ISLAND IN THE SUN

       The sun has just set over the Port of Colombo and now lights from the ships docked in the harbour shimmer in the dusk, giving the sea an almost surreal look from my window on the 16th floor of the Hilton Hotel.
       We jetted in from Jakarta, via Singapore, earlier this evening, guests of Sri Lanka Airlines and Jetwing Tours, eager to explore this vibrant 2,000 year-old city of 700,000 souls located on Sri Lanka's west coast. Besides the beatuiful port, which is surrounded by the Fort District, the city offr modern skyscrapers, colonial buildings and ancient runis, plus plenty of shopping opportunities at it traditional markets.
       From our vantage point just outside that port, we can see Colombo's most recognisable landmark, the the two World Trade Centre towers, rising majestically above the beautifully designed Bank of Ceylon tower,the Old Parliament Building and the Old Colombo Lighthouse.
       The white Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque serves as a landmark for the many sailors that approach the port evry day and is also a popular tourist attraction.
       but beautiful and buildings and city tours are only part of what Sri Lanka has to offer.
       Always friendly, the Sri Lankan people look noticebly more relaxed this warm July evening, happy to answer our questions and even inviting us to spend some time with them.
       Military posts and checkpoints scattered across the country are the only reminder of a conflict that ended just two months ago, following the army's defeat of the Tamil Tigers after a civil war that army's defeat of the Tamil Tigers after a civel war that ravaged the island for more than 20 years.
       "The people of Sir Lanka hav won the war. There is nothing to worry about anymore as there will be no more attacks. Peace now prevails and it's time for us to go on lwith or lives," says Mohan, a shop owner in th ecapital.
       Sri Lanka's mountains and beaches form a beautiful backdrop to its millennia-old culture, the remnants of which can be seen everywhere. The huge Buddhist statues serve as reminders of past powerful kingdoms and the magnificent legends that shaped them.
       Our next port of call is Polanaruwa, 216km northast of Colombo and declared capital of sir Lanka's second most ancient kingdom of the same name by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola ruling dynasty in 1070 CE to reunite the island under a local leader.
       The ancient remains of the kingdom, which were given Unesco world heritage status in 1982, include a well-preserved city of ancient dagobas (stupas), moonstones, lush parks and stunningly beautiful statues.
       The majestip King's Council Chamber, the Lotus Bath, the Lanka Thilaka Viharaya, the Gal Viharaya (Buddha's rock statues) and the statue of one of Polonnaruwa's great kings, Parakramabahu, are just a few of this ancient capital's memorable sights.
       But it is the Sea of parakrama, a vast manmade reservoir dating back to the 12th century that dominates the city. It still works, watering hectares of paddy fields in the area.
       Our next destination is the royal city of Sigiriya. Dating back to the fifth century and also known as the Lion Rock, Sigiriya is considered Asia's best prserved ancient city. Perched atop a giant rock, it can only be reached by climbing several flights of steep iron stairs.
       The palace, which stands at the centre of the royal city, just out 200 metrs above the lush green jungle.
       Some 180km south of Colombo, Sigiriya is close to many other historical sites and ecotourist destinations, among them the Temple of the Sacred Tooth and the Paradeniya Botanical Garden in Kandy, as well as the Golden Temple and its five r9ock temples in Dambulla and a national park in M inneriya.
       One of Buddhism's most sacred temples, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, or the Sri Dalada Maligawa, draws Buddhists from all over the world. The tooth itself is locked up in aseries of closely guarded caskets and is never seen.
       Th annual Esala Parahera festival, in which a replica of the tooth is paraded through the streets of Kandy, is a very colourful celebration and the town becomes so crwoded that visitors hav to stay in the surrounding towns.
       Our only regret is that we have no time to visit the country's southern beaches, which many say are as beautiful as those in the Maldives and Bali.
       As I board the plane, I mutter "ayubown" (may you have a peaceful life full of love), hoping that one day soon, I will have the chance to return to this island in the sun.