Like every girl, I can’t take a trip without bringing a few memories of the countries I visit. The more typical, the better! Look what I brought home on my last trip to Sri Lanka.
In the country of Ayurveda
I was very curious to see what products would I find. I’ve always heard that this was the most used medicine in the country and therefore shouldn’t be a problem to find a good variety of natural therapies.
For those unaware, Ayurveda is a medical knowledge developed in India thousands of years ago and is based on treating the individual as a means to cure or prevent disease. You can learn more about Ayurveda here.
It was in Kandy that we found one of the best specialty stores. It was full of local people, so we knew that we were in the right place.
After an hour at the site, including employees that little or nothing spoke of English, I left with these products: a massage oil for sore muscles and joints, a proper tea for colds and flu (because we are entering the time of them), an ointment also for colds, to clear the airways, headaches, etc. (Curiosity: apparently the Ayurveda products always work for numerous things) and — come on, girls: you understand! — tea for weight loss. Yes, they have it in Sri Lanka. 😉
Sri Lanka scarves
In a country where, out of respect, we often wear scarves to cover shoulders or legs as we enter numerous temples, nothing more natural to have succumbed to the local textile temptation.
On the roadside, when we traveled from Kandy to Ella, we found a clothing store where I bought these two Pashmina scarves, beautiful! Made from cashmere wool, considered one of the soft fibers of the world — Check!
From this store we also left with a number of gifts for the family and this little bag. A cliché, I know, but I couldn’t resist.
The land of tea
Of course a visit to the former Ceylon (today known as Sri Lanka) had to end with various local teas in the luggage. Also on the roadside during the trip to Kandy, we found a great tea shop, the Tea Tang. Later I came to realize that it’s a franchise, since I saw it in many other cities.
The very friendly seller explained to me the difference between the teas. I brought the one from the Nuwara Eliya region, smoother, and the tea from the Uva region, where we find the city of Ella (and which I traveled by car, but that’s another story 😉 ). This last one of medium intensity. The small wooden box, especially for travelers, I found it perfect to take to work.
Wood Work
Finally, as is very common in Asian countries, also in Sri Lanla the woodwork is amazing. And the tuk-tuk drivers are always looking to take us to a workshop. Certainly to receive any possible commission from the purchases that tourists do there.
We entered at least two where we were explained the various woods that they work with, the process and then sent to exhibition halls with pieces as far as the eye can see.
In one, and after tough negotiations, we ended up leaving with two masks (one of Buddha and another of an elephant) to join the house collection. And in another small shop in Kandy, we couldn’t resist buying a figurine of a fisherman, symbol of the south of the island.
What about you? What were the most interesting products brought from a trip? Tell your gift story in the comments box. 🙂
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