Galle Face Green, Colombo (Colombo)

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Galle Face Green. Originally used by the British army as a parade ground - and an execution place for mutinous soldiers.

Drive south on the main artery road from Colombo Fort past the Presidential Secretarait to Galle Face Green. This largest open space in Colombo could tell many a tale. It is many things to people; an ideal spot for lovers who hide from gazing crowds and the sun behind umbrellas; a playground for children with roadside vendors selling brightly coloured balloons, kites, toys, soft drinks and ices; an arena for professional to debate issues of the day; and a popular hangout for teenagers.

Observe local colour like the kite seller who displays hundreds of fluttering discs of myraid colours. In the evening, vendors push their carts laden with banana chips and fried lentils to vantage points.

Whether rich or poor, Gale Face has no barriers. The Green has seen political rallies and musical extravanganzas. It was used for horse racing a century ago and the promenade along the sea, stretching for nearly a mile, was built in 1859 by the British Governor Sir Henry Ward for 'the ladies and children of Colombo'. Thanks to his foresight, the Green retains much of its old charm, with no buildings tomar the beauty of the wide open space.

On one side is Galle Face Hotel. Boasting yestrerday's charms and today's luxury, it is the oldest hotel this side of the Suez. Due to its eccentric chairman, the hotel retains much of the old style without much care for comfort or service. A wing remains closed at a time tourists are crying out for nostalgia. The hotel has some fine old furniture and the ballroom - now used mainly for weddings - boasts of high ceilings, balconies and memories of a bygone era.

Halfway down across road is the statue of a former Prime minister of Sri lanka, S W R D Bandaranaike, who paid the supreme sacrifice for trusting people too much.