Wanderings : Oh, Helga

While I normally like to focus on particular city as a whole, I thought that this weird and wonderful place I visited deserved its own post. In the Sri Lankan town of Kandy, this gem is hidden amongst the mountains. I had no idea it existed until I overheard my aunt talk about it-- she mentioned that she had been to this dark chamber-type dining hall filled with giant melted-wax candles, murals and bats: I was sold. Helga's Folly is technically a hotel that was built in the 1930s with about 40 rooms, but it's kind of an attraction in itself; a lot of people just go there to see the eccentric mix of murals, furniture, architecture, fabrics, weaponry, newspaper clippings about Helga and her genealogy and general artistic paraphernalia. They normally charge a tariff if you want to have a look around, however the weather was bad and so a part of the hotel was closed off, I was lucky enough to speak to Helga herself (on the phone) and she waived the fee. It's definitely worth checking out. I can understand if you'd find it a bit eerie to stay here (my mum was freaking out the whole time), but I would try that too, even if it's just for one night!