Bangkok to Yangon
Arrived in Yangon yesterday and realize that 2 days are not enough. Two weeks are probably not enough in this remarkable city. Exotic, beautiful, green, cosmopolitan, bustling - but not in the chaotic way of a city in India. The people are beautiful and gracious. We are greeted with smiles of welcome everywhere we go, and it is lovely to see the remarkably tender affection parents have for their children. On the drive from the airport, our guide Nyo took us by An San Suu Kyi's house. All we could see was the door to a gated compound, but it was still thrilling to be even this close.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_KyiThe weather is hot, but not unbearable. That comes later in Bagan. In the afternoon our first stop was the dazzling reclining Buddha. I've seen a lot of statues of Buddha in my travels but none, I think, as beautiful as this one:reclining Buddha
http://www.myanmars.net/myanmar-travel/myanmar-yangon/chaukhtatgyi-pagoda.htm The highlight of our visit was the Shwedagon Temple:www.shwedagonpagoda.com/ We arrived at 4 and stayed many hours beyond our expectation to watch the light change and the sunset illuminate and reflect off the golden surface. It became even more beautiful at night when the golden temple and stupas stood out against the black sky. What made this spectacular sight even more wonderful was seeing that the temple is much more than an iconic symbol of the country like the Taj Mahal or Big Ben. It's a vibrant part of life in the city where ordinary people come to pray, many to their own special statue of Buddha. One Buddha was surrounded by clocks for those who were praying for something to be granted in a timely manner. Everywhere I looked there was a picture to be taken. It was hard to leave this beautiful place.
