We arrived at Colombo International Airport and stayed in Colombo three nights to give us two full days to explore the city. Colombo was a busy sea port for trade between Asia and the West by the 5th century. The Portuguese arrived in 1505, only to be ousted in the mid-17th century by the Dutch, who seized control of the cinnamon trade. It wasn't until the British arrived that the town was designated as a city becoming the capital of Ceylon in 1815. Sri Lanka gained independence from Britain in 1982. Four years ago (2019), Islamic suicide bombers targeted three luxury hotels and a church and are still recovering from the ecomonic impact. I guess that explains why our hotel and the malls have x-ray machines, metal detectors and security.
What did we do?
Gangaramaya Temple. This is more a treasure vault than a temple, packed with offerings left by Buddhist devotees. There are Buddha images in every imagineable material and style, cabinets full of jewels, cameras, wristwatches, crystals and coral, plus an impressive collection of luxury cars (including two early Rolls-Royces). There is even the stuffed body of the temple's late elephant, Ganga.
Clock Tower. Built in 1857, it was originally a lighthouse guiding ships into Colombo's colonial-era port. It now sits pretty far inland after land reclamation and is right out front of the Sri Lankan Navy's Headquarters and president's residence.
Galle Face Green. It's more dust-yellow than green and a waterfront park and walkway that's great for watching sunsets.
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| Sharon was hoping a wave |
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| was going to catch me |
Slave Island. It is probably Colombo's oldest neighborhood and got it's name when the Dutch kept slaves here during colonial times.
Pettah. We walked through the frantic bazaar quarter. It was crazy manic and packed with people and vehicles. I had my hand in my pocket almost the entire time for fear of getting my phone pickpocketed and Sharon shifted her backpack to the front. We could not get out of here fast enough.
Masjid Jami-Ul-Alfar aka the "Red Mosque". It is located in the heart of Pettah. It was built in 1909 with a candy-striped brickwork exterior. The building is impressive but only Islamic worshippers can enter.
Pagoda Tea Room. It is now the Green Cabin Cafe. This is where Duran Duran filmed the 80s video Hungry Like A Wolf.
Lotus Tower. It is brand new and the tallest skyscraper in Sri Lanka and stands at 356 meters making it the tallest tower in South Asia. It was built as a telecommunication tower but is also an observation tower and will have several stores and restaurants once it is completed. There was a $20 fee which we thought was expensive considering there was nothing open. However, the views were spectacular!
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| We took a tuk tuk to the Tower from Pettah |
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| This will be the revolving restaurant |
A few random pictures during our walks:
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| Christ Church Founded in 1853 |
Where did we eat?
Food Court
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| Carrot 🥕 & Orange 🍊 Juice |
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| Curry and Naan |
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| Cheese Pizza |
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| Lemon Meringue and Salted Caramel Tarts |
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| Mumbai Mule |
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| Sharon liked their plates |
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| Lentil Cakes |
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| Tandoori Chicken |
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| Negombo Prawn Curry with Rice |
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| Negombo Prawn Curry |
There was a handmade chocolate sign we could see from our hotel room so Sharon had to check it out. She got dark chocolate for me and milk chocolate for her and two caramel mints. Definitely a great splurge.
Where did we stay! Cinnamon Red Colombo Hotel. We had a nice room on the 24th floor with an amazing view of the city and Lotus Tower. Two floors up on the 26th floor was an infinity pool and rooftop bar. The hotel did not offer a free breakfast but there was a grocery store nearby that sold muffins and yogurt. As a side note, the government wants hotels to collect US dollars as payment. I refused and tried to pay in LKR (Sri Lanka Rupees) and was told I needed an ATM receipt. I later found out it was a way of proving I did not get the LKR on the black market. I did not have a receipt and luckily was able to pay with a credit card. The LKR is so weak that the government is desparate for major currencies.
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| Our view |
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| Rooftop Pool |
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| Night time view! |
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| Coffee, yogurt, and coffee cupcake |
How did we get here? We flew business class from Kuala Lumpur on Sri Lanka Airlines. Yes, we're spoiled. Priority check-in, priority Immigration, priority security, boarding AND a nice lounge with complimentary buffet, drinks, etc. Free checked bags that were 'priority' to baggage claim. Nevermind the great seats, service and food on the flight. The perks more then make up for it. I even told our flight attendant that I had had enough to drink!
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| Relaxing in the lounge 😌 |
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| Our stamp in and out of Malaysia 🇲🇾 |
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| The flight attendants of each airline we have flown wear traditional garb of their country. We liked this outfit the best |
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| Dinner is served! Main entree choice between Chicken Curry, Fish 🐟 Masala, Tenderloin Steak, & Sayur Lodeh (vegetarian). Spicy cucumber and Pineapple Salad 🥗 Fresh Fruit |
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| Fish Masala with garlic pak Choi and "Mee Goreng Mamak" (stir fried noodles coated In a thickened sweet and spicy sauce with bean curd |
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| So happy! JW Black Label and Lion Beer 🍺 |
For the first time we took advantage of duty free shopping for alcohol. It was Poya Day, a national holiday celebrating the full moon. On Poya Day, alcohol is not severed or sold, except for the airport. We also stopped and picked up our local Sim card and cash. Upon exiting the airport, we had a driver from Efficient Airport Taxi waiting to drive us to our hotel.
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| This equaled about $600 USD |
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| Our driver was happy to have his picture taken |
We enjoyed Colombo but we were definitely ready to leave the city behind. We often felt as though someone was following us (not in a threatening way).
“The goal is to die with memories not dreams.”
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