Colombo, Sri Lanka With a population of 1.2 million people, Colombo (the largest city and capital city of Sri Lanka) is a colorful, crazy, polluted and exciting city.  Due to the civil war between the Sri Lanka government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (the LTTE or more commonly known as the Tamil Tigers) that has recently subsided, Colombo is a heavily secured city.  A common sight on almost every street corner is a military bunker maned by heavily armed but quick to smile military personnel.  Several bombings in current years have caused this extensive military presence which, at first, can be disconcerting to the Western traveller.  However, after wandering around the city for a few hours and interacting with the friendly, machine-gun clad boys in uniform, you soon become accustomed and reassured by their presence.  In fact, we became so comfortable with them that we soon found ourselves asking directions from the nearest man with an AK-47.  No matter what the news outlets report back home, we never felt unsafe travelling in Colombo and Sri Lanka in general.  In fact, we feel more threatened walking around our hometown of Miami, Florida than in any place in Sri Lanka.

The Fort Area of Colombo.  In the Foreground is the Presedential Secretariat and the National Treasury.  Behind these Buildings are the Two Towers of the World Trade Center.  The Fort District of Colombo is the Main Financial and Government District of the Capital.

The Red Cargills Department Store is a Monument to Colonial Architecture in Colombo.  The Inside is a Bit Faded but the Outside is still Tremendous.

The Famous Cargills Department Store in Colombo's Fort District with the World Trade Center to the Left.

By far, our favorite district of Colombo is the Pettah District.  With a bustling bazaar atmosphere, Pettah is an amalagamation of fabric shops, small restaurants, mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, bus stations, taxi stands, sweet sellers, street hawkers, traffic and thousands of people going about their daily business.  Pettah tickles the senses.  Wandering through Pettah, you smell the repugnance of urine and feces along with the sweet smells of incense and savory curries.  You dip into a restaurant, spend 25 cents and feast on an all-you-can eat vegetarian thali (a thali consists of rice accompanied by about a dozen different vegetable dishes and desserts such as curd and honey) of which no two taste alike.  It's spicy, it's filling, it's pungent, it's delicious.  And the sounds, oh the shounds.  You hear a continous percusion of beeping horns, street vendors yelling, "Hello, Madam.  Sari?", children begging, incomprehensible languages and, on top of all this noise, the soothing sound of the muezzin calling Muslims to prayer from the minarets of the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque.  Pettah made us feel totally out of our element, which is the reason why we travel.

A Vegetarian Thali - Countless Curry Combinations Make Every Meal an Adventure, you Never Know what you will be Eating.  Each Curry is Served in Small, Stainless Steel Containers which you Pour over White Rice.  Sri Lankan Food is some of the Spiciest and Tastiest Food we have ever Eaten.

Brian Digging in to a Delicious Vegetarian Thali at a Small Restaurant in the Pettah District.  Thali is Eaten with the Right Hand Only, the Left Hand is Associated with Unclean Functions and it is Considered Extremely Rude to Eat with your Left Hand.

The Faithful Entering the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque for Afternoon Prayers.  This Strking, Red and White Candy-Striped Building Dominates the Tightly Packed Pettah District.

The Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque Towers above the Hustle and Bustle of the Busy Pettah District of the Capital City.

Colombo boasts one of the premier museums in Sri Lanka, The National Museum, housed in a grand English colonial edifice built in 1877.  It hosts an exquisite collection of ancient stone and bronze sculpures dating back to the Anuradhapura Period, ornately carved tortoise shell and bone objects of daily use such as combs, betel nut (also called areca nut, the seed of the betel palm, chewed with betel leaves, lime and flavorings as a mild stimulant, leaves the mouth and teeth stained red with its juices) and jewellry boxes, royal regalia (including the throne of the last Kandyan king), various military weaponry and much, much more.

The Entrance to the Grand National Museum in Colombo.

A Stone Statue of a Buddhist Bodhisattva, a Being of Compassion, Housed in the Naitonal Museum.

A quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the capital city is Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo's largest city park.  Walking through its grounds, you are bound to run into the head gardener who will proudly guide you around the park (for a small fee), explain the flora and fauna and show you various things such as the giant bats hanging from the trees, cinnamon and citronella (excellent for repelling mosquitos) trees, large red ants' nests and the two resident elephants, one of which is a giant tusker.

A Giant Buddha Statue at the Entrance to Viharamahadevi Park.

Karen Standing with one of the Resident Elephants of Viharamahadevi Park and its Mahout or Elephant Handler/Trainer.

Sri Lanka's National Flower, the Beautiful Manel or Nymphaea Stellata.

Although we thourghly enjoyed the intensity of Colombo, we felt more comfortable lodging in Mt. Lavinia, a beach resort ten kilometers south of the city (a 300 rupee or approximately $3 USD, life-threatening auto-rickshaw ride from downtown Colombo).  Mt. Lavinia gives you the benefit of wonderful west coast sunsets and peaceful dining on the beach while being close enough to Colombo so that you can enjoy all the city sights easily.  Beacause many Western travellers visit Sri lanka searching for its history and picturesque beaches, they tend to overlook the vibrant, beating heart of Sri Lanka, the capital city, Colombo.

Karen in the Driver's Seat of an Auto-Rickshaw.  A Ride in One of these through the Dense and Lawless Traffic of Colombo is Better than any Rollar Coaster Ride for Sheer Thrills and Near Misses.

Colorful Fruit Stands Dot the City Sidewalks of Colombo.  Bananas, King Coconuts, Mangoes, Jackfruit, Mangosteens and more - Everything a Fruit Lover could Possibly Desire.