Colombo | The Oriental Crossroad
š1.Ā Returning to Colombo, the car ride left my back and waist aching. šThe landmark Lotus Tower has an entrance fee of 20. Locals pay in rupees, while foreign tourists pay in US dollarsāthis totally put me off. š Instead of spending money on that, itās better to take distant shots when itās lit up at night. ā š2.Ā The birds drinking water in the fountain in front of the Lotus Tower arenāt pigeons, but crows. š„Crows are everywhere: on the street trees in the city, by the seaside embankments. š„ This morning, while eating, a crow stood on the water pipe of the air conditioner outdoor unit, pecking at water. Iš„ watched it with great interest for a while. ā 3š½.Ā The Buddhist museum Gangaramaya Temple is thriving with incense. š Even after sunset, people keep coming to participate in activities. š„¦There are so many shoes taken off at the entrance that the air smells of sweaty feet. š„ A circle of people gathers around the stupa, another circle under the ancient tree, and a group sits in the hall. š„¦When you go out and turn left, you can drop by Gangaramaya Seema Malaka (the Water Temple) ā itās recommended to visit when itās lit up at night. ā š¶4.Ā The Pink Mosque (Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, or search for Red Mosque) is near the harbor. š„The main street next to it is packed with billboards, adding a strong commercial vibe to the neighborhood. ā š„5.Ā To buy some souvenirs to take home, I wandered to the mall near Galle Face Green. š The mall was crowded, and the beach was too. Whether enjoying the air conditioning or the sea breeze, I cherished this weekend that was coming to an end. ā š¶6.Ā I have to say that paying by card makes people happy. I bought several bags of gifts. Then I went to eat near the Lan Hospital, "overjoyed". š„What Iāll miss most before leaving is that hanging roasted chicken shawarma. š„ When checking out, I told the staff, āThis is the most delicious Sri Lankan dish Iāve had. šI came a week ago, and here I am again today.ā They kept expressing their thanks. ā š„¦7.Ā Unexpectedly, posting on Moments led to a reunion with my graduate school classmate XY. š„Sheās been working here for over a month. She treated me to dinner next to Viharamahadevi Park, and we talked for a long timeāmore than all the words we exchanged when we were classmates. š¶Suddenly, I realized what a treasure my old classmate is. š„This was definitely the most unexpected and unforgettable gain in Colombo. #Colombo#ColomboTravel#SriLanka