Yangon, Myanmar
On Thursday (8 March) I flew from Bangkok to the capital of Myanmar, Yangon - 'Yan-gone', not 'Yan-goon' as I had been pronouncing it - early in the morning. I was so tired from the early flight that once I checked into my guesthouse I slept for a good part of the day.
The next day, Friday (9 March), I got out to explore Yangon. First I went to Sula Paya (Paya = Pagoda) right smack in the middle of downtown. And it was here that I talked to a local who convinced me that coming to Myanmar was the right thing to do, despite the international travel boycott that is being encouraged. From that point on, every local I talked to - which turned out to be quite a lot - reconfirmed this feeling. It actually made me sad that such a travel boycott exists because it really hurts the locals without having much affect on the ruling military junta government. I wandered around exploring downtown Yangon for a while and later in the afternoon I went to the world-famous Shwedagon Paya, the site to see in Yangon. It was a large, stunningly beautiful pagoda and I spent several hours there walking around and then talking to monks and locals (all of whom approached me). I stayed there until well after sunset talking to my new Burmese friends. I also managed to avoid paying the entrance fee which goes straight to the government by using the rear entrance.
Saturday (10 March) I tried to book a bus to Kalaw, Myanmar up north, but couldn't leave for several days which at first was a bummer, but then turned out okay as I made other plans. My alternate plans for the following couple of days where to go to Golden Rock pagoda - also know as Kyaikto which is the mountain where it is located - which is a large, gold covered, balancing rock on the top of a mountain that is a sacred Buddist pilgramige site.
Sunday (11 March) I took the bus to Kinpun, Myanmar about 5 hours east of Yangon. Conveniently the bus station in Yangon is located 45 minutes by taxi from the city center with no direct local buses going there. So my 5000 kyat (~$4) taxi ride to the bus station was rewared with a 4000 kyat bus ride to Kinpun!! Kinpun is the town used to visit Golden Rock pagoda and has a couple of foreigner oriented guesthouses. I was the only foreigner on the bus and arrived in Kinpun to late to visit Golden Rock that afternoon.
Monday (12 March) I hiked the 12 km pilgrimage trail up to Golden Rock. Most people take buses to the top. I didn't see any foreigners on the trail and all the locals where really happy to see me. Lots of smiles and "Mingalaba's" (hello in Burmese) were exchanged. 3 hours later and 1000 meters higher I arrived at Golden Rock. I tried to avoid paying the entrance fee there, but couldn't. I was walking through the large pavillion nearing Golden Rock and got flagged down by a group of locals who wanted me to join them. They bought me food, asked me to take pictures of them and show them the pictures on my digital camera, and then they got some pictures taken with me on film cameras. At one point there where about 25 locals sitting around me watching and looking. It was strange to be the center of attention like that. I spent a few hours sitting there trying to communicate with the locals before heading down. I took the bus back down with the hordes and masses.
Tuesday (13 March) I took the bus from Kinpun back to Yangon. Once again there were no foreingers on the bus which makes for a special ride with a little bit of preferred treatment.
Wednesday ( 14 March) I left Yangon bound for Kalaw early in the afternoon. The seats were comfortable enough except for the lack of leg room. That would prove to be my last semi-comfortable bus ride in Myanmar.
**All the entrance fees go directly to the government so whereever possible I tried to get around this. Not because I am cheap and didn't want to pay the money, but because responsible travelers to Myanmar try to minimize the amount of money that goes into the governments hands and maximize money going to the locals.
The next day, Friday (9 March), I got out to explore Yangon. First I went to Sula Paya (Paya = Pagoda) right smack in the middle of downtown. And it was here that I talked to a local who convinced me that coming to Myanmar was the right thing to do, despite the international travel boycott that is being encouraged. From that point on, every local I talked to - which turned out to be quite a lot - reconfirmed this feeling. It actually made me sad that such a travel boycott exists because it really hurts the locals without having much affect on the ruling military junta government. I wandered around exploring downtown Yangon for a while and later in the afternoon I went to the world-famous Shwedagon Paya, the site to see in Yangon. It was a large, stunningly beautiful pagoda and I spent several hours there walking around and then talking to monks and locals (all of whom approached me). I stayed there until well after sunset talking to my new Burmese friends. I also managed to avoid paying the entrance fee which goes straight to the government by using the rear entrance.
Saturday (10 March) I tried to book a bus to Kalaw, Myanmar up north, but couldn't leave for several days which at first was a bummer, but then turned out okay as I made other plans. My alternate plans for the following couple of days where to go to Golden Rock pagoda - also know as Kyaikto which is the mountain where it is located - which is a large, gold covered, balancing rock on the top of a mountain that is a sacred Buddist pilgramige site.
Sunday (11 March) I took the bus to Kinpun, Myanmar about 5 hours east of Yangon. Conveniently the bus station in Yangon is located 45 minutes by taxi from the city center with no direct local buses going there. So my 5000 kyat (~$4) taxi ride to the bus station was rewared with a 4000 kyat bus ride to Kinpun!! Kinpun is the town used to visit Golden Rock pagoda and has a couple of foreigner oriented guesthouses. I was the only foreigner on the bus and arrived in Kinpun to late to visit Golden Rock that afternoon.
Monday (12 March) I hiked the 12 km pilgrimage trail up to Golden Rock. Most people take buses to the top. I didn't see any foreigners on the trail and all the locals where really happy to see me. Lots of smiles and "Mingalaba's" (hello in Burmese) were exchanged. 3 hours later and 1000 meters higher I arrived at Golden Rock. I tried to avoid paying the entrance fee there, but couldn't. I was walking through the large pavillion nearing Golden Rock and got flagged down by a group of locals who wanted me to join them. They bought me food, asked me to take pictures of them and show them the pictures on my digital camera, and then they got some pictures taken with me on film cameras. At one point there where about 25 locals sitting around me watching and looking. It was strange to be the center of attention like that. I spent a few hours sitting there trying to communicate with the locals before heading down. I took the bus back down with the hordes and masses.
Tuesday (13 March) I took the bus from Kinpun back to Yangon. Once again there were no foreingers on the bus which makes for a special ride with a little bit of preferred treatment.
Wednesday ( 14 March) I left Yangon bound for Kalaw early in the afternoon. The seats were comfortable enough except for the lack of leg room. That would prove to be my last semi-comfortable bus ride in Myanmar.
**All the entrance fees go directly to the government so whereever possible I tried to get around this. Not because I am cheap and didn't want to pay the money, but because responsible travelers to Myanmar try to minimize the amount of money that goes into the governments hands and maximize money going to the locals.
posted by Dustin at 8:24 PM
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