Although the hotel has a well-equipped gym and serene-looking spa, I opted for a morning walk to Beira Lake, which looked to be a a few blocks away on the map. I stepped out of the hotel into a remarkably different world. I had to get through a knot of self-promoting tuk-tuk drivers who couldn't believe a tourist was actually going to WALK.
Galle Road, a main thoroughfare during the morning rush, was lined with security checkpoints. Look closely at this picture and you'll see another dog sleeping inside the tin guard shack. The reason for the security soon became obvious. There are many embassies and government buildings here. I turned left into Rotunda Gardens Road, which led to the lake and was lined with large homes. There was a "no entry" sign just before I reached the water, but I smiled at the guard and he waved me through. 
The Gangaramaya Buddhist temple on the opposite shore seemed to be floating serenely on the water. 
Groups of joyful students dressed in white were making their way toward a graduation ceremony, passing the inevitable street dogs who seemed to have made themselves at home on lakeside monuments to such things as "anchor screw piles." 
You can't tell from these pictures that the lakeside path was littered with trash and bird droppings; the pushcart ladies with the stick brooms have their work cut out for them. With a little TLC, this would be a delightful place for visitors and locals to stroll, and the lakeside houses would be prime residential real estate.
It was reported yesterday that Sri Lanka recorded the largest increase of tourism in the world during the first two months of 2010. Yet almost everyone I passed seemed to think the real tourist attraction was ME. Nearly everyone smiled and said hello.
One final random note: the owner of this security service must be a Star Trek fan.
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