Colombo
is frenetic, noisy and just a little crazy.
Gratefully, the breakdowns,
traffic jams and power cuts are received with a smile and a shrug.
"No problem" can be the national motto;
it is undoubtedly the one phrase everyone knows and uses. While the
capital holds less distinct interest than many other parts of the
island, it is still a colourful place that is ideal to visit and see what
makes Sri Lanka tick.
Colombo is an easy city to travel around. To the north is
the Fort district, the Sri Lanka's business and commercial quarter.
Fort has shopping centres, bookshops and airline offices, and is also
the important location of the Central Bank, which the Tamil Tigers blew up in
January 1996. Travellers can also find a good selection of interesting places which include the clock tower, a
former lighthouse, the president's residence (known by traditionalists
as Queen's House), and colonial buildings, which lend the district
an air of the bygone Empire.
Sinhalese
dancing is similar to Indian dance but relies mostly on acrobatics,
nimbleness and symbolism to unfold its stories. Colombo is the
place to watch the ritualistic exorcism of 'devil
dancing'. Folk theatre combines masked drama,
dance, drumming and exorcism rituals to vividly recreate Sri Lankan
folklore. Woodcarving, pottery, weaving and metalwork are all
highly developed crafts. Sri Lanka is especially famous for its
gems.
Rice and curry - usually fiery hot - dominate
meal times and include small side dishes of vegetables, meat and
fish. Indian curries such as vegetarian thali,
mildly flavoured biriyani, and a boiled, fried
and dried-in-the-sun vegetable combo, are also available. Hoppers
are a unique Sri Lankan snack, like a pancake, served with egg
or honey and yoghurt. There are plenty of tropical fruits to enjoy,
the tea is terrific and the beer is good.
The city's manufacturing industries are profit
from the processing of raw materials exported through the port.
General engineering industries are connected with public utilities
and with the service, sale, repair, and assembly of motor vehicles
and other machinery. Light manufacturing industries process food,
drinks, and tobacco. Numerous factories are located on the city's
outskirts.
Colombo is the commercial centre
of the island with the head offices of local and foreign banks,
the Insurance Corporation (which has a monopoly of insurance),
brokerage houses, and government corporations all located in the
city. |
