Day 80 – Colombo, Sri Lanka

Tim and I caught up on one of the lectures we missed yesterday and watched Dr. Babcock’s talk on “Sri Lanka: A Journey Through Time.” Since we’ll be docking in Sri Lanka this afternoon, it was a time to expand our knowledge about this country.

Sri Lanka: A Journey Through Time

Sri Lanka was first colonized by the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, and then the British, who ruled the country until it became independent in 1972. Evidence from all three of these occupying nations can be found throughout the country.

We learned that Sri Lanka, the “Teardrop of India,” is often called the land of serendipity. Before it was named Ceylon, Sri Lanka was known as Serendib, from which the English word serendipity is derived, thanks to the eighteenth-century fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, whose main characters make discoveries by accident.

Viking Sky docked in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s largest cultural center, just after 2:00 pm, and we saw many examples of both historic and contemporary structures during our sail-in.

Sailing into Colombo

Welcome to Colombo

Tim and I set off on our optional excursion, “Colombo City by Tuk-Tuk,” which was billed as an exhilarating ride past colonial treasures. This was the description:

Journey through the streets of Colombo in a three-wheeled tuk-tuk as you take in the sights of Sri Lanka’s capital. Take a break from modern transportation and marvel at the driver’s ability as he weaves through the traffic. Imagine the days of old Ceylon, Sri Lanka’s former name under British rule, as you pass colonial treasures in the Cinnamon Gardens district, including the Old Parliament Building and the Colombo National Museum. Admire the eclectic mix of Asian architecture at the Gangaramaya Temple, Sri Lanka’s most influential center for Buddhist worship and religious learning. Observe the hive of activity at Pettah Market and immerse yourself in its multicultural flair as you witness the colors, scents and sounds of its Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim mix of ethnicities. Following your time at the market, a motor coach will transfer you the short distance back to your ship.

Colombo is filled with tuk-tuks, three-wheeled vehicles in a range of bright colors. Tuk-tuks are not just a mode of transportation, however, they are part of the adventure itself, as we would discover.

The tuk-tuks today had a bit of a challenge. We were in a caravan of fifteen tuk-tuks, and Tim and I were in #14. Our driver was quite skilled at closely following the others, and he was able to squeeze into almost any free gap between two cars as he zipped around every corner. He wasn’t about to let any other vehicle get between him and #13, no matter what maneuver it might take!

Our Tuk-Tuk and the Caravan Navigating the Streets of Colombo

Although our ride took us all over the city, it wasn’t really a tour. Our driver spoke only a few words of English and simply pointed to the sites that he wanted us to see. Because he was so sweet, that was fine with me. I was simply enjoying the ride itself. It was great fun, and I had a blast!

I did learn that it’s not much easier to take photos from a tuk-tuk than a motorcoach. We were often driving very fast, and other vehicles frequently got in the way of what I wanted to photograph. The results, therefore, are quite mixed.

In trying to decide how to incorporate so many photos into this post, I ended up grouping the buildings mostly by category, not the order in which we passed them. That helped me make sense of all that we had seen.

Disclaimer: Our excursion tomorrow (I’m writing this several days later) also included a brief city tour. If the photos I took then were better than the ones I took today, I’m using those instead.

Government Buildings - General Treasury Building, Prime Minister's Residence, Former General Post Office, Old Parliament Building, Old Town Hall, and Town Hall

Gangaramaya Temple, Buddhist, Statues, and Stupas

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque and Two Hindu Temples

Commerical Buildings

Many Other Interesting Buildings

Markets and Shops

Public Art, a Theater, and Paintings for Sale

A Lake, Beaches, Parks, and Green Spaces, and a Lake with Pelicans

We also made two stops to stretch our legs. The first was Viharamahadevi Park, originally named Victoria Park. Located across the street from the colonial-era Town Hall, it was built by the British colonial administration and is the oldest and largest park of Colombo. The park features include a huge Buddha statue, which replaced the statue of Queen Victoria that originally stood there, and a series of water fountains.

Viharamahadevi Park

We also stopped at Independence Memorial Hall, located in Independence Square, which was built in 1953 to commemorate Sri Lanka's independence from British rule in 1948. The memorial was inspired by the “Magul Maduwa,” the royal court of the King of Kandy, the last kingdom on the island, and incorporates traditional Sri Lankan designs on the columns.

Independence Memorial Hall

Although our excursion offered a visit to the Pettah Market after the tuk-tuk ride, everyone on our bus chose to return to the ship instead. It was time for dinner, and I think we were all hungry.

For me, in just one day, Sri Lanka lived up to its reputation as the land of serendipity. The island was a complete surprise to me, and I enjoyed our visit so much more than I had ever expected.