Colourful Colombo

Yesterday was a beautiful winter day in Dupont. The sun was shining and the air crisp and clean, but even a week after returning from Sri Lanka, getting back to our old routine remains difficult. We had the most wonderful time touring this beautiful island nation, and couldn't have had better guides - one from Sri Lanka InStyle (who customizes small group tours) and of course, my parents, who used to live in Colombo 25 years ago.

Needless to say, the place is a photographer's dream come true. The vibrancy of life, the deep and rich cultural and political history and the variation of landscapes had me clicking away. To avoid a show-and-tell overdose, I'll just be sharing a few photos according to some broad themes over the next month or so. Hopefully they will inspire you to check out the place and uncover more of its beauty yourself!

This first set of photos are from Colombo. This coastal capital city is plagued with traffic (mostly tuk-tuks!), but some areas still display the charm of its former days under colonial rule as well as leafy, refreshing oases away from the bustle of the streets. We enjoyed visiting Gangaramaya and Isipathana temples, the well-done National Museum and the dusty, slightly barren Dutch Museum of Colombo. We also had some time to relax over high tea during sunset at the Galle Face Hotel and lunching and browsing beautiful knick-knacks at Barefoot Gallery and The Gallery Cafe/Paradise Road...