Blogs from Burma, Asia - page 6

8 January 2013 This is going to be a difficult one. maybe I should give it some time before writing about Mandalay. The emotions are strong and will surely cloud the dusty reality. We had no expectations flying into Mandalay. Everything I have ever read about visiting this city with the romantic name and connotations, has been negative. From guide books to blogs, nobody raves about Mandalay. We were intending to stay a night and then get moving on to Bagan, but fortunately that didn't happen. This is why we travel, and this is why we travel without too much of a plan. Mandalay, if you let it, will grab you by the heart and squeeze. ( I was going to say grab you by the balls, but mothers are reading this, so I'll try to ... read more

Sat Jan 5 2013 Set out to arrange our flights from Thandwe to Bagan next week. We had not been able to finalize them by email or online. Had a strange experience in a travel agency which led us to believe that we knew more than they did about the proposed trip. When the agent said we couldn't fly from Thandwe to Bagan-- we'd have to take a private car, we almost laughed. The distance is about 350km as the crow flies. Taxi, anyone? We said our good-byes and walked to another agency where we were successful in getting our tickets issued. Cab to Swedagon Paya. Large, golden most holy Buddhist site inYangon. Rather overwhelming with all its gold and ornate buildings, statues, artwork.To Monsoon restaurant, but full. To Chinatown where we had so-so meal on ... read more

Mon Jan 7 2013 This is our last full day in Yangon--not a favourite city for me. Very poor infrastructure (buildings, roads, sidewalks are in great disrepair. Garbage collection poor. ) On the bright side, people are very sweet and helpful. Great coffee and ok breakfast at Zawgyi coffee house just near hotel. Off to change money.. Got good exchange 890 as opposed to 800-820 at hotels. But felt like drug deal - done on sidewalk sitting on baby stools on a bridge-3 guys. They count, we count. Fortunately R checked that they had 5,000 kjat notes because we were getting close to 100,000 kjat. Then they complained that we didn't have any $100 bills, just $50s (crisp though). Home to deposit money in safe then back to Ruby Mart shopping centre to buy wine. I ... read more

Fri Jan 4 2013 Up very early (4.20) to catch 7.15 flight Taipei to Yangon - 4 hr+ duration; 1 1/2 hr time diff. Lots of room on 737. Cab to Clover City Center Hotel. Hot 34 degrees. Clean spartan and very small room. Nap. Went out to change money. Found 3 different rates: 800kt=1$, 820, (hotels) 880 (man on street). Took latter. Hilarious procedure: he walks us to "office" which is kiosk against building run by 3 men. They have bundles of 100- 1000kt notes. R asks for $250USD worth. They want to change more. - 220,000kt. R counts out each stack. Then when he produces 5 crisp $50 US bills, they want $100s. R insists- dont have anything else. Has to give them 3,000kt back (about $3.50). Done. I put the huge wad of ... read more

A Ásia que permeia o imaginário dos viajantes ocidentais é repleta de povos e vilarejos parados no tempo, campos de arroz a perder de vista, templos perdidos no meio da floresta, vegetação tropical intacta e nativos hospitaleiros e surpresos ao primeiro contato com os estrangeiros. A Ásia real é um pouco diferente desse cenário. Ainda que seja bastante plausível encontrar lugares idílicos e remotos no continente, do norte do Laos ao centro do Camboja, ou mesmo em uma ilha turística na Indonésia, a realidade é que a região, guardadas as devidas proporções, ja é tão moderna quanto qualquer canto do mundo tido como exótico. Isso se traduz em megalópoles que não deixam nada a dever a cidades como São Paulo e Nova York, adolescentes vestindo grifes internacionais e trocando mensagens de texto via aparelhos Apple e ... read more

It was an early start to the day as we were dropped off at the Mawlamyine bus station for our trip back to Yangon. The bus station was very different this morning then when we had been dropped off in the very early hours a few days before. The bus station was bustling with travellers, motor bikes and vendors selling all types of products. Our taxi driver made sure we were at the right bus company before leaving us. Unlike in Yangon when our bus was called the local passengers were kind enough to make sure we got on our bus. The trip back to Yangon was very different also from the previous trip in the opposite direction. The previous one had been at night and the sights during the day were nothing like I had ... read more

Our last full day in Mawlamyine. Today was market day. There are three large markets in Mawlamyine. One that is prmarily a wholesale market where anything and everything is sold in bulk. A second market supplies everything from buckets to hats and kids toys. The OH had lost all of his hats now including the favourite half a hat. With much optimism he set off to see if he could buy one at the markets in Mawlamyine. They may sell just about everything but there were no half hats. There were hats though that had a full flap hanging down the back. In fact they would even come in handy if on a motor bike as everything except your eyes can be covered. The last market is a fruit, vegie, flower, and jewellery market of all ... read more