Sri Lanka (Colombo) Jan 2013

Total expenses (2 nights) : SLR3,195 (US$26)
Hostel : City Rest Motels (2 nights) - SLR650 + SLR1,000 (single)
Food: SLR895
Transport: Airport>Colombo (bus) - SLR200
Central bus station > Hostel (Tuk Tuk) - SLR150
Colombo > Kandy (bus) - SLR300

Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka has a large harbour and was an active trading post going back to 2,000 years ago ! The Portuguese, the Dutch and the British had a huge influence on Colombo. Many of the old colonial buildings eg Colombo Fort Railway station, the Town Hall, colonial residences, government buildings are still in existence today!

Like Sri Lanka, South East Asia cities with harbor fronts eg Singapore, Malacca, Penang all had inherited a similar colonial past in terms of history, trading, landmarks & state administrations etc.

The traffic in down town Colombo was horrendous so you may have to rely on tuk tuks to ferry you around the city areas or touristy places. The area around the central bus station and Colombo Fort railway station appeared haphazard & needed an upgrade to cope with an increase in passenger demand !

Colombo city

 

Hello ! Welcome to Sri Lanka

Clock Tower

Colombo Fort Railway Station

Murugan Hindu Temple

Colombo Central Bus Station

Jami Alfar Mosque, Pattah

Main Street, Colombo City

Foss Market

The Light House

Plantation House

The World Trade Center Towers

Bank of Ceylon

Presidential Secretariat

Galle Face Green

Historical Cargills & Millers Building

Grand Oriental Hotel

Dutch Hospital - Shopping Precinct

Tuk Tuk - Metered & Non Metered Taxi

Old Town Hall

Sri Lankan National Flag Pole at Galle Face Green

Sri Lankan Port - Front Entrance

A Church opposite the bus station

" Some people are old at 18 and some are young at 60 - time is a concept that humans created "

Sri Lanka (Kandy) Jan 2013

Total expenses (2 nights) : SLR 5,890 (US$47)
Hostel: Hill Way Tour Inn (2 nights) - SLR3,350 (double)
Food: SLR1,045
Transport: Tuk tuk (SLR50) + bus (SLR 35) + Kandy>Sigiriya (SLR120) + Sigiriya>Dambulla (SLR40) + Dambulla>Kandy (SLR100) + Kandy>Colombo (SLR150)
Entrance fee: SLR1,000 (Temple of the Tooth)

I enjoyed my time in Kandy (an UNESCO world heritage site & a cultural capital with a strong Buddhist value), the 2nd largest city in Sri Lanka. The scenic Kandy Lake, the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the homestay up at the Kandy hill - very refreshing and relaxing visit indeed in this last kingdom of Sri Lanka before the British's rule in 1815 !

Kandy has a direct public bus service to Sigiriya ( 07.30>11.30) so you could do a day trip to visit the famous Lion's Rock in Sigiriya. From Sigiriya, you could take a bus to Dambulla for your return trip back to Kandy.

Kandy Town & Lake

 

Clock Tower

Kandy Lake

Inter-city bus from Kandy to Sigiriya

Petty Traders, Downtown

Old Colonial Building. Downtown 

Temple of the Tooth Relic (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

"Life is like a book, some chapters sad, some happy and some exciting. But if you never turn the page, you will never know the next chapter holds "

Sri Lanka (Sigiriya) Jan 2013

Entrance fee: US$30 (The Lion's Rock)

Sigiriya was the top priority destination for my visit to Sri Lanka. It was quite a challenge for me to walk up from the Lion's Gate to the summit of this ancient rock fortress to see the palace ruins & a nervous climb via a spiral steel platform to admire the ancient paintings on a boulder and a panoramic view of Sigiriya from the top.

What intrigued me was the story of this rock fortress & palace which was built by King Kashyapa (AD477-495) who murdered his father and later killed himself due to his brother's revenge to claim back the rightful throne ! 

The Lion's Rock, Sigiriya (UNESCO World Heritage Site)

" You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any directions you choose "