If there is any country where it does make sense for a historian to buy a strong pair of boots, it is Sri Lanka. All over the country one may stumble upon reminders of the past. During two days of travel along the southern coastal strip, I, saw more outstanding pieces of Dutch East Indian Company architecture than in two weeks on Java. With some footwork there is a lot to discover, apart from the beaches. The same goes for the researcher in the National Archives of Colombo; it is full of unexpected surprises. As usual we offer in this section a piece by one of the local archivists, an article by a researcher who has spent several months there, and a short introductory piece by one of the editors whose main intention it is to come up with some practical suggestions and observations on lodging, eating and moving around.