fujian, China, and mayonnaise. The bun is simple yet has savory and sweet flavors that go well together. Pork floss is commonly used but we all know that pork is not allowed in Saudi Arabia so the floss of Saison du Pain is chicken. I truly enjoyed this bread. Apart from the floss, it has a light filling of tart mayonnaise. The bread is soft. The store has a version of floss bread with a hotdog on it.

After finding my floss buns, I went around and looked at the other breads in the store. They have a lot of choices and I warn you, it's so hard to choose from the offerings of macarons, cakes, cup cakes, tarts, breads, pastries, and muffins. 

What's the occasion for today?

Solo servings

Strawberry cheesecake, blueberry cheesecake, and red velvet

Coffee and chocolate, anyone?

Decadent singles

This tart looks amazing!

Fruit danish and chocolate croissants

Macaroons in different flavors

They also have the Mexican roti buns, which you are well familiar with the influx of them in the city center (remember this family feud?). But Saison du Pain amps up the taste factor by coming up with four flavors: cheese, buttermilk, chocolate, and of course, coffee. I tried the coffee and cheese and I must say, the cheese roti is the bomb! I love the combination of sweet and salty!

Eeny meany miney moo!

Crispy crust and soft bread inside

Curry bread: a bit bitter and sour for me

Now I usually am the decisive one among the Pink Tarha ladies and our friends but when you put me in a bread place, or any store with food (and stationary), I spend minutes going back and forth. However, I finally settled on breads that are quite new to me immediately (that's what a waiting taxi with a meter on can do to you, hehe). I ended up with a box of mixed sweet and salty buns: cheese and coffee roti (SR9), tomato cheese bun (SR6), chicken and potato curry bun (SR7), custard bun (SR5), potato cheese bun (SR7) and several pieces of chicken floss buns (SR5) which I nearly hoarded (sorry to those who came later and found that tray empty, haha!). I also tried their Brownies Cheesecake (SR9/slice), Macadamia Cheesecake (SR10/slice), and Apple Crumbled English Cake (SR15). The notable ones for me are the custard bun (yummy bread and not overwhelmingly sweet), macadamia cheesecake (creamy), cheese roti (sweet and salty), and the english cake (moist and with enough apple filling). 

Love their custard roll

Tomato and cheese makes a good combi in this bread

Saison du Pain is also a good morning stop because they have hot drinks, crepes, and pancakes. They have an extensive list of sweet crepes (ex. butterscotch crepe, banana nuttela, banana toffee, sweet cheese, creamy sweet corn and peanut, etc.) and salty crepes (ex. hotdog, chicken mortadella black pepper, egg onion, vegetarian, etc.). I want to try them next time. They can also do custom cakes for special occasions. You can check out their creations in their Instagram.

Bachelors can eat in the seats overlooking the street

So, what will you do to find good bread? I just traveled to Exit 14 alone and braved the morning rush just to get chicken floss buns. Am I crazy or what? Hey, a dose of craziness once in a while can't be that bad huh? ;) ~ Sundrenched

Saison Du Pain

Rabwa Plaza (after Tamimi Market), 

Exit 14, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

T: +966-11-454-8877

Twitter: @saisondupain

Instagram: saisondupain

Map:

Follow the pink arrows.

Directions: Take Khurais Road and stay on the right side. Turn right on Nahdah Road. Turn right when you see Prince Salman Kidney Diseases Center on your left. Go straight and you'll see the Rabwa Plaza on your right (it's the only mall in that area). DOn't go inside the parking lot of the mall. Continue straight until you see the Baskin Robbins store. Beside that is Saison Du Pain.

Of course, you can take any other smaller roads like Pepsi Road or King Abdulaziz Road. It's up to you  really. The map is there for reference.

Closer Look:

The A in the map is Rabwa Plaza. Saison du Pain is in the small building where Baskin Robbins is, right after Rabwa Plaza.

Because You're Prettylicious!

