We arrived at Kathmandu International airport late afternoon from Dhaka, Bangladesh by United Airways (not to be confused with United Airlines of the United States). Checking through Immigration and Customs was reasonably easy and quick as there were not that many arriving passengers at that time; I think our flight was the only one. However, when we stepped out of the airport, I noticed that there were a good number of people, either waiting for passengers from our flight, or the next one coming in. I looked around for a taxi to take us into town. I didn't have long to wait. A man approached me and asked if I wanted a taxi. When I asked him how much to the city, he said, "500 Rupees," I made a quick calculation and it amounted to only ... read more

As Rudyard Kipling the famous English author and poet described a long time ago, Burma (now called Myanmar) is a "Land like no other," the Shwedagon pagoda in the former capital of Yangon is truly an architectural wonder like no other temple. Built 2,500 years ago on a hill, it is the country's most sacred and revered place of worship. The hill where the pagoda is situated lies 190 feet or 58 meters above sea level, so this glittering landmark can be seen from nearly every part of Yangon city. Having lived in Yangon for half of my life (and on many subsequent visits), I of course have been there numerous times, but I am always spellbound by the majestic splendor of this huge place. A beautiful building or structure can move a person, but a ... read more

I was born in this city which was then known as Rangoon and lived there for 32 years. Since then I have lived abroad in several different countries, but still consider Rangoon to be my hometown. It is now officially known as Yangon, meaning "end of strife." Actually, Yangon is the original name in Burmese. When the country became a British colony the British rulers anglicized it to Rangoon, although the people always referred to it by its original name. When I was growing up in Rangoon, the population of the city was barely half a million. We were always proud to proclaim that Rangoon was a big city with a small town flavor. Now the population has grown to five million inhabitants, and unfortunately, the city has lost most of its old charm with daily ... read more