Asia trip - July 2015

Yangon, Myanmar/Burma, July 18, 2015

Early 7.15am flight to Yangon. The busy flight lasted only just over an hour - but the clocks in Myanmar do go differently. I had to set back my watch by half an hour.

The usual bargaining with the taxi touts at the airport commenced once I was safely through passport control. I found a very helpful driver who gave me plenty of good hints regarding which places to visit, both within Yangon and in the country at large.

The hotel is fine: a bit old-fashioned and the air-conditioning leaves much to be desired. But the view is out onto the Pagoda, which is very nice. The air condititiong, however, is the one thing one really needs in this sticky and humid weather here. It's remained very hot and sweaty throughout the day.

After some refreshing in the hotel I went to the National Museum. It's a very large and interesting building with some most impressive artefacts displayed over four large floors. In particular I was impressed by the Lion Throne on the ground floor - right out of an adventure movie it could have been, but it was real. Lots of many other fine artwork were displayed as well as plenty of fine golden Buddhas of all sizes and golden royal regalia that were kept behind key and lock (for good reason I would assume). One had to view them through bars of iron. There were also old ancient Myanmar instruments, string puppets, an ethnic division explaining all about Myanmar's 14 different states and divisions. There also was an art gallery with some great paintings. 

And then on the top floor there was a relatively small exhibition about current politics. That is, the current government advertises its own achievements and common sense in this small part of the museum. 12 objectives (political, economic, social) are outlined that the government strives to achieve. And there are quite a few pictures of the rulers of the day, our day.  I only noticed that the country wishes to work for the further development of a market economy but then it is also said that economic development is meant to remain firmly in the hands of the central authority. There you go.

Then a helpful taxi driver took me to the Grand Pagoda (Shwedadont Pagoda). Wow, how impressive. It reminded me very much of the Grand Palace and the temples linked to it in Bangkok. Difficult to say which one is grander. But the Yagon stands a good chance to win the competition.  As I was wearing shorts I had to pull over one of the local salonts ( a skirt for men really) to be respectable. I first found it a bit strange but one gets quickly used to it. I wandered about and cherished all the displayed gold, jewels and the massive golden Buddhas that were to be seen everywhere, not just on the main Pagoda but also on and inside the many smaller ones adjacent to it (and they weren't that small at all).  People were wandering about, it seemed to be a popular meeting place for young people, but there were also plenty of those who were praying and chanting Buddhist songs and prayers.  There were also many monks about, some paraying some just having a good time by walking around and not doing much at all.

I got talking to two young university students (students of English) and it was very enlightening and interesting. They weren't that easy to understand but we managed. They gave some very good insights into life in Myanmar (and a bit about the current situation) from the point of view of 18year olds. Throughout our long conversation they hadn't shown any particular religiosity but when they were about to leave, they when inside the little temple we were sitting in front of and bowed three times and did a little paryer.  Buddhism runs very deep in Myanmar society, including in the young generation.

When evening broke and the light began to turn into a magic glow, the Shwedadont Pagoda and the other smaller temples loooked even more majestic and impressive than before. And the evening atmosphere was perhaps even better and deeper and more reflective than the afternoon atmosphere. By 9pm when I left eventually, the now dark temple arena was still thronged with pilgrims and a few tourists.

Off to Chinatown to get something to eat. Like the day before in Bangkok, crowds of people; Many restaurants were overly full and street and vegetable and fruit vendors made a good business. But China town in Yangon is much smaller than in Bangkok and also somewhat dirtier and less appetizing. It is quite clear that Yangon is much more the capital of a developing nation than Bangkok is. The latter is much more modern, cosmopolitian and despite all poverty also much more prosperous on the whole.  Yangon has quite some way to go it seems.  But it is a most interesting place nevertheless. 

In the middle of China town I got talking to another young student - that is, he started talking to me. And he was a student of German and quite excited about studying the language. He used to be a former monk and still lived in a monastery as he got free food and a free bed there. He also knew all about Thomas Mann, which astounded me a little.