COLOMBO

Sri Lanka's chief city and till recently its capital, Colombo is a seaport and a quaint mixture of the Orient and the West. Five star hotels and highrise blocks alternate with stately colonial buildings, quaint old gem and souvenir shops, street markets, modern department stores, and Buddhist and Hindu Temples. In the morning one could have a horoscope cast, pick up a herbal cure or a star sapphire, attend a tea auction or acquire rare handicrafts. The Museum has a fine collection of antiquities, including the gilded gemset throne of Sri Lanka's last King. The Dehiwela Zoo's many delights include a daily elephant dance, a tropical aquarium, a walk-in aviary and a butterfly park. The traditional architecture of the new Parliament House and the Flok Art Village could be viewed at the new capital, Sri Jayewardenepura - Kotte.