Day 7: Last Day in Yangon - Maha Bandoola Garden

18 May 2013 (Saturday)

Today was my last day in Myanmar. I have to catch up on my eating as I had only tried a few types of Burmese food.

The sun would be out already by 5:30 a.m. in Myanmar. I was not sure whether Shwe Htoo Restaurant would be opened early. Anyway, I went out. Surprise! I was the late riser. The streets were already full of people. It was 7 a.m. and Shwe Htoo was opened. Great! I had two rounds of meals there. The first was a kind of fried rolls (I forgot the name) and the second was Thosai. The milk tea was good and I had two small mugs of it.

There, I had a chit-chat with the teenage helper who served me. He said he was learning English. He wanted to come to Malaysia to work also as he has friends there. He spoke in halting English and has a lot to catch up.

After the breakfast, I crossed back from Anawrahta Road to Maha Bandoola Road through 31st Street. My objectives were to visit Maha Bandoola Garden and take pictures of the few historical building there. Then, I went to Bogyoke Market again, this time, hoping to buy a piece or two of quartz crystal but it had not opened for business yet.

Sule Pagoda

Sule Pagoda

Bengalesonni Jameh Mosque

City Hall

Immanuel Baptist Church

High Court

Maha Bandoola Garden

At 10 a.m., I went out to Bogyoke Market again but unfortunately, I was not successful in bargaining down the price of the quartz crystal and did not make any purchase. I was back at the hotel by 11 a.m. and the hotel manager inquired whether I was successful in making my purchase. I answered in the negative. Then, I went up to my room, took my bath, packed up, checked out and waited for chow time at the lobby.

I was still full at lunch time. Going out meant that I would be sweating and needing a bath again. Luckily that morning, I overheard the owner telling another group of backpackers that they could still freely use the bathroom to take showers after checking out.

At about 1:00 p.m., I decided I must have my biryani at Nilar Biryani and Cold Drink at Anawrahta Road, otherwise I would regret it for life. At Anawrahta Road, I met the Canadian pair of backpackers who were staying at White House Hotel also. They were looking for the train station to go on the Circular Train ride. I told them I would be going to Nilar Biryani, a popular restaurant and invited them. It was in the same direction as the Circular Train station (actually, I gave the wrong direction but did not realise it at that time). They joined me. Over lunch, I learnt that the Asian guy was a Taiwanese and could speak Guo Yu (Chinese) and the white guy worked for Facebook and has a Malaysian Manager. The Manager told him that he should visit Penang. They thought Malaysia is expensive like Singapore and I told them it was cheap like Myanmar. He said that he would make it his next destination after Europe, while his Taiwanese friend interjected saying after Bhutan.

After lunch, I went back to White House Hotel, took a shower but started to sweat again even before I came out of the bathroom. The owner helped me hailed a taxi for 7,000 Kyat and by 2 p.m., I was on the way to Yangon International Airport.

Archway to Yangon International Airport

Airasia check-in counters. Unlike LCCT, the Airasia staff actually weighed my backpack. Mine was about 8 kilogram, but was cleared anyway as carry-on.

Over-stayers filing their forms

Security check at International Departure Gate

Inside the departure hall. All the stands were selling Myanmar jade and jewellery

Jewellery and jade products at the departure hall

Gate 1 to Kuala Lumpur

Day 6: Back to Yangon - Encounter with a Timid Taxi Driver; Buying Red Ruby and Blue Sapphire

17 May 2013 (Friday)

The arrangement with Remember Inn was for a taxi to pick me up at 7:30 a.m. My flight was at 9:45 a.m. It would take about an hour to reach the airport in Heho.

When I failed to see the taxi driver at about 7:30 a.m., I got a little worried. The hotel boss assured me that the taxi would be there. Finally, the driver showed up. We walked over to his taxi and when he started the engine, it failed. It was already 7:30 a.m. and I was really worried.

He called for backup and we waited. No taxi came after 10 minutes! The hotel owner raced off on his motorcycle to call him. The taxi finally came, racing towards the hotel. It was a relief. This must be a fast driver, speeding like this. I should be able to make it in time to the airport, or so I thought.

The good feeling lasted only a few minutes. This driver was so timid that even when the road in front was clear and there was only a motorcycle to overtake, he would slow down and horn. Since there were vehicles coming and going all the time, he drove very slowly and practically horned all the way from Nyaungshwe to Heho Airport, horning at buses, cars, tuk-tuks, motorcycles, ox-carts, pedestrians, dogs, cats, mouse and snails. He probably feared that the vehicles or people or snails in front would suddenly swerve into his path and caused an accident. I was very irritated with his slow driving and thought of taking over the wheels from him. Didn't he know horning like that reflect very poor road courtesy? I expect a driver holding a valid driving license would know that.

Fortunately, it did not take one hour but 45 minutes only to reach the airport. I was just in time. I later realised that Myanmarese have a habit of exaggerating the time needed to travel between two points. At Yangon, I was told by OK Travel and Tours that it would take one hour by taxi from White House Hotel to Yangon domestic terminal. The White House owner told me it would take 30 minutes because there was no traffic jam early in the morning. In actual fact, it took only 15 minutes.

