We had two days for touring in Columbo, Sri Lanka, and then one day in Cochin, India – both very interesting. Both cities are about the same population as Seattle. Here’s a typical downtown Columbo street with market action.

And their landmark tower.

Sri Lanka is about 70% Buddhist. We visited a big temple.

And included this handsome elephant

Next stop was Independence Square, commemorating independence from Britain in 1948 (along with India). Their history is similar to other nations with the colonial influence starting with the Portuguese in control followed by the Dutch and then the English.

Our tour guide said we could call him Obama.

And the snake charmers were out. It cost us a buck for this photo.

On day two in Columbo we went for a Tuk-tuk tour of town.

Here’s our friendly driver.

This gal was practicing her moves on the sidewalk for some reason.

Street scenes. Here’s a Hindu temple (about 12% of Sri Lankans are Hindu)

And a Buddha in a park.

Art for sale. I think he said the art was done by the students at a local art school.

And then we’re off to Cochin, India which was the first place of arrival and the “foot-in-the-door “settlement for Vasco da Gama back in 1498. Nice harbor.

They have a unique fishing program on the shores of the entrance channel. They drop these nets into the shallow water using a counterbalanced and cantilevered affair, then raise them up and collect the fish before the birds get them. They attribute the design to Chinese. This works best at the end of flood tides – not so good on the ebb tides with scruffy river water coming out.

Fish vendors and others are on shore behind the nets.

The locals like to decorate their trucks.

We visited a Jewish community – surprising in the midst of all of the Hindu’s, Buddhist’s and Muslim’s.

Here’s an old Catholic church that was having a Palm Sunday mass so we could not go in. This dates back to the original Portuguese days and was where Vasco do Gama was interred for about 15 years (about 1520 to 1535) until his son had his remains moved to Portugal.

And on a lighter note, here’s where some of the Hotel Marigold series was filmed – a few steps away from the Catholic Church.

And now we’re headed south. Mauritius is next stop after five sea days. Cheers!