So began my Burmese Days in this busy, dirty town discovering gems that were both obvious and subtle. While aware that the Schwedagon, with its several metric tons of gold and jewels, was known for being the most impressive pagoda in Southeast Asia, I was also adjusting to high temperatures and seeking opportunities with the local community.

 

Getting There

Comfortable busses from Bagan are around $15, 9 hours, with the overnight options being most efficient. It is cheap to fly AirAsia into Yangon RGN Airport from hubs in nearby countries.

Accomodation

Sleep In Hostel had hot showers, AC dorms, wifi, and breakfast for $8. I enjoyed traveling to further destinations with the friends I made here.

Edit: My future trips to Yangon led me to prefer Backpackers Bed and Breakfast. Dorm prices were as low as $7 a night when reserved through booking.com, so try to get them to match this number. The place was clean with great AC and wifi and bed curtain and rooftop view. Yes, a view of the city to die for. And for the best atmosphere, it appeared Little Yangon Hostel was the winner there.

 

See and Do

Day 4

A get-myself-together day. A good group from the hostel went to explore but I had to stay back. I checked the weather. It was 101 degrees and felt like 108.

Later I went hunting for street food and amidst some of the worst sanitary standards I had ever encountered, I found just what I needed: dragon fruit and a small restaurant serving the closest thing in Myanmar to pho.

It was hard to remember what anything was here because I don’t speak wingdings.

 

 

 

Day 5

The shimmering Shwedagon Pagoda was extensive and beautiful. Tickets were $6 and allow you to return later in the day. I found meditation spots, some even with beads for borrowing.

Alex was the amusing and slightly grumpy Frenchman who introduced me to Burmese city buses, and thus we reached our destination at the cost of 15 cents.

According to my brochure, the diamond orb at the tip of the pagoda had 4,351 diamonds and the 924-pound vane beneath it contained 2,000 precious stones.

And beneath that, there are nearly 84,000 jewels in “The Umbrella” which weighed 5 tons, including half a ton of pure gold.

As it turns out we missed visiting all the major relics (Buddha’s hair) but I’m at that point in experience with travel where this did not bother me.

 

 

The Bogyoke Aung San Market was mainly jewelry and textiles. The food stalls were the type with servers flapping you over holding menus to shove in your face.

Still, I befriended some makeup school students who let me try their noodles and helped me order Shan (a Burmese province) noodles for $.70. They spoke both Mandarin and English so it was perfect. They asked if I was traveling alone and became terrified for me.

 

 

I was very excited to get my hands on my own thanaka, a powder made from a pulverized tree that protects the face from sun and turns a shimmery color when dried. Traditionally, the paste is created by rubbing a chunk of tree branch with some water on a stone board. Everyone used it here. No one had acne or wrinkles. I had some pretty Burmese girls put it on for me.

Alex and I returned to Shwegadon to check it out at night. He was obsessed with 80 cent mojitos on 19th Street (known for barbecue skewers and beer) so I accompanied him before we went for some Burmese curries and sides at a local stand.

 

Day 6

The family baking nan pya saw me staring and waved me in. It was the most peculiar way of using a clay oven. Balls of dough were stretched over a cloth wad and thrown onto the roof of the oven with a splat. The dough blistered into a Burmese breakfast staple. Every country has their version of a pancake, and I had just found a new one.

 

 

I decided it would be a change of scenery to take the $.15 three-hour Circle Line Train through the outskirts of Yangon, which stops at numerous residential neighborhoods.

On the way to the train station I noticed I’d be passing the Yangon General Hospital, and since I’ve always seen myself just walking into foreign hospitals and asking to volunteer, I decided now was as good a time as any.

I presented myself the best I could, made it clear I was in good health, and was taken to the best English-speaker before being taken to the office of the medical superintendent where I waited patiently and texted my friend the following:

“Omg they just handed me a newspaper in English.

It’s The Global New Light of Myanmar.

Did you know 33 new agriculture service centers are underway according to the Myanmar Rice Federation?

Apparently mummies in Yemen museums are rotting because the civil war means no electricity for preservation machines. Rip.

They just handed me coffee.

I’m pretty sure I need permission from ‘The Ministry.’

OH F—— so I was leaving and telling myself well at least you started putting yourself out there and can get used to this and then all the bathroom stalls were locked so I asked some people for help and they spoke English.

They were med students and I asked if they knew of any opportunities and they said ROTATING CHARITY CLINICS TO RURAL COMMUNITIES ON THE WEEKENDS and one gave me her messenger

Oh my I am too much for myself.”