Colombo Quotes

“Wikipedia: Colombo”

“Wikivoyage: Colombo”

“Colombo was originally a small seaport used by Moor, Arab, Persian and Chinese sailing vessels.”

“The Portuguese occupation of Colombo ended with the siege of 1656 when the Dutch captured the city.”

“The official town planning history attributes the success of the Colombo, 'garden city' plan to Patrick Geddes, casting him in heroic light.”

“Colombo’s antiquated yet meltingly romantic trains (with bare-bones interiors and often with surplus passengers clinging to the side) run straight down the coast.”

“...belief is that the name is derived from the Sinhalese name කොල-අඹ-තොට Kola-amba-thota which means "Harbour with leafy mango trees".”

“Self-administration in 1948, and the following economic development, encouraged skyscrapers to alter the Colombo skyline radically. Stunning hotels and commercial buildings stand out among remnants of the city's architectural past.”

“People are said to prefer Colombo City for both residences and businesses...Colombo virtually offers an unlimited resource for further foreign investment.”

“...algae-laden Beira Lake in the city center, once used to transport goods within the city is now patronized by couples in swan-shaped [[w:Paddle boats|paddle boats.”

“Following the occupation of the coastal provinces of Ceylon by Portuguese, Colombo became the centre of the Portuguese rulers and after the annexation of Kandyan Territory by the British in 1815 it became the capital of the whole island.”

“Centuries of colonial rule saw a decline of indigenous administration and the Ordinance in 1865 which created Municipal Councils to Colombo and Kandy was conceived as a means of training the Ceylonese in the art and science of self-government.”

“As the largest city in Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon, Colombo is the financial and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It has been ruled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British.”

“Colombo is today a vibrant, optimistic city with something for everyone – cheap shopping, fabulous eating options, proximity to the beaches and hills, as well as to the country’s prime Buddhist sites. Plus the city is the hub for one of the major cultural festivals of the country – The Navam Perhera Parade.”

“Forests, pachyderms on the run, gushing waterways - just 350 years ago that was the scenario around the present Regal Roundabout where the cinema hall that lent the place its name flashes its latest cinema pieces via giant posters and glitzy neon lights.”

“"Kolamba" (Anglicised "Colombo") is a Sinhalese word; meaning port, ferry, harbour or haven.”

“The Legislative Council of Ceylon, by a Bill constituted the Colombo Municipal Council in 1865 and Council met for the first time on the 16th January 1866. The establishment of the Colombo Municipal Council was perhaps the first substantial step taken by the rulers to give the Ceylonese as a whole the feeling that Colombo was their city and capital.”

“Galle Face Green is broad stretch of lawn [that] borders the ocean on one side and the city’s business district on the other. On evenings and weekends, the green fills up with a cross-section of Colombo citizens, from elderly couples enjoying the sea breeze to groups of scruffy youths playing cricket, and still others strolling, flirting, jogging and flying kites.”

“Colombo is fast becoming a draw in itself. This city of 555,000 people has been on fast-forward since a 25-year civil war ended in 2009. Checkpoints have come down, trendy lounge bars have opened up, and the vibe is one of cautious optimism combined with an increasingly cosmopolitan outlook.”

“Today, this colorful city on the Indian Ocean, with its laid-back island ambiance, palm trees, decaying colonial buildings and smattering of modern office blocks, is the perfect place to get a sense of where Sri Lanka is going after so many tumultuous years.”