Yangon, Myanmar

Went to my travel Doc a few days before flying out to Yangon for updated shots and malaria pills (in case of a trip to the interior). He then e-mailed me the full country travel briefing on health issues for Myanmar. Two lines that stood out (aside from the usual typhus, malaria, plague, dengue fever, etc. warnings)… “Truck drivers traversing from China to Rangoon are known to drive under the influence of methamphetamine-spiked betel nuts. Drunken and/or drugged drivers are common on the roads during the four-day Buddhist water festival in early spring.” So, meth spiked betel nuts. Too strange. I have this mental image of a street-side vendor saying “roasted, salted or meth betel nuts today sir?” Do they come in a plastic or paper bag? What size?

Nipped out this afternoon to the Shwedagon Paya (check it on Google for lots of great pictures). It’s THE sight to see in Yangon. Massive bell shaped gold (real gold leaf) pagoda (stupa – bell shaped monument) at the centre of a massive site. Legend is that it houses eight hairs from the original Buddha. Close to 100 metres high. Legend is that it’s 2500 years old, but it’s actually thought the original site dates to about 600 AD, with the huge stupa being built late 1700’s. Still, it’s amazing. The pagoda site itself is comprised of hundreds of smaller temples and various Buddha statues in differing poses.

It’s a ten minute walk from my hotel (drenched in sweat by the time I got there. Incredible humidity). It’s on a hill, with four entrances around a large circle. Being a Buddhist site, shoes & socks come off at the bottom of the hill (glad I had my day pack). Odd feeling going up several escalators (real pilgrims take the stairs) in bare feet. Very slippery tile flooring with the intermittent rain. Few tourists in the country generally, even less in the rainy season now (actually, it’s not rain. It’s monsoon deluges.) Lots of locals, and monks of various ages in saffron robes. A tiny old guy became my self appointed guide (common, and yes, a US dollars tip is expected).