Tourism in Sigiriya
Sigiriya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Matale District of Sri Lanka. It is famous for its ancient rock fortress, which was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century AD. The fortress is located on a massive rock that rises 200 meters (656 ft) above the surrounding plain. It is surrounded by gardens, ponds, and caves.
Sigiriya is a popular tourist destination, and there are many things to see and do in the area. In addition to the rock fortress, there are also several other historical sites, such as the Pidurangala Rock, the Royal Pleasure Gardens, and the Mirror Wall. There are also many opportunities for hiking, camping, and bird watching in the surrounding area.
The best time to visit Sigiriya is during the dry season, which is from November to April. However, the area can be visited year-round.
Here are some of the things you can do in Sigiriya:
Visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress: This is the main attraction in Sigiriya and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fortress is located on a massive rock that rises 200 meters (656 ft) above the surrounding plain. It is surrounded by gardens, ponds, and caves.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress in Sri Lanka
Hike to the Pidurangala Rock: This is a smaller rock that is located near Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The hike to the top of the rock offers stunning views of Sigiriya and the surrounding area.
Pidurangala Rock in Sri Lanka
Visit the Royal Pleasure Gardens: These gardens were built by King Kashyapa and are located at the base of Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The gardens are home to a variety of plants and flowers, as well as a number of water features.
Royal Pleasure Gardens in Sri Lanka
See the Mirror Wall: This is a polished granite wall that is located at the base of Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The wall is covered in graffiti, which is believed to have been written by visitors to the fortress centuries ago.
Mirror Wall in Sri Lanka
Go bird watching: The area around Sigiriya is home to a variety of birds, including peacocks, eagles, and owls. There are a number of bird watching trails in the area.
If you are planning a trip to Sri Lanka, be sure to add Sigiriya to your itinerary. It is a truly magical place that is sure to leave you in awe.
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Solving my daddy issues one chapter at a time 🥹 TW: panic attack
« I walked before the gilded mirrorwall, catching glimpses of a girl who looked every bit the part of a princess, yet inside, doubt gnawed at my resolve. The shimmering crown atop my braids felt like a shackle, the intricate laces of my gown constricting. My breaths came in ragged sips, barely quenching the thirst of my starving lungs. The room spun ever so slightly, and I reached out for something, anything, to ground me.
"Evya," a voice broke through the haze, but it sounded distant, a call from across a vast chasm. A hand extended toward me, the lines in a face etched with worry. "Your Highness, please, let me help."
I wanted to scream, to tell them they couldn’t possibly understand what it felt like to have your entire world slip through your fingers like grains of sand. But no sound escaped my lips, only the shallow, ragged breaths of a heart racing to outrun pain.
The walls, the air, the very fabric of my being seemed to conspire against me. I recoiled, stumbling back from touch, an animal caught in the glare of an unexpected predator. It was rooted in a mistrust even I didn't fully understand.
"Stay back," I managed to gasp, my voice a stranger's—a brittle leaf dancing precariously on the wind.
"Princess, look at me; look." the voice urged, gentle but insistent as the person stepped closer once more. Yet these attempts to bridge the gap between us only served to heighten my distress.
"I said stay back!" I commanded, my voice sharper than I intended. There was a tremor in my hands that I couldn't control, a physical manifestation of the turmoil within. I backed away, desperate to maintain the illusion of composure. In doing so, my eyes briefly grazed my interlocutor's.
"Kael, I—I can't..." The words caught in my throat, strangled by the rising panic. Kael stopped, his eyes dark pools of concern. He knew the dance of advance and retreat well, though we'd never waltzed to this particular tune.
He reached for me again, slow, deliberate, but I couldn't still the trembling in my limbs or quiet the frantic beat of my heart. His presence, meant to soothe, only served to remind me how much I stood to lose, how much there was to fear. I was supposed to be strong, to lead with confidence and grace. And yet, here I was, unraveling at the seams before I'd even begun.
"Shh Evya" he coaxed, his voice a steady drumbeat against the chaos of my fears. "You're gonna be okay, everything is gonna be okay; I promise."
Legs buckling under an invisible weight, I felt my knees hit the cold floor, a sharp contrast to the heat flushing my cheeks. The chamber's ornate ceiling spun above me, its golden swirls and azure gems blurring into an incomprehensible whirlpool.
"Please," I whispered, more to myself than to him, a plea for the tempest inside to subside. But the winds didn't heed my call, and neither did the panic that clawed its way up my throat, threatening to engulf me completely. My hands clawed at the fabric over my heart, desperate for air that refused to fill my lungs. I was dimly aware of Kael's presence closing in.
His hands were on me in an instant, strong and sure even as my own shook uncontrollably. My chest heaved, each breath a battle against the invisible constriction that sought to suffocate me from within. The ever-present stars in my vision threatened to overwhelm me, turning the familiar chamber into a stranger's nightmare. His arms enfolded me, an anchor in the dizzying maelstrom that threatened to drag me beneath its waves.
"Get off!" I cried out, unaware of who held me, only feeling trapped, caged by the very arms meant to protect me.
My fists, driven by raw panic, sought freedom, striking blindly into the void. Kael grunted—a sound tinged with shock that somehow pierced the veil of confusion—and his grip tightened around my wrists, halting my frenzied assault. "No, no, it's me. You're safe. Evya, it's me," he said, his voice low and steady amidst my chaos. "Shh... I've got you," he soothed, his resolve unshaken despite the tempest that raged through me.
Gradually, my trembling subsided, my fists unclenching from the fabric of his tunic. Kael's scent—leather and steel, mixed with the faintest hint of the fields beyond the castle walls—filled my senses, grounding me in the present. His arms held me firm, yet tenderly, a surprising contrast to the steely commander I had always known.
"Focus on my voice, just breathe with me." His command was soft but unyielding, and I found my breaths syncing with his in a shaky rhythm. My heart, which had been a wild drumbeat echoing through my chest, began to slow, matching the measured cadence of his own.
A flush crept onto my cheeks as the childishness of my outburst dawned on me. How had I lost myself so thoroughly? I had behaved like a child lost in a night terror, lashing out at shadows. Yet, here was Kael, the hardened commander, treating me with a tenderness I'd scarcely known. It hardly made sense after his disappearance past Neirin's death, but I welcomed it.
"Kael, I—" My voice broke, a whisper lost in the stillness that followed the storm.
"No words needed, Evya," he interrupted. I felt his chin rest atop my head, a silent vow of his unwavering support. His grip softened, but he did not let go—his hands resting lightly on my back, as if giving me the choice to pull away. I didn't. My gaze lifted to meet his, finding a softness there that I hadn't expected.
“I don’t ever want you to feel uncomfortable with me, kid.” »
SS Taglist: @inkhelm @ofgoldenfools
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