Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Welcome to 700 travel blogs, to access a full index on your mobile please scroll to the bottom & choose from 700 locations. Email is [email protected]

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar Burma

September 7, 2013 by David Herd

Magnificent reclining Buddha

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar Burma, Yangon with a population of over four million, continues to be the country’s largest city and the most important commercial center. The city features a lengthy rainy season from May through October where a substantial amount of rainfall is received; and a dry season from November through April, where little rainfall is seen. It’s primarily due to the heavy precipitation received during the rainy season that Yangon falls under the tropical monsoon climate category. During the course of the year, average temperatures show little variance, with average highs ranging from 29 to 36 °C (84 to 97 °F) and average lows ranging from 18 to 25 °C (64 to 77 °F). I was there in June 2011 and it rained heavily every day.

Shwethalyaung reclining Buddha.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

The Shwethalyaung Buddha  is a reclining Buddha in the west side of Bago (Pegu), Burma (Myanmar). The Buddha, which has a length of 55 m (180 ft) and a height of 16 m (52 ft), is the second largest Buddha in the world, after the 74 m reclining Buddha in Dawei (Tavoy). The Buddha is believed to have been built in 994, during the reign of Mon King Migadepa. It was lost in 1757 when Pegu was pillaged. 

The Buddha’s feet

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

During British colonial rule, in 1880, the Shwethalyaung Buddha was rediscovered under a cover of jungle growth. Restoration began in 1881, and Buddha’s mosaic pillows (on its left side) were added in 1930.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Maha Vizaya Pagoda in Yangon.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

I really enjoyed my short visit to this mysterious country which has been closed to tourists until the last couple of years. There is an amazing number of wonderful temples or Pagodas to investigate, as well as many beautiful old seemingly abandoned mansions waiting for restoration. Most of the people I met were incredibly polite and spoke perfect English. Yangon Rangoon Myanmar is a place you should put on your bucket list.

Maha Vizaya Pagoda

Yangon Rangoon MyanmarRather spectacular don’t you think?

Many run down stately homes

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Please click on Google + to help my page ranking.

 


Shwedagon Pagoda

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

The jewel in the crown.

Amazing Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

 Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

The guys I travelled with saw none of these magnificent temples & statues, instead they played golf every day, what a shame.

Backup power generators are needed in Yangon.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

The infrastructure in Myanmar is under extreme pressure, there were power blackouts nearly every day we were there. Consequently most buildings and businesses have a huge power generator, usually on the footpath in front of their building.

Young Monks at Chinatown in Yangon.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Walking distance from our hotel, local markets are always fascinating.

 Flowers in Chinatown

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Life at the market.

Lots of rain

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

When it rains it pours and it seems to rain every day. 🙂

The Strand Hotel

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

During the colonial period, The Strand was one of the most luxurious hotels in the British Empire with a clientele of exclusively whites. The Sarkies Brothers sold The Strand to Rangoon restaurateur Peter Bugalar Aratoon and Ae Amovsie in 1925. In 1941, during World War II, following Japanese occupation of Burma, the hotel was used to quarter Japanese troops.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar at the Strand Hotel 

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

 The following year, the Strand’s ownership was transferred to the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. For the first time in 1945, since the Strand’s establishment, the Burmese became part of the hotel’s clientele. After Burma achieved independence in 1948, the hotel was neglected by post-colonial governments.

50th St Restaurant in Yangon, American style food.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

The 50th St Restaurant is in, you guessed it, 50th St, very good atmosphere & big comfortable leather lounges, the food is ok as well.

Pre dinner drinks

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

A real “old world” atmosphere.

This street cafe is not as fancy as 50th St.  😆

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Something to suit everyone.

Golf

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Quite a beautiful course. 

Pun Hlaing Golf Club in Yangon

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

About 45 minutes from the city is the Pun Hlaing Golf Club, quite a spectacular course. Here I am with Trevor (Australian) Clive (English) & Chris (German) we all live in Thailand, my 3 friends are all low handicap golfers , and I am the only hacker.  😳

Clive likes his food.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

Travel tip. Hotels are a little expensive are in short supply in Yangon Rangoon Myanmar so make sure you make a booking before you arrive & use THIS LINK for a good discount. We stayed at The Alfa Hotel which was only 2 star, but the location was good and the staff very friendly. NB. I have just heard they have completed renovations.

Another tip. Make sure you have USD, preferably new smooth notes, as the locals do not like to accept old dirty currency.

Super travel tip. Ko Soe Lwin was our driver in Yangon, his old station wagon was certainly not a luxury vehicle but he was reliable, cheap and spoke perfect English,  phone him at +95 4925 9082 or e-mail [email protected]

AS I said earlier Yangon was Rangoon, Myanmar was Burma, other Asian countries have also changed their name, Thailand was Siam & Taiwan was Formosa. So Yangon Rangoon Myanmar, call it what you wish but it is certainly worth a visit.

           

 Istanbul                                 Budapest                        London

Fascinating Istanbul Asia Meets EuropeHungarian Parliament Building (2)The Walkie Talkie (5)   

          Mostar                           Dubrobnik                            Split

                     43638e36-5da5-4162-98e3-635e2c149837IMG_7425Split Ancient Croatian Coastal city                    

                 Saigon                            Zagreb                          Vung tau

Ho Chi Minh City South VietnamMain Square (3)Vung Tau statue (6)

Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
 
Pattaya live webcam
9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

That’s all folks

1g Duck

Holiday Inn

bbc35e6d-80db-4e1c-8f51-83dd84f16520

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Yangon Rangoon Myanmar

This mass slaughter is taking place as I write, it is heartbreaking to see what is happening to the citizens of Myanmar. Here is the sad story of a beautiful 19 year old girl they called Angel who was shot dead.
 
Kyal Sin’s last minutes, she was seen leading a group of young protesters. When tear gas rained down and shooting came from security forces at the other end of the road, all of them looked worried but she shouted: “Are we united?”, and they chanted “United, United”. A family friend later said she was a truly inspirational leader.
 
Kyal Sin is one of several teenagers who gave up their lives on Wednesday. Gen Z, as they are called, believe their future must not be shaped by a military regime. But the same old army again committed atrocities even in urban areas where people film on their mobile phones.
 
One protester told me that he had never seen this kind of inhumane cruelty by police and soldiers who are shooting unarmed protesters with live ammunition, many of them in the head. But he insisted they would not be silenced and the military’s barbaric acts made him even more determined.
 
At Kyal Sin’s funeral, her aunt also vowed: “I feel sad but they must fall soon. Our fight must win.”
 

 
Click here to see a Thai City due east of Yangon.

 

Check out these great photo blogs.

  • Lyme Regis Jurassic coast

Counter only started June 16 2020.

This gallery contains 2 photos