Myanmar - "Cosmopolitan" Yangon (it's' all relative.....)

Shwedagon Pagoda

We arrived at our final stop in Myanmar, the large city of Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon).  Very congested (but no motorcycles allowed in city center) with non-moving traffic everywhere (could be that the signals, which operate on something like 3-minute cycles per each direction caused such chaos?), but more modern than anywhere else we visited in Myanmar.  Our absolutely lovely guide, Mi July (pronounced "May July") showed us around Yangon to see the colonial buildings left from the British occupation, Chinatown, and Musmeah Yeshua Synogogue (that was a surprise!). The latter was opened in 1896 and is the only synagogue in Myanmar with about 20 current members, and a visiting rabbi for the High Holidays. 

A quick commercial break here to explain the tradition of Thanaka, a yellowish-white paste made from ground bark seen on all the women in Myanmar (as well as children and to a lesser-extent men).  Mi July was able to explain this culture of Myanmar in the greatest detail (she was our only female guide while in Myanmar).  Some women grind the paste daily and apply, while others buy ready-made paste sold in stores.  It has a fragrant scent similar to sandalwood and is usually applied on the cheeks, nose, and arms.  Most cosmopolitan women apply the paste in attractive designs, such as a leaf Mi July wears, and applied to my face.  Aside from cosmetic beauty, it is said to help provide protection from the sun, help remove acne, promote smooth skin, and is also anti-fungal.  

A short break from pagodas, we walked around Kan Daw Gyil Lake with the interesting Karaweik Palace (actually

Karaweik Palace

a restaurant/event venue constructed to resemble a royal barge), then back to the Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda to see the humongous, 65-meter long reclining Buddha.  We then went to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar, and believed to contain relics of four previous Buddhas.  According to legend, this pagoda was constructed more than 2,600 years ago, making it the oldest Buddhist stupa in the world.  Of course, it has been renovated through the years.

Reclining Buddha

	Shwedagon Pagoda
Nathan with Mi July

Next morning it was a quick ferry ride over the Yangon River to the village of Dala, where we boarded our personal trishaws for a tour around the neighborhood.  We visited a monastery where a family was celebrating their young son becoming a novice (monk), then onto the ShweSayan Pagoda (monument of a mummified monk), and a local "spring roll wrapper" shop.  Very basic services and lifestyle considering it is a 5-minute boat ride from Yangon.

		newest monk!
around the 'hood	local fishing boat parked for the afternoon	spring roll wrapper shop

Back over the Yangon River, we visited the 7 Botataung Pagoda, where very narrow hallways take you around a Buddha Hair Relic, where people place money in the walls for good luck.  Our final stop was a photo exhibition held in the former Secretariat Building, currently under renovation but opened to the public for the exhibition.  We said our farewells to Mi July and Myanmar.

So, here is a snapshot of where we traveled in Myanmar