7 Interesting Things during our Yangon Adventure

I've always always wanted to visit Myanmar (Burma). I've been bugging my friend, ever since we started to travel, to have time to visit this country. I even made an itinerary and budget proposal just to convince her. However, due to schedule constraints, we were destined to visit the country at different times. No biggie. It was an opportunity for her to start solo travelling and for me to do as well. However, with a stroke of luck, I found a friend to share the adventure which was not bad at all. 

During our trip, I found these interesting things in Yangon:

1. Largest City: Yangon

This is the former capital and is the largest city of the country. It has a population of nearly six million which makes it the most important commercial center. It was November when we visited the city, which is already considered winter season but the temperature is almost 33 degrees. 

At the airport, we caught a taxi towards our hotel. We paid around 12,000 MMK for the ride and enjoyed the views on the way. Its a busy and exciting city. 

Before our trip started, I knew that Yangon was known for its traffic. We decided that it would be best to stay in a central place so that some of the places can be reached by foot. Another friend shared this very helpful map of Yangon Downtown.

2. Men wearing longyi

One of the first interesting things I noticed when I arrived in Myanmar is of men wearing longyi. A longyi is a sheet of cloth about 2 meters long and wrapped around the waist. Growing up and living in countries where men wore jeans or shorts, this was a very new thing. The longyi certainly suits the climate as it allows air to circulate and can keep women (and men) cool in the humid weather. 

2. Gold almost everywhere

The country stands by its recognition of being the Golden Land. Gold as the most precious metal can be seen in pagodas and accessories. Most pagodas are covered in gold leaves. The following places were where we saw the glistening gold.

a. Shwedagon Pagoda

Entrance Fee: 8,000 MMK (9 USD)

(Optional) Longyi Rental: 3,000 MMK

(Optional) Tour Guide: 10,000MMK

The visit would be incomplete if we did not set foot at this place. It is said to be 2,500 years old and enshrines strands of Buddha's hair and other sacred relics. From 8.2 meters, it now stands to about 100 meters and is covered with hundreds of goldplates. At the top of the stupa is where diamonds are located.

It also consists of other temples, statues and stupas and there were a lot of people praying and walking around. I would've sat around the grounds and stare in awe longer if I was just wasn't very hungry :)

One thing to remember is to leave your shoes at either of the entrances of this pagoda. I saw some visitors were allowed to bring their shoes in a plastic bag. Since we didn't know, we were allowed to leave our footwear with a local watching over it. Afterwards, she gave us some wet tissues to wipe our soles and in return of her labor, we gave her a donation.

b. Sule Pagoda

Entrance Fee: 3,000 MMK (2 USD)

This pagoda was very near to our hotel and we opted to just stare at it from a distance. It is 48 meters high and was decided as the center piece of Yangon  because of its strategic location, religious significance and artistic beauty.

c. Botataung Pagoda

Entrance Fee; 6,000 MMK

The name of this pagoda means 1,000 military leaders. When eight hair relics of Buddha arrived to Yangon from India, a guard of honour of 1,0000 military leaders was formed to pay respect to the relics.

I was particularly amazed with the golden walls of the main stupa. The stupa was hollow and visitors can walk through it while seeing several chambers that contain ancient artifacts protected by glass containers.

The main stupa from the outside. We were able to walk around and saw a pond filled with turtles.

3. Currency: Kyat (pronounced as chat)

I've read ahead that crisp USDs are the only notes accepted by money exchange stalls in Yangon. I have not tried this as I came from Thailand. I had no problem changing Baht to Kyat in the airport. Although, I have seen a number of money exchange down town as well.

As per google, 1 USD is around 1,200 MMK.

I'm thankful that my friend is good in Math and money. I was confused at the first sight of currency. Though Vietnam and Indonesian currency is also with a lot of zeroes in them, I'm still not used to it but later on got the hang of it :)

4. Heritage Walk

Our hotel was down town and with the use of the map (photo above), we tried to discover the places that we can reach by foot. This is the Mahabandoola Garden which is just a stones throw from the Sule Pagoda. I guess it is nice to hang out here and do people watching. There were also a number of stalls that sell food and drinks outside this park which means that one can never go hungry.

We wanted to do some heritage walk as the map suggested but the heat was so intense. There were nice old buildings in this part of town. I particularly liked this clock tower at the background. 

