Welkem! Kudla Doctors have a Blast in Colombo-the capital City of Sri Lanka (Part 2)

Welkem! Kudla Doctors have a Blast in Colombo-the capital City of Sri Lanka (Part 2)

• Welkem! (That’s Welcome in Sinhalese language) Kudla Doctors have a Blast in Colombo-the capital City of Sri Lanka (Part 2)

Mangaluru: This column is the second part of the already published article ‘Kudla Doctors Enjoy the Goodness of the Magical Wonderland-Sri Lanka‘ on 26 September, which covered the first two days of our trip in Negombo, Kandy, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Waikkal, and other places. After discovering an island blessed with incredible natural beauty, a rich culture dating back millennia and a wealth of wildlife- and also with its national parks, tea-leaf covered hillsides and ancient architecture, where Sri Lanka is a beauty to behold and a wonderful country for a holiday- it was now time to explore the commercial and capital city of Sri Lanka-Colombo for three days.

Even though this was my first trip abroad undertaken by a travel agency, but everything was cool, since we all had the freedom to do whatever we could- there was no fixed schedule, except for one day, when we took the sightseeing tour of Colombo City in a bus. When I took my earlier overseas trips to Mexico, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Peurto Rico, Thailand, Philippines, and Colombia, I was escorted by friends from these countries, whom I had met in Chicago- and the trip would be full of hospitality and traditional. But I had no complaints about this arranged tour, which was full of fun amidst our local doctors.

Checking into the luxurious hotel Cinnamon Lakeside- Colombo on 21 September during late morning hours, after a shower, while a few had a dip in the swimming pool, after lunch few of us went to Bally’s Casino which was nearby to the hotel, while others took a nap, to get ready for the glamorous banquet planned that night at Hotel Mount Lavinia in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka. With a history spanning over 210 years, Mount Lavinia Hotel Colombo is one of the oldest hotels in Sri Lanka. This premier colonial heritage hotel in Colombo has earned a reputation over the years for its magnificent structure and ambiance, the old world charm which harks back to the grandeur of old Ceylon, a romantic legacy left by the colonial Governor-General who used it as his residence, the exceptional service offered by its well-trained staff and its popularity as a venue for weddings. The banquet was superb at this magnificent hotel, surrounded by a beach.

Our stay at the Cinnamon Lakeside was the perfect way to escape within the city and find the luxuries of resort life. It is also the most extraordinary business hotel in Colombo, housing the largest city swimming pool, spectacular landscaping and an atmosphere of adventure. The hotel had a floating restaurant, an aqua foot lounge, delectable international cuisine and inspiring event venues. Stunning views of the Beira Lake and the stylishly chilled architecture combine to transport every visitor to a far-away place of peace and punctuation, heightening the senses at all times. A Walk around the hotel will find yourself relaxing to the pace of a resort, surrounded by definitive, exotic richness. Comfort, personal attention, sincerity and warmth defined this hotel- and the morning sumptuous breakfast with a wide array of items simply fills your belly.

While few spent the whole day at the hotel and casino, a busload of doctors took a trip to Yala and Galle- Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District. The city was extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent landmarks in Galle included the city’s natural harbor, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary’s Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the island, and Amangalla, the historic luxury hotel. Galle is home to the Galle International Stadium, which is considered to be one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world. The ground, which was severely damaged by the tsunami, was rebuilt and test matches resumed there on 18 December 2007. A few took a boat ride, while others enjoyed the scenic beauty.

Returning back after this tour in the evening, it was time to head to the banquet at Hotel Mount Lavinia, located few miles from Hotel Cinnamon Lakeside. Who said doctors can’t party hard? With Dj from Sri Lanka belting out some latest Bollywood hits, the doctors could not resist stepping on the dance floor to shake their body and hips- and added extravaganza was the B-Dance which enthralled the revelers, who were simply having a ball. And the star attraction of the night was Yours Truly, who received a thunderous applaud for my sexy dance moves on the dance floor- and even received tips from my buddy, Dr Kiran Shetty-the Medical Superintendent at Fr Muller Hospital-Thumbay, who was part of the trip. After having enough to drink and eat, it was time to return to our hotel for a good night sleep after a long hectic day.

