After a good swim, a Saturday afternoon is usually a perfect time for us to walk around the city, relaxed and carefree. We have always planned to do this, just to walk and capture memories of this place in digital images.
Colombo is a city where big century old trees still abound. No wonder we still get glimpses of a wide variety of birds, flying foxes, civet cats, monitors and some monkeys around. The air is still clean and crisp. Funny, because to many Colombo old-timers and locals, this place is already polluted and congested.
Not to us, if we can only extend our stay for a few more years. Yet, we still have a few more months. And we would like to make the most of it by taking idle afternoon walks and some snapshots..
We'd like to start with the Independence Hall..
It took years before the Independence Memorial Hall was built to commemmorate Sri Lanka's independence from Britain on February 4, 1948. It is mainly made of concrete and terracotta roof tiles. The Kandyan design resembles an audience hall with beautiful columns depicting ancient Sri Lankan architecture. Rows of lion sculpture grace the outer edge and the punkala or pot of plenty are placed in corners and outer parts.
Guarded by rows of Ceylon lions, long extinct and immortalized in these stone carvings.
A punkala in one of the four corners. It means pot of plenty. I wonder if there is a treasure inside.
Men were putting up lights on the roof in preparation for the economic summit of South Asian nations.
The view from the east side. A lovely garden. Here, jogger and families come for a walk.
Intricate detail of columns and ceilings.
Columns in ancient Kandyan design.
Column detail fascinates VB.
Night view. Lights were set at the eve of SAARC week.
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