Colombo, Sri Lanka
The word Security takes on new meaning in central Colombo ; lots of streets totally closed off, frequent police and army check points. Grand Oriental is OK .. rooms small but clean and quiet. Sure it is quiet, you can't drive past this place and when I went out for a stroll at 6pm the streets were dead ..Los Angeles syndrome? The Harbour Room overlooks the harbour alright, but this is not Dubrovnik or even Dover ... I saw container ships and cargo vessels.
The history of the hotel is interesting ; it was built in 1837 as a barracks for officers under reign of King William IV, so it is one of the oldest buildings in central Colombo.
Real hassle to walk around this area because of road blocks but I got to the Railway Station and managed to get tickets to Bandarawela. This was a relief because I was getting so tired of this $60 to $80 a trip for a hired car. If I could not go by train I was just going to cancel the trip and stay here in Colombo until my flight back to England. Train reservations are recorded in longhand in large ledgers (no computers here), but at 580 Rupees each way First Class (that is £2.55 or $5.25 ) it was worth any hassle of finding out how and where to get a ticket. I walked out to the Galle Face Hotel for lunch.. very posh indeed and promenade leading to hotel (right along Indian Ocean) is great for walking. Mad old Victorian department stores --- Millers and Cargills just along from the hotel and also a Government Handicraft Shop, so I added a little bit to the local economy. The Grand Oriental was OK, but the security hassle around there is tiresome although it may be necessary ( Note; subsequent events proved it is necessary and perhaps inadequate) One time I was within 100 yards of the hotel but the police would not allow me to walk across an empty street (blocked to traffic) so I had to retrace my steps and walk an additional 3 blocks (crossing the major road twice). Not amused.
Only one photo because photography is prohibited through most of central Colombo for security reasons.
National Museum
The National Museum. I was not expecting much but this is really a great collection and in particular the labels and description are top class. I found many explanations for things I had seen either here in Sri Lanka or in other Asian countries. (1) early Buddhists did not worship Buddha images .. their Dagobas (temples) had either Buddha footprints, an empty throne or a Bodhi Tree .. images came later with influences from India. (This may account for the fact that in general, Buddhist temples here do not have the clutter that is so common to temples in Thailand and Laos.
(2) Irrigation .. the early kings were keen on control and management of water resources, but it is Parakramabaha The Great (1153 – 1186) who is credited with this comment
'Let not a drop of water enter the sea without being used by man.'
The fine print
Date of travel : November 2007
Country information :
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html