... and Indeed, Yangon has too many cars,jajajaj I guess now Im getting used to it?!?!?! The old Yangon or city centre or Chinese area it's an absolute mess! Cool to see people selling whatever you can imagine, but when feeling sick the noise and the smell were not the best!
I started the day by walking to the Shwedagon Pagoda and it is truly the biggest one in Myanmar and a very, very, very peaceful place I really like :) It was early morning so there were not so many people and the sun was just up so the light was sweet and tender. This was the firs time that before I entered they made me cover truly up to my toes and so got a longyi, a nice green ones with happy balloons, nice :)
After the Pagoda I was curious to check the People's Park so walked around there, very nice, so quite and peaceful. A great contrast with the rest of the city :) From here the views on the Pagoda were beautiful as well. I had a nice relaxing walk in there :)
And despite feeling sick I kept walking and walking, while normal people take the taxi I always feel walking is the best way to see the city :) I passed by the National Museum and all the way down to the city centre were I was stuck between cars and taxis that would stop any minute to offer me a ride: '' no thanks, I want to walk''... they thought I was crazy!
Went through the main market, its huuuuuuuge, but really had not energies to wonder there, so pass by the Sule Pagoda, which is in the intersection of many streets and then found a very western park, with the independence monument and some other very european places like the bank, city hall, former immigration department.
While sitting in this park to rest a bit, a girl next to me started talking. She was from Myanmar but living in Singapore for the last 6 years. She was very young but got a good opportunity to go there and teach. She was visiting Myanmar and telling me how much she prefers to live in Singapore where she has more opportunities. She was waiting for a friend that never showed up and as the battery of her was empty I walked with her to the port. I wanted to walk and she was taking the ferry to her family place in Twante.
From there I walked all the way to the Botataung Paya/Pagoda, a less tourist one. I though it was going to be a nice walk next to the water, but actually you cannot sea the river! The Pagoda was nice, but actually full of tourist, I guess we all go there thinking is not so touristic and we made it touristic :) I pop out to see the water and then time to go back! I was so tired.... I decided to take these bikes where someone bike you to the Strand Hotel as I read it was nice, fresh place to relax. The ride was fuuuun! in this ''bike'' among the big trucks! and the rest at the nice hotel worth it :)
And I woke up very early and feeling good! :) HAPPY NEW YEAR Everyone! :):):) Life is wonderful!! Live the moment & smile a lot!!!! Smile makes people and yourself happier, no matter what's going on in your life right!
I started the day by doing something I like: walk! So I went to the Kandawgyi Lake/Park to see the sunrise and it was so beautiful!! So nice to see all the locals walking, dancing and doing the early morning exersices. I really like that about asian culture! The sun was coming up and the reflection in the lake and in this beautiful monument/restaurant/place was very nice! A very peaceful place and a beautiful way to start the new year :) I walked for a while and just enjoy the quite of the early morning :)
And I went back to the hotel and finally had food! the yogurt and muesli were delicious! Now I am hearing to music and getting ready for the way back with a 1,5 day stop over in Bangkok.
It's time to say good bye to this magic land, wonderful people! It's been an intense, surprising, magic, absolutely amazing and rewarding experience to visit and experience this country. I love Myanmar and its people, they have lots to offer! and there is a lot more to see... so I will certainly come back! :)
Thanks Myanmar!!!!
