A First Look at Colombo

What a warm welcome on arrival!  Flowers and an orchid Lei. Today as we ventured out to get a first look at the city the theme of flowers continued.

 And these examples are only a sampling of what is visible around every corner.

Unfortunately not everything is beautiful in Colombo as there are reminders of the civil strife that rocked this country for so many years.  Where at one time there were beautiful colonial buildings everywhere now many of these are only ruins of their former selves.  Also, there are high fences which were built to protect the government buildings from the human bombs.

From everywhere you see the
water as Colombo was located to
have a safe harbor which it does.
The sea and sand look inviting
in this busy commercial city by
the sea.

This picture shows the change that is coming as the old is now often being replaced by the new and modern or at the very least they coexist together!  The sign in the forefront is the original grocery and provision store that has branches in all parts of the country.  And you can see the KFC sign in the background...
It seems there is no part of the world that is immune to the fast food phenomenon.

Just so that there is no question about what part of the world I am travelling the Tuc-Tucs shown here should make it clear.  They are always colorful and celebrate the feelings of their drivers!  See the saying on these vehicles.  They are favored in order to weave in and out of traffic easily.  They are quite a sight when there are many of these colorful vehicles careening down the street!