I almost forgot to write down that before we entered the park, 1 young boy in monk clothes came to us for donation. When we gave him some, another came to ask for the same thing. Although amused, we politely refused to give again. Later down the street, we found them. This time they were eagerly watching a man counting down the money they amassed. 

5. Food

I'm lucky to have an office acquaintance/ Facebook friend who lives in the city. Dr Chaw Su saw my Facebook post notifying that I was in Yangon. I truly appreciate her time to see me amidst her busy schedule. We were brought to a popular Myanmar Restaurant called Feel Myanmar Food. 

I've read blogs recommending this place and I could not have found it without Dr. Chaw inviting us. This long running place is where a big choice of freshly made dishes on display and all we had to do was point what we'd like to try. It was lunch time and the place was so full and busy. 

We were so full by the time I was done with my meal. The Myanmar food we ordered were so delicious though a bit oily. Then dessert was served. This was plate was delicious as well as the one after it. I was really very full I did not finish all. 

6. Friendly people

Aside from Dr Chaw, I observed that Myanmar people are very friendly. The staff in our hotel was very helpful and happy to answer our questions. While walking in the park, these men approached us. They were students and they came to us to practice their English through a conversation with us. They also tried to invite us to come to another island just near the city and reachable by ferry. However, we had a bus to Bagan to catch so we refused.

7.Bookshops

I love reading and I love books. While studying the city map, I found that there were a lot of book shops. True enough, during our short walk, I saw book shops along the street. Some were books in their language and some were in English. It's great to see them everywhere though I was not able to find one book that I liked, I enjoyed browsing through some interesting titles.

It was such a short and sweet stay in Yangon. We barely had enough time to see other interesting places such as the Reclining Buddha, Karaweik Palace and others. In the future, I may come back and see more. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)

Second Bali Trip - Day 2

On our second and last day in Bali, we did not miss the breakfast buffet offered by our hotel. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and considering that we have quite a full day and flight in the evening, we fueled ourselves.

It was a Sunday and the roads were not full but then again the distance to our destination was quite far. After an hour's drive, we arrived at Kerta Gosa, a beautiful historical site situated 40 km east side of Denpasar. From the Sanskrit word Kerta meaning serene and Gosa which is derived from the word Gosita that means established or announced.

This is the Taman Gili, a building floating or seems like floating because it is intentionally founded in the middle of a fish pond. The ceiling of this building is notable as it is painted with the only surviving example of classical wayang art in the whole of Bali.

The view from the top and overlooking the pond.

Our next destination was another hour's drive. It is called the Ujung Water Palace.

Now it is called Ujung Park. The complex consists of various large pools and historic structures set against a backdrop of Mount Agung and the eastern shoreline.

It survived the mountain's eruption and an earthquake and was restored to its current splendour. The area was so big and because the sun was so hot, we barely were able to roam all of the area.

Our final stop is the sister water temple of the previous one. The place is called Tirta Gangga which literally means water for the Ganges and it is a site of some reverence for the Hindu Balinese.

The one hectare complex was built in 1946 but was also destroyed by the nearby volcano's eruption in 1963. It has been re built and restored and tourists are able to enjoy its loveliness.

This is the centerpiece of the palace - an eleven tiered fountain. I had fun walking along the steps in the pool fronting it.

Our tour ended and we arrived back at our hotel in Kuta at around 4 pm. We had time to hike and see the beach in Kuta which was not really far from the hotel. We found out there was a lot of people on the beach enjoying the scene of surfers on the waters.

On the way to the airport, Jero suggested a place for take away. It was a famous place for chicken with edible tender bones. I didn't believe it until I tasted it :P. Great dinner and also what a thoughtful friend!

This ends my second visit to Bali! I still want to visit it for the third time! Maybe in the future :)

Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Trying out Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise

We headed to Bangkok after our ChiangMai exploration. It was our goal to experience a dinner cruise at the Chao Phraya River. It was easy to find an online company for this. My friend chose the Grand Chao Phraya Cruise which cost around 900-1000THB per person. We didn't include the pick up and drop off with our package as we were confident to locate the starting point.

From our hotel near Siam Station, we rode the train towards Saphan Taksin station and boarded the Ferry Boat towards River City Pier. From there, we asked the guards where to locate the booth for our chosen Cruise. Upon locating the booth, we were asked to show our voucher and we were given a sticker to put on our chest. The staff then pointed to a gate where we were asked to wait. 

