On our way to Mandalay

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We just couldn't face another day of the madness of downtown so decided to look for something quiet to do. The public park of Lake Ina was close by. The inn-keeper suggested a couple of restaurants. We checked out and left our bags in storage for the day.

The trek to the lake was mostly through quiet lanes except for one busy road. Even with a crosswalk painted on the pavement, it was completely ignored by the motorists. We got half-way across but just couldn't catch a break in the traffic for a good 5 minutes. Even the local with it was becoming a bit impatient. Finally on the other side, we had view of the lake. It is a reservoir for Yangon but I could see bits of raw sewage floating near shore. There was a green sheen on the surface. It probably glows in the dark. Later in the day I saw a young fellow in a dugout near the restaurant, trying to dispurse it with a paddle.

There were many work crews weeding the colourful gardens. This was the first area we had seen that was relatively litter free. We continued to stroll around the perimeter until we found some benches in the shade. Most of these benches were taken up by young lovers, sneaking caresses and quick kisses when they thought no-one was looking. There were several spots that were especially attractive and several couples were being photographed in their splendid traditional costumes. There seemed to be pavilions for wedding receptions.

We decided to have lunch at the Zephyr restaurant on the shore of the lake. A beautiful setting and excellent service. The smoothies were refreshing. The food was good except the fried fish fillets. The fillets were so thin that by the time the batter was fried, the fish was overcooked and dry. We stayed as long as we dared and then went in search of more shade. We stayed until mid-afternoon and then took a taxi back to the hotel. Big spenders, it cost us $2 but we didn't have to do the traffic dance. We hung out in the air-conditioned lobby for a couple of hours before heading off to the bus station. It took about an hour to get there. Not because of the distance but the traffic snarls and gridlock. With all the problems of driving in this city, I never once saw a case of road rage. The car horn was the expression of frustration. Needless to say, there was quite an orchestra going on.

The bus station was a rabbit warren. For the last couple of miles of the approach, there were thousands of buses parked in lots. The station itself was just as hectic as the rest of the city. There didn't seem to be any organization at all and no English signage. Luckily we had our tickets already and by flashing them every few steps, we were directed to the correct stall. There were trucks coming and going, dropping off freight or picking it up. I was glad to see that our bus looked quite new. It was the biggest beast I have ever seen. It looked like a double-Decker but the bottom half was fort cargo. All sorts of stuff. I was surprized not to see any live animals. After finding our assigned seats that we didn't even know we had, we settled down for the night with the complimentary bottle of water and blanket. The air conditioning made it quite chilly. For entertainment there was a tape of a local storyteller and later a Burmese C&W singer. What was lacking was a toilet. The traditional cabin at the back of the bus was taken up by more cargo.

Since it was dark, we couldn't see where we were going but it seemed to be a large divided highway in good condition. I had noticed that we had been the only Westerners at the station. I guess all the others were on the train. I think we got a better sleep on the bus. About mid-way through the trip we were awakened and the driver herded us off the bus, grumbling something about dinner.. Half awake, we found ourselves in a huge modern brightly lit terminal. There were only a few buses there. The place had five different large open restaurants and a few stalls selling unrecognizable snack food. Here we found the cleanest toilets yet. Attendants kept the place spotless. While going about my business, a found a fellow looking over my shoulder, checking out my junk. I don't think he was after anything except to see if I was made the same as he.

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Photos

Green Slime
I hesitate to wonder what it is but sure is a nice shade of green.

Inya Lake, yangon
It is supposed to be a big pak but there are inroads by private development.

Hanging Out with the Donald
No, not that one. The quack. Or are they one in the same.