Halfway
through our two-month Beach Hop Asia 2016 backpacking trip, me and my buddy
headed to Sri Lanka after exploring Malaysia and Thailand for a month, and
Colombo was our first stop. For Philippine passport holders, a visa is needed
to get in. We secured ours online and shelled out $35 each for the Electronic
Travel Authorization which allowed us a double entry to Sri Lanka for 30 days
(you may apply here).
We had three days of transit time in Colombo on the onset and finale of our Sri Lanka trip. Going around the city was easy as you can walk around or ride a metered trishaw, yes metered. But we had a rented car from JNW Lanka Tours which made everything hassle-free.
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| Train tracks nearby Indian Ocean |
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| They asked if they could take a snap with me. Such a cute gesture :) |
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| Main Street |
After
two hours of deep slumber, we were collected by our driver, Mr. Karu, for a
half day exploration around key spots in Colombo.
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| Galle Face Beach |
Independence Memorial Hall
No.7,
Independence Avenue, Colombo
The
sun was at its best as we got off the car. The place was almost empty if not
for the two guys who were having some lull time between the huge pillars. It
was quiet and serene.
It
was only after I read the inscription from a marker that I learned about Sri Lanka’s
Independence Memorial Hall. Intricate carvings adorned the numerous columns on
the open aired hall. A statue of Rt. Hon. Don Stephen Senanayake, Sri Lanka’s
Father of Nation, stood tall in front of the hall. Me and my buddy would’ve
checked out the lush garden around if not for the intense heat.
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| Independence Memorial Hall |
Dewatagaha Mosque and Shrine
C.W.W.
Kannangara Mawatha Road, Colombo
Next
stop was at ODEL Mall in which we did some errands. We found a nice deal on a
money changer ($100 = LKR14,400) and bought a local sim card (LKR400). The guys
from the telecom shop gladly assisted us on registering it with our passports
and enjoyed the fairly fast data connection. We used this for our social media
needs, priorities, haha.
We
weren’t really interested much on shopping so we went outside and saw this white
mosque across the street. It was our first taste of the busy Colombo urban
life.
We
were looking for street food, no luck, and found ourselves in front of the
Dewatagaha Jumma Masjid and Shrine wherein hundreds of pigeons rested on the
pillars and cornices of the mosque. Pilgrims and worshippers went in and out of
the gate of this two hundred-year old structure.
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| Dewatagaha Mosque and Shrine |
Victoria Memorial Building
Ward
PL Road, Colombo
We
sauntered around the roundabout where we noticed an old building of red and
yellow bricks. Old trees surrounding it made it more charming.
The
striking structure is believed to have been built in 1906 (but there was a 1903
inscription at the edifice) as a tribute for Queen Victoria of Britain’s
diamond Jubilee. We took some snaps, walked a bit and then people-watched.
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| Clock towers are such a common sight in Sri Lanka as it was used as a source of time before the advent of watches |
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| Victoria Memorial Building |
F.R.
Senanayake Mawatha Road, Colombo
Mr.
Karu brought us to Colombo’s Town Hall. Built in 1928, this is where the seat
of the mayor is located as well as the municipal council. The manicured lawn
provided a refreshing frontage to it. We wanted to chill for a while on a park
in front of it but we had limited time so we had to go, too bad.
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| Colombo Town Hall |
Gangaramaya Temple
61
Sri Jinarathana Road, Colombo
Karu,
our cheery driver, also brought us to a Buddhist Temple complex. There was an
entrance fee of LKR100 to the Gangaramaya Temple and we left our slippers on
the designated area and went on with our exploration.
The
temple complex had different areas; there’s a museum, some prayer rooms, a white
pagoda and more holy spots. We had to be discreet as there were worshippers
around but some guys who took care of the complex happily guided us, and they
asked no fee or whatsoever.
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| Gangaramaya Temple |
Red Mosque
No.228,
Second Cross Street, Colombo
Hours
before we fly out of Sri Lanka we stopped by another mosque. We saw this unique
red mosque on the way to Sigiraya weeks before and we asked Mr. Karu if we
could pass by before we head to the airport.
We
went to a busy street, much more like a shopping area in Colombo, and were
dropped at the back entrance of Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque along Main Street. It is
believed to have been built in 1908 in red and white bricks making it stand out
from the rest of the shopping malls around the area.
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| Red Mosque |
It’s such a shame for us to stay for only two nights in Colombo. We wanted to stroll along the busy highways and narrow alleys and search for some local eats but we didn’t have enough time. Next time, I know there will be next, we'll do that for sure.
JNW Lanka Tours
*JNW
Building, 67 Maligakanda Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
*Arrival
Hall, Travel Service Counter No.6,
Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, Sri Lanka
Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, Sri Lanka
Contact
Number: (+94) 777.396983 | (+94) 11.2698334
Email
Address: jnwtours@eureka.lk
Website: http://jnw-tours.com
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