Yes Yangon! My 3 top tips!

This is my first Vlog!!!!!! Tres exciting! In contains 3 ‘off the beaten path – Sunni tips’ for Yangon. I loved Yangon, and you can read about my first moments here. Your options for this blog: read the tips or just scroll down and press ‘play’. :))

 

 

Everyone Yangonian it seems eats off and on the streets. It’s quite simply fabulous. And I’ve never seen a city eat together as much as I have in Yangon. Everyone, everywhere. Little plastic kids tables, dirt, stench and fabulously fresh, delicious food.

 

And surprisingly, there is something for everyone (even people like me!). You’re sure to find anything from chunks of boiling frothing tongues on sticks, to crispy circadian, to tasty soupy-salads.

 

 

Chinatown in Yangon is unlike Chinatown I’ve seen before. In Australia, the States and parts of Europe, China towns are mostly decorated red lanterned, ornate wooden carved bliss. Here its cram packed full of people, aged high apartments and life. Food, stalls, bent over vendors, bikes, carts, rubbish and smiles for curly haired foreigners.

 

It’s a street photographers’ wet dream. And a people-curious persons’ muse. I loved singing out ‘Megellaba – sheng’ as I passed the wide gazes, and in return being given bigger smiles, giggles and appreciative ‘Hellos’.

 

 

 

One of the most captivating temples I have seen. Scintillating in its glittering gold with matching sparkling white and halcyon stupas surrounding its base.

 

Totally mesmerising in its aurulent, twinkling beauty!

 

And it’s OLD. The story goes that two dudes (or merchants if you prefer) met Gautama Buddha whilst he was travelling in ‘seven directions’ about 600 BC. As the helpful blokes that they were, they offered him honey cakes and other goodies. Buddha was so thankful he gave them 8 strands of his hair as a blessing. They returned back to Yangon and the King at the time thought this was great. He enshrined the hairs along with relics of three Buddhas before him. Because it contained relics of the four Buddhas who had attained Enlightenment, it was known as the Reliquary of the Four. It’s called ‘Shwedagon Pagoda’ or the golden pagoda, for obvious reasons.

 

And every dynasty since has maintained it, raising the ground underneath it higher and higher, ensuring all for miles can catch a glimpse of its majesty.

 

It is a shimmering, bell ringing wonderland in the heart of Yangon. A must see.