Wow how much this country has changed since I first time visited about 3 years ago! The whole Galle Face Green was empty and now everywhere you look are massive skyscrapers. I also discovered so much new and beautiful in the city. Had no idea that Colombo has fantastic and long beaches totally empty! And Negombo as well! Found out a lot about the colonial past in Kandy as well. So much new knowledge to bring home about Sri Lanka. If anyone ever plans to travel there I can give my warmest recommendation!!
We travelled up country by car to Kandy. It's not a long way, about 100 km but takes 4 hours-ish. Only 1 road with 2 lanes. Cars and trucks are overtaking in super dangerous situations and a lot of people die every year. In about 2 years there will be a new highway connecting Colombo and Kandy to make this journey easier. Gorgeous highlands here !
Old entrance to the top was a big lion statue and you enter by the mouth. But only the pawn left
First day in Negombo! Been to Sri Lanka but never had any program in this city. I'm really happy we did now. The beaches are fantastic here and sunsets blood red unlike elsewhere.
Love the "Egg hoppers" for breakfast
The old Dutch Fort...or more ruins than a Fort
Go fish?
And just outside the Fort the Prison
Negombo fish drying carpets next to the market. Fresh smell as you can imagine
Trashed beach, sad
Fishermen, stared pretty hard at me. What's a white boy doing here
Weekend market
Spices look so organic here!
St Sebastian Cathedral
These old British churches in Asia are really something else. The old wood smell inside gives it a different character than anywhere I been before
Stop for lunch at laid back IceBear in Negombo
When in Colombo, you have to stay here. Roger Moore, wife of Napolen, Richard Nixon, Hemmiway are just a few of the names that have stayed here since 1864!
LEGEND!!!
Again, another amazing sunset
Our Colombo event had a full house!
Some BIG BIG lights! And dinosaur looking eggs
Tetris Mosque
The Colombo team, some business updates and future planning
Love the flag in this country!
Waking up from hotel room with a view like this! Love these old hotels where you can open the windows. Nice breeze but very humid.
Bright sunshine!!
On the way to Kandy we stopped by the elephant sanctuary. So many wild ones here! Coming out for a drink for a few hours in the morning
View from the Grand Kandyan hotel
Goofing around in our booth
Traditional welcoming dance arranged for all delegates
Morning coffee goals
Teambuilding evening
Went for a drink in old colonial hotel Queens. What a place! 100 years history and the place hasn't really been updated at all. Colombo Gin and Tonic yes please.
Such a cool dining hall
We had dinner in another colonial hotel called Suisse. 100 years of history here too. Must visit or stay in next time I'm in town.
After the conference we decided to make a small detour before heading badck to Colombo. We stopped by at Kandalama heritage hotel for lunch and then continued to Sigiriya Lion rock. Kandalama was unlike any place I've been to before. Build by a very famous Sri Lankan architect in the middle of nowhere basically but running full occupancy. You can do safaris and see elephants from the infinity pool. What place!!
The rock of ALL rocks!
Climbing up was quite scary. Full of massive wasps and scaffolding way too old. But made it up and down alive. Would def NOT do this when I'm 20 years older.
WOW! The roaring winds up here strong made me think how small we all are. Just around 5 years ago I had hit rock bottom and now sitting on one of the largest rocks in the world in the middle of a jungle. How much things can change!
My last day I stayed in Colombo was at Mount Lavina hotel. The story behind the hotel is amazing. During the British times it was the governors house. He fell in love with a local dancer and build an underground tunnel from her house to his basement so they could meet. Tunnel is still partly there but most of it was destroyed in 1920 for reasons I don't know. The hotel is fantastic thought and has an amazing beach access.
Morning gym here
Tuna had a bad night
How many places can you just freely walk over the rail tracks? The trains here are still run by loud diesel engines. You hear them miles away before they are coming. The Mount Lavina Hotel on the cliffs
