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JULIET COOMBE
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Colombo's cultural HOT HOUSE!
It has never been a more exciting time to be in Colombo with
previously closed roads now open and having lots of exciting new things
to buy, see and experience. So off I went one afternoon armed with an
umbrella to stop myself being engulfed by the monsoon rains or worse
still being burnt to a crisp by the severe tropical sun to discover a
new exciting walk and some great new places to eat.
Marine Drive is all about enjoying the sea breeze, the sunset and
varieties of piping hot savouries. The best time for this is in the late
afternoon (about 4), when the heat of the day starts to ease off and the
city comes to life with street hawkers biking along with exciting spicy
short eats freshly made that afternoon. Start out from the end of
Station Road in Bambalapitiya and make your way south, down Marine
Drive. It's impossible to get lost on this walk as its just one straight
line following the sea. The road runs along the old British built rail
tracks and the coast, parallel to Galle Road, where you can see bright
red and blue trains jam packed with the daily commute.
Trains, fishermen, couples
When walking, stick to the right side of the road, it's safer as you
can see the traffic coming towards you. On the way you will see passing
trains, traditional fishermen and young couples cuddling up under an
umbrella. Along the way you will enjoy haggling with street vendors
selling corn on the cob or delicious mangoes or pineapples with a dash
of salt, pepper and chilli powder (optional but well worth it as it will
cool you down on the hottest days). Do grab one for a quick munch.
Look out for the orange coloured Indian Oven - an Indian street food
cart. The location of the cart usually varies between Shrubbery Gardens
and Frankfurt Place (both in Colombo 4). Hard to find...well not to
worry as the easiest thing would be to call the owner - Pavan on
0777-285286 and find out the day's location plan. It's worth it!
Just after you pass the over 100 year old Holy Family Convent on the
left, one of the island's oldest girls' schools, you'll come across the
Nimal Road Jumma Masjid, which has a rather striking contemporary
architectural design, definitely worth the stop and to capture on
camera. By this time the sun would have started its descent into the
horizon and the sky turns into shades of orange, red or sometimes even
pink like the islands most important gemstone, the King sapphire. Keep
walking along and pop into the Global Towers bar on the left of
Alexander Place. You won't miss it. By the time you're done, the stars
will be shining and the streetlights will be on to guide you on your
way.
Jaffna Yaal
As you keep walking south towards the Wellawatte train station's
walkover turn left to Station Road. Keep going up the road till six
buildings before the traffic lights (on the Galle Road intersection),
and on the right you will find the Jaffna style Yaal restaurant at 46/1,
Station Road, Wellawatta. Step in for some authentic Jaffna vegetarian
food served on a banana leaf and wash it down with some sweet tea for a
couple of hundred rupees, it's great value and delicious. It is also a
great spot to meet the locals and learn about the new cool spots to
check out, the latest Indian sweet shop to open, the best place to buy a
sparkly Bollywood sari and the nuts and bolts of the latest films being
shown on the big screen. Everything in this area is larger than life and
that includes the drinks, which are every colour of the rainbow.
Cultural Treasure trove
People who haven't explored Colombo properly will tell you that there
really isn't much to see except walls with layers of decaying posters,
historical sites ruined by high rise buildings, streets clogged with
traffic, a hand full of five star hotels and a few shopping
malls. They
are wrong! The city is a historical and cultural treasure trove, it's
vast and punctuated with exciting different things that you can only see
if you don't mind catching the tourist bus. After Marine Drive there are
numerous other exciting spots to walk and the good ol' British red
double decker open top bus turned into a sightseeing vehicle is probably
the best way to discover them. The guides on these are incredibly
knowledgeable and will truly bring the city to life in the most magical
way.
The Colombo City Tour run by Ebert Silva Holidays (Pvt) Ltd. and the
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority have excellent historic guides.
The bus currently runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from the
picturesque Galle Face Green. Tickets are available at leading hotels,
Sri Lanka Tourism and Ebert Silva Holidays, for a complete list of
hotels and pick up points, visit their website -
www.colombocitytour.com.
Architecture of ages
Taking you right round the city with an exciting commentary in
English to entertain and educate you, the tour helps explore the
temples, the kovils, the colonial buildings, the museum's prehistoric
findings and the city's other prime attractions without the hassle of
driving yourself through heavy traffic or spending a fortune on taxis.
From the contemporary design of Sri Ponnambalwaneswar Kovil in
Kotahena to the British built Fort Railway Station to the Bawa designed
Seema Malakaya in Slave Island and Parliament building in Sri
Jayawardenepura you will discover numerous exciting spots to walk and
discover Colombo's hidden history. However, it is Marine Drive you will
remember with its spectacular views, quirky street sellers and karaoke
spots like Global Towers.
All Aboard - Colombo City Tour Hotline: 0777-599963 or for more
information contact Sri Lanka Tourism 071 48880570 or 077 2544 117 |