Colombo Favorites

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Favorite thing: There are no ATM or Currency Exchange facility to change your Sri Lankan Rupee in to foreign currency once you get inside the boarding area and clear Immigration for Departuture.

Departure Gate. There is a ATM on the right hand side beside entrance gate before the first security scaner, and banks counters at the Departure Hall a receipt is required proving that you had sold the foreign currency to any exchange company and the amount you going to buy back should not exceed that receipt, or you can say the money was drawn from ATM when you arrived, it is advised to convert Sri Lankan Rupee in Colombo or Negombo to avoid higher conversion at the Airport.

There is one small coffee shop and a convinient store on the left of the departure hall if you want to dispose off small amount left or keep them as suvineer if the Bills are crispy

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Favorite thing: There is one ATM on the back side of Commercial Bank Counter. Slightly on left side after coming out of arrival hall.

Its better to draw money from VISA ATM rather then selling the foreign currency to the Bank Counters which offer lower rates then the open market. There is no extra charges when i used my Debit Card.

Favorite thing: You can get detailed Map of Sri Lanka for Free at the airport, there is a magazine rack right after you come out, before the Sri lankan airline over night stay counter. This magazine EXPLORE SRI LANKA is for Free and there is a map inside,

This map have detailes of Colombo, Anuradhapura, Plonnaruwa, Nuwara Eliya, kandy and Galle,

This is a monthly magazine, also contains some useful information about Hotels and recreation places. Dont forget to pick your copy.

Favorite thing: Fort is a big train station on the Northern part of Colombo city centre. Trains from there around the rest of island are very inexpensive.

There is also a tourist info place that I found useful. the 2 guys working there were helpful not only in providing info on trains, they also provided info on other transport, events and also booked my hotel for me for later on that night.

There was a couple of German people and a Japanese guy there at the same time as me and usual there was very qiuickly a conversation broke out among us sharing tips and experiences.

Unlike the Tourist Board office near Galle Road, tourist info at Fort station opens on Sundays.

Favorite thing: I stayed in Colombo for 2 nights and couldn't wait to get out of the place (I had booked for 3 nights but left early). I've been living in India for a couple of months and that I knew what to expect from people hassling you in the streets. Colombo is a whole league worse in my opinion.

The tuk tuk drivers come up to you in the street and seem to think that if they badger you long enough you will eventually give in. When you say to them, ' no thank you', and walk away, some them do a U turn, drive 30 metres up the street, U turn again and then start on you once more. At one point I flagged down a taxi (and I mean a taxi, not a tuk tuk) and asked how much to bar I was going to try. I was told 200 which I agreed to without arguing. I got into the front seat ready to roll. The driver then gave me some crappy line and then said it was going to be 300. I turned to my left and went to open the car door and leave. The driver then grabbed my right arm and would let me leave, saying, '200, 200, 200'. I wouldn't do business with this guy even if there wasn't a single other can driver in the world so I continued in my attempt to leave. He wouldn't let go of my arm and so this ridiculous tug of war ensued with my trying to leave the cab with the driver pulling on my right arm trying to prevent me from leaving.

Then there is people walking in the street and coming up making out they are warm and friendly and welcoming before turning the conversation on to the subject of gem stones and how great it would be for me to see some.

The high military presence (my cab was stopped at 3 cheque points on the way into Colombo from the airport and passed through dozens of others) you kind of get used to. One evening going home from a bar in a tuk tuk I was stopped 3 times on a journey of only 3 - 4 km. At one point when I was in a tuk tuk from the station to my hotel, the tuk tuk was waved down by military people one of whom then jumped in beside me in the back seat as he then tagged along for a journey he had to make.

There are suprises in bars too. I was in a German bar on Galle Road and asked for a vodka and orange. The drink was popped in front of me and I asked how much I owed. I was asked to wait a moment. This seemed a little unusual but I did as requested. A couple of minutes later I asked again and once more I was asked to wait. This seemed very strange to me and I made a point of not touching my drink (I still hadn't consumed any) until I seen the bill. I asked again and once was more was told to wait. By this time I knew something was up and made it clear I wasn't touching my drink until I seen the bill. Over 10 minutes after asking how much I owed I was finally given the tab and all was revealed - I was being billed for a double even though I didn't ask for this.

And of course there was the scams in the allegedly 5 star luxury hotels (see reviews of the Galadari and Taj hotels.

Fondest memory: Leaving the place.

Favorite thing: Thnx sahanj n Treshi,

The ADSL at 25$ looks good and should be sufficient. The guys at work should be helpful and they have an apartment for me ready as well, if I do eventually take up the job offer, but I dont know the location as of now.

Finally, I'll do a lot of my own research as well..and one more thing, do you have wireless internet in Colombo?

Thnx again

Ali

Favorite thing: The flag as can be seen attached consists of a red(dish) rectangular panel bordered yellow containing a yellow lion passant holding a sword upright and four pipul leaves, one in each corner, and next to the hoist two vertical stripes, green and orange, also bordered yellow together.

The design of this flag has evolved gradually in an attempt to achieve national unity since the country, then known as Ceylon, gained its independence from Britain in 1948. Originally, the flag's central emblem was a gold lion and sword on a red field, derived from the flag of the Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy. As a consequence, it was not popular with the minority groups in the country, and so was amended in 1951 to include a green and orange band, to represent the Muslim and Tamil communities respectively. Finally, when the country adopted the local name of Sri Lanka in 1972, the flag was modified once more, with four leaves of the Pipul tree, a Buddhist symbol, added to the four corners of the dark red panel. This version of the flag was in official use from 1978.

The lion emblem of the Kingdom of Kandy comes with special meanings:
* The eyes - Vigilance and Forward Vision of the State
* The hair brushed in the forward direction - Bravery
* The sword - defense of the homeland and implementation of the laws of the land. (In some older Kotte era flags, the sword was replaced with a Whip)
* The multiple lines of hair seen on the head of the lion - Nobility
* The Equality of height between the head and the tail - The equality between the ruler and the rules.
* The strong paws of the lion - The strength of the Sri Lankans
* The Four Temple finales (or koth) - Buddhism being the national religion of Sri Lanka

Fondest memory: Extracted from Flags Of The World

Favorite thing: I never forget how gentle and caring the people of Sri Lanka. They really genuinely provide their service from heart.

Galle Face Hotel a former British administrative building during the colonial time still one charming and unique on its own. Hotel staff are extremely helpful and caring. I felt trap in the colonial time (a nice way of saying)