A lot of people I talk to say that Colombo is a dull place
to travel to and stay. It has no activity that is exciting. But I say to each
their own. For the local Sri Lankans, Colombo is their pride. Colombo is the
biggest city in Sri Lanka, and the financial capital of Sri Lanka. The
political capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayawardena Kotte which is a few
kilometers East from Colombo.
Sri Lanka is a not an expensive destination, but it depends
on the area you go to, eat at, and stay at. If you stay near the Galle Face you
may end up spending more. If you have traveled to this country to particularly
stay on a mountain, a tea plantation, or on a rock, Colombo may not be for you.
There are lot of buses from Colombo towards Central Sri Lanka where tea
plantations, and hills are accessible. This is an island nation like everybody
knows. Finding a beach is not a problem at all.
The City
This city has a great vibe. It has seen its highs and lows.
The lows being the terrorist attack on many government establishments in the
city until the late 90s by Tamil extremists, and the ugly anti-Tamil riots that
hit the city on three occasions in its independent history. Tensions were
always on a high throughout the Civil War. However, I see that both Sinhala
people and the Tamil people have been co-exist since the war ended. The high
point is that the city is always on a high. It has great night life too.
This island nation has been successful in attracting
tourists. There are many kinds of tourists who come to Sri Lanka. Some are
history lovers, some would like to stay in nature, and some would stay next to
a beach. Once again I say, to each their own. I am sure this city was once a
desolate piece of land; over time European powers came for trade, later ended
up taking over the administration of the city, and have transformed the city to
a major trade destination during the medieval period.
Ever since independence, despite all the challenges the city
has faced, Colombo is now one of the best business destination in South Asia.
There is lot of Chinese investment throughout the city. There are commercial
spaces, residences, and there is also a commercial port being built.
The People
The people of Sri Lanka are nice, welcoming of foreigners.
They are responsible for the positive vibe of the city. Before I got here, I
have heard that they are hostile towards foreigners, especially Indians.
However, contrary to the belief, they were nice, and completely not hostile
towards Indians like I was led to believe. Colombo has grown way beyond hate,
and has emerged as one of the best cities to live in South Asia.
The city is clean, as was the rest of the country. There is
a startup culture in Sri Lanka. Young men and women are trying to create
opportunities for themselves. You feel happy when you see beautiful products
created by them, and you would want to buy them. People have lot of ideas, and
they are using their ideas to solve local issues.
Conclusion
Whenever I travel to a new city, I always make it a point to
explore it, meet local people and check if I can live there. Colombo has a good
transportation system, quaint cafe's, beautiful neighborhoods, and one of the
best food in the world. You will be hassled by touts at the beginning, but if
you learn the ways, you could easily live here, even as a foreigner. Why would
you not live in Colombo, when there is easy access to beautiful beaches, and
pretty cities like Galle, Kandy? If you get a chance to either live and work
there for an year, or travel there, say "Ayubowan."
