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  Much of the information in our usual guidebooks, even though only a few years old, was quite outdated.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!

Bangkok's Beguiling Beauty

Chao Phraya river in central Bangkok, Wat Po as seen from Wat Arun

After our rejuvenating time living life in the slow and peaceful island way of Koh Lanta, the nonstop roller-coaster of Bangkok was indeed a wild ride, but definitely not an unpleasant one.  We had been excited to see Bangkok and catch a glimpse into all her secrets for years, and she didn't disappoint us during our 1st week-long sojourn there.  

Sunset along one of the canal docks on Chao Phraya

Matt in front of the Myanmar Embassy in the Silom area of Bangkok

One of Silom's amazing working breakfast options =)

We took a minivan ride and a couple of quick ferries to Krabi, where we caught an AirAsia flight to Bangkok.  We had chosen 3 different neighborhoods to lodge in for our week in Bangkok in order to better experience all that the city had to offer.  The first was Silom, chosen as it was near the Myanmar Embassy.  We needed visas to get into Myanmar and this required a little bit of finesse.  

Documenting our documents before handing them over

Line up early in the AM, get jam packed into a mid-sized hall, and hope that you were in the right line.  Hours later, relieved of your passports and some Thai bhat, you were thrust back out into the good-natured hum of Silom's streets filled with business men and women catching lunch from one of the countless (and fabulous) food stalls.  This business district is a place we came to LOVE for it's food.  So much variety, so quick, and cheap.  Coffee to go?  Of course.  Shumai for breakfast, absolutely.  Steaming bowls of meats, veg, and broth?  For sure.  It was heaven.  

Head of the very large reclining Buddha in Wat Pho

Most of the rest of the reclining Buddha

Bowls for offerings surrounded the reclining Buddha

We had great fun taking the klong (canal) boats to visit some of the finest temples in the world.  First on our list was the magnificent Wat Po complex.  It was hot, but spectacular, to be in such an amazing place.  We wandered into and out of the buildings, exploring and finding quiet corners and gardens with (surprisingly) no one else around.  The brilliant blue sky set off the gold and myriad of other colors that adorned the temple roofs and walls.  Such incredible detail was a testament to how important this area was to Bangkok and the Thai people.  

Part of the Wat Pho complex

Me with a quiet temple among the many of Wat Pho

Beautiful rooftops

Rows and rows of Buddha statues

Paying our respects inside one of Wat Pho's many temples

More fabulous Wat Pho

Gold leaf offerings on the hand of Buddha

After our Wat Po experience, we headed across the river to take in Wat Arun, an incredibly detailed tower-like structure that dominated the nearby landscape.  And one could walk up the side of most of this thing!  We were rewarded with excellent views of Bangkok after scaling the very steep (and crumbling) stairs.  The sun was just beginning to set and we were treated to some extraordinary Bangkok light as it sunk below the horizon.  

Me with Wat Arun

Wat Arun complex

Example of the amazing interior of the temples at Wat Arun

Heading further up Wat Arun

About halfway up Wat Arun -- fabulous views!

Such lovely details

Mistaking the protests for a street fair...it can happen...

On another note, the demonstrations and protests against the current president and government were beginning to ramp up as we arrived in Bangkok, and it was on the lips of all the other tourists and citizens alike.  After obtaining our Myanmar visas and breaking my toe on the bed frame in our hotel, we headed nearer the thick of it in an area near Khao San Road.  This location put us very near Democracy Monument, a centerpiece of the demonstrations.  It was surprising peaceful however, so much so that one evening on our way back from the Chinatown area, we found ourselves in the midst of what we thought was a concert and street fair.  There were children playing, food stalls with divine aromas wafting from their grills and vats, someone on stage singing, whistles and noisemakers periodically sounding off into the night and families catching up and dishing out the latest gossip.  We were in the protest and didn't even know it.  

Matt with some of Khao San's best street food

Yum, yum, yum!

