Monday, February 17, 2025 - Colombo, Sri Lanka

The sail into the Capitol city of Colombo was not very exiting.  The enormous port was filled with containers, giant cranes, moving equipment, and workers wearing hard hats and brightly colored vests.  The original harbor was built in the 14th century, and has undergone a number of expansions and updates since that time.  Since our ship docked at quite a long distance from the entrance to the port we were not allowed to walk so buses parked immediately outside our ship.  We were warned that the tuk-tuk drivers positioned at the edge of the port gate were often sharks who hike the price of rides for cruise ship passengers so it's a good idea to take one of the ship's tours, if possible, since there was no shuttle into town.

Once we were on the bus and out of the port we discovered a fascinating city bustling with activity.  There were magnificent old colonial buildings mixed with modern new structures.  We passed a number of lively markets selling fresh meat, fish and produce as well as numerous souvenirs of this island nation and it's many natural wonders.  There was a mix of order and chaos as we made our way through the long lines of traffic and horns honking. The sites and sounds of the city can be intoxicating with the scents of spices wafting through the air, tangled streets, frantic tuk-tuks and grand colonial buildings which have been turned into hotels.  

Sri Lanka is a land of many cultures and faiths.  Buddhists, who arrived in the 6th century, still dominate but there are many Hindu and Muslims, as well as Christians.  Since the civil war ended in 2009 there has been a peaceful co-existence among these religious groups.  Colombo is filled with temples, mosques, and churches.  Economic conditions are improving and there is a building boom in the city.  There is a HUGE area of "reclaimed" land being built in the harbor that was bought by the Chinese.  Once the project is completed it will be an entire city within the city of Colombo, with homes, businesses, schools, health services, theaters, stadiums, etc.  Our guide said it is scheduled for completion in 2040.

Our tour took us on a fairly comprehensive sightseeing drive through the city.  As we exited the port we passed through the section of town known as Pettah.  The excitement on the streets was palpable.  This is the center of trade for the port.  The mayhem created by the traders who were frantically haggling over prices was exhilarating.  The goods in this area are geared toward the wholesalers.  Each block is devoted to sale of a single item.  For sample, one block sells all the electronics, while the next block sells toys.  Such great organization certainly saves some time for the buyers and makes shopping much easier for all customers, including tourists!

As we made our way through town we passed the Lotus Tower, which is 1,150 feet high.  This is the tower that appears in so many advertisements for the city and is a lovely representation of this fascinating city.  That evening, Bob and I went to the top of our ship to get an unobstructed view of the tower at night.  We were rewarded with a spectacular view of the tower with brilliantly colored lights lighting it up and changing the color every few seconds.  It was absolutely beautiful.  

On our daytime tour, after seeing the Lotus Tower, our bus driver had to maneuver his way through the many tuk-tuks, taxis, and motor bikes  He told us that the 3-wheeled tuk-tuks are easy to turn left, easy to turn right and EASY to turn over!!  He added that streets are made more chaotic due to some of the poor drivers.  Although everyone must pass a driving test before they are issued a license, if you are willing to pay off the people at the DMV they will issue one to you without passing the test.  Evidently, they are quite a corrupt agency.

As our tour continued, we arrived at the main street in Colombo. Although this area was a visual overload for our senses, it had a very different vibe than the Pettah area.  In Pettah there was a manic feel as if buyers had only a few minutes to complete all their business transactions.  Although the main street was overflowing with locals and tourists, people appeared serious, walking abruptly as if they were on a mission. It felt much more like organized chaos.  

It's quite interesting to note that the Chinese have their footprint everywhere throughout this large, metropolitan city.  The enormous harbor project is just one of their many projects throughout Colombo.  They are also building a major highway which will connect the airport to the port. China has lent Sri Lanka enormous amounts of money to upgrade the city.  They have also arrived with their own citizens and built projects themselves.  I'm not sure we have been in a country where they Chinese have been involved in so many projects.  I actually felt a sense of uneasiness as I realized what a strong presence China has in this island nation.   

The drive through the city was quite enjoyable.  Many of the streets are lined with large tree limbs covered with rich, dark green leaves overhanging the street.  There are parks everywhere and the mixture of modern skyscrapers built next to traditional, 19th and 20th century buildings is fascinating and give Colombo a lovely, eclectic appearance.   We made a brief photo shop at Independence Memorial Hall before continuing our drive. This is a national monument built for the commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from British rule with the restoration of ull governing returned to Sri Lanka and an elected legislature.  

Our tour continued with a stop at the amazing Gangaranmaya Temple, one of the most important temples in Colombo.  It was built by a 19th-century shipping merchant who was looking for a suitable plot of land to build a temple for a Buddhist god.  It is a fascinating mix of modern architecture and culture.  The temple's architecture demonstrates an eclectic mix of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and Chinese designs.  This Buddhist temple includes several imposing buildings including the temple, pagoda, bodhi tree, assembly hall for monks, relic chamber, museum, library, residential hall, a 3-story pirivena (monastic college for the education of monks), education halls and an alms hall.  It covers an enormous expanse of land, and is very impressive.   

We had ample time to wander the temple and grounds independently and I unexpectedly happened into a Buddhist ceremony.   Worshipers were bringing in baskets of fruits and flowers and laying them at the feet of the large statue of Buddha.  This presentation was followed by prayers, incantations and supplications.  Unfortunately, I needed to leave  before the service was finished but it was a beautiful, reverent and interesting ceremony.  

 

The temple grounds included the much revered and sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya (Bo tree) which legend says this type of tree in India provided shelter for Lord Buddha as he remained underneath it, meditating for 49 days until he reached enlightenment.  Over time, the temple has become renowned for its vibrant festivals, religious ceremonies, and charitable initiatives.  Throughout its history, Gangaramaya Temple has served as not only a spiritual center but also as a hub for cultural preservation, education and community service.  Under the leadership of successive generations of Buddhist monks, the temple has continued to thrive and adapt to the changing needs of society. This temple is definitely a magnificent structure and a site worth visiting.

After spending some time exploring the temple and surrounding grounds, we made our final stop for high tea at the Taj Samudra Hotel.  As we enjoyed our tea and sandwiches there was a local Calypso band playing for us.  It wasn't exactly the type of music we were expecting in this area, but their effort was appreciated. Bob and I finished with a few minutes to spare before boarding the bus so we walked over to the hotel's main entrance and made our way to the gift shop (we knew every hotel has one)!  

We managed to find a few items for gifts and then we made our way back to the bus just in time to board before it left to return to the ship.  It has been an interesting and informative tour and we really enjoyed our time exploring this fascinating city again. 

Tonight, after dinner, our ship is treating us to a party on the pool deck as we sail away from Sri Lanka on or way to the Maldives.  Inn addition to live music by our fabulous cast, there is a "chocolate extraordinaire", a buffet of every chocolate dessert imaginable!  Although we made our way upstairs to see the desserts, we managed to keep our hands of all of them and return to our suite.  Quite a remarkable achievement for me, since I truly love chocolate!!! 

Thankfully, tomorrow is a sea day and then the following day we will arrive in the Maldives where Bob will go snorkeling as I remain on the ship for the day.  This was the location on our world cruise in 2018 where I first sustained my back injury so I'm not eager to get off the ship here!!!