Scenic road from Nyaungshwe to Heho Airport

Almost at Heho Airport now ...

Heho Airport

Air KBZ check-in counters at Heho Airport

Inside the departure gate area

Departure gate. Instead of using a public address system to inform passengers it was time for boarding, the placard and an announcement by mouth were employed

The plane took off at 9:30 a.m., earlier than the scheduled time of 9:45 a.m. This time, the plane was at least half-full (or half-empty), not almost empty. Unlike Bagan and Yangon, the passport needed to be checked and boarding pass to be stamped by the Immigration officer to be validated.

Boarding pass which has been stamped by Heho Airport Immigration

Air KBZ crew

The breakfast from Heho to Yangon. The same pastries were served on the Yangon to Bagan Air KBZ flight. It was quite delicious.

Airside of Yangon International Airport

At the Yangon International Airport domestic terminal, there was no transport counter at the arrival hall. I exited the building and someone came over asking whether I needed a taxi. I inquired how much and he quoted me 9,000 Kyat. I agreed and was led to a taxi driver who took me to White House Hotel.

The room I reserved at White House Hotel before I left was not available to me. The owner was fully aware that I would be coming back. The excuse given was the person who was supposed to leave did not do so because tropical storm Mahasen was affecting the weather in the north. I was told there was one last ensuite room on the fifth floor, with windows and was air-conditioned. The price was USD30.

This was the low season and I could have walk out and search for another hotel. Daddy's Home Hotel was just 30 metres away. However, considering that the hotel owner was quite nice and it was only an additional USD5 for one last night, I decided to take it. The room was worse than the already old room I got during my earlier stay, and I have to walk five floors up.

During my earlier stay, I had explored practically the whole stretch of Maha Bandoola Road from 14th Street to Sule Pagoda. At Anawrahta Road, I had explored west of Konzaydan Street. This time, I decided to walk on Anawrahta Road east of Konzaydan Street. What a discovery as I explored the area.

The pink route indicated the streets that I explored in Yangon. The total distance I walked was close to 20 kilometres, based on the record indicated in the tracks on my Garmin eTrex 20.

Sule Pagoda seen from the overhead bridge at the junction of Sule Pagoda Road and Anawrahta Road

The first thing I did was to take my lunch at a Muslim restaurant with no English sign.

The Muslim restaurant without an English name

As I continued walking east, I saw Innwa Cold Drinks and Confectionery restaurant patronised by a young crowd and went in for my second lunch. Next door was a fully crowded Shwe Htoo Restaurant, patronised mostly by older men. A well-patronised restaurant meant the food must be good, cheap and fresh. I have to come back to this restaurant that night.

Shwe Htoo Restaurant was a really popular place for the ordinary Myanmarese

As I continued walking east, I saw the famous Nilar Biryani and Cold Drink Restaurant. I have been looking out for this restaurant since Day 1 and now that I have found it, I have to come here the next day.

That afternoon, I went to New Bogyoke Market. Most of the stalls were selling pharmaceutical products. It was located directly opposite Bogyoke Market across Bogyoke Aung San Road. Later, I went to Bogyoke Market to hunt for souvenirs and cheap ruby and sapphire to take home.

"Common Mistakes in English" was a gem. I relied on it with another grammar book
to improve my English in lower secondary school.

Most stalls were selling pharmaceutical products at New Bogyoke Market

New Bogyoke Market

The overhead bridge links New Bogyoke Market to Bogyoke Market

During my earlier stay in Yangon, I had asked the White House owner for tips about buying ruby and other precious stones and their prices. He told me that jewelleries sold at Bogyoke Market come with genuine precious stones, not imitations, but the prices could be cheap because of their inferior grade (I was told by Aung Su Wint, the co-owner at Mya Thida Hotel in Bagan that it cost more money to produce artificial stones than genuine stones!!!). For a non-expert, it would be impossible to know the quality of the stones. He told me the best stones are kept in the showrooms of the company owners in their mansions and only oversea gem traders and experts with millions of dollars to spend would get to see these high quality stones. Those sold at Bogyoke Market and the Gems Museum were of lower quality. Most stones were mined around Mandalay.

First floor, Bogyoke Market

Jewellery shop at Bogyoke Market

Along the central aisle at Bogyoke Market, both sides were lined with jewellery shops

Outside Bogyoke Market

Abandoned Yangon Railway building

Day 2: Yangon - Buying Air Tickets and Visiting Shwedagon Pagoda

13 May 2013 (Monday)

I woke up early and intended to go out as soon as possible for a stroll. The owner was there and I had a chat with him but found myself unable to get away. At 8:00 a.m., I made the excuse of going up for breakfast.

The boss cum co-owner in white t-shirts.

White House Hotel breakfast area on Level 8

White House way of toasting bread

My breakfast at White House Hotel

Sandwich with banana stuffing... quite nice

After the breakfast, I went out at about 9:00 a.m. Right across the road from White House Hotel was a restaurant selling breakfast. I went over and checked. It was selling Mohinga, the national noodle dish of Myanmar. I have been looking for Mohinga since my arrival yesterday and decided to go for my second breakfast. It was only 300 Kyat.

