Myanmar 27 Jul - 2 Aug Part IV (Yangon)

Feeling sad when holiday is about to end, that was how I felt when reaching Yangon at 5am, and it was raining heavily.

We had asked the same taxi driver to pick us up (economic calculation instead of hotel and taxi to travel in and out city, we decided to book a day for 50 USD for 10 hours drive on that day). But maybe it was raining, he was late so we had to wait till around 6.30am, to be honest I didn't have any idea where to spend in Yangon but thanks to the taxi driver  first we were taken to Kyauktawgyi Pagoda, it was closer to airport before taking us to breakfast.

Honestly all looked same to me after all, too many pagodas to be seen but these one are made from marble stone. They said it is one of the biggest marble Buddha Images in Myanmar with a height of 37ft (11m) and a weight of weighs over 600 tons. The classical name of this Image is Lawkachantha Abaya Labamuni, meaning World Peace and Prosperity. This Sitting Buddha Image is curved out from a single marble stone.

Finished with that, the driver introduced us to Lucky Seven, crowded "kopi tiam", it was like a dimsum restaurant, all are served with choices of small plate of food. Seemed like a famous one since a lot of people even those with the expensive car were queuing for tables, people just came in and left within 15 minutes and non of the table were not occupied, even some had to share tables. Must be good one. We were served all these on our table to choose, apart from it, still got those on trays that offered from table to table.

But I saw prata in the menu, reminded me on delicious prata in Amazing Bagan hotel, so we ordered prata. But maybe it was our tongue, for us, they were not good enough. 

The price was 10,500 kyats for 1 chicken prata and 1 mutton prata plus 1 dish of dimsum, and the tea of course were free, its common in Myanmar. 

Next....White elephant? Hmm .. Interesting. So we were driven to Hsin Hpyu Daw Park, unfortunately we can only see from the far. It was pink actually instead of white but they are smart animals I think, but maybe because I never paid attention before even I worked in a safari before, I was so impressed with how they picked up the banana from the floor, the trunk was making a shape of hand when picking the bananas up, wish can share some video here, showing my excitement.

We were introduced to Theingi Marlar and Yaza Gaha or to be exact, we saw them from distance so we didn't know which was which 😜

Buddha Tooth Relic Pagoda after it, the driver told us the tooth was given by the King from China, and hence still don't understand what is the different name of the days used for each altars. Later by readings I found out that is the Swe Taw Myat Pagoda but not much story can be found about this as well, so lets move on.

From there we passed by the house of Au Yang suki before visiting Glass Pagoda, I believe everyone has known her well, so won't brag much about her. Furthermore, nothing much apart from seeing the closed door.

I named it Mirror Pagoda, very hard to take picture on a bright day, as the mirror reflects all the light. Later I found out it was named Sein Yaung Chi Pagoda, which means "reflection of diamond". It is completely covered in small silver mirrors that reflected and glistened from all angles. Inside was dark so the photos taken were not so nice.

Tired and exhausted but we need to buy some souvenirs especially fridge magnets, yeas I am a collector so we went to Scott Market which we missed on the 1st day because it was closed, this time I noticed we went different way, from the train station?, anyway, we had to cross the bridge to get there.

Not much attracted me since I am not into jade or diamonds, diamonds yes but don't think we dare to buy there since we wouldn't be able to make sure if it's real or not. I just bought some fridge magnets, and a jade bracelet for one of my friend. 

By then it was 3pm already, after a big breakfast, not talking about last night's meal didn't really feel hungry, had no appetite to the foods there actually. But we forced ourselves to share a plate, just in case. We tried to look on the foodcourt inside the market, wowww, the seller there were just like "hungry" ones try to reach you, we were scared to death and left the place immediately.

Later on, we found it just right under the bridge of Scott market before crossing back to the car, we saw a restaurant, looked nice and my bad for not writing down the name, lack of sleeping is not good after all. But I remember it was named with one of the tribal of Myanmar, something with Shan. I feel sorry that I can't find it over searching because it tasted nice, on non hungry tummy, it is very nice for me. Cost us roughly around 6,000 kyats

Since we still had some time, we would like to re-visit Botataung Pagoda, first day we were driven there and from outside, believe me you will have no interest because it is just another Pagoda, but because we searched for our last day, we saw the gold walls. Entrance to it and you can see Buddha, "sealed" in a well? since we have only maybe 15x10 cm to have a peek. But a lot of people threw money inside and the Buddha is coated with gold leaves. The interest part for us is the gold corridor.

 

On the first day we tried the almonds with dried cranberries, even its Tong Garden's product, I never saw that before, assumed Singapore will have it I didn't try to buy but since we would like to buy some mineral water, we asked to be driven to supermarket, but this time, I warned the driver, "please drive to the closest to airport one". The picture I took here is the one I bought in SG, smaller size and more expensive. In Myanmar was only around 4,000 kyats (I kind of forget the exact price) for twice the size, but absolutely cheaper

15 minutes in supermarket, we were off to airport, reached there at 4pm, too early for our flight even for checking in, so we waited there and play with the phone since wifi is available for free as well.

It was not a really big airport, checked in, passed the immigration, only a few stores, mostly sells jade and stones. They got 3 foot massage machines before gate, we were sitting there but later got boring so I walked around.

Thought of buying this but not sure where to put, all the tribal of Myanmar, quite cute.

walked and walked and found a cute fridge magnet just like this yeah, bought two for 1 USD each, and that ended my searching as about to enter the gate. 

They didn't allow us to bring the empty mineral water bottle? Seriously??, they said they got cups on their dispenser, but my drinking bottle was allowed though. And chain, haha you won't believe it if we brought chain lock for our e-bike in Bagan from Singapore, not in cabin they said, so we have to let go ... Sad because we only used once.

Guess my story ends with the end of my journey once the flight took off. Will try to write other but need to remember the trips on the past or till next Taipei holiday. But if I got any earlier on date before Taipei surely I will write it. Adiosssssss


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