"You create beauty with your attitude, your behavior, and your actions."

Sooo deep. I can't fathom it. Haha! Well, it's more of the explanation for the concept of putting value to the beauty inside all of us (aka personality and character) instead of the beauty outside. We say, we can have them both! Because we're 'shallow' (no, not really), this entry will concentrate on the outside beauty. Hahaha! It's not rocket science nowadays to be beautiful in our physical appearance. Especially in Riyadh where salons and ladies centers are frolicking. But which is which? Which is a good salon? What about the affordable ones? Are there ladies centers that offer beauty and fitness services?

There are! And one of them is tucked in Building 7 of the Iskan Almaather Building (aka Kuwaiti Housing) near the intersection of Dabab and Al-Matther streets. The salon is located in front of the parking space just off Dabab (map below). 

Prettylicious Ladies Center might be the answer to our beauty and fitness problems. It's a one-stop place that offers beauty and spa services and fitness packages. It has a gym and also a place for aerobics classes. Granted that it's not as big and grand as most of the fitness centers in Riyadh, they're certainly more affordable! Also, with the smaller number of members, you'll feel right at home! All of their beauticians and fitness instructor are Filipinas too. 

The gym area

Prettylicious Salon has been in business for years. It's not exactly new and their space shows that but it does what it says it offers: good hair services and a fitness and aerobics center that can help you lose weight or tone your bodies. It's pretty much a straightforward and simple salon. A lounge welcomes guests while the rooms inside are divided into the aerobics room, the gym, the sauna/jacuzzi area, and the salon. 

Get your fit on!

I can totally hear the treadmills calling me.

The gym area is not too wide but it doesn't get too crowded so it's still conducive for your fitness regimen. You can use the exercise machines anytime you want if you're enrolled in their gym membership program.

The aerobics room 

Mirror mirror on the wall as walls.

You can use some balls! Haha!

The aerobics area is clean and has enough room for a fun and engaging class. They usually conduct two aerobics classes per day. Lockers are available for members too. Prettylicious offers a different membership for aerobics alone but you can combine both in their mixed membership package (rates, promos, and types below).

Time for some jacuzzi

The sauna

You can also relax in their sauna and jacuzzi. Pamper me time! Mix enrollees can avail of the jacuzzi and sauna twice a week for free! ;)

The salon area

Prettylicious Salon offers a lot of hair services like cuts, coloring, blow drying, and rebonding. The prices depend on the hair length. They also do hair styles and makeup for your special occasions. There's also a room for your waxing needs. Their spa list includes the usual mani and pedi and foot massage.

I had my hair trimmed when I visited and I must say that Edina, one of their hair stylists, did a good job. And she went beyond the call of duty when she blow dried by hair really, really well! When I stepped out of the salon, I felt like going to a party pronto because my curls were so perfectly in place. But then, I have no party to attend to that night. Hahaha! 

Prettylicious comes up with promos monthly. And look at their December promo! Sulit!

Sometimes, you create beauty with a good ladies center! ;) ~ Sundrenched

Prettylicious Ladies Center

Ground Floor, Building No. 7

ISKAN Almaather Building, Dabab Street

T: +966-11-466-0423

Opening times:

10AM to 10PM from Saturday to Thursday

1PM to 10PM on Fridays

Website: https://prettyliciousladiescenter.shutterfly.com

Map:

Pink always marks the spot.

Directions: 

If you're coming from King Fahd Road, take the roundabout (aka Cairo Square) to go to Khurais Road. Once you reach the intersection of King Fahd Medical City, turn right in Dabab Street and go straight. Stay on the right side (don't take the underpass). You'll find the Iskan housing on your right. Find number 7 and turn right towards the parking area. You'll find Prettylicious in your right. (It's always right huh! Hehe!)

The cluster of similar building is the ISKAN Housing aka Kuwaiti housing

Price List for Salon Services:

What would you like madame? ;)