PINOY BOY JOURNALS: myanmar

Showing posts with label myanmar. Show all posts

Foreword
My trip to Myanmar was part of my 3 month backpacking expedition across South East Asia and South Asia. I flew from Jakarta, Indonesia to Yangon, Myanmar with a stop over to Singapore for 2 days. A few weeks before the trip, an ill-fated flight from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore crashed into the Java Sea. As an aerophobic frequent traveler, this was "torture" to me but i soldiered on because i couldn't wait to get to Myanmar. Good thing i was seated next to a French tourist so my mind was at ease (at least) for a few minutes chatting with him while the whole plane was shaking.

Visa Entry
Ordinary passport holders from the Philippines can stay in Myanmar without a visa for 14 days, granting Filipinos who are holders of ordinary passports visa-free entry to Myanmar for tourism and business purposes.

Itinerary Draft

Yangon
Number of Days: 3 Days
Accommodations: The Lodge Yangon

Places Visited: Shwedagon Pagoda, Bogyoke Aung San Market, Kandawgyi Lake and Sule Pagoda

Transportation: Night Bus from Yangon to Bagan

Bagan
Number of Days: 3 Days
Entrance Fee: K25,000 / $18

Places Visited: Ananda Temple, Dhammayan Gyi Temple, Man Sithu Market, Thatbyinnyu Phaya, Sulamani Temple, Gu Byauk Gyi Myin Kabar, Abeyadana Temple, Gawdawpalin and Shwezigon Temple

Transportation: Day Bus from Bagan to Inle Lake

Inle Lake
Number of Days: 2 Days
Accommodations: Gypsy Inn
Places Visited: Inle Lake Boat Tour - One-Man Fishing Boat Intha Fishermen, Lake Side Villages Houses, Floating Garden, Nga Phe Chang Monastery, Paw Khon Village and Phaung Daw OO Pagoda

Transportation: Day Bus from Inle Lake to Pyin Oo Lwin

Pyin Oo Lwin
Number of Days: 2 Days
Accommodations: Golden Dream Hotel
Places Visited: Purcell Tower, Hindu Temple, National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens, Kandawgyi Lake and Myint Tower
Transportation: Day Bus from Pyin Oo Lwin to Hsipaw

Hsipaw
Number of Days: 2 Days

Accommodations: Mr. Charles

Places Visited: Walking Tour - Little Villages, Monastery, Markets, etc., Shan Palace and Mrs. Popcorn

Transportation: Night Bus from Hsipaw to Yangon

Yangon
Number of Days: 2 Days

Accommodations: The Lodge Yangon
Places Visited: Bogyoke Aung San Market and Shwedagon Pagoda

Thoughts and Realizations
If only the visa free allowed me to stay more days in Myanmar, i would close the trip to 3 weeks. If you notice, i had more time during the first few days and eventually, i felt i needed to rush my trip towards the end because i was already losing days and my 14 days was almost over.

To be quite blunt about it, the further out of the way i was traveling, the more memorable my trip became. Pyin Oo Lwin and Hsipaw became my favorites because it was more out of the way, and i felt the real Burma is showing its true colors. Bagan was out of this world because the temples and pagodas where just awe-inspiring, but after almost a dozen of pagodas visited in a day or two, it gets the best of you. Meanwhile Pyin Oo Lwin and Hsipaw, although quite short of places to visit, were rustic and memorable. The people were curious and always friendly.

Where to Go Next?
Ideally, my trip to Myanmar would include a trip to the beach but then again i was traveling around July and August. The weather was awful. You get plenty of rains scattered all throughout the day. This meant traveling to places and flying domestically not practical. Mind you, the road condition further south of Yangon was bad. The airline industry in the country doesn't have the best reputation. And the aerophobic in me again would dread this. Although, i would have wanted to visit beaches down south after reading this article here from CNN.

On the other hand, when i visited Myanmar, the the situation of the Rohingya tribe is getting worse. They've become displaced and before you know it, the unthinkable happened. In this day and age, i think there's no place for oppression for the marginalized in this new world. It's just cruel and uncivilized. I wouldn't mind visiting once situation becomes better.

