Sri Lanka – Colombo – Scenes from around Colombo

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We hired a Tuk Tuk and headed off to explore. The Royal palace:

Temples

Markets

trees

competition

shops and colourful costumes

chickens

A shoe market

Monuments

 

stadia

Fun and interesting.

Sri Lanka – Colombo – Inside the Buddhist Sambodhi Chaithya Temple

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We went up the windy staircase, across the walkway and into the temple. I’m not sure what we were expecting. It was different. Inside the stupa, there were many paintings of the Buddha, temples and scenes. It was massive.

Sri Lanka – Colombo – Buddhist Sambodhi Chaithya Temple

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The Buddhist temple was quite near the docks. It was a big Stupa on stilts. A very interesting structure unlike anything I’d ever seen.

When the sun was setting it stood out on the skyline. Lots of women in white robes were heading off to worship.

Sri Lanka – The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque

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The mosque was an incredible red and white structure. Unfortunately we were only allowed in part of it.

Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque

Sri Lankan Fruit Bats

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These giant fruit bats are fabulous! There were trees full of them in the park – all chattering to each other – just hanging out! (Sorry)

Sri Lankan dancing and music.

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My wife’s a dancer so wherever we travel we have to catch some local dance and music.

Sri Lanka – some birds.

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The bird life was brilliant.

Sri Lanka – Colombo – Buddhist Temple Gangaramaya – The ornate decorations

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The temple was full of surprises with a section with the most lavish intricate designs.

Sri Lanka – Colombo – Buddhist Temple Gangaramaya – The room of Buddhas

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There was something quite amazing – to find this room of Buddhas.

Sri Lanka – Colombo – Buddhist Temple Gangaramaya – Elephants

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Elephants seemed to be venerated. It seemed strange to me. Inside the temple there was a big Elephants head and huge stuffed elephant.

Outside, in a tiny pen, they had a young elephant chained up so that it could hardly move. It seemed a very unbuddhist type of thing to do.

The poor elephant looked half-crazed and was exhibiting all manner of disturbed behaviour.