Blogs from Yangon Region, Burma, Asia - page 23

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon December 5th 2009

It looks like Father Christmas threw up in the lobby of the ParkRoyal Hotel. The lobby is decorated in a garish red/green/gold theme. Several huge Christmas trees, covered in long loops of sparkling lights and glittering ornaments, are located just inside the entry. Christmas carols are blaring on the hotel's speaker system. The Christmas decorations don't stop at the lobby....the exterior of the hotel is also exploding with colored lights and decorations. Large signs plastered with images of Mickey, Minny, Goofy and friends in festive attire invite guests to enjoy a "Very Disney Christmas". Doubtful that Disney execs in Orlando/Los Angeles know about these signs. In a predominantly Buddhist country, and an extremely poor country, these tacky displays are just wrong. Even more surreal - our hotel is ground zero for an international conference of Jehovah's ... read more

Day 46: Mingalabar!

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon November 29th 2009

Team A2

One of our favorite things to do when we arrive in a new, non-English-speaking country is to learn two things: - How to say "Hello!" - How to say "Thank you!" So here's your lesson for the day in Burmese: MINGALABAR! (ming ga la bah!) = HELLO! (or, literally, "It's a blessing!") CEZUBAH! (jez you bah!) = THANK YOU! It makes people happy. Today was a wonderful day. We explored Yangon. Yangon is the largest city in Burma. Burma's population is about 50 million; about 6 million people live in Yangon. Despite being the largest city, it's no longer the capital. In a very weird move, the generals decided to relocate the capital in 2007 to the tiny town of Nay Pyi Taw, located in the middle of the country but not exactly near anything. Why? ... read more

Day 45: Burma or Myanmar?

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon November 28th 2009

image1

Team A2

What do you think of when you hear the word "Burma"? British men (wearing linen suits) sipping gin and tonics while resting in wicker chairs being cooled by ceiling fans? Stunning ancient temples and abundant natural resources? A horrible and oppressive military regime? Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and the government's initial refusal to accept foreign aid? Democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi's ongoing house arrest? It's all of the above. Here's what we know about Burma based on information contained in our guidebook and other sources: Burma/Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Asia with one of the most oppressed populations in the world. The infant mortality rate is high and the life expectancy is low. It's a gross understatement to say that human rights in Burma are a joke. The leader of the democratic ... read more

Yangon x2

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon November 14th 2009

Sule Pagoda

dephil13

Yangon 2nd Time Around. 3rd Nov 2009 Flew back to Yangon (we now know you pronounce it Yan-go) from Bagan. Plane landed at Mandalay, Heho and then Yangon. Average flight times 25mins each!!! Bit like a bus really. At Heho everyone got off except us and a monk, then it filled up again. Yangon International airport is very new and plush but the domestic terminal is something else!!!!! Like a rugby scrum in a shed!! They obviously don't need to impress anyone there then! In downtown Yangon we stayed at Okinawa Guest House. We've spoiled ourselves a bit by staying in nice hotels and while Okinawa was clean and tidy it was a bit surreal with the rooms being a bit like ship's cabins and if you wanted to sit anywhere it was in the street ... read more

The Old Capital of Myanmar

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon September 5th 2009

Welcome!

lanegra

Myanmar, Burma..... whichever you call it, it's definitely worth a visit to if you can figure out how to get here. I think BKK and SIN are two sure shot ways. There's also the Visa you need to apply for (can't get it on arrival), and bring fresh/clean/pristine 100$ usd only. There are no ATMs, travellers cheques are not accepted, nor are credit cards. Fun right, well actually that's the fun part. You can change money in most hotels or in the Boyoke Market in Yangon for anywhere btw 1025-1100k per dollar. The money is kyat (pronouced chot) and the largest bill is 1000 so you are walking around with a $100,000k stack instantly. The people are nice and for the most part live a very simple life. We only spent one night in Yangon before ... read more

travel around myanmar

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Chaungtha July 23rd 2009

slimcat

Finding a place in chaung tha beach at the new year is not very easy. almost all the hotel are full of travelers during this time. some people just have to sleep at the houses in the villager. chaungtha villagers have opportunities to make some money this time as they can hire they house to the travelers. Some people just book one year ahead to get the sea view at the hotel in chaungtha. If you are foreigner it will be hard to get a place during this time so please do not travel to chaungtha, you can go to Ngwe Saung Beach or Ngapali beach instead of going to Chaungtha. Even for local people it is hard to find a space this time and all the place will be full of people. At night you ... read more

