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March 11, 2019March 13, 2019

How to fall in love with Colombo

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Wishing you all a peaceful, magical full moon Poya day 🙏🏻💫🌑 Poya has always inspired me to spend the day gratefully and consciously, appreciating the people I love (near of far!) and nourishing my own soul 🦄 Connecting to the rhythm of the country by allowing myself to slow down and live in the present moment 🇱🇰 • Funnily enough spending time away from my family in the UK makes me to appreciate them more. I sent 4 letters yesterday from Mount Lavinia post office 💌 to loved ones in England. I could have sent a quick message online in less than a minute but sometimes spending a bit of time means more. Plus we all love the surprise of a positive letter other than a bill or bank statement in the post! 😂 • I’m not religious but I respect all individuals that use their own to spread peace and love in the world. I would describe myself as spiritual, aiming to live with an open heart & mind and pursuing things that brings me authentic joy. Gratitude of simple things is also really important to me ☀️ • So I’m inviting you all, whether you’re in Sri Lanka or elsewhere in this beautiful world world to embrace this full moon Poya day for peace, reflection and love. What are you grateful for? What can you do to nourish your soul? After all, love is the greatest expression of humanity and is F R E E 🙌🏻❤️ #ayubowan #onelove • Photo taken from 📍Bentota Beach last weekend 🌊

Gotu Kola is one of the island’s greatest superfoods, used in cooking and Ayurvedic medicine 🙏🏻🍃 • The ways I most enjoyed eating it in Sri Lanka is in a #gotukola sambol and #kolakanda soup 🥣 The gotu kola is chopped very finely in the sambol, with Sri Lankan shallots (it looks like garlic but it’s actually part of the onion family!), grated coconut, green chilli, lime, salt & pepper and sometimes tomato 🍅 It tastes really nice with rice and a few other curries 🇱🇰 Eat the local way by hand to really combine the flavours 👌🏻😋 • Kola kanda soup is a herbal porridge, with a few other Ayurvedic greens (including gotu kola!), rice and coconut. A piece of sweet jaggary is usually served on the side. You may see it sold on the roadside if you’re awake early enough 😂 these days I’ve been going to sleep super early and waking naturally around 6:30am 😱 I love that the sun rises and sets at a similar time all year around. • I find it pretty easy to eat healthily in Sri Lanka. So many delicious fruit & vegetables, chilli 🌶 and other spices. In the UK there’s a whole aisle in supermarkets dedicated to ready meals. In Sri Lanka, the supermarkets are bursting with fresh, seasonal local produce. I feel like a kid in a candy store every time I go shopping! 🙌🏻🛒💚

Yesterday we visited the breathtaking Lunuganga Gardens designed by Sri Lankan architect #GeoffreyBawa 🙏🏻🌳 It was my third visit and I enjoyed it as much as my first! ☀️ • The guide explained he had different spots in the house and garden for different times of the day (morning breakfast spot overlooking a distant Buddhist temple, evening meditation spot next to the butterfly shaped lake 🦋 Each spot has a loud bell to ring for attention 🔔 • Each detail is intentional, from the manmade structures and pieces of art to the planting of a tree. Every experience of the garden is intended to allow oneself to connect with nature 🙏🏻🌿 I find the concept beautiful 💚 Especially in an era where we need to return to our roots to protect the planet for future generations 🌍 • Other designs by Geoffrey Bawa include the Seema Malaka meditation centre in Colombo (go at sunset, it’s beautiful!), Colombo’s Parliament building, @jetwinghotels Lighthouse Hotel in Galle, @manor_house_concepts The Last House and @heritancehotelsandresorts Kandalama to make a few 🇱🇰 • I will share more photos from our visit soon! It was so nice to visit Bentota for the weekend which is just over an hour from Colombo 🙌🏻❤️

My latest journal post on ‘how to fall in love with Colombo’ is now LIVE (link in bio) on the website 🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰 • I often think that Sri Lanka’s capital gets a bad rap (especially with international travellers who are super limited with time) but as I’ve learnt over the years, there are SO many ways to love and enjoy it 🙏🏻 On the post there are tips on how to be open to Colombo’s charm, how to avoid bad experiences and lots of quick fire recommendations of hotels & restaurants too 🙌🏻🔥 • I have a bit of a guilty pleasure for margaritas 🍸and the ones we had last week at @kingofthemambo @gallefacehotel were SO GOOD! 😍 (so we had two each🙈). I loved listening to Cuban music watching the sunset across the sea 🌊❤️ We usually head for the nearest rooftop bar to watch the sunset in Colombo but this is some serious competition ☀️ #kudos 👏🏻 • A blog post on the best sundowners in Colombo next? 🇱🇰

