colombochronicles

 Sri Lanka is an amalgamation of South Asian island culture and Portuguese, Dutch and French AND OF COURSE, British influences. (That sounds so Condé Naste-y I hate it let me change writing styles) Okay now there are two ways to explore Colombo:  1. You ha ha hee hee dilly dally and traipse through the boulevards and admire the trees buy some batik and Sri Lankan masks and call it a day or you could  2. Actually experience Colombo for what it is by going deep inside the markets of Kollupitiya and Pettah and haggle like a local for the Nirvana Buddha and then rest by the railway tracks to gaze at the beach and most importantly though, GO SEE A SCHOOL CRICKET MATCH ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON nothing screams more colombo than a cricket match between colombo international school and st. thomas' college. Now although this is extremely niche and is going to require considerable detour, you are lucky enough to have an author who went to one of those schools and could experience the v...

Food. I can only remember the perfectly seasoned lamprais from BreadTalk after a long school day with nothing but fondness. It only helped that BreadTalk was a 2-minute walk from my house. But it's not just the lamprais; every time I reminisce about my culinary adventures in Colombo, an exhaustive list of places rushes to my mind, and I hope that this short blog can do justice to what I have experienced and what I want you to experience. Upali's This is a somewhat popular Sri Lankan restaurant right opposite the Town Hall. My first ever memory of experiencing Sri Lankan cuisine was at this restaurant. The pol roti blew my 5-year-old mind so definitely order that. Pair it with the seer fish curry for the most decadent island delicacy you will have ever tasted. I won't force you to order the Watalappan for dessert, but if you're one to try new things, go ahead. And suppose you're a fan of cricket. In that case, you're sure to bump into a few Sri Lankan cricketers ...

  "Thailand dupe", "underrated destination", "hidden tourist spot"- none of these generic connotations come even close to describing just how charming and serene the pearl of the Indian Ocean is. Although it would be considerably lengthy to pen down my endless love for this tiny island off the shore of India, I have chosen to be brief and focus on the city closest to my heart: Colombo. It's not the capital of Sri Lanka, though it is for sure its heart. As a young five-year-old who was dragged to a completely different country away from her native place, Colombo offered her a home away from home; it was more of a home to her than her actual home could ever be. As I recount all the places in Colombo that I cherish so fondly and ride this wave of saudade, I invite you to see Colombo for what it really is: the loveliest amalgamation of desi island culture, unforgettable vibes, and endless hospitality. We begin with my place of former residence: Colombo 7. ...