STORY: To be blunt about it, when i traveled to Pyin Oo Lwin, that was the first time i felt i was really traveling to the heart of Myanmar. Two weeks have passed and i have visited Yangon, Bagan and Inle Lake. Yet, when i first stepped out of the bus at Pyin Oo Lwin, i was suddenly high on spirit again. I put on my best jacket, puffed a cigarette as the bus stopped in front of a military camp. There i was, totally clueless where to go, but the adrenaline in me was really pumping. I hitched a ride on a motorbike looking for a place to stay. This is the kind of destination that rings a bell in my head.

When you're traveling independently, you need to be practical about things. You need to find a place to stay that is cost efficient and right smacked in the middle of many things happening. In short, i needed to find a good place to stay.

After visiting three hotels that were okay with me but seemed too far from the center, i told my motor driver to bring me nearest to the clock. I've read about it before arriving. The long, arduous sleeper bus made me decide where to go next. Of course, the clock is not just any clock. It's the clock of Purcell Tower built in 1934 by Gillete and Johnson Co. in commemoration of the Silver Jubilee of the reign of King George V of Britain. I checked in at a hotel called Golden Dream which was really short in appearance if you're considering the name. Yet, when i arrived at the hotel, i looked outside and saw the Purcell Tower right in front of me. You know me, the view comes first.

The rest of the days, it felt as if i was really digesting little by little the culture of Myanmar. One of the side streets was a significant Muslim community who thrive peacefully with their neighboring Buddhists. I would walk up north to find a cafe that serves fantastic bread. Bread in Pyin Oo Lwin is a specialty, and hot dough is perfect for an afternoon break. On some days, i would walk towards south and visit a Hindu Shrine dedicated to my favorite god - Shiva. Although dogs barking loudly made the trip nerve-wracking, it's still a fun experience. My wake up call every day is the stinging sound of the clock every hour from 6 o'clock onwards.

You see, Pyin Oo Lwin, is not as popular as the capital city Yangon, nor the famous temple place Bagan, and not even near the charisma of Inle Lake. But its rich history as Britain's former colony region and home to the Indian Army, and its high elevation hill station location, make any traveler giggle in excitement traveling to this side of Myanmar. Because of its location, fresh organic vegetables and fruits like strawberry are a specialty. In addition, coffee is also one of the city's prime export produce.

The sight of a Gharry or Victorian-inspired horse carriage evokes a feel of timeless elegance that Pyin Oo Lwin is all about. On my first few days, i would pass by a couple of men asking if i wanted to ride, but i always politely decline. A few days before i left, i knew i had to ride it for experience. To tell you honestly, i wish i rode it earlier so i have more time in the carriage.

I spent about half a week in Pyin Oo Lwin doing the same thing over and over again. Yet, it didn't feel as if i was taking too long time. And if you ask me, which of the places i mentioned earlier that i liked the most, it's this city. No doubt.

Tun Naing Family of Shan State

STORY: I was having a rendezvous with the rain during the time. I still had a few more days to stay in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar after almost three weeks. By now, i know that it is often cloudy and not the most perfect time to go trekking in July. But then, i wouldn't stay put just because the weather wasn't cooperating. The lovely people of Mr. Charles Guesthouse gives each guest a map of the town. Very efficient, i must say. It does help when you have a guide or a map, as you could walk miles and miles in Hsipaw, and end up back to where you started. And so my journey that day began.

There's an Anglican, Baptist and Catholic church 5 minutes away, an organic restaurant straight ahead that serves fresh salad straight from the garden, and one of the town's only preparatory school to the left. A few hours have passed and i have seen them all, yet, i wasn't satisfied. The urge in me to explore this small town was still very strong and i just needed to go. There's really more discover.

A few kilometers away is a museum, called Palace of Kengtung. When i arrived, it was on a long lunch break. It opens in the morning, takes a long break mid afternoon and only resumes a few hours before dusk. Nearby is a noodle factory which fancied my interest. I haven't seen a noodle factory in my life so i decided to go. On my way there, i passed by two french girls whom i met at Mrs. Popcorn, the organic restaurant i went to earlier. They totally missed the noodle factory on their rainy bike escapade. We bid adieu and they started speeding away like little girls.

