{"id":21123,"date":"2025-04-04T01:44:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T07:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/?p=21123"},"modified":"2025-03-10T16:33:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T22:33:11","slug":"i-really-hate-heights-but-i-was-compelled-to-climb-the-1250-steps-to-the-ancient-sigiriya-lion-rock-fortress-in-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/?p=21123","title":{"rendered":"I REALLY HATE HEIGHTS BUT I WAS COMPELLED TO CLIMB THE 1250 STEPS TO THE ANCIENT SIGIRIYA LION ROCK FORTRESS IN SRI LANKA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We took the van to our next luxury resort, Water Garden Sigiriya. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Beautiful water features and pathways in the resort.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sigiriya Lion Rock looms very large in the background of our resort. It is an ancient rock fortress known for its massive column of rock that reaches nearly 650 feet high. The site dates back to the reign of King Kasyapa (477-495 AD), who chose this site as his new capital. He decorated the walls with frescoes, and built an impressive palace right on top of the rock column, accessible only through the mouth of an enormous carved lion.<\/strong> The king was taken up the steep stairs by servants.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Again, we were taken to our villas by buggy from reception.<\/strong> The accomodations where very nice and comfortable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lovely private plunge pool.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I shared the pool with 2 or 3 monkeys!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Early the next day we road our bikes to the Sigiriya<\/strong> visitor area. You can’t really tell in this group photo but I was nervous as heck. I previously read about climbing the 1250 steps to the top via “rickety” staircases. “Acrophobia” could be my middle name!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our guide explained many numerous historical features.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I told our guide Peter about my fear of heights. He said many visitors just climb to the “Lion paw” level.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Up we go.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A little steeper!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The monkey is thinking…”Where are all these humans going”?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I made it to the “Lions paw” level.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I’m contemplating…”There is nothing to feel ashamed about.” <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That thought didn’t last long!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A view of the Sigiriya<\/strong> Castle at the top.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A monk surveys the area.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This was the path we took to the steps far below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Going up was much easier emotionally than going down! These are the steps going down from the “Mirror Wall”.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Excited to head down<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A B & R staff member met us at our bikes with much needed refreshments while a monkey waited for our departure.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We took the van to our next luxury resort, Water Garden Sigiriya. Beautiful water features and pathways in the resort. Sigiriya Lion Rock looms very large in the background of our resort. It is an ancient rock fortress known for its massive column of rock that reaches nearly 650 feet high. The site dates back to the reign of King Kasyapa (477-495 AD), who chose this site as his new capital. He decorated the walls with frescoes, and built an impressive palace right on top of the rock column, accessible only through the mouth of an enormous carved lion. The king was taken up the steep stairs by servants. Again, we were taken to our villas by buggy from reception. The accomodations where very nice and comfortable. Lovely private plunge pool. I shared the pool with 2 or 3 monkeys! Early the next day we road our bikes to the Sigiriya visitor area. You can’t really tell in this group photo but I was nervous as heck. I previously read about climbing the 1250 steps to the top via “rickety” staircases. “Acrophobia” could be my middle name! Our guide explained many numerous historical features. I told our guide Peter about my fear of heights. He said many visitors just climb to the “Lion paw” level. Up we go. A little steeper! The monkey is thinking…”Where are all these humans going”? I made it to the “Lions paw” level. I’m contemplating…”There is nothing to feel ashamed about.” That thought didn’t last long! A view of the Sigiriya Castle at the top. A monk surveys the area. This was the path we took to the steps far below. Going up was much easier emotionally than going down! These are the steps going down from the “Mirror Wall”. Excited to head down A B & R staff member met us at our bikes with much needed refreshments while a monkey waited for our departure. Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[391,352,634,599],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventures","category-inspirational-travel","category-sri-lanka","category-transformative-journies"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gentryconnects.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/1_result-1.jpg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21123"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21280,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21123\/revisions\/21280"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gentryconnects.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}