Our Burma experience, traversing a country less travelled

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon June 30th 2009

Shwedagon Paya

The Doc moves to Thailand

To go or not to go to Burma? This is the question that plays on most people’s minds about travelling to a country where the military government’s human rights record is abominable and by visiting you put money into their pockets through tourism revenue received in taxes and various charges. It is particularly a difficult decision to make when you have been working with refugees from Burma and are exposed to the kinds of atrocities they have fled from and survived under the junta. Aung San Su Kyi asks foreigners to boycott travel to Burma but in another interview suggests if travellers do visit to really talk to the locals and understand the conditions they live in and not just see Burma from a car window or package tour. That is what Matt and I wanted ... read more

Myanmar

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon June 22nd 2009

Pagoden und wir

Asienneuburg

Myanmar. Yangon. Gleich den ersten Tag verbrachten wir uns auf die bequeme Tour. Mit einem Guide. Andrew nannte er sich nachdem er unsere Aussprache von seinem wahren Namen Aung Mya als Beleidigung empfand. Zuerst ins Hotel, das einzige während der ganzen Reise mit warmen Wasser, aber das wussten wir eben damals noch nicht. Sonst haetten wir eine Thermosflasche mit handgeschoepften yangoner Hochquellwasser für die Reise mitgenommen. Den Tag verbrachten wir vor und in der groesten Pagode, Shwedagon (keine Sorge wird keine Prüfungsfrage) Buddas wohin das Auge blickt, dazwischen Mönche und Nonnen und hurra, welch Ueberraschung - keine Touristen!?!!. Wir waren eigentlich die Einzigen. Dementsprechend wurden uns von Einheimischen immer wieder diese “Habt ihr Euch verlaufen?”-Blicke zugeworfen. Doch die Menschen lächelten uns von Anfang nieder. So eine Stimmung haette ich gerne einmal ber... read more

Around Rangoon

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon May 31st 2009

Neugierige Kids im Dorf

Jack Kerouac

Trotz regnerischer Witterung bin ich zusammen mit Min Thu, der mich schon durch Rangun gefuehrt hat, zu einem Dorf ausserhalb von Rangun in Richtung Ayerwadi-Delta gefahren. Dazu bedarf es einer Erlaubnis des Office of Tourism, die jedoch innerhalb von fuenf Minuten kostenlos erledigt war. Mit der Faehre ging es ueber den Yangon River, fuer Einheimische kostet die Ueberfahrt 100 Kyat, fuer Touris 1000 Kyat. Allgemein gelten sehr oft verschiedene Preise fuer Touris und Einheimische, vor allem bei oeffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln und Eintrittsgeldern. Dann gings weiter mit einem Share-Taxi und einem kurzen Fussmarsch durch ein Dorf. Dort habe ich einige Hefte und Bleistifte gekauft. Mit einem Boot gings ueber einen weiteren Fluss, mit einem anderen Boot zehn Minuten flussaufwaerts bis wir schliesslich an einem netten Dorf am Flussufer ankamen. Sehr abgelegen... Als Tourist verirrt man ... read more

Alle lauschen gespannt meinen Erzaehlungen

Rangun

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon May 27th 2009

Shwedagon Pagoda

Jack Kerouac

Nachdem ich nun seit Jahren mit dem Gedanken spiele, bin ich nun endlich in Myanmar angekommen. Vor vier Tagen nahm ich morgens den AirAsia Flug nach Rangun. Dieses Land ist mal eine neue Herausforderung, was Reisen angeht. Ohne Visum geht gar nix, und die Menschen in der Festungs-aehnlichen Botschaft in Bangkok sind extrem unfreundlich. Meine Antragsformulare habe ich von der Website der Botschaft Myanmars in Deutschland ausgedruckt. Da sie aber die falsche Kopfzeile hatten, musste ich die identischen Formulare in Bangkok nochmal ausfuellen. 20 Euro kostet das Visum, "Express-Fee" fuer eine Bearbeitung innerhalb von 2 Tagen statt drei nochmal sechs Euro mehr. Der Officer in der Botschaft freut sich, Myanmar ist das zweit-korrupteste Land der Welt. Nach dem Papierkrieg in der Botschaft, habe ich im Flieger drei weitere Formulare ausgefuellt (zusaetzlich zur Arrival Form aus der ... read more