Colombo, unseen beauty

Colombo !
To many, Colombo is just a City, bustling, crowded on weekdays, dusty and dirty at times. Rainy days are no better, sometimes the drains unable to cope with all the water flowing down and being blocked up, creating mini floods.
But the visitor should know as in any other City, there are nice places to see, sometimes hidden away in corners.
The Gangarama Temple near the Beira Lake is fine example. It is not only a Buddhist Temple, it is also a tranquil setting within the city, where one can relax and observe the locals, as well as the Temple Elephant.
The Dutch Museum, shown on the right is located in the heart of Pettah, the busiest area of Colombo.
The beautiful red and white Mosque , shown on the left is found just off the Main Street in Fort.
Some of the other highlights of Colombo are, the National Museum, where you can view the Throne of the last Kandyan Kings, The Old Hospital building at Lipton Circus, bright in it's Yellow and Red Colors, the Vihara Mahadevi Park, a veritable green oasis right in front of the Colombo City Hall, the Galle Face Green, fronting up to the Indian Ocean and bringing the ocean breeze in to the City,
Then nearby you find the Old Parliament Buildings, still graceful in it's old charm.
If you like to watch the stars, and what's happening in the skies, head out to the Planetarium, close to Reid Avenue, where you will also observe the Colombo University.
Exhibitions/conferences are held at the Badaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.
One of the must see places is the Independence Hall, built with lots of traditional art forms put together.
Just South of Colombo, in Dehiwala, one can spend the day, touring the National Zoo and end the evening by watching the Elephant Dance.
Of course, in addition to all these, there are many Hotels, Restaurants, Shops, Cafes, Temples of all kinds that can be visited and enjoyed by the Visitor.