On 22 September it was time to take a sightseeing tour of Colombo. Visitors to Sri Lanka are often in such a rush to head for beaches, whale-watching tours, tea plantations and elephant safaris, that they don’t stop for a second glance at its commercial capital Colombo. Big mistake. While at first sight, it may seem like a sprawl of a city, with its honking tuk-tuks, corporate skyscrapers and a massive ongoing oceanfront development billed as the next ‘mini Dubai’, Colombo is also a haven for history-lovers and culture vultures. Glitzy new hotels rub shoulders with old colonial architecture, frenetic street markets give a snapshot of the life of old-style trading, while calming Buddhist temples allow a respite of reflection, in this beautiful clean city.

Taking a tour of Colombo City gave us a peace of mind to explore a city which is fast developing but which, at least for now, hasn’t sold its soul. For more than 20 years, Fort – the main financial center – was cordoned off because of the civil war between the Sri Lankan government and the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (known as the Tamil Tigers) who were defeated in 2006. During the whole morning tour around Colombo, we saw sky-scrappers, museums, Embassies of various countries, Temples/Mosque/Churches, Shopping Mall etc- which ended with a shopping spree at the ‘House of Fashion’, where you could find A-Z in the fashion world. Bunch of doctors, including yours truly, spent a few bucks on some cool outfits, which were much cheaper than what you get in India.

For lunch after the shopping spree, many of us patronized ‘Ministry of Crab’- a celebrity and famous seafood eatery place. This seafood joint was created by Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Dharshan Munidase as a celebration of Sri Lanka’s seafood, particularly of her wonderfully sweet and succulent crabs. When you think Mahela and Kumar your thoughts turn to cricket, not to crabs, catches not cuisine! But rest assured, Mahela and Kumar are foodies through and through, as of course is Dharshan whose culinary credentials include founding the internationally acclaimed Nihonbashi. The Crabs were the ‘stars of the show’ at Ministry of Crab, with signature dishes such as Chilli Crab, Pepper Crab and Baked Crab on the menu. The amazing King Prawns from the rivers of Sri Lanka while providing a selective range of delectable accompaniments (a selection of rice and vegetarian dishes) – Ministry of Crab was a culinary experience that will keep anyone coming back for more! And when the bill came, it was better off to pay by card, than cash?

Also visited the Gangaramaya Temple; also the bright, white racecourse grounds and colonial building were converted into a shopping mall in 2014, where you’ll find upmarket stores and boutiques selling a mixture of handmade Sri Lankan goods, batik, masks and traditional clothing; Opposite the racecourse is Laksala, Sri Lanka’s only state-owned store, an emporium selling handicrafts, Ceylon tea and spices, and gemstones – including Sri Lanka’s famous blue sapphires. If you’re buying gems, make sure you get an authentic certification with your purchase. So that was it for our magical tour to Sri Lanka!

What we all loved about holidays in Sri Lanka could fill a book, let’s just say the white beaches, the atmospheric ruins, the mouth-watering array of curries and the verdant rainforests are a good place to start- the impressive amount of UNESCO World Heritage sites on the island, mind-blowing hilltop scenery and Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest, boasting elephants, leopards and crocodiles to name but a few. Of course, we all saw something different such as taking a step back in time with a tour of Kandy, historical walking tours which bring Colombo to life and luxurious, but remote, villas and architectural gems (both ancient and modern) hidden from the usual tourist trail.

And during our five days tour of Sri Lanka, we stayed in characterful, comfortable boutique hotels and lodges that reflected the country’s spirit, with that element of luxury we all loved and experienced the perfect combination of relaxation and discovery. But with all the experience, and extra money that I had to pay more than my buddies, who carried Indian Passport- the next time my visit to Sri Lanka will be ONLY after I switch my U S Passport to Indian Passport- because I got screwed big time at every sightseeing places this time, where I had to pay double as entry fees etc- a punishment for possessing a U S passport-I guess!

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