Myanmar - Come in Rangoon, Come in!

The City of Yangon, Myanmar’s main gateway and former capital, was once known as the "Queen of Cities" Or "The Garden City of the East". Singapore, in fact, was designed after studying Yangon’s lay-out. Similar to most Southeast Asian cities, it contains incredible contrasts: tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, tall office buildings, older run-down commercial buildings from colonial times and extensive slums.

The city was founded by King Alaungpaya on the site of a small settlement called Dagon when he conquered Lower Burma in 1755. The name Yangon means "End of Strife." It covers 400 sq km with a population of five million.

We entered and left Myanmar through Yangon. Our first stop was overnight. Both times we stayed at the excellent Traders’ Hotel. We arrived late and one of our first observations was that hundreds of people were walking in the streets, taking up a full traffic lane. Our guide said they were returning home from work and either did not own a bicycle or want to wait for a bus or spend money on the fare. The next morning we noticed the same phenomenon at 4:30am with hundreds of people walking to work in the street.

On our morning return 10 days later, we met our guide, Nomo, at the airport and visited Inya Lake and the reclining Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi Paya. We also drove past a number of colonial buildings and residences. After check-in, lunch, and a short nap at our hotel, we visited the Shwedagon Temple complex and remained through sunset and until after dark. We also visited the refurbished Strand Hotel and drove around Kandawgyi Lake, although it was too dark to see much.

The next day we were on our own so we visited the Scott-Bogyoke Market—great for jewelry, fabrics, and black market currency. We took a long walk to the National Museum where we spent 2 hours before lunching at the serene Pansea Hotel Mandalay Restaurant close to the museum. We cabbed it back to the Traders, where we lazed around, finally deciding to eat in hotel café after a few drinks and people-watching in the lobby bar.

There is a lot more to see and do in Yangon but it was beastly hot and we were at the end of a 12 day trip so we took it pretty easy. I’m hoping to return someday.

Quick Tips:

Appropriate of nothing other than my need to appear clever, the name of this journal comes from one of the memorable scenes in the 1945 war movie, Objective, Burma! A radioman is twirling the dials of his radio and repeating over and over, "Come in Rangoon! Come in!"

Credit cards are not accepted in Myanmar, except at the major hotels where they can process the charge in another country.

Before arriving, get a stash of U.S. dollars in small bills. I would recommend at least 50 singles and 10 fives. I did not bring in any bills over US. The Kyat officially trades at about 6 to the .S. but is actually worth somewhere around 1200. You can spend U.S. dollars most everywhere. You will get change in Kyats, though, which is why it’s a good idea to carry small bills. You can buy Kyats easily and it is a good idea to carry a reasonable amount for places where U.S. dollars are not accepted. You can use whatever you have left for tips as you leave the country or as souvenirs and gifts for "stay-at-homes."

If you are traveling alone, often people will appear and try to be your guide or "help" you in some other way. They can be very persistent and expect to be tipped for their assistance. I have found that screaming "No, no, no!" works best, if politely turning them down does not.

If you do nothing else while in Yangon, visit the Shwedagon Temple Complex.

The food is quite interesting, seeming to contain a mixture of Cantonese, Indian and Thai influences—not as spicy as Thai, not as heavy as Indian, and not as bland as Cantonese. Most dishes contain lots of fresh vegetables. Tofu, shrimp and chicken are the primary sources of protein.

As in any Southeast Asian City, shopping can be fun if you are somewhat knowledgeable about what you are buying and are not afraid to bargain. If you wish to play it safe, check with the concierge at any five star hotel, who will recommend places you can trust. You will pay a premium, of course, but, especially when buying jewelry, I think the premium is worth it. Good quality Lacquer ware is a specialty of Myanmar and is available everywhere.

Lastly, beware of pickpockets and purse grabbers—but then this is true of almost anywhere, nowadays.

Best Way To Get Around:

The first barrier you will encounter is the airport. As you try to claim your luggage you will be attacked by a number of porters who will want to claim and carry your bags through customs. Don’t fight it. Just be prepared to tip about 500 kyat or .50 per bag or be treated with disgust. There are also outside porters to place your bags in the taxi, or bus who also expect tips to say nothing of the young boys who open your car door and also expect a tip—too many people, not enough jobs.