Mouthwatering prawn curry cooked by our butler Ranjit in Dehiwala ❤️ The best place to buy seafood in Sri Lanka is not in the supermarkets but the specialist fish sellers 🦐🐟 early morning! We’re so lucky to have Ranjit cooking curry for us at home 🏠 as it gives me more time to work, take photos and share travel tips! 🇱🇰 • Don’t forget to check out my Instastories from @auntys_srilankan_cooking_class yesterday, I’ve been looking for a good cooking class to recommend for years and I’ve finally found one! 🙌🏻 They serve their thambili king coconuts with sustainable bamboo straws and sell them for just Rs.300 each too 🙌🏻 we bought three! 😁 • It’s great to see more experiences emerge in recent months and years that are founded on the beautiful, simple and easy concept of supporting local people and sustaining the environment 🙏🏻 #kudos

Who loves hoppers? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️ A simple, delicious combo of egg hoppers and spicy seeni sambol at @livingheritagekoslanda 🙏🏻❤️

Did you catch my Instastories at @cinnamonredcmb the other day? The view at sunset from the rooftop bar is INCREDIBLE 🙌🏻 • I love the skyline of Colombo, the rustic colonial roofs amongst modern buildings 🇱🇰 I’m sure it’s going to change a lot more in years to come, I hope the old world beauty is preserved, it gives the city so much character 🙏🏻☀️

Some of THE BEST rice and curry I’ve ever had at @the_theva_residency in Kandy ❤️ What’s one step better than a mouthwatering Sri Lankan meal? Rice and curry surrounded by beautiful island nature of course! 🌴 • I’ve stayed at Theva 3 times now and have never been disappointed. It’s 15 mins up the mountain from Kandy city which is the perfect distance to avoid the city fumes and admire the view 😍🙌🏻 #viewformiles • If you’re not staying at #Theva, swing by for a cocktail, lunch or dinner👌🏻 I’m always on the lookout for hotels to recommend- hit me up with your favourites across the island 🇱🇰 P.s butter chillis are the best (second from top right!) 😋🌶 #styleinsrilanka #sogood

I’m always looking for hotels to recommend in Colombo which is why my man and I booked 2 nights at @paradiseroadhotels Tintagel before moving into our rented apartment in #Dehiwala 🇱🇰 Plus we wanted a bit of luxury after a manic few months in the UK 😂🇬🇧 • We stayed here once before after our trip with @saillanka in Trincomalee but arrived quite late and left super early in the morning at 5am for a shoot in the South Coast (FYI their packed breakfast is pretty good!) • It never feels like one night is enough to stay in any hotel 🤔With 2 there’s a WHOLE day in the middle to experience, explore and R E L A X ❤️ And in the Colombo, there‘s a lot to do! Foodie spots, shopping, heritage houses & hotels, cultural sites and more. Something for everyone with a little research 🙌🏻 You need a plan in Colombo. It’s too hot for 100% spontaneity! • I will be writing a post on my favourite hotels in Colombo (and close to the airport) very soon which includes @teardrop_hotels, @maniumpathy_boutique_hotel, @gallefacehotel and more ❤️ What are your favourite hotels in Colombo? FYI #notsponsored 😅

Driving past Kompannavidiya (A.K.A Slave Island) railway station in #Colombo 🇱🇰 I always love taking candid shots of people as I think it captures the true essence of local life in Sri Lanka 🙏🏻 • It’s been 6 MONTHS since I was last physically in the country and I can’t explain how good it feels to be back 😅 Our travel plans at the moment are indefinite which is super exciting. We’re renting a house in Dehiwala for the next couple of months then seeing where the serendipitous island takes us 🌎🛩 • The first 3 days have been amazing, staying at our favourite @gallefacehotel for the first night and @paradiseroadhotels Tintagel last night and tonight. Moving into our house tomorrow so it’s like a little holiday first! 🏡 Having a proper base instead of constant hotel hopping makes posting SO much easier! 🏃🏻‍♀️ • I deleted my personal account last year where I posted a gazillion iPhone photos of instastories etc. A few weeks ago I created a new one for a fresh start. Funnily enough under 200 followers on @alicelukerphoto feels oh so good 😂 A new challenge 💪🏻 • So what’s new in Colombo? Any hotels and restaurants I need to know about on the island? Any advice needed for your future trips? 🙏🏻 I launched #styleinsrilanka to be of service to anyone seeking authentic travel tips 🇱🇰🇱🇰🇱🇰

