Deer Park and Fort Frederick - Trincomalee

After spending the last few days relaxing in Trincomalee—with a bit of swimming in the morning followed by some coffee and reading—we visited Deer Park today and then Fort Frederick.

We were already at the deer enclosure before eight o’clock and were probably the first tourists of the day. The deer were very happy about the bananas we brought and would nudge us a bit on the backside if we weren’t handing out the food fast enough. A playful little puppy and the crows—which are everywhere in Trico—were also waddling around next to us. We really had a lot of fun with the animals and will definitely be back.

Just a few meters further on is Fort Frederick, which has no admission fee unless you want to explore the paths branching off to the left and right leading to the military ruins. We paid the five dollars per person and enjoyed a truly beautiful view of the sea and the city.

The site has seen a great deal of destruction in the past, beginning with the destruction of the Hindu temple by Portuguese occupiers in 1622. A Portuguese fort was then built on its ruins, which was captured by a Dutch fleet in 1665 and rebuilt to defend against British and French attackers.

Even today, there is still an active military base here, so there is a bustling activity of uniformed soldiers, and in between, a few deer lie lazily in the sun or a few peacocks peck around in the sand. Remnants of the old temple are still visible, and further back, a new, very magnificent Hindu temple has been built (Thirukoneswaram Kovil).

On the way back, Simon got a haircut, and we wandered through a supermarket. Since our accommodation is in the northern part of Trico, there are mostly mini-marts and shops for tourists there. So the supermarket was a nice change of pace.