Making Our Way in Yangon, Myanmar

Even now, almost 1 year later, I remain mostly lost for words when it comes to describing our travels in The Republic of the Union of Myanmar, formerly known (and still known to some) as Burma.  The mind reels with the ever-changing swirls of thoughts and emotions, just as the dust and the aromas of this complex landscape did last December as we ventured from Yangon to Bagan to Mandalay and back again.
  

Typical evening street scene near our hotel in Yangon
 

One of the main streets, Sule Pagoda at the far end

 Myanmar is new to mainstream tourism, which is one of the most exciting things about it.  Much of the information in our usual guidebooks, even though only a few years old, was quite outdated.  We relied heavily on other blogs and internet posts, and had brought backup cash in USD just in case as we had heard that everything needed to be paid for in this currency.  Most "tourist" infrastructure in place was traditionally government owned and run, and a lot of it, along with things like some transportation systems, remains this way.  However, as we quickly learned, Myanmar is changing at an incredible rate.  

Me with the towering white pillar at Maha Bandoola Park

Much of Myanmar is still mysterious, as the country was all but closed off to the outside world beginning in the 1950's when military juntas came into power.  Currently, a lot of the country is still "off limits" to tourists, and unfortunate reports of military abuses of power still filter out periodically.  Like most social and political situations, it's complicated.  I won't pretend to even remotely comprehend all of the nuances that have played a role in the present state of economic and political affairs.  Suffice it to say, at many times during our few weeks in this magical land, we felt as though we had traveled back in time a few decades, and that this was a place haunted by both its remote and very near pasts.  

A taste of the beautiful & mysterious at Shwedagon Pagoda

One of many spiritual moments during our time in Myanmar

Proof of ATMs in Myanmar -- this one in the pagoda!

It was a quick flight from Bangkok to Yangon, where our first myth about Myanmar was quickly dispelled at the airport.  The guidebooks warned us there were no ATMs in the entire country.  This was true, up until ~12 months ago.  Several shiny, new ATMs greeted us as we finished up with immigration and customs.  Score.  The only catch was that they dispensed money in roughly ~5 dollar increments.  We felt like bank robbers as we took our stack of money and shoved it quickly away.  There are many counterfeit US dollars in Myanmar, so we had planned (if possible) to do any and all transactions in the local currency, called kyat.  

A view from The White House Hotel

We found a cab, negotiated a fare and were thrust into the evening streets scenes of Yangon.  At first we couldn't put a finger on it, but something felt different.  After a few minutes riding in the madness, we placed it – the steering wheel was on the right side of the vehicle, but unlike the rest of the British colonies, in Myanmar, they drove on the right side of the road as well, just like in the states.  It made for a very, um, interesting, feeling of impending doom.  Bikes, carts, buses, trucks, animals; it was all here.  It was awesome.  

Matt helping himself to the awesome breakfast buffet

Our hotel was called The White House Hotel, and it was somewhat of a Yangon institution.  The construction was, um, interesting.  I suspect there were no actual permits issued for floors 5 through 9, but it seemed sturdy enough.  Up 8 flights of stairs we went after filling out the obligatory paperwork.  We soon found ourselves nestled into what was probably the smallest room of the entire trip, but it was sufficient enough.  The shared bathroom had running water, and a surprisingly intricate combination of valves to turn to produce hot water, but this it did.  It all just went out the drain down the side of the building, but beggars can't be choosers.  

One of the smallest rooms of the trip =)

The White House Hotel did boast a pretty spectacular breakfast... =)
 

Sule Pagoda

The next morning we helped ourselves to the famous White House breakfast buffet.  Toast (prepared the old school way – over hot coals), coffee with sweetened condensed milk, fresh papaya juice, and a huge variety of vegetable dishes in sauces and some wickedly good eggs.  It was just what we needed to fuel up for the day.  After having our fill, we headed out into the heat of the day to visit the Sule Pagoda in central Yangon.  It is believed to be over 2500 years old, slightly predating the more famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.  Like most temples and pagodas, shoes are not allowed, so while walking around we stuck mostly to the shaded areas of concrete.  

Train schedule, I think?!

It was then off to the main railway station where we handed over some cold, hard US dollars to secure a couple of seats on the ridiculously long 17 hour train journey to Bagan in a couple of days' time.  The ticketing area was strangely quiet, but the folks at the counter very helpful.  It was then time for some lunch.  We were hot and tired, so picked one of the first places that looked inviting, a lovely little Thai place.  We sat down, and leaned the Burmese symbols for the numbers 0-9 as we had quickly realized that we couldn't figure out which bus was which and how much things cost on the signs as they don't use the typical Arabic numeral system.  And then we won a free beer.  Even better.  I loved Yangon already.  

 A thoughtful sign at the train station =)

Some White House Hotel hammock time

Oh, the buses were fun =)

After a brief reprieve from the hot sun in the still-pretty-hot hammock back at The White House, we headed out for a late afternoon meander to arguably the most iconic site in Myanmar, the Shwedagon Pagoda.  The rush hour traffic was nuts, and we were still hot, so we splurged on a cab ride up to the pagoda.  

Heading up to the fabulous Shwedagon Pagoda -- what an entrance!

Part of the Shwedagon Pagoda complex

So happy to be traveling!

The sun was just beginning its very long descent as we climbed the many, many stairs up.  And then we saw it.  It was glimmering, glowing and towering above us, and it was breathtaking.  It is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites and people of all ages were praying, giving offerings, and just plain marveling at the size and glory of this thing.  It is said, just like many other temples and pagodas, to contain relics of the Buddha himself.  The Shwedagon Pagoda is reputed to be over 2500 years old, and it has undergone a multitude of transformations within that time.  Gradually over the centuries it has been built higher and higher, with the occasional earthquake here and there thwarting its progress.  The "umbrella," or very top is studded with diamonds and rubies, with a 76 carat diamond at the very tip.  The remaining structure is mostly brick, but brick that has been covered in gold plates donated over the centuries.  She is a beauty to behold.  

A multitude of Buddhas

Trying to capture all the little beautiful details

Matt with the wonderful twilight sky

We passed the deliciously long drawn-out minutes of twilight and most of the evening hours circling this wonder and ducking into and out of side temples and pagodas.  It was charming, spiritual and breathtaking.  

Buddha

Top of the Shwedagon Pagoda

More stunning spires

The glowing Shwedagon at night

The following day was spent further exploring Yangon with a walk to the very large lake at its center and meandering up and down the streets.  Special attention was paid to visit one of the many teahouses, a very important cultural hotspot in Myanmar.  Teahouses are where business is done, and in the past (and maybe still the present) this is where informers from the government and from the populace went to gather, trade and smuggle information.  

Around Kandawgyi Lake

How tea is done right

Matt catching a bite before the train......er......bus......=)

Before long, it was time to depart the busy and accessible streets of Yangon, for the dusty temple-studded plains of Bagan.  We showed up at the train station for our much anticipated 17 hour long, hot and bumpy journey with enough food and water for at least 24 hours, only to be told "no, no train today."  Oh, the joys of travel.  Fortunately, through the help of complete strangers we secured the last 2 bus tickets out of Yangon that evening to Bagan (overpriced, yes, but worth it at the time).  All it took was a cramped hour long ride in the back of a covered truck (transfer included with the price!) with stacks and stacks of goods, many other Burmese would-be bus travelers and the sheer joy (terror?) of blasting through Yangon's rush hour traffic with the hot diesel-scented air around us out to the bus station.  But it was fun and adventurous, exactly what last minute plan changes should contain.

Click below for more pictures and stories from this fabulous place!