Myanmar (Burma) 2015

Myanmar was the first country we visited on this trip and the place where we spent most of the time - almost three weeks. 

We decided to go to Myanmar at some point in 2015 so we didn't have months to research or plan or dream; just enough time to get tickets and visas (yes, both Luke and I needed visas but they were relatively easy to get on-line). I bought a Lonely Planet Myanmar (digital edition 2014) and Luke was reading on-line so we soon knew what places we would like to visit and had a general idea of how we can get from one point to another. As Luke and I found out by trial and error (our trip to Borneo) that's about as much as you can plan. The details, well, one has to improvise ^_~ 

I am going to highlight here and in later posts some of our experiences that are not necessary connected to certain locations or listed in any particular order. I will also share pictures that didn't make it to my Instagram, once again not a day by day report but something worth focusing on. Hope you enjoy it!

We began our journey in Yangon, the former capital. It was our first taste of Myanmar and it was a good one. The city is full of opulent pagodas, decrepit colonial buildings, delicious food and amazing people. Despite daily energy shortages and ubiquitous rats (even in our room) the first impression was absolutely positive. 

Street life. It seems that a big part of daily life happens on the busy streets of Myanmar cities. People gather in ramshackle tea houses on the crossroads, sell and buy anything one might need, cook, work, bath near open wells, feed numerous pigeons to 'make merit'. In spite of streets being an important venue of commerce (on par markets) in Yangon we didn't draw too much attention to ourselves: no obtrusive taxi drivers, no haunting postcard sellers bothered us.

Food. Not as spicy as in other countries in South East Asia, sometimes quite surprising and comes in huge portions. Luke and I shared most of our meals and it was enough! It also allowed us to eat more often and try different things in different cafés ^_^

Tea. Before we came to Myanmar Luke told me that Camellia Sinensis, the tea bush, originated in this area and we were thrilled to drink some sensational teas... Well, the tea situation was not what we expected. Myanmar indeed is a tea drinking country. Sorry, coffee lovers, you will probably be reduced to 3-in-1 instant mix. In most tea houses (the common source of food for locals and us) 'Chinese' tea is available in thermoses on every table, refilled constantly and normally free of charge! At the same time the tea is rather disappointing: it seems that local tea is not processed at factories but air dryied outside (sold also outside from big open sacks), this gives it a dull colour, an insipid taste and occasional pigeons' feathers -_-  

Things to do in Yangon. Visit pagodas: there are big, old, famous, impressive payas. Shwedagon Pagoda is used as a reference point for the rest of payas in Myanmar; all other constructions are compared to it. Take a ferry across Yangon River: there are several villages on the other side and life there is very different compare to the city. Feed seagulls while crossing Yangon River on a ferry. Go to the park. There are a lot of nice parks in Yangon. Walk around downtown Yangon to see colonial period buildings overgrown by plants very much like in Angkor. Go to the market: markets here are not for tourists, no souvenirs but real clothes (bright sarongs for men and women) and other items.

Things to do... Why not Segway?

To be continued...