Kolon thota, port on the river Kelani

Our 3rd long haul holidays so far this year: Sri Lanka; after Central America in January and Myanmar in Easter. Not the last of the year yet, since later in December it is still to be decided where to go. For now, Colombo would be our entry point and first city of a much larger tour through most of this fascinating country where we would spend the next 12 days heading south, central and northeast. We knew late September would still be hit by the second yearly Monsoon, and we prepared for this, however we were extremely lucky with 0 chance of rain every day we spent in the country, with every day sun except for the second day we toured in Colombo which happened to be quite cloudy that’s all.

Since the Portuguese named it Colombo back ion 1505, its name has never changed. Believed to be an adoption of the Sinhala language for Kolon thota or Kolamba, meaning port, harbour; it is widely accepted since the city indeed, has a natural large harbour which played a key role in its history for it to become a city of such importance and the capital of the different colonial rules that passed through. From the Portuguese settling a military post, then the Dutch taking over control, with the British as last the only ones who truly developed Colombo into a city, with civil constructions and not merely a military post.

Nowadays, although “mistakenly” confused as the capital of the country, title that goes to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte which is in reality a city of the metropolitan area of Colombo; it is the largest in the island, the cultural and economic hub, and an incredible vibrant city full of history and heritage on every corner. (more…)