Myanmar - the Road to Yangon

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2013 Myanmar – Yangon

We arrived at the airport, Terry certain he could get a visa on arrival until check in when the lady said they cannot let him on the plane without a visa! So there we were I was all checked in and he had to go back into Bangkok and sort his visa out so not knowing if he could get it in one day, or even get on another flight the next day we said goodbye and I was on my own. The flight was not full at all so I was hopeful he would be able to get a seat. I was amazed at the airport when we arrived. Not many planes on the apron but a very modern terminal with sky bridges (we did not have to walk over the tarmac!)

Passport control was easy and quick and Motherland Inn (2) were waiting to collect us. I managed to change some money – the rate was good, and they gathered all who needed a lift and off we went in a very old dinky diesel bus. There was lots of traffic and it was a long ride into town. We passed old and new building, bustling streets, parks and pagodas and wandering monks. Motherland Inn looked just like the photographs I had seen on facebook including the friendly welcome and smiles from all. It was also very busy but my room was ready and quite a trek up the stairs but I was happy. It was basic clean had lovely big windows with netting so you could leave the windows open and hot, hot water that I knew would make Terry happy when he eventually arrived. I sorted my stuff out and went downstairs wondering what the area was like. I did a walk around the block and found many shrines at the bottom of trees, trees hung with bundles of seeds for the birds. Everyone was friendly smiling and saying hello. There were lots of tea shops on the street filled with men in lungis drinking tea and eating snacks. I really wanted to try some but that would have to wait until I was more familiar with how to order.

I made conversation with some of the guests at Motherland Inn – that’s what’s so nice about staying in a backpackers you can strike up a conversation, share a table and before you know it you have some friends. In the evening I went along the street to try and find a supermarket Chan-chan the receptionist told me about. The streets were filled with people eating small bowls of soup and noodles drinking tea and chewing beetle nut. There seems to be a beetle nut seller every hundred paces and I was surprised to see many of them wearing gloves. I am sure the lime is not too good for your skin. I thought how silly I was not to have brought my torch with me and made a mental note never to leave that behind again as the pavements are treacherous during the day and if there was a blackout which apparently is quite regular here then I would be in definite trouble. Generators are everywhere here I have never seen so many of them. I walked as far as a bridge and did not feel comfortable enough carrying on and had missed the shop. I was harassed on the way back by a ‘funny’ but just stopped next to a car with a man in it and he was enough assurance that nothing would happen to me. I made it back ok and the girls at reception laughed at me when I pointed out the guy – he is ok they said just crazy. Well it was all just a little unfamiliar to me and I was not taking any chances.

The next morning after breakfast I set off into town not knowing what I was going to do but walk around and make myself familiar with the place. I was not sure of directions when a fellow traveler came over and said I was going the wrong way – they (he and his wife) had done the same thing the day before and it was not long before I had joined up with Monica and Randy and we were on our way to Swedegon Paya. They were very knowledgeable about the city as they had the experience from the day before and I was so happy to have company. We stopped at the Biriyani shop for a banana lassi and I wished it was later as the aroma from the biriyani was almost too much to bear but it was too close to breakfast and I was not hungry yet. There were very clean pay to go toilet blocks on the way in fact the whole town is pretty clean. The Myanmar people on the whole are very clean and their shops neat and organized. It’s just the infrastructure that is shoddy but that is changing too. They are busy redoing sidewalks and I think as soon as money comes in it will filter down. There definitely seems like money in this city. Mobile shops, computer shops, up to date clothing in fact up to date everything. I think you can get everything you want or need.

The walk was long to the Paya but we made it. We took our shoes off at the bottom and climbed the covered stairs with stalls on either side selling religious artifacts – sandalwood Buddha’s and rosaries, brass gongs, bronze Buddha’s and urns carved stone Buddhas and of course more Buddha’s ,toys, flowers, umbrellas and offerings of many varieties. Nothing prepared me for the top though. We stepped out of the stairway into gleaming sunshine and gold everywhere. This was way better than Disneyland could ever imagine. There were so many little temples scattered around each filled with Buddha’s, people praying making their offerings eating food and some even on their mobiles!!! We walked clockwise as is the way around the temple ogling at every corner. I have been privileged to see some wonderful temples in my life and I can for sure say this must be one of best ever. There are shrines for the days of the week and its custom you pray a the day you are born and I tried to find Tuesday as I was born on this day and share it with Aung San Su Kyi but could not be sure it was the right one. At these shrines devotees pour immense amounts of water over the Buddha or deity and adorn them with scented jasmine and honeysuckle. Candles and oil cups are lit and incense pervades the air. Intermittently a gong is struck somewhere by a devotee. All adding to the spectacle of it. I had bought a string of honeysuckle and made an offering thanking the gods that brought me here safely.

After our time here I left my new found friends to return to Motherland Inn and wait for Terry. He arrived with stories of getting his visa and how he just made it – lucky for him otherwise I would have killed him and to hell with karma!!! We took the rest of the day easy which was fine for me as the walk to Swedagon Paya was some walk! We went to the café next door for dinner. An Indian place where a young lad was making chapattis with extreme skill. I noticed a lot of child labour. He stretched the dough over a round dome covered in cloth then banged it onto the wall of the wood or coal fired oven for a few minutes till cooked. We had ours with a thin, tasty lentil gruel others were being served drenched in margarine (no thanks!) and sugar. Terry’s favorite tea – tea tarek (with condensed milk) was served in dinky cups that meant you needed at least two at a time.

