Myanmar is still known to most of the world as Burma. And Myanmar is opening up to the world. It has now become a travel hot spot and prices are being pushed up by the shortage in accommodation. It has become more expensive than its Asian neighbours but it is well worth it. And now is definitely the time to go while tourism is still in its infancy. This is a rare & never to be repeated opportunity to see Myanmar while it is still uniquely Burmese & not yet diluted by Western influences.
It was my first time there so had booked in advance for the first few days in Yangon. Motherland Inn 2 was well reccommended by the usual sites & l booked through email. l received an immediate reply and because credit cards are not accepted in most of Myanmar, a cyber handshake was accepted. A free pickup from the airport was offered & gratefully received. How good was it as a solo backpacker to arrive in Yangon & be welcomed by a couple of smiling Burmese boys dressed in traditional longyi, holding my name high over their heads!
I was the only pickup & was given the special treatment. Motherland lnn 2 is about half an hour from the airport but the boys generously treated me to a city tour on the way. We stopped outside the magnificent Shwe Dagon. It was night & it was perfectly lit & dazzingly beautiful. As we had flown in to Yangon earlier l had noticed the golden gleaming, but from the ground it was massively impressive. My young cheeky guides proudly showed me several city sights & a stunning silver mirrored temple that l never did see again. I milked them for information, local & general, about Myanmar & learnt a few words in Burmese. By the time we arrived at Motherland, I was already in love with Myanmar.
l impressed the staff with my Burmese greeting & they were happy, helpful & hospitable. The next day was my birthday, this trip to Myanmar was a birthday gift to myself. Breakfast was included & when l entered downstairs, there was a birthday cake with my name on it. The staff had seen my birth date on my passport when l checked in. I'm assuming they do this for all their birthday guests and the staff were the first to line up with their plates as l cut the cake. lt was such an extremely lovely touch for me being so far from home on my birthday alone. And l couldn't receive any calls or messages on fb, Myanmar is still very isolated in that regard. So l can well recommend Motherland lnn 2 and was warmly greeted back there at the end of my journey as well.
Legend has it that Shwedagon is 2,500 years old. Historians age it at 6th-10th century CE. The pagoda is 99 metres high, covered in gold leaf that has been deposited onto it by devotees for centuries. Several kings & queens apparently had their weight in gold added. The stupa is encrusted with thousands of diamonds & rubies and the crown of the stupa is topped wth a 76 carat diamond which can be viewd through a telescope from the platform. Shwedagon is a magnificent example of Burmese art & arhitecture and an insight into the devoted lives of the Burmese as they pray, meditate & wash the statues.
First destination out of the city was Bagan. Arriving in the early hours by bus, l was woken to find a horse & cart was the mode of transport being offered. It felt like l was dreaming as we clip clopped through the silent streets to my driver's recommended hostel. Fuel is very expensive in Myanmar so horse & cart is a sensible alternative. And also the best way to visit the temples. The temples & pagodas of Bagan are gob-smacking. Over 10,000 were built but due to mostly earthquakes, there is 2200 left which is more than enough from a tourist's point of view. At certain times of year there are hot air-balloons and it must be one of the greatest sights on earth to drift across the plain viewing all those spectacular pieces of archaeological architecture.
A good round trip in Myanmar is from Yangon, then to Bagan, then Mandalay, onto Inle Lake & back to Yangon. Next time l plan to hike Kalaw to inle Lake and also take a slow boat down the Irrawaddy River. I know l need to get back there soon. The people are trying to recover from the hideousness of the military regime & find political freedom. At the moment they are quietly embracing tourism as a permanent economic source. It is almost like the last place in SE Asia that you can experience an almost untouched culture. There are no Thai soap operas or staff playing with their phones while you try & attract their attention. No 'in your face' vendors & peddlars and no bartering. There is a simple genuine gentleness in the people and they can still smile despite their suffering & poverty. It is not a dangerous place. Considering all tourists are almost guaranteed to be carrying large sums of cash, l didnt hear of any theft. Money changing scams, yes! English is well spoken due to colonization from 1824 to 1948. Food is still very cheap and ice very expensive. It really was surprisingly easy to get around and recommend anyone considering going, will not be disappointed. Get there soon.
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