This Mohinga noodle stall was opened in the morning only and closed on Sunday

Mohinga. Even though it was soaked in the soup, the fried fritter was still very crispy and I loved that crispiness.

My intention this morning was to visit Golden Air Travels & Tours which was at the corner of Sint Oh Dan Street and Anawrahta Road to book my flights to Heho, the gateway to Nyaungshwe and Inle Lake. I was told to come back today by a clerk the previous day, as it was a Sunday and a non-working day yesterday.

On the way there, I explored the mysterious market which was closed early the day before. It was situated at Konzaydan Street between Maha Bandoola Road and Anawrahta Road. I think it is called Theingyee Bazaar (from Open Street Map).

Theingyee Bazaar is the low building on the left

Theingyee Bazaar

Theingyee Bazaar

Theingyee Bazaar

As I was about to reach the travel agency, short of one block only, but having some more time before the office opened at 10:00 a.m., I decided to explore one of the nearby streets. Near the junction with Maha Bandoola Road, I caught sight of OK Discovery Travels Tours, and decided to check it out.

OK Discovery Travels & Tours

OK Discovery Travels Tours is owned by a mainland Chinese

The quotation offered for Yangon-Heho (Inle Lake) - Yangon was USD240. I told the assistant that the price should be between USD102 - 107 per sector as that was what I read on a website. After making another call, the quotation came down to USD169 for a round trip. After some more inquiries about the departure time, etc., I was told that a day's trip to Bagan should be sufficient.

To cut the story short, my plan has now changed. I would fly from Yangon to Bagan on 14 May; then flew from Bagan to Heho on 15 May and from there returned to Yangon on 17 May. The total air fares were USD298.

I needed to give them a duplicate copy of my passport and made a deposit as the tickets could not be given to me right away. I gave them White House Hotel contact and address and ask the attendant to deliver it to the hotel.

The receipt for the USD10 deposit I made

My three tickets - I have not seen this kind of legacy tickets for a very long time

From OK Discovery Travels & Tours, I left for Shwedagon Pagoda by taxi for 1,500 Kyat after an attendant from the agency went down to the street to look for a taxi and negotiate the price for me. I had read that it would normally cost 3,000 Kyat from downtown to Shwedagon Pagoda.

At Shwedagon Pagoda, I paid 100 Kyat at the pagoda road entrance, without a receipt as usual. Then at the office, I could either pay USD5 or 5,000 Kyat for the pagoda entrance fee. I paid 5,000 Kyat and got a sticker on my T-shirt. Shoes and socks have to be removed but I came prepared with a bag to carry them.

However, I was not prepared for the hot mosaic floor. NEVER come on a hot sunny day. Your sole would be burnt walking on the burning ground. It was very hot. Fortunately, there were intermittent drizzles that cooled the ground when I was there.

The entrance ticket counter at Southern Stairway

The entrance ticket

The entrance sticker

Just as I proceeded to the lift, a guy came over and introduced himself as a guide. Knowing that there was no such thing as a free lunch, I asked him how much it would cost me. He said USD10 for one hour. That was expensive. Nevertheless, I agreed partly because I saw it as an act of charity and I felt generous that day, though I did not need it.

The lift to Shwedagon Pagoda complex

The corridor to Shwedagon Pagoda from the lift exit

The tree at the Southern entrance

The overcast sky but there was no thunderstorm, just a light drizzle

The tip of the main Shwedagon pagoda is studded with large diamonds, rubies, etc

Solid gold plate covers the tip of the pagoda

The tip of the main Shwedagon pagoda

The main pagoda at Shwedagon Pagoda complex

People born on different days have different deities to bath and worship ...

A white monk and a white nun

Entrance to the Southern Stairway at ground level

Entrance to the Southern Stairway

As the tour ended at Southern Stairway, the tour guide said I could pay him there and if I was satisfied with his service, I could give him more. How greedy could he be? I was being generous by hiring him and he had the cheek to ask for more! One hour of shit from him and paying USD10 was not generous enough for him! If I had known he could be so greedy, I would have refused to hire him in the first place. Anyway, after he was gone, I got down to do what I came for, to take the photos and to cover those areas not included in the tour.

After having enough of Shwedagon, I walked down the Southern Stairway, instead of taking the lift. A taxi which I hailed outside the Southern Stairway refused to take me as it stopped to discharge two passengers. I wonder why, maybe because it was difficult for the taxi to make the U turn to Bogyoke Market. I walked back to the parking area near the office.

There was a taxi there and the fare was 3,000 Kyat to Bogyoke Market. When I changed my mind and said I wanted to go to White House Hotel, the driver quoted me 3,500 Kyat. I told him that was excessive and that I had paid only 1,500 Kyat that morning. He relented and agreed to accept 3,000 Kyat.

I did not go out again except to look for dinner. I missed or rather skipped lunch today as I had gained weight since my return to Malaysia.