The next day we did the walking tour of the city that was in the Lonely Planet. Once again we were amazed with the orderliness of everything. Every re-cycled nut and bolt had its place people cleaning their cars all the time sweeping dust carts doing their thing. We popped into the Strand Hotel very smart indeed and its got that colonial feel like the Nelly (Mount Nelson) but very much more tropical in décor – no carpeting, ceiling fans wood balustrades, uncluttered. They said the starting price was over US$ 400 so we would not be stopping there. Maybe they started with their top room price to put the likes of us off.

For lunch we shared a lamb biriyani that was out of this world and thick sweet lassi. The place was full, some people driving up and getting take aways from their car windows. Everything in Asia is possible as a take away even tea which they put in a plastic packet not a cup. The highlight of the tour for me was the Synagogue and as luck would have it, it was open. I got showed the Aron Ha’kodesh with its 2 lovely Sephardi Torah’s inside. Rattan couches, marble floors, chandeliers and stained glass windows all came together to make a delightful airy place of worship. The next night was Shabbat and I hoped I could be there but as it turned out we were too late in coming back from our train journey for me to make it. I can’t help saying it over and over again but everyone in this city is so friendly and helpful. I can’t help thinking that in a few years time when they are sick and tired of us tourists and there will be ones who are not so nice who do make trouble -come and ruin it. I am so thankful that we have got to see this city at its best.

Our dinner venture was across the street at the local pub. We had some draught beer on tap and I wanted to try the local snacks. A small plate arrived with an assortment of things. The peanuts, cloves of garlic and chilli were familiar oh and there were some sesame seeds too but the other mixture was completely foreign. This consisted of tea leaves with small dried shrimps and had a smoky and lime flavor that grew on me. There were also bits of fried garlic and the idea is to mix small amounts up on tea spoons and eat it. Yum the crunch the flavor I had never had anything quite like that before. I then spotted some stout which made Terry very happy as he is not a larger fan. The samoosa and other small snack seller came by and we tried those. Bite sized samoosas that were delicious and not a thick wrapper like we are used to but a light and crispy wrapper with spicy potato filling. We don’t know what the other things were but they were nice too. He has a big rattan dish displaying his goods and underneath it a frying pan on an open fire which he carries around with him. 100 Kyats(pronounced chats) for a portion. In our money that is about 85 cents. What a bargain. No one tries to cheat you and you pay the same as locals. We had a couple of chicken and veggie dishes for dinner that was tasty too. The food is not hot just flavorsome.

Yesterday we did the circular train ride. Slow but we met so many interesting and friendly people on the train that it was more about the journey on the train than the scenery outside. There are signs in the railway station and on the train to make tourist feel welcome. I have never seen that before anywhere. And they do! If you want to purchase steamed peanuts the man next to you makes sure you pay the right price the local price. No one is ripping you off. The scenes outside became rural houses changed from concrete to banana leaves, people working in the fields, woman bathing outside in their lungis children playing.

I have noticed that there are lot of young children working and it’s not their parents shop. Even here in the hostel young male children are cleaners. The one good thing is that they are learning English here and this could stand them in good stead later to get better jobs. We might think that it’s not fair that they are not at school but as I have seen in my own country it’s sometimes better to get on the job training or learn a skill rather than get a matric that you can do nothing with anyway.

So today we hired a taxi to take us to the National Museum via Aung San Su Kyi’s house – right next door to the USA Embassy. This was her fathers’ house and it is open once a year on the 19 July for a day. The day after Nelson Mandela’s birthday. Her property is right on Inye Lake one of the two in the city. Beautiful properties all around, a very well to do area. The traffic was hectic its really stop a lot and go for a second. The Museum was very dark inside but there were some very amazing artifacts – thrones, clothing both made from gold and gold thread beaded with diamonds, pearls and precious gems. You were not allowed to take your camera inside and some of things were so rare they have kept them locked up behind iron bars.

For lunch we headed back to town for a biriyani and then walked back to the hostel. We are now packing and getting ready for our flight tomorrow. That means getting up at 4 in the morning we have to leave the hostel at 5 our plane leaves at 6.30

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Photos

Motherland Inn 2
Great hostel, friendly staff, clean rooms and where I made new friends before Tel Boy arrived

Swedagon Paye Yangon
Sunset at the Paye best time to see it!

circular train journey around yangon P1080759
young shy boy

Synagogue in yangon
Only a few members left but this Synagogue is well kept and a wonder to behold

swedagon during the day
Every part glistens and this is only one very small part very difficult to get the whole thing in fact impossible you just have to come if you can!

swedagon paya yangon
As the sun sets and the night approaches it becomes more beautiful if that is possible!

young novice nuns
twice a week the girls go out begging. they chant their psalms for money or food and always have smiles at the ready for you.

tea shops
are everywhere and all seemed to be full.

sundowner snacks
those are not maggots in the tea leaves they are shrimps - this was so yummy.

mutton biriyani with raita and lassi
Oh my goodness this was such a tasty meal we shared. One portion is enough for two people.

synagogue in yangon
The street view of the well kept Synagogue the only one in Yangon

inside the synagogue
it has a colonial feel about it - see the benches are rattan and the ceiling fans.

Comments

[frankie]

Myanmar
Looks like a city of gold in more ways than one! Yummy looking food...Enjoy it all