How high is Sigiriya, Sri Lanka?

How high is Sigiriya? This was the question on my lips as my eyes wandered from the path below my feet and gazed upwards to see the rock we were about to climb.

How do you measure height? Does a count of stairs have any meaning to you, or would you prefer to have the knowledge in the metric system?

Perhaps use my pain measure.

Perhaps use my pain measure when deciding how high Sigiriya is. Simply put, it is the level of burning sensation in the quads multiplied by the number of curses under deep breaths. The pros need to outweigh the cons when you see that intimidating buttress in the humidity that is just beginning to rise.

Fortunately, when I was doing research prior to this trip, I spoke to friends that had lived in Sri Lanka over 30 years ago. When they suggested visiting Sigiriya, I asked the question why? Their answer…to see the magnificent engineering feat of what looks like a modern day swimming pool on top of the rock.

I posed the same question to a local Sri Lankan. His answer was for the spectacular view and it is a UNESCO world heritage sight. Therefore, according to my calculations of value versus pain, the climb up Sigiriya should not feel too high.

So I climbed.

So I climbed, every single marble step of old, originally laid so that the path would be visible in the moonlight.

In the cool of the shade formed by this mass of rock, monks have found solace in caves shaped like cobras. A welcome respite from the heat and wrapped up in calm quiet amongst the trees.

Back into the heat, the tourists clamber on, guided like circus animals into narrow staircases. The last leg is guarded by two giant lion paws, the only remnant of a bricked Lion that the stairs used to ascend into.

At the very top.

At the very top you feel like you can touch the heavens. The landscape unfolds before you and a breeze slides over the ruins. To build your palace in a place like this requires a bit of madness but I can see why King Kassapa persisted, the view inspires the soul.

I imagine the king shouting to the world around him…look at me, I am higher than you, with my 500 concubines and my swimming pool overlooking the world (insert bobbing head and big smile).

It’s a calf conquering walk down but the shaking steps into our taxi are happy ones.