Dec. 29 - Let the games begin

Colombo is the capital city of Sri Lanka, but overall it’s pretty laid-back. It strikes me as comparable to Miami and Barcelona. However, due to the recent bombings, security around the city is incredibly tight. There is a very visible police/military presence, even more so than in NYC immediately after 9/11. Forget handguns; these guys are all carrying semi-automatic rifles. Road blocks/checkpoints are all around town. We get stopped 3 times; the stops are pretty quick & routine, but still unnerving. Shani has hired a driver, Lal, to chauffeur us around this week. I wonder if it’s for safety as well as convenience.

Shani’s cousins Dinali and Gaya organize a spa day for 14 girls. I get a pedicure, a body scrub and a massage. The treatments are all quite good and on par with NYC. We’re at the spa from 10 am – 3 pm, and then the bridesmaids go to the (intimidating) hair and make-up woman so she can assess what’s needed for the wedding. Michael’s sister likens the visit to being in the office of the Godfather.

Dinali and Gaya have also arranged a dinner that night for 24 people in the private dining room of the Gallery Café. The food is Western and good, but the service is on the slow side (dinner takes about 4 hours).


Elegant place settings for dinner in the Upstairs Gallery.