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Sri Lanka 's largest and most important city, Colombo was the capital unti the seat of the parliament shifted to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte. Today, this city of more than one million remains the political, commercial and the cultural hub of Sri Lanka. A lively city, Colombo effortlessly blends the past with the present, as it moves into the 21st century. Colombo has attracted many travelers over the ages with its myriad charms, even if it may give the appearance of having seen better days. Another foreigner who dallied here about half a century later was an Andalucian Arab, Iban Batuta,and he was truly smitten. He called it Calenbou , "one of the largest and most beautiful (cities) in the island of Serendib ."

Hard on his heels a Portuguese man of the cloth, Father Fernao de Queyroz, was enamoured with the place, made clear in the gushing letters which he sent home. When the young Englishman Robert Knox ended up there he wrote: " Colombo means, in the Chin gala language, the leaf of the mango tree," too mesmerized to get her name right. The Portuguese spelling of Colombo prevailed until much later when the Dutch, German and French came prefer the dazzling city to be spelt with an "o".

Colonial Colombo
Even after the country won its independence, Colombo's heart clung to the memory of its departed masters. Its monsoon-soaked ribbons of purple-black road teemed with black Morris Minor taxis, whose drivers spoke impeccable English and (almost) always gave the correct change. Their cargo of fashionable wives continued to visit the English stores
Cargill's and Millers, which were still stocked with imported English goods. Now the shelves carry household items in an attempt to compete with modern super markets in the malls of the city's luxury apartment blocks tike Liberty Plaza and Crescat. The traffic swirl of cars and busses is so great that parking outside these grand emporiums is almost impossible and shoppers prefer the suburbs. The traveler who knew Colombo in the early 1900s could return today, at least one aspect of street life would be a little familiar, the ubiquitous trishaw's. These motorized descendants of the man-pulled rickshaws that once plied the streets are an irresistible and very convenient way of getting around town. They have grown a third wheel and the sweating laborer has become a seated driver. In the old days the tariff was calculated by time rather than by mileage. A "first class" rickshaw cost 10 cents for 10 minutes, 25 cents for 30 minutes and 50 cents for an hour. Today, you would do better to negotiate the fare before you get in, since they have no meters.