You will run into the reverse mode when you leave as one person opens the car door and another grabs your bags only to hand them off to yet another porter for check-in and even perhaps a third porter to get your tagged bags to the spot where they can be moved to the plane. That’s why I recommend having a stash of Kyats or at least US singles for tips.

Unless you are far braver than I am, do not count on riding the buses. They are old, Russian or Chinese smoke belchers and are often so overcrowded that passengers hang on the outside.

Taxis are plentiful and relatively cheap—if you pass on air-conditioning, even cheaper. Always agree on a price for your destination before you enter the taxi. For example, going from the Pansea hotel to the Traders’ hotel, about a ten minute ride, cost us 1500 Kyat, down from the 5000 the driver first demanded. It helps to ask the doorman or a nearby person what the fare should be.

Our guide Nomo told us that renting a car and driver for a full day was about , though it may have changed because of high gas prices. Renting a hotel limo is very expensive, at least per hour. We were lucky in that, except for 2 days, we had a car and driver as part of the cost of our tour.

In spite of the heat, Yangon is a fascinating city in which to walk. We walked to most places from our hotel. The street scene here is as interesting as any city in Southeast Asia. Pedal powered trishaws are easily found in the central city and can generally be hired for for a ride to anywhere else in the city center.

First, I admit I am a long-time, enthusiastic, admirer of the Kwok family’s Shangri La Group of hotels. From my first stay at The Rasa Sayang in Penang Malaysia, through stays in many countries at Shangri La flagship hotels, at their business class Traders Hotels and at their original resort properties in Malaysia; I have almost never been disappointed. The Traders Hotel, Yangon was no exception.

Most sites, I looked at, rated this property as four star. I give it five stars. Even though we were traveling on a pre-paid tour, we received the same treatment we would have if we were paying the rack rate. On check-in, which was late in the evening, we were seated in the lobby bar, given a welcome drink and checked in by a customer services officer who then personally escorted us to our room. In the morning when we checked out at 4:30am, long before the coffee shop opened, we were not only given cups of freshly brewed coffee, but also a boxed meal to eat in the car or on the plane.

When we returned 9 days later, we were remembered and received the same excellent treatment. You can see the quality of the rooms on their website as well as take a virtual tour of other facilities. The lobby in particular is exquisite. The complimentary breakfast in the Traders Café was excellent, albeit a bit crowded. We had a late supper in the lobby lounge one evening and it was reasonably priced and delicious.

The hotel is located close to Yangon’s center. The Sule Pagoda is a 3-minute walk, the Bogyoke/Scott Market is right around the corner and Chinatown, with its merchandise and food stalls, is less than 5 minutes away. We also walked to the National Museum, about 2km. I’m sure we could have discovered even more interesting sights near the hotel but we were quite worn out after 10 days of touring.

In addition to the Café and the Lobby Lounge, Traders has a Japanese restaurant, a Cantonese dining room, a bar and restaurant that serves mostly western cuisine, a delicatessen/pastry shop for snacks and soft drinks, and 24-hour room service.

It has usual amenities you would expect in a four- or five-star hotel: a business center and a shopping arcade. It also has non-smoking rooms, an on-site clinic, and a tour desk if you are winging it.

My wife, Pam, reported that the Health Club was as complete as any she has visited. This may be the result of having a residence wing in the complex. It contains a fitness center, has an outdoor and an indoor children’s pool, the complete spa contains a sauna, a steam room, a Jacuzzi, and all the usual services. There’s also a billiards room and ping pong tables. I had a hard time getting her out of the place to do some sightseeing.

Summary: it’s a great hotel.

This religious site is to the people of Myanmar what Mecca is to the Muslims, or St. Peter’s Basilica to Roman Catholics. Most Burmese Buddhists hope to see this shrine at least once in their lifetime. Its history, and the history of Yangon—and perhaps all of Myanmar—are inextricably intertwined. Yangon’s original name was Dagon.

It is also almost impossible to separate myth from fact when looking at the history of the Shwedagon Pagoda. It’s been at the same site for over 700 years, perhaps longer. Its own website claims 2,500 years.

The somewhat mythical story of its founding involves two Bamar merchants in India whose oxen refused to move any farther for unknown reasons. They decided to rest under the shade of a nearby bo tree where they discovered the Buddha meditating. As they rested, the Buddha shared his wisdom and gave them eight hairs which they put in a golden box and took back to Burma. On their return they repeated what they had learned to the King, who immediately became a Buddhist and decided to build a great pagoda to house the hairs. In a dream Thangya Nin, the King of the Nats (Burmese ancient gods), showed him the hill on which to enshrine the hairs.

