One Very Short Life: Day 7: Last Day in Yangon

Sunday, July 7, 2013

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

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.