Colombo - Part 2

During my early days of doing free and easy travel, I was pretty apprehensive about making bookings on the Internet. You just can't be too sure if such deals are genuine or fraud. Be it bookings for hotel rooms or ground travel arrangements, there was always that fear of being possibly conned, resulting being left on a lurch - high and dry and lost.

I did quite a bit of research on Colombo, from hotels to mode of transport to shopping places to tourist traps. After much research and reading long comments, I finally decided on Colombo City Hotel (CCH) as our hotel during the four days in Colombo. Located in the business area and main city center, CCH was a modest local hotel next to the World Trade Centre building and Colombo Hilton. Security around the hotel area was tight. Police personnels were stationed on the main streets to ensure everything was in orderly manner.

It was only 10.30am when we got to our room. Since zohor was at 12.15pm we decided to rest in our room before venturing the streets. After some light refreshments (read: Maggie tomyam and raisin bread) and performing our solat jamak and with so much delight, readily armed with my research notes on Colombo visit sites, I was ready to explore the city.

Stark contrast - the World Trade Centre (back) and old shop buildings

Colombo Hilton just distance from CCH

Recognize this?? Yes you'll find BATA shoes all over Colombo

Red building that houses Cargills of Ceylon - a well known retail food outlet & supermarket. This pride of the nation was built by the Dutch.

The walk way at Cargills

Government office (department of criminal justice..if I recall well) and on York Street

Reminds me of what used to be the State Secretariat building in Seremban. This building which houses Bank of Ceylon was built by the British.

GOH - the Grand Oriental Hotel

Old and new....Cargills and Colombo's WTC

Since he can't decide on a tuk-tuk...I went on snapping pictures

(*posted just as the Netherlands jumped with joy after qualifying the WC finals)