When the shrine was finished and the hairs transferred to a new box, miracles occurred throughout the kingdom as the box was put in its zedi (bell-shaped shrine), where it remains to this day.

Since its beginning, the Shwedagon has been continually enhanced by royalty, the wealthy, pilgrims, and regular visitors, making donations and hoping to earn merit in the process. It is constantly being refurbished. Even the generals running Myanmar don’t dare mess with Shwedagon, and try to appear to be among its most pious adherents and protectors.

The site’s statistics are overwhelming: Over nine tons of gold, hundreds of square feet of gold leaf, thousands of diamonds, and other precious gems. The perimeter of the base of the Main Zedi is 1,420 feet, and it rises 326 feet above the platform. The platform is built on a 128 foot hill, which makes the pagoda visible from almost anywhere in the city. The base is surrounded by 64 small pagodas, with four larger ones in the center of each side. Elsewhere in the complex, there are 72 shrines—not all of which honor the Buddha. There are shrines to Nats, to historical and/or mythical people, and even to holy animals. Buddhism is not an exclusive religion, so much as a way to attain nirvana.

Pam and I visited in the evening and watched the sunset from the platform. This is a good time to visit because it is not so crowded, and we could watch the place light up as night fell. Believers were praying and making offerings at every shrine. It was a bit overwhelming.

In summary: this place should not be missed. I would be very surprised if you are not moved by the experience.

This is one of the largest reclining Buddhas I’ve ever seen and is evidently the largest in Myanmar. It can’t be very much smaller than the one in Bangkok— reputed to be the largest reclining Buddha in the world. The temple itself is little more than an open metal shed—hardly an elegant home for the statue.

It’s located near downtown and also near the Shwedagon Complex, so it is easy to get to on any tour of Yangon. The Buddha image is 72m long. The head is about 30 feet high. Originally built in 1907, it had suffered damage due to climate and earthquakes over time so in 1957 it was basically demolished and then rebuilt in this structure next to the Ashay Tawya monastery. It was completed in 1966. Given the site it's hard to believe that this incarnation is 40 years old. The monks must take good care of it.

I also noticed many, many names and pictures hanging everywhere. Most of the names were Chinese. Nomo, our guide, told us that many local and overseas Chinese contribute to the upkeep of the image thereby earning merit. She wasn’t sure why this particular temple was of interest to the Chinese and I also couldn’t find any information as to why. I suspect that, since it’s not too far from Chinatown, it became a favorite place for the Chinese Community rather than Shwedagon.

One of the unique aspects of this image is the mosaic on the sole of its feet representing the 108 special characteristics of the Buddha. The area around the feet is divided into astrological signs tied to the 8 days of the week (Wednesday is divided into two days, morning and afternoon). Buddha was born Wednesday morning so his sign is the tusk-less elephant which can be found in the Northwest corner of the enclosure.

Inside the building, as is usual in Myanmar, people are praying and making offerings as part of their daily lives. Outside, there is a bustling market selling offerings and incense as well as the usual souvenirs. There are also the usual collection of fortune-tellers and diviners to help people determine what’s in store for them in the future. The nearby monastery is open to visitors for a small fee. Nomo neglected to tell us that so we missed an opportunity to get a sense of how the monks live.

The Buddha Image itself is reason enough to visit this Paya. Add the monastery and the other activities and it is certainly worth spending time here.

As I’ve stated in other reviews, I’m a museum nut as is Pam, my wife. So, factor that in as you read this review.

The museum is housed in a very impressive, specially constructed, five story building that was completed in 1996. The biggest problem is that the museum is not very well organized with unrelated exhibits placed next to one another. I suspect this is caused by the fact that they organized the museum thematically rather than chronologically. There is no printed guide available. There is minimal signage in English and what there is assumes that the viewer knows much about Myanmar’s history.

There are a couple websites I wish I had visited prior to going to the museum: The
Ministry of Culture National Museum website which provides details about all the showrooms but ironically doesn’t tell you what floor they are on. The other is the Myanmars.net
site which provides good location information and has some excellent photos. Unfortunately, the authorities do not allow picture taking and require that you check your camera and any packs you might have.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our visit, spending almost three hours without a break exploring all five floors. I particularly liked the Royal Reliquary with its artifacts and costumes and the adjoining Throne room. The Throne Room contained miniature models of the eight kinds of thrones of ancient Myanmar kings, plus the magnificent Royal Lion Throne of the last monarch King Thibaw. It was returned to Myanmar from Calcutta in 1946 by Lord Mountbatten.

