Yangon

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+33 today and it felt really hot!! It is amazing how one's body can adjust in a short time . A/C helps though.

Thank you for your comments . I can't say this group mail thing works to respond adequately but I'll try. Dan I tried and followed all the steps you laid out and I got near the end and again ran into their notion of a code ... and another address to send the code to...or a text system ... and I surrendered .Thank you for your help . Lionel I have recorded the info you sent for contacts . It is good to have a number here incase I need assistance . I have been taking deep breaths , finding the rythmn of the people and the city and feel more comfortable each day . Suzanne arrives tomorrow and I am looking forward to that . I plan to meet her at the airport .

Yangon is a big (5M) city , rundown from rains and neglect over the years and rebuilding everywhere I have gone . The old colonial downtown is being revived and looking good . Some buildings are only partly finished and it is amazing to see how far they have come . Those Brits were builders on a grand scale. The pagodas are interesting . Yesterday I was at one where there were celebrations being held that involved a lot of drumming , chanting and dancing .NOISY !! Actually I am thinking Asian cities are noisy places .It could be cultural or maybe it is just the number of people.

Food has been fun . The night market runs for several blocks out my front door . Chinese BBQ is the best I have had . Healthy also as it isn't greasy as so much of the other food seems to be fried or deep fried ...not my favourite . Tonight I had chicken skewers with dumplings that were quick cooked in hot oil . The onion cake was a bit greasy but tasty. Fresh fruit is sold everywhere as well but given my western stomach the adage about peeling it has precluded the strawberries.

Yangon seems to be a mix of many cities I have travelled in ...Cairo , Trevandin , even a bit of Tashkent . The markets here aren't as huge but they are markets ... even a bit like the Mexican and Vietnamese ones. After a while they start to feel the same... The people are friendly and helpful . A young woman today spent time explaining to me the different grades , colours and hardness levels of precious and semiprecious stones . The colours are quite remarkable including clear topaz , star rubies and just about any colour of stone you want.

Enough I sign off for now . I have extended out stay here one day then it is off to Mandaly ...

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Comments

[R&C]

Glad to hear you are getting your Yangon legs!
So sorry you can't access your Hotmail. Damn cheeky of them. But if they are just protecting you that is good. Sounds like you are managing to get messages anyway. That is good. So new foods again. Sound interesting. 20C this am. Cloudy, a bit rainy, feels cool here. But it does not require a shovel. Tk goodness. R has a crib tournament at the old rv park this am. There are 11 people from here going with him. I will stay home & cook & read. Have a good day. Love,

[Marilyn Webb]

Yangon
Good to hear that things are going well - perhaps a little slower than planned. We are having a nice warm spell. I was going to check out Tai Chi today but decided to actually go to the gym(which I am already paying for) and continue with yoga for now. Ron and I went to Philomena last night. The movie is based on a true story - mother searching for a child that had been adopted. I liked it. We are hosting Riley's birthday tomorrow. He will be 11. Good excuse for a family gathering - not that we need one. And we are going to a potluck tonight so today will be spent cooking and tidying. I am looking forward to a few of your pictures. Take care.

[Kelly Bourassa]

Burma/Myanmar/Yangon
Looks like you are having a great time. Too bad about the Hotmail thing. We went through that a little while ago and it went well so am not sure what problems you are running into. They do need a phone number or some other secure way (not email!!...it is not secure) to get you a code to enter, though. They left a message on our phone with a code. Anyway, my cousin Valerie Hedstrom (Eva's side of the family, her brother George's daughter, parents both passed away now) and her partner Rick have been living/working/visiting Yangon for many years. They are there currently and will be for several months I think. There home in Canada is Victoria but they came to see us last summer while travelling around the maritimes. Both are retired and having a great time. They love it there and spend some time every year there. Do wish to contact them? Let me know and I will see how you can reach them. Val posts regularly on facebook. She just put up some pictures with friends they saw in Yangon.

[Lapamba]

Thanks for the offer Kelly we have already moved on to Mandalay so I'll pass on connecting with your cousin this time . The hotmail thing is very frustrating .I have never had this happen before and it makes me angry.Oh well ...

[Dorina]

Yangon
I would like to be a fly on the wall and travel with you in the markets. It is great that the people are friendly and helpful. Why would their stones be very different from ones we see in North America? Since topaz is your birthstone you will need to gift yourself a stone that you can have made into a pretty piece. It is cool here this morning but will warm up to the mid seventies this afternoon. I plan to golf at 2 pm. It has been raining a lot so lots of tennis, pickleball etc. has been cancelled. I look forward to getting back in the game. Wed. we are off to Tampa to the RV show then spend the night in Bradenton with Frank. The week of Jan. 20 we will go camping to Ft. Desoto and enjoy the Gulf of Mexico, relax and enjoy some seafood to celebrate my B'day. Happy safe travels, we look forward to staying in touch.