Downtown Yangon

~ Heidi

Eau De Diesel… my first impression of Yangon. The air hummed with generators due to the regular power outages. The city buzzed not only with the whir of generators, but with people and cars. I didn’t know before arriving, but the city has a population of 5 million people, and I think I saw many of them. They certainly noticed me. I kind of felt like a sideshow- no blending into the crowd here.

I only spent one day in the city since I accidentally slept through the entire first day of my trip. Whoops.

Walking from my hotel to the downtown area, I quickly realized I needed to watch my feet, every step, or I’d trip off the many mysteriously ending sidewalks or into pits where sewer covers were missing.

It was steamy hot and dusty as the dry season was nearly finished. Instead of street cleaner trucks, women in straw hats wielded hand-made brooms to tend the sidewalks and streets. I can’t imagine working in that heat.

There was no visible Western influence in the city. Nothing familiar and only an occasional street sign in English once I was away from the main roads. I guessed a lot about where I was on the map. It took a fair amount of wandering but I found the Indian market called Theingyi Zei.

I had slept through the famous Bogyoke Aung Sun Market the day before, so this was my best option to find some local products. Apparently tourists don’t hit up this market as much, because the stares didn’t stop from the minute I stepped into the chaos. But some lovely women still sold me some beautiful grass-green and vivid blue batik fabrics.

Everyone asked me where I was from. When I said ‘America’ – the response every time was, “Obama!” He visited the country last November, and was now a superstar there. I liked the Burmese right away.

Sule Paya, over 2,000 years old and smack in the middle of downtown.
Sule Paya, over 2,000 years old and smack in the middle of downtown.

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This is how everyone crossed the street- stand on the dotted line then run when there was a break in traffic - made for some excitement!
This is how everyone crossed the street- stand on the dotted line in the middle of zooming cars and buses, then run when there was kind of a break in traffic.
The young Buddhists here wear a dark maroon robe, while in Laos they wear bright orange. I was told it's tradition.
The young Buddhists here wear dark maroon robes, while in Laos they wear bright orange.
So many cars, so many people - old and new blending together.
So many cars, so many people – old and new blending together.

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My one authentic Burmese meal at Feel Myanmar Food. Let's just say it was a wee bit pungent and spicy for me...
My one authentic Burmese meal at Feel Myanmar Food. Let’s just say it was a wee bit spicy for me. I have no idea what most of the things on the condiment plate were – except for fermented tea leaves.