Evening on Khao San Road

Khao San Road was excellent for street life, night life, and foodie life.  We wandered the criss-crossing streets, sampling all sorts of amazing treats.  Several times we found ourselves seated on little stools with a little table full of tempting plates, with little or no idea as to how to put it together or eat it.  Thankfully, there were always locals nearby to give us a few tips and suggestions, and on many an occasion, we simply peered over shoulders to see how everyone around us was eating a particular dish.  I have no doubt that we made a few faux pas, but they were delicious ones at least.  

Matt at the Bangkok National Museum

Temples at the Grand Palace

The Grand Palace was next up on the agenda, and the surrounding streets were decked out to the nines with lights, pictures, etc as it was soon to be the Thai King's birthday.  The palace grounds and temples were packed, but we thoroughly enjoyed our trip there just the same.  The detail and architecture were simply outstanding, and we had a perfect sunny day on which to enjoy it all.  The only down side was that I had to rent a shirt, as apparently, shawls aren't good enough to cover one's shoulders at the palace.  Live and learn, I guess.  =)  

Temples at the Grand Palace -- me in my rented shirt =)

The Emerald Buddha

 A home fit for a King

Khao San Rd traffic during the night of the King's birthday

On the eve of the King's birthday celebrations we wandered the streets and celebrated alongside the rest of Bangkok, quite happy to be on foot (albeit a broken one for me) as opposed to the gridlocked lanes of vehicle traffic.  It was truly a unique time to be in Thailand, and I'm grateful we were able to experience so many aspects of both the modern and ancient parts of the culture.  

Birthday lights!

Out for a stroll with the rest of Bangkok

Street vendor in Bangkok's Chinatown

Matt receives his tailor-made items at the iCheck Inn

After 3 nights in our delightfully drab Khao San budget accommodation ($17/night and only 1 power outlet, but it did have a good hot shower and was infestation free), we moved on to the Sukhumvit neighborhood, where we alighted in what was to become one of our favorite accommodations of the whole year, the iCheck Inn.  Somewhat difficult to find?  Yes.  Worth it?  Yes.  The staff was super friendly, and the room was an awesome 5th story spread with a view, and a shower curtain (these are rare in most of the world we discovered.) 

It was in this neighborhood that we discovered one of the coolest shopping malls ever – Terminal 21.  The floors were arranged as though you were in different cities and were decorated as such, so we happily went from Tokyo to Paris to Rome to Istanbul to San Fransisco, etc.  Truly the best part was the holiday decorations though.  It was nearly December, and we were beginning to miss home a bit and all the traditional Christmas festivities.  Fortunately for me, Terminal 21 had a Starbucks, so I shelled out the usual ~$5 for a peppermint mocha (yes, 5% of the daily budget…but sometimes you need a treat.)  It was even more amazing than I had remembered.  We also treated ourselves to a sushi extravaganza, something we both had been missing.  

Getting into the holiday spirit in front of Terminal 21 mall

Christmas springs up in the mall =)

 A long awaited sushi extravaganza

Busy Sukhumvit evening with Matt in the foreground

Matt writing cards in the iCheck lobby

And so, we spent the last 2 days in Bangkok soaking up the holiday spirit by wandering through the fantastically decorated malls, buying little Christmas wreaths for our backpacks and writing a few Thai Christmas cards to send back home.  We also made sure to avail ourselves to whatever comfort goods were available – wine and cheese from the fancy supermarket, a night spent watching TV in our room, etc.  

Heading to Myanmar!  We'll be back, Bangkok!

We were about to fly to Myanmar, a country about which there were many, many conflicting accounts from what we had both heard and read.  We found a map and a phrasebook, ensured that all important emails had been sent, and squeezed in a skype session with the 'rents.  We were told that power was often sketchy in Myanmar, and that we may or may not have to pay for everything in US dollars.  The most up to date info available on the country was from current traveler's blogs, so we would by flying by the seat of our pants mostly. 

Bangkok had been amazing, and we knew we would be back.  But our next great adventure lay before us, and we couldn't wait to get our feet onto the soil of this mysterious land they now called Myanmar!

Check out the photos below for a more complete Bangkok experience -- there were too many to choose from!  =)