Hsipaw's mean machine

I went to a nearby store and bought a bottle of water, and smoked a few cigarettes while waiting for the rain to subside. When i was ready to head out, it began to rain again. Oh, what luck do i have. I actually braved the rain to the direction of the river. Sadly, it just won't stop, and by this time, the sky was getting darker, and the bunch of clouds was already covering the tiny little speck of sunlight i need to take photographs. I went back to the nearby store, and the kind gentleman requested i stay put first for obvious reasons. I bought a 3-in-1 tea, the one i had before in my hostel in Yangon, which has become a ritual every morning and late afternoon. His charming wife came and a few minutes later, we were all chatting about my home country. They were very interested as to where i am from. And i was very interested to know more about their culture. It's a win-win situation.

A man came up to the store owner to have his full bills changed to smaller ones. This is the neighbor from two houses away, who just came from work, received his paycheck, and eager to spend it all for his family. The inevitable (all the time in Myanmar) happened, i was invited to his house with the blessing of the store owner so i could wait out the rain. A beer, two beers, three beers after, i was waiting for my fish to cook. What started out as a friendly invitation to take cover from the rain turned out to be a happy hour session with the local people. There, at his half-built house, i met his wife, and two kids whom i cannot distinguish who is who because they have the same shaved head. His mother was also there, and a long-time cousin who makes awesome dishes.

Myanmar beer, fresh pineaples and the most delicious fish I've eaten in my life

His restaurant "Family Restaurant", was receiving more guests as hours pass by. On one table, there was a couple from Yangon, next to them are a few school kids from the town, and a bunch of girls from the next town up north just arrived for a mid-afternoon snack. I helped out in the kitchen, served cutlery and order to the guests, while i sip away my cold and fantastic Myanmar beer. I asked if i could work there in exchange of free lodging for three months. We all burst into laughter. He excused himself and said he has errands to make, as he needed to deliver food to some people in the town. With pretty much nothing else to do, i found myself at the back of his Honda motorcycle, and i was delivering lunch take out with him. It was drizzling and good enough for anyone to catch a cold. But we carried on like champs. Along the way, he would stop by for a bit and point me to spots. "That's Dokhtawady River over there", he said. "Over here is the highway to the next town", he added.

Beautiful Hsipaw girls pose in fashion

We went back to the place thirty minutes after and continued my extended happy hour session. For breaks, I went back of the house to the tiny bamboo stilted comfort room. Surreal as it can get, i was pissing directly to the river. Lone witnesses are cows, roosters and occasional sightings of four legged creatures.

Quiet river side town of Hsipaw, Shan State, Myanmar

The sky cleared up finally but it was already too dark to take photographs. A few days before, I booked an extraordinary fifteen hour bus ride bound for Yangon which leaves around 9PM that night. I still have a few hours left but my rucksack is back at the guest house. My friend who became my best friend in less than three hours, offered dinner and ride back to the guest house. I really wanted to stay so I thanked them for their gracious offer, but i will miss the only bus leaving that night. It's one of the most painful goodbyes of my life. :(

That afternoon, I finished a plate of grilled fish, mutton, bread (marinated), seven bottles of big Myanmar beer. And the endless chat about anything under the sun with the most friendly people I've met in all of my travels combined has proved to be the greatest highlight of my Myanmar odyssey.

Twins by hair style

Because of the pouring rain, I didn't see Kengtung palace, the noodle factory, nor the Dokhtawady river up close, and i was just a few minutes away. Yet, meeting Tun Naing and his lovely family was enough bargain for me that day, more than enough bargain.

Myanmar's poster boy for hospitality

TIPS: Shan state is one of the most elusive towns in the country. It is a bit far from the popular Myanmar cities like Mandalay, Inle Lake and Bagan and going here is an adventure in itself. Base yourself in charming Pyin oo Lwin, and take the bus or hired taxi to Hsipaw. Alternatively, you can catch the train going to Hsipaw all the way from Mandalay provided that there are no mishaps. During my trip, the train got stuck in the flood. And the passengers were left inside for close to 20 hours. Get the window seat, the views are mind-blowing. Check travel advisory for conflicts within the region.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Avoid the rainy season during June to September as occasional floods do occur. But on the hindsight, you won't be bumping to tourists this time around. Bring Citronella oil and mosquito repellent as the Shan State is notorious for Malaria. The region is considered Malaria red zone but the people are the friendliest in the whole country.