A Lankan brew (no milk, quite sugary!) on Delft Island in #Jaffna ☕️ I was waiting for the ferry and decided to have a little rest stop for tea and local snack vadai 😋A cow popped it’s head through the door 🐮and a group the Delft islanders popped in for an afternoon tea break too. We were all attempting to converse in broken Tamil (me!) and broken English 😂 Moments like this are what makes travel truly magical and unforgettable ✨🙏🏻❤️ So much can happen over a cup of tea! 🇱🇰

What do you love about Galle Fort? 😍I love the imperfect perfectness, the rustic beauty of historic buildings and the equally beautiful energy of its inhabitants ☀️ I love hopping from cafes and restaurants, having a coffee ☕️ in one spot, lunch at another, a gelato 🍨 along Pedlar Street and a bag of freshly deep fried parippu wade while walking along the ramparts at sunset 🌅 I love the multi sensory feeling of different streets, each characterised with their own unique history & stories echoing from the walls. I love aimlessly wandering and smiling at strangers because there’s a beautiful sense of community and ubiquitous friendliness. I love the moment you step through one of the two historic entrances it feels like entering another world 🌍 I even love leaving Galle Fort. Why? Because each time I return I appreciate something new as well as relieving the longing for each thing I already fell in love with 🙏🏻💫❤️🇱🇰 #GalleFort

Lacquer handicrafts, known locally as laksha 🇱🇰 I’ve seen spoons, bowls etc like these in shops ALL over the country (@lakpahana in Colombo is one of my faves which FYI also sell D E L I C I O U S Lankan snacks) but I never realised just how much time and skill goes into each one 😲 this family run workshop in #Hikkaduwa goes above and beyond to preserve the tradition 🎨 • I couldn’t explain the whole process to you as it isn’t my forte 😅 but the process is amazing to watch...both intricate and very messy! I will never look at a lacquered handicraft the same way again 👏🏻🇱🇰 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #NGTUK #traveltips #travelphotographer #handicraft #srilankanculture #art

Sunset from Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee 🕉🙏🏻☀️ • The entrance of Koneswaram Kovil is through Fort Frederik (a Portuguese fort built in 1624) at the very top of Swami Rock in #Trincomalee ⛰ Street vendors line the paths further up the hill towards the temple selling fresh coconuts, Ayurvedic remedies, souvenirs etc for locals & visitors 🇱🇰 The best time to visit is late afternoon just before sunset to admire the view from the top 🙌🏻 It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk from the entrance of the Fort and you may have a chance to meet some of the deer 🦌 who live inside too ❤️☀️ • P.s flights are now booked for my boyfriend and I to return to Sri Lanka at the end of Feb which means back to instastories, super fresh content and regular posts! We’re staying at an apartment in Colombo for a few months and can’t wait to get dates in the diary for new projects 🙏🏻 • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #traveltips #viewgoals #sunset #travelphotographer #koneswaram #koneswaramkovil

Everyday life in Galle 🇱🇰 Who recognises the blue building in the background? 🙋🏻‍♀️💙 It’s so often we see a single frame of a famous landmark on Instagram that we don’t know what lies just meters away! • Wooden spoons (like the ones hanging up) make excellent, inexpensive holiday gifts 🎁 I usually buy mine from Arpico or Paradise Road as they’re slightly more sturdy as I do a HELLA LOT of Sri Lankan cooking in the UK 😂 but small street stalls like this sell them too 🥄 • Fresh thambili coconuts 🌴 (the orange coconuts on the ground) are a great daily source of electrolytes and hydration to beat the hot Lankan sun ☀️don’t forget to ask the vendor to cut the coconut in half to eat the delicious fleshy bit inside after once you’ve finished the water. I dare you to drink it local style without a plastic straw 😉 • You might be able to spot the little terracotta oil lamps in the baskets 🧺 My mum bought a tonne of these for her 50th birthday party 🔥 She also bought a super long handwoven carpet from a street vendor who normally sells it in small cuts for front door mats! • Sri Lanka is so rich, so diverse and full of opportunities & experiences for travellers 🇱🇰 Its so important to be open minded and leave time for in between moments (which often end up being the most memorable!) • #styleinsrilanka #aliceluker #srilanka #visitsrilanka #travelasia #traveldeeper #slowtravel #traveldiaries #thevisualcollective #travelandlife #ontheroad #traveltips #streetview #streetlife #architecture #localshop #Galle

Alice Luker

Alice is a UK based travel blogger & professional travel photographer who has been venturing across Sri Lanka since 2004.

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