Finding Our Footing in Colombo

Hello from Sri Lanka!

I had anticipated that my first blog entry would discuss an exciting layover in Guangzhou, but in a classic, confused-traveler moment at the Chinese airport, our temporary visa request to spend a half-day in the city was denied. No explanation, no nothing! The immigration official simply handed Matt our passports and stated that we weren’t allowed to leave the airport. We brainstormed the many possible reasons for this: Was our layover deemed too short to warrant the temporary permit? Did the denial have to do with changing diplomatic relations between China and the US? We’ll never truly know. Regardless, we spent nine hours hanging out in the strangely empty yet massive Guangzhou airport, snacking on dumplings and moving from one hard plastic seating area to the next.

Despite that initial hiccup, our travel was smooth. We arrived in Colombo, exchanged dollars for rupees, bought Matt a SIM card for his iPhone, and easily hailed an Uber to our AirBnB. We “splurged” ($28/night) for a nice studio apartment for four nights in Colombo, knowing we would want a quiet, relaxing place to unwind and re-coop from days of travel. It’s been the perfect set-up. Check out this link to see the listing for our AirBnB.

After a choppy night of jetlag-ridden sleep, we were energized about exploring Colombo. For those who are less familiar, Colombo is the largest city in Sri Lanka and the country’s economic capital. It is located on the western coast of the teardrop-shaped country, and has a 2,000+ year history as a trading hub. Because of Sri Lanka’s dynamic colonial history, Colombo’s buildings are diverse in their architecture and the food is an interesting blend of various cuisines. It’s been relatively hot and dry since we arrived, reaching the high 80s in the afternoons. Colombo is very unique because it is ethnically and religiously diverse—about 31% Muslim, 31% Buddhist, and 23% Hindu. This diversity is obvious everywhere you look, as religion is a prominent element of Sri Lankan society and there are many houses of prayer around Colombo.

On our first day, Matt and I set out on foot—our favorite way to explore new places. Considering we clocked in 22,000 steps on day one and 23,000 on day two(!), I felt the title of this blog post was an appropriate one. We first walked through Viharamahadevi Park, which is sort of like Colombo’s version of Central Park with exercise equipment, a lake with swan boats, walking paths, food stalls, and of course—a big golden Buddha. We headed next to the National Museum, which explores both the natural and cultural histories of the country and houses large collections of tools, coins, artwork, and colonial artifacts from Sri Lanka. I was especially interested in the agricultural history of Sri Lanka, and Matt liked the original throne and crown from the Kandyan monarchs of Sri Lanka. We paid a visit to the first Buddhist temple of our trip—the colorful and labyrinth-like Gangaramaya Temple—and finished the day with a stroll along the Galle Face Green, a large oceanside park area with food stalls that often hosts local cultural festivals.

Golden Buddha in Colombo's Viharamahadevi Park.

In front of the National Museum of Sri Lanka.

Walking through the Gangaramaya temple. 

Day Two in Colombo was also an active one. We first hailed a “Tuk-Tuk” via the Uber app, if you can believe it! It was my first Tuk-Tuk ride—not Matt’s though. The 15-minute ride cost us just 75 cents. Check out this Wikipedia article if you are less familiar with countries that rely heavily on auto rikshaws for local transportation. These three-wheelers are absolutely everywhere in Colombo, and many are hooked up to Uber or the Sri Lankan ride-hailing app, PickMe. We were dropped up in the colonial “Fort” district, which has a variety of sights listed in all the guidebooks including a clock tower, light house, old Dutch hospital that is now a shopping center, the World Trade Center, and the President’s House. Next, we visited the Pettah district of Colombo, which was by far our most favorite of everything we have seen so far. This historic area is chock-full of marketplaces—not the hokey tourist-trap kind, but the authentic, bustling, crazy, pungent, crowded kind. We people-watched, examined hundreds of kinds of vegetables and fruits that we had never seen before, wound through crowded alleyways lined with crates of dried fish, and passed by colorful mosques, temples, and churches that spoke to the diverse nature of Colombo.

One of our favorite yet understated stops was the Wolvendaal Church on the outskirts of Pettah, which bears tombstones from the 1600s, and has been a Protestant home to people speaking Dutch, Burgher, Singhalese, Tamil, and English over its history. Unfortunately, like many of the historic sites in Colombo, the church has fallen into disrepair. We mused that if this church existed in the US, it would have been re-painted, re-enacted, and monetized much like Mission San Juan Capistrano or the Freedom Trail (both of which we recently visited). Below are a handful of pictures from our second day in Colombo.

Colombo lighthouse in the Fort district.

Walking the busy streets of Pettah.

Spiciest meal I've ever eaten! The vegetarian lunch spread at Upali's restaurant included curried jackfruit, carrots, green beans, and red rice - all for 425 rupees (USD $2.33)!

Matt and I have spent a lot of time discussing our initial perceptions of Colombo. We have enjoyed tasting the incredibly spicy foods, smiling at the friendly people who wave to us on the street, observing the adorable schoolchildren in uniform, and marveling at the vast amount of construction happening everywhere we look.

One of the most challenging elements of traveling in Colombo, however, has been the air pollution. A thick haze covers the city, and the poison air can be smelled and felt in the back of our throats as we breath throughout the day. Matt had experienced this phenomenon in China, but I had never been to a city so smoggy. It’s a bit distracting and disappointing, especially when we consider the millions of people who live here and endure this air quality every day.

We have also thought a lot about the violence and civil unrest that plagued Sri Lanka—especially Colombo—in recent decades. We consider the implications of years of war on the economy and how conflict has hindered Sri Lanka’s ability to maintain historic sites and improve infrastructure like sidewalks, signage, and public transportation systems. We see so much untapped tourism potential here; it will be interesting to see how the city develops over the next decade.

We’ve had a fascinating couple of days. I am sure our observations will evolve and deepen as we see more of the country. If you’ve gotten this far, thanks for reading and stay in touch!