We finally arrived here in Yangon last night for what is surely shaping up to be a whirlwind trip of Myanmar. Right now we’re killing time at The Strand, one of the best hotels in the world apparently, after our most expensive meal on this trip.
Yangon is unexpected. Andy and I were walking on the streets downtown just earlier. I felt like I was thrown into a time machine as I gazed up on gorgeous colonial buildings and old, crumbling edifices (that housed inns, bookshops and law offices!) while the Myanmar people around us chewed betel nut and walked about in their traditional longyis. We bought fruits on the sidewalks and even had our palms read. They’ve been so nice and charming; somehow it felt like home. With a bit of spice and language barrier. 
In some ways it’s a lot like what those old Lonely Planet guides said.
And yet: last night we were in Shwedagon Paya, a gigantic, golden marvel inlaid with diamonds and other precious stones. We were exploring barefoot, but I was nevertheless able to send the pic below on Twitter. Yes, the place had WiFi. There was even an ATM tucked near one of the entrances.
I’m so excited to see more of this country!
Filed under: Myanmar, Travel Tales Tagged: myanmar, travel, travel tales, yangon
