The Exceedingly Strange YMBA (Photos)
The view from the YMBA
The Young Mens Buddhist Association is on a prime bit of land overlooking the Colombo Port. This area (Fort), however, is a land that time kinda forgot. With the war the center of Colombo went to the suburbs and Fort, even as it reawakens, is a bit of a time warp. Across from the Harbour Stop eatery there’s the YMBA, with a spire thing that looks like it has a lovely view. You can just walk in and look around. It’s a strange place.
The view from inside the YMBA
The YMBA is a place with rooms and a gym like the YMCA, but parts of it are also rented out to offices. These are mostly shipping companies, occupying what are essentially boxes.
The view of the city
While you can see the working part of Colombo, this isn’t necessarily it.
Corner office
We asked downstairs and these small cubicle offices rent for Rs. 9,000 each (!). Or 3,500 if you want a desk. Checked and there wasn’t a window available, otherwise I’d be totally down. It’s a land that both time and inflation forgot.
The vintage of the building
The time stairs to yesteryear
Also, just to close, YMCMB. If you know what I mean.
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Wh0a, 9000 :O
Maybe you should set up the yamu headquarters in one of these offices?
Two Sri Lankan ad maestro’s started their solo careers there. Irvin Weerackody and Melvil Assauw. If you ever catch Irvin in a good mood he will narrate their ad exploits and the Air Lanka business.
than ks