25-Feb-2024 Colombo, Sri Lanka (Day 2)

For our second day in Colombo, we took a Celebrity Shore Excursion - "Life and Lore of Colombo". This tour would take us past some of the places we had seen yesterday, but there wasn't much overlap in the stops.

A drive from the cruise terminal into town took us past a few sights before dropping us at the Gangaramaya Temple.

We drove past this huge white Buddhist bell shaped dagoba (chedi), this is the Sri Sambuddhaloka Vlhara Buddhist Temple.


Old Colombo Lighthouse or Colombo Fort Clock Tower still functions as a clock tower, but the lighthouse aspect was decommissioned in 1952 when taller buildings around it obscured the light.


Colombo Old Town Hall Building and Museum.


The old Cargills Department Store.

We had already visited inside the Gangaramaya Temple the day before, so we took the opportunity to go across the road to the lake.

These large statues, created from random junk materials, stood across the street from the temple.


Part of the Gangaramaya Temple, Seema Malaka, which translates to “the floating temple,” is built on platforms that appear to float on the tranquil waters of Beira Lake, giving it a unique and serene ambiance. Its design blends traditional Sri Lankan architectural elements with modern aesthetics, featuring wooden pillars, intricate carvings, and a distinctive roof adorned with colorful tiles.


The still, quiet waters of the lake reflecting the highrise towers of modern Colombo.


A couple of pedal boats, and the real ducks that inspired them.


The gilded Buddha in Viharamahadevi Park, the oldest and largest park of Colombo.

Our next stop was the National Museum. Our tour guide led us through the museum, explaining many of the displays.

Scene depicting Shanti Karma, performed to please the demons and to get rid of the misfortune caused by the demons (devil forces) to human beings. The demons will be served with offerings by exorcists. A human sacrifice is exempted as agreed with the demons and a rooster sacrifice is served. It is believed the patient's decease is healed, after performing a Shanthi Karma (Healing Ritual). This is known as a psychological method.

It was an extensive tour of the museum, and nice to get some of the history of Colombo. It was also nice to get back to the bus with some air-conditioning - the museum had none, and it was a hot humid day in Colombo this day.

One of the most visited tourist attractions in the city is the elegant, Aukana Buddha statue. It was established in 1970, and is a replica of the statue situated near Anuradhapura.


One of the more colourful Hindu temples we passed (on the bus).

Our last stop of the tour was an elegant afternoon tea. Very nice. This was at the classic old Gale Face hotel. The Galle Face Hotel, founded in 1864, is one of the oldest hotels east of Suez. It is listed as one of the "1000 Places to See Before You Die" in the book of the same name. It began as a Dutch villa called Galle Face House (named for the stretch of lawn it faces, known as the Galle Face Green). In 1894, architect Edward Skinner completed the design of the hotel's current south wing, and the property has remained largely unchanged until the present day, though with many extensive restorations.

Very nice, with white table cloths and attentive waiters. We were offered tea along with an array of sweet and savory snacks.


The hotel featured a beautiful patio area next to the water. No beach to speak of though.


Our last view of Colombo, with the Lotus Tower in the background, as we boarded our bus to head back to the ship. It was a good tour to have after the tuk tuk tour the day before, and rounded out our experience in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Colombo, Sri Lanka (Day 1) <  Colombo, Sri Lanka (Day 2)  > Hambantota, Sri Lanka
[Asia Adventure - Spice Route Cruise 2024]

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