Through the eyes of our member Ms. M. Roy, we glimpse the splendour of Sri Lanka’s colonial past and modern-day elegance. Her recent visit to the island nation made her reconsider her long-held assumptions and fall in love with the ‘Emerald Isle’.
I often accompany my son when he travels abroad to attend conferences. Thanks to him, I’ve had the good fortune of travelling far and wide. I recently visited Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.
We stayed in Mount Lavinia. It was a massive accommodation with over 2,000 rooms. I had never been to such a luxurious hotel before—it was an extraordinary location, right on the beach. Every morning, I woke up feeling as though I was floating on the sea. The meals were elaborate and fancy; there were ballrooms, fountains, and winding staircases that seemed straight out of a film.
We visited Galle, once a Dutch colony. I enjoyed walking in the downtown area—its cafés and plush restaurants were full of smart office-goers—and the Galle Face Green, a long stretch of coastal park. Historically, it was a much larger area built by the Dutch, who placed their cannons along the Face to defend against Portuguese attacks by sea. The residential areas of the city were dotted with houses that were 150–200 years old, built in the Dutch colonial style. It is amazing how well-maintained these houses still are.
We travelled extensively, visiting Sigiriya, the rock fortress atop a table-top mountain, and Kandy, a city surrounded by hills. Kandy has a palace complex belonging to a royal family that ruled the area before the British invasion.
The trip changed my perception of Sri Lanka. Given the recent unrests in the island nation, I had assumed it was a poor country with limited means and high unemployment. I was proved wrong. The roads were spotlessly clean—not littered like ours. We travelled long hours by road and, believe me, it felt like we were flying, so well-maintained were the roads! Not a pothole in sight. My son, who frequently visits Sri Lanka for seminars and meetings, also enlightened me about the local people and their culture, praising their professionalism, work ethic, and dedication.
After I came back home, I felt we are truly rich in friends to have neighbours like Sri Lanka. It was one of my most memorable trips, and I hope to visit the “Emerald Isle” and its wonderful people once again.
(As narrated to Support Elders by our member)
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Notes about the Emerald Isle