While standing and waiting for further instructions, ladies dressed in Traditional Thai costumes gave us an orchid pin and asked us to smile while our photo was taken. Being in Thailand and having joined tours before, I know those photos would be sold to us on frames after the cruise. Knowing this, we still obliged.

The Cruise Boat then arrived and before we were allowed to walk into it, we were greeted by the Cruise staff with a dance number. Here's a short clip:

Upon climbing the boat, we noticed that most of the guests were led to the second floor. I guess the first floor was more expensive or with VIP guests. The staff guided us to our table and when everyone was seated, the host welcomed us.

 Another traditional dance was then presented to us. Our table was near the stage so the dancers were turning their back on us.

Without further adieu, the guests were informed that the buffet table was ready. I was very hungry that time so I forgot to take photos of the dishes served. All I know is that I was happy to taste them. I only had time to take photos of the cakes and desserts. By the way, the drinks were not included in the buffet. You have to order and pay for it separately.

While eating and enjoying the view, the guests were entertained with a Live Band and a romantic Saxophone version of songs.

It was such a dreamy evening. I didn't know what to prioritize -  the food or the view. But nevertheless I enjoyed the moment well. I saw the Grand Palace at a far distance and some beautiful buildings along the river bank.

The Live Band did a good job in keeping the guest's energies up. Some people were even dancing in the middle stage.

It was then announced that the boat has arrived at the point of origin and it was their pleasure to have us experience their offered cruise. All in all, it was a memorable 3 hour boat ride perfect for friends, families or lovers who would like to see Chao Phraya River at night while indulging in delicious cuisine. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog!

Doi Inthanon 1 Day Tour

For our third day in Chiang Mai, we booked ourselves a day tour to check out Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest peak. Booking and paying for this excursion was again well instructed and facilitated by Travel Hub Chiang Mai. The tour was 1,150 THB and it started at 8:30 am when we were picked up at our hotel.

Our first stop was a village where we saw how the locals were making weaved scarves of different colors. It was interesting to look at how they moved their tools while making sure that each strand is in place.

The finished products in different shades and colors.

Before hopping back to our minivan, we stopped by this small hut to rest. The tribe had set up a mini cafe here showcasing their homegrown coffee. 

Our next stop was the Wachirathan Waterfall. It is the second major waterfall on the way up to Doi Inthanon National Park. It is said that the height of this falls is somewhere between 60m to 80m.

There was a stairs leading to a closer view of the falls. It was also very slippery. On top was a platform to take more pictures and enjoy the falls. 

Because we were finished going up, we also explored where the water flows. Afterwhich, we had lunch in one of the eateries found in the area.

Our next stop was the peak of Doi Inthanon. It was the coldest place I've been into! I loved the cold temperature up there. :) As part of the Himalayan mountain range, Doi Inthanon is Thailand's tallest peak at 2,565 meters above sea level. 

We then went to the Angkha nature walk. It was where we were able to walk amongst the unique flora and fauna living in the high altitude. Here's a photo of our new found friend Jackie and our tour guide.

Amazing greens everywhere. Jackie as my model for this nature shot.

Our next stop is the Chedi of the King and Queen. The view from here is breathtaking. It was tiring to climb but it was worth it.

I love how the clouds seem very near and the stretch of mountains in front of me. The sun was shining but it was very cold. I have not been to any cold country before and I'm already happy to have experienced what it is like to be in a cold but sunny weather. 

Our second to the last stop was at the Inthanon Royal Project Research Station. The facilities here are for research and development of pilot projects for cash crops which include coffee, cold climate fruits and flowers. The project was initiated in 1979 to help the hill tribes and train them on modern agricultural practices. Here we were with our new found friends.

We had fun looking around, snapping photos and checking out the gift shop with lots of beverage and food grown from their own garden.

Our last stop was to see Sirithan Waterfall. We trailed about 100 meters towards the jungle from the main road. At the end of the trail was a wooden platform where we stood in awe of the falls in front of us.

Truly another busy day for us in Chaing Mai. There were lots of things to see but we were there for only a short time. I'm so happy I have achieved this from my bucket list. Thank you for reading and 'til my next blog :)