Sri Lanka's hot and bustling Capital is Shared by affluent business people, persistent market vendors, fast-food restaurants, smart shops and buzzing three-wheeler taxis.

Colombo has attracted many traveelers over the ages with its myriad charms, even if today it can appear rather down at heel and as though it has seen better days. A Chinese trader called Wang-Ta-yuan who visited in the 14th Century later was an Andalucian Arab, Ibn 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 Chingala language, the leaf of the mango tree, " too mesmerised to get her name right. The Portuguese spelling of Columbo precailed until much later when the Dutch, German and french came to prefer the dazzling city to be spelt with an "O".

These days, however , many people are inclined to leave the place well alone. it has been through some hard times and has a somewhat abused and grumpy air.