Sunday Times 2
Beauties and the feast
Bringing out the elephants in place of the red carpet, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana welcomed the top 15 contestants of the Miss Universe China 2014 pageant on Tuesday.
Contestants at the welcoming ceremony at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana (above) and learning to cook a Sri Lankan curry (left). Pix by Indika Handuwala
For their part, the contestants’ sunny smiles and energy levels seemed unhampered by the four hours spent in a coach soon after landing in the country early that morning.
Thrilled by the friendly elephant at the entrance and traditional Sri Lankan dancers leading them into the hotel, they were unanimous that the people of Sri Lanka have completely won them over with their warmth.
It has been a packed schedule for the girls put together by the Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts team and the graceful group was a head turner whether exploring the ruins of Polonnaruwa or riding a bullock cart in Hiriwaduna.
Sashes firmly in one hand and a bottle of chilled water in the other, they braved Sigiriya despite the afternoon being a scorcher. Intrigued by the history and legends surrounding the rock fortress, they climbed determinedly to the top where it was time to give the cameramen swarming around them something to remember.
The contestants visit Sigiriya
The ruins of the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa were the next stop. For one of the contestants, Linda Cui, this was memorable. “I enjoyed seeing the Buddhist temples there,” she said. The 25-year-old, a Wealth Manager in Hong Kong, feels that “the ruins show how life was, and how far we have come.” Having lived in Seychelles since she was seven Linda has dreamt of one day being a beauty queen.
The palace of King Parakramabahu I and the majestic ruins fired the imagination of other contestants. Photographer Karen Hu 24, felt connected to the country. “You realise that Sri Lanka is not just beautiful, but has a rich history.”
On safari at Minneriya National Park
“It was very hot!” laughs Alanis Zhang after the bicycle ride along the ruins. The 22-year-old admits that she didn’t quite mind the heat because “it felt healthy — I know it’s good for me.”
The bike ride also came with its fair share of risks. Laughing that she wasn’t the girl who took a tumble in the historic location, Nicole Zhang 23, too felt that despite the heat it was a healthy experience. A graduate in graphic design, Nicole is also a painter. Enjoying the natural beauty of the country she said one of her treasured moments was seeing elephants in the wild.
The safari at Minneriya National Park was a hit. Balancing despite the bumps and jerks and ducking branches was just the kind of adventure that worked for Vivi Tian. “It’s so beautiful you could cry!” she said, talking of how a mother elephant protectively wrapped her trunk around her calf. The 23-year-old is a graduate of Pop-Singing and Dance and this is her first pageant.
“I also enjoyed wearing the saree,” Vivi smiles, having worn saree for a Cultural Night hosted by Cinnamon Lodge where they shared the stage with the Chandana Dance Troupe.
The taste of Sri Lankan culture saw them whisked into the kitchen of the hotel for a special demonstration on how to make a Sri Lankan curry. Fishing out all the ingredients from the hotel’s
On safari at Minneriya National Park
organic farm, they had to impress the high standards of the judging panel with their newly acquired skills as well.
Most having only seen pictures of Sri Lanka, they were eagerly awaiting to get to the beach. Cinnamon Bey Beruwala was their destination on Friday. Making a stop at a Kalutara orphanage, the brainchild of the First Lady under the Mother Sri Lanka Project, they spent the afternoon with the children.
As we left, they were gearing up for the ramp; a fashion show at Cinnamon Bey yesterday. No doubt, it had been an exciting and memorable experience of the Paradise Isle.