COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

March 25 - 27, 2023

90+ degrees F, partly cloudy and humid.   


Sri Lanka is an independent Island country about the size of West Virginia with a population of about 22 million.   It is just southeast of the southern tip of India.   Mountains inland (highest peak 8200 feet) and large jungles provide diverse climates and ecosystems throughout the country.   There are reputed to be some 8,000 elephants on the island.   Our neighbors on the ship booked a two day/night safari and said they saw elephants, a leopard and monkeys.   


Colombo is the largest city in Sri Lanka and is it’s capital.   Sri Lanka government, having become independent from Britain in 1948 is a democracy, the oldest democracy in Asia.   It has three branches of government and all officials are elected. Sri Lanka has had its share of troubles - a 26 year-old civil war ended in 2009, and in July 2022 they ousted their president. In September 2022 the incoming president declared a financial emergency and the country defaulted on its foreign debt.  In addition, after a policy that forced farmers to do only organic farming and banned the use of fertilizers, food production plummeted, food prices soared and wide spread shortages occurred.   The new administration has reversed those policies, is trying to restructure the foreign debt, and crack down on corruption…in effect trying to right the ship before it collapses into chaos. 


Buddhism is the dominant religion with Hinduism, Muslim and Christianity having smaller representations.   They pride themselves on allowing the 4 religions to coexist peacefully.   That said, terrorist attacks have occurred recently by extreme factions of both the Buddhist and Muslim religions.   An extreme faction of Buddhist monks has been attacking both Christian and Muslim minorities.   Also, on Easter Sunday 2019 The Islamic State, in a coordinated attack, bombed several churches and luxury hotels, killing 269 people.   Josh may have some comments about this as he was there shortly before the bombings and just after.   


Our ship docked at a major shipping port with many giant automated cranes, though we didn't see all that much activity, probably a sign of their recession. 


On our first day in Colombo we took a bus to a modern 5-story shopping center and walked around outside.   We were besieged by Tuk-Tuk (small 3-wheeled golf cart) drivers trying to sell us a tour.   There must have been 100 of them around the entrance to the shopping center and they were really persistent.   We declined…No thank you, No, NO!!   We know they were just trying to eke out a living in a country that is undergoing terrific pain.  Tuk-Tuk vehicles were the main form of transportation throughout the city.    


The next day we took a guided tour of Colombo and saw the many government buildings built by the British, an enormous bizarre where everything conceivable was being sold, the Colombo beaches and the largest Buddhist Temple in the city.   


Sri Lanka would be an interesting place to have an extended stay because of the variety of things to do.  


                            Skyline of Colombo from our ship



                             Tuk-Tuk's galore...three wheeled motorized vehicles


Saw several of these guys with a cobra in a basket.  This one also had a trained monkey.


                    Another view of the ubiquitous Tuk-Tuks


                    One of many Buddha sculptures throughout the city

Glimpse of the market.   This goes on for many blocks.  Vendors selling everything you would find in a grocery store, clothing store or hardware store.   


                                 Inside the largest Buddhist Temple in the City.


                                  One of many statues in the temple


Happy Buddha.  Note the miniature statues in background.   There must have been several thousand buddha statues big and small throughout the temple/museum.



                           Crown that is mounted on an elephant in a ceremonial parade.



2300 year old banyan tree inside the temple complex.   Guide said some people of the Buddhist faith worship this tree.  It is in the same family as ficus.  


 

            Another, more modern Buddhist Temple viewed from the bow of our ship.







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