From Singapore we flew into Colombo on Tiger Airways. Anton our guide/driver met us and drove to nearby Negombo which retains much of the Portuguese & Dutch influence with canals and Catholic churches. Hundreds of traditional sailing canoes, carved from a single large log, still fish in the Indian Ocean and bring their catch to the active fish market.
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka1.jpg)
Traditional sailing canoes carved are still used for fishing in Negombo
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka2.jpg)
A jumble of modern fishing boats bring in the catch …
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka3.jpg)
… for sale in the fish market
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka4.jpg)
Old Dutch canal used to bring spices down to the Negombo port
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka5.jpg)
Sun sets into the Indian ocean
Next day we were delighted by the antics of the elephants bathing in the river at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage about 2 hours drive north of Negombo.
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka6.jpg)
Elephants bathing in the river at Pinnawala
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka7.jpg)
A mahout washing his elephant
![](https://pamnjeff.com/srilanka/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Sri_Lanka8.jpg)
Monkey in the trees outside our room at the Palm Garden Village Hotel