Days in Colombo
Sunday, 21 February 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka
My arrival in Colombo was easy. I catched a bus to the city for Rs 40, and finally a Bajaj (motorised 3-wheeler) to the homestay where I had reserved a room, the Parisare, for Rs 150. The homestay is located in Cinnamon Gardens, an affluent residential district in Colombo, and is one of the best budget lodgings I have ever seen, especially for a capital city. The owner is a 76-year-old talkative lady, fluent in English. She showed me a book her (deceased) husband had written, about his memories about life on the tea plantations in Sri Lanka. I browsed the book (it was in English). Interesting.
Immediately after checking-in, I walked to the nearby Viharamahadevi Park, and from there to Galle Face Green, the beach front promenade. At this spot, I came upon the first shady characters: A guy approached me and wanted to direct me to a nearby elephant parade, by giving me a free ride in his buddy’s Bajaj. This smelled of bullshit and robbery attempt to me (it reminded me of an incident in Mumbai in 2001), so of course I refused and just walked away.
From Galle Face Green I walked to the Fort, a high-security area with many police checkpoints, complete with sandbags and in one case with a big machine gun pointing towards the crowd. Cool. I ate at a nearby vegetarian restaurant.
It was time to chill out with a beer, so I stumbled upon the bar behind the Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Institute, and had a Lion Lager. I met 3 friendly guys claiming to work in the navy, and I also tried some of the arrack they were drinking. I took a Bajaj home afterwards.
Next day was less eventful, but I had a great lunch at the homestay (some curry dishes etc.) I took a Bajaj to the Fort (Rs 150), and strolled around nearby Pettah, the oldest district in Colombo. Meal at a vegetarian restaurant. Not that I’m seeking out such restaurants, but they seem to be many around. I walked back to my homestay, and stopped by a simple bar about halfway, where I met 4 very friendly locals at my age. They even insisted to pay for my beer.
Tomorrow I will probably take the train to Galle or Hikkaduwa. The train leaves at 10:30.
My room at Parisare guest house.
The living room at Parisare guest house.
Police checkpoint, Fort area. There’s a machine gun pointing the other way.
Bristol Street, sponsed by HSBC.
Drinking beer and arrack at Sri Lanka Ex-Servicemen’s Institute.
Friday, 4 June 2010 at 11:14
hi very useful can u gv me the details like tariff etc so i can approach them also contact details.
Friday, 4 June 2010 at 14:38
Hi Frank!
The address is: 97/1 Rosmead Place, Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo.
Tel.: +94 11 269 4749.
I paid 1100 LKR per night for the room (inkl. 10% “service charge”).
Wednesday, 15 March 2017 at 15:49
Hi Rune,
I have a lonely planet guide book and the Parisare guesthouse have got my attention right away. I wonder how I can book that guesthouse. Do they have a mail address or how can I reserve a room there. I suppose they only have 3 rooms so I better make a reservation in advance. I will arrive on 2nd May 2017
I read some comments on the internet and they were not all positive. Since the owner is quite old I’m afraid that she might mishandle my reservation.
Monday, 20 March 2017 at 16:17
Hi Beat Schwager,
I think the only way is to call it, that’s what I did.
But this was 7 years ago, maybe it even don’t exist anymore, I don’t know.