Colombo

Colombo - Bustling Metropolis

The road to Colombo from the Bandaranaike International airport is a beautiful drive through a newly built toll road that goes from Negombo to the city in the South. As one enters the town, sign boards written in Sinhalese, Tamil and English comes to view and gives the impression of a well managed city. It was an hour's drive from the airport to my guesthouse in Central Colombo.  

Galle Face

The Fort and Cinnamon Gardens Area

Next day early morning, before the traffic started, I travelled to the North of the City to Colombo Fort and spent the day around the Fort walking further south to Galle Face and then to the Colombo National Museum in Cinnamon Gardens. Just behind the Museum is a street art gallery with rows of shops lined up with some good paintings.

Curry Pot

Cinnamon Gardens, also known as Colombo 7 district is the most affluent neighborhood of Colombo and this and the Fort area are well kept and managed with good roads, orderly traffic management and adequate walking areas. Like any tropical area, best time to explore is in the early mornings as it gets hot in the afternoon and then rains in the evening as the heat brings in the water from the oceans to form thunderclouds.

I sought out a place called Curry Pot located on the Marine drive road for lunch. This is a spread of precooked food that you can choose by mixing and matching and was a great introduction to Sinhalese food. Its a small place but the food is fresh and authentic.

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya and Gangaramaya Temple

Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya

The next day, early morning, I travelled to Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya which is one of the greatest Buddhist temples in Colombo and a must see for visitors. I was lucky as it turned out to be a full moon day and a holy occasion as it was the end of the Buddhist Vassa which is a three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada Buddhists. The Vihara was full of devotees and I spent almost 2 hours visiting the shrine campus. 

Gangaramaya Temple

Later in the morning, I had breakfast at the Commons Coffee House in Cinnamon Gardens, an Oasis of peace with some fine coffee. From there I travelled to the Gangaramaya Temple which has an unique architectural design and serene surroundings.  The temple has a collection of antiques which include old watches, pottery, gems, statues and ivory works.

Antiques and Porcelain

On my exit from Colombo after the Sri Lankan trip, I picked up some antique Raksha masks and wooden frames from Lakpahana in Cinnamon Gardens which has a good collection. A must buy is Sri lankan porcelain which I sourced from the  Dankotuwa Porcelain Signature Showroom which is nearby.

Impressions of Colombo

After staying in Colombo both during entry into Sri Lanka and my return, I found it to be a bustling city with different neighborhood districts like many Asian cities. It is clean and well managed. The city is dramatically changing as new high rise buildings spring up. Near the Fort, a new Port City SEZ is coming up cementing Colombo's reputation as the largest port in South Asia. The city is in need of a Metro and a Light Rail System which is proposed, but caught up in political shenanigans at this time. 

Youngsters are generally stylish and office going women dressed in skits or trousers though I saw a few women wearing the traditional Osariya or Kandyan Saree drape for special occasions. I couldn't help noticing that the women loved their large leather handbags which looks like a must have accessory!