Sri Lanka, A Serendipitous Discovery

A frequent traveller to Sri Lanka, our guest writer and dear friend Mei Lin dishes out the secret spots of food and shopping in Columbo!

It was by a pure stroke of serendipity (‘faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for’ according to Merriam-Webster) that I first visited Sri Lanka nine years ago for the 50th birthday of a good friend, Yasmin. Having been back twice, I can safely say the Island of Serendipity, as it is also known, thrusts a spell that keeps beckoning for return visits. The island is vast enough to offer a plethora of sights and sounds for repeat visits and yet, small enough for you to feel comfortable and not overawed.

 

Upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, I was whisked away in a private car transfer that cost me just below S$40 to my accommodation at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel in the city. A reasonably priced five-star hotel by the banks of the Beira Lake, it boasts plush rooms with wifi, a spacious swimming pool, Thai restaurant and yes, a Singaporean restaurant as well as The Library, an exclusive club lounge for members and hotel guests.

 

I was grateful for being placed in the ‘female friendly room’ equipped with bathrobes, slippers and a colourful assortment of toiletries. What was particularly endearing was the trio of miniature balms for relaxing, calming and energizing. I could see why the hotel was awarded the Best Five Star City Hotel in the local tourism awards this year.

 

CITY SIGHTS
The hotel’s location makes it convenient to take in the city sights and go shopping. With the disbandment of Tamil Tigers in the last two years, there has been a renewed sense of confidence and optimism, and my trepidation over security on previous trips have been averted by the reduced presence of tight security in hotels, shopping centres and public areas.

 

Colombo is compact enough to get around on foot and feel the city’s rhythm. Alternatively, hire a car with a driver. For four hours, the rate is about S$30 and for eight hours, it’s about $60. If you are adventurous enough, zip around cheaply in a three-wheeler or a ‘tuk tuk’. Peak hours can be frightful and you do need a certain amount of patience but the drivers are skilful enough to weave in and out of the traffic.

 

The island’s Buddhist legacy comes out strongly in shrines erected strategically – don’t forget to visit the 2,000 year old Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya Temple where it is believed that Buddha once preached there. Other places of worship include the Wolvendaal Church with houses a floor made of tombstones and the red and white striped Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque. For Museum goers, there’s the National Museum, Natural History Museum and the National Art Gallery. The European influence is very much evidenced in the city’s architecture. After a day of whizzing in and out of at times chaotic traffic, I found a perfect spot to chill out at the breezy Galle Face Green, a seafront promenade, munching on street fare such as vade and breadfruit chips while watching kids fly kites and people lounging around.

 

GLORIOUS FOOD!
I could never get tired of Sri Lankan food. Its spices would sit well with Singaporeans who enjoy feisty flavours. A Sri Lankan breakfast is a wonderful treat. Ignoring the usual western fare, I dived into the hoppers or appom (local pancakes) and string hoppers which we call putu mayam in Singapore. The difference is that the Sri Lankans eat them with curries and chutneys while we chomp on them with red sugar and coconut. Sri Lankan curries are simply delish and not as rich as its Northern neighbours.

At the urging of Yasmin, I brought home the island’s famous cake, the Love Cake from The Cake Factory an overly sweet dense cake, inherited from the Portuguese, made with jaggery (a native palm sugar), spices, pumpkin, semolina and cashew nuts. For fans of Sri Lankan cooking, a good cookery book to take home is Anita Dickman’s Cookery Course. My own mother swears by this after trying out a few recipes.
Being rather curious about the afternoon tea in the lobby lounge which never fails to pack in the Sri Lankan tai tais, I decided to try it myself one day. Arguably the most popular afternoon tea in town, it comprises traditional western delights and local favourites such as corn fritters, fish cutlets, spicy cheese toasts and even a savoury dish called Katong Puffs! Its vegetarian version was adapted from the Singaporean curry puff which inspired assistant pastry chef Lakshman De Silva who has fond memories of his time in our sunny Singapore!! With influences from the Dutch, Portuguese and English colonialists, the buffet is priced at only S$9 per person.

 

Leaving the island without tucking into succulent Sri Lankan crabs is almost sacrilegious. On a previous visit a few years ago, I feasted on a yummy curry crab buffet for only S$13 at the Hilton Colombo. Not one to decline a seafood dinner, I was invited to another sumptuous seafood dinner at The Lagoon in the Cinnamon Grand Hotel – match your pick of seafood to a cooking method (grilled, steamed, fried, curried) and style (Thai, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Indian, Continental) of your choice.

 

SHOPPING IN THE CITY CENTRE
It may lack the glitzy mega malls of big cities but Colombo still offers great shopping.  For casual wear, lingerie, children’s toys and household items, the House of Fashion (don’t be mislead by its lofty name) on Duplication Road is well visited by local customers. Here you can spot overruns of brands like Gap, Old Navy, Monsoon, Mango, Zara and Desigual. The down-side is that there are no fitting rooms and you do have to spend some time rummaging for your size. Large plus sizes are in abundance too. But at such absurdly low prices, who cares! Most of my items were priced below S$10 each. I walked away gleefully with four pairs of Gap stretch trousers, a Desigual top and maxi dress, and a white cotton ‘nightie’.

 

Housed in a stately mansion on Alexandra Place, Odel is well patronised by tourists and locals. It stocks accessories, casual wear/beach wear for men, women and children at prices slightly higher than the House of Fashion. Look out for slinky jersey pieces by Avirate, a local brand, whose designers are from the UK, US and Sri Lanka.

 

Do not miss Barefoot Gallery on Galle Road which specialises in brightly coloured hand woven fabrics for home furnishings, accessories and clothing fashioned in modern styles of ethnic wear. Think long tunics and loose pants. It’s also a fab place to buy gifts for children too from hanging stuffed elephants to pencil cases, toys, games and books. Paradise Road is another popular store for home accessories, gifts, furniture and art. My favourite purchases here are little figurines in traditional wear shaped in the form of wooden door stoppers.

 

For those who can’t sleep, visit Beverly, a 24-hour department store which sells basic daily wear. Surprise, surprise – Noritake, the renowned Japanese brand of chinaware, has a factory in Sri Lanka and you can see several Noritake retail shops around town. Gems are another indulgence but a must-buy as the island mines sapphires! Do ensure that you buy from licensed jewellers. Fighting a battle with my inner demons, I lost and gave in to a  gorgeous sapphire ring and earring set from the reputable Zam Gems which has several branches around the city.

 

No one leaves Sri Lanka without buying the island’s most famous export – tea! Two of its top brands Mlesna and Dilmah have their own shops in the Crescat Boulevard, an upscale mall adjacent to the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. Buying tea can get a bit technical but the sales staff will explain the various grades of tea if you ask them. A good peek into the local lifestyle is to visit a supermarket. Keells Super, Arpico and Cargills are the local chain marts which I bought most of spices, chutneys and curry powders from.

 

Look out for part 2 on my journey beyond the city of Colombo into the culturally rich inner sanctum of Sri Lanka!

 

GOOD TO KNOW: Colombo is a 3.5 hour flight from Singapore. There are direct flights by Singapore Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Emirates and Cathay Pacific. All prices are approximate.