The Showroom for the Culture of National Races or what I would call the Ethnic Exhibit was most interesting. I really began to appreciate the differences and similarities of the various ethnic groups in Myanmar and also recognize why there are separatist movements all over the country.

The Yadanabon Period Showroom featured royal furnishings from the Mandalay Palace. I am always amazed and fascinated by the luxuriousness of these kinds of exhibits. Whether it’s the Forbidden City in China or Versailles outside Paris, my impression always is of excess. Maybe that’s what the subjects of these monarchs expected.

We liked the exhibit covering early Bagan, the Myanmar Historic Period Showroom because we had already visited Bagan. Right next door is the Buddha Image exhibit with over 200 different statues of the Buddha—a little overwhelming.

We found the exhibits covering the Myanmar Performing Arts interesting but we were not as impressed with the two Myanmar Art Galleries. The Folk Art showroom contained almost too much stuff so that the different exhibits started to blur together. I must also admit that I zipped through the prehistoric and calligraphy showrooms as these did not really interest me.

In summary, I’m glad we went. If you do not value museum visits, you might save this place for a rainy day.

Open daily 10:00am to 4:00pm. Admission is $5.00.

The United States Government has taken the position that having Myanmar as a member of ASEAN reduces that group’s credibility and threatens to boycott ASEAN meetings. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. This exemplifies the kind of arrogance that the current administration seems to feel it has the right to exhibit just because it's the United States.

My wife, Pam, and I visited Myanmar for the first time in late 2004. We were there for 11 days. Before our departure, I, at least, agonized over whether it was "the right thing to do" to visit a country that trampled over people's rights as Myanmar supposedly did. Pam was more pragmatic about the whole thing and pointed out that we might never get an opportunity to visit the place if we moved back to the U.S. or one of us got sick, etc. I also read the Lonely Planet Guide and was encouraged by what they suggested we could do to lessen the chances of our "Yankee dollars" ending up in the pockets of the ruling junta.

Accordingly, we made sure we were using private resources whenever possible. We got fooled a little bit when we found that Mandalay Air was partially owned by Myanma Air, the national carrier, but we mostly we stuck to private hotels, restaurants, and touring agencies. Pam and I are veteran travelers and we rank this trip in our top-five all-time holidays. It was that wonderful.

The people we met were as hospitable as the Thais used to be before Thailand became inundated with tourists. The guides, in particular, went out of their way to ensure that we got the maximum enjoyment possible from the experience. They also seemed to have little fear of saying what they thought, good and bad, about their country and their rulers. Their degree of openness was refreshing.

I have been traveling around Asia for almost 30 years and personally experienced the regimes of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines, Suharto in Indonesia, the communists in China, Mahathir in Malaysia, and Lee Kwan Yue in Singapore. I remember a Filipino bartender in the U.S. totally clamming up when the subject of Marcos came up. He was in the U.S. and yet he still feared for his relatives in the Philippines. We spent 5 days with a young woman guide in China, who, when asked a very non-threatening question about a recently announced policy of Zhu Rongzhi, then lionized Vice Premier, changed the subject, and didn't utter another word for an hour or more. I won't go on, but I have other stories.

One of our guides went so far as to call the Myanmar secret police "Our Gestapo." They and their families freely talked about forced labor, their personal situation, the country's economic problems, and the disasters of the early years of the regime. The only negative situation happened when one of our guides offered to take us to see the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, but when we actually tried to go there, she had never told the driver and we were too tired to push it.

Speaking of Aung San Suu Kyi, I strongly recommend, if you are interested, that you read "The Burmese Fairy Tale" by Ma Thanegi, a pro-democracy activist and former political prisoner, now living in Yangon. I also recommend Ron Gluckman's Asiaweek article, "Boycott bleeds Myanmar."

So what's my point? It's simple. DO NOT BOYCOTT MYANMAR! The people are obviously benefiting from tourism. We could see it and we heard about it. The better the economic situation gets, the more likely democracy will follow. Witness China, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It almost never works the other way around. Witness Russia, the Philippines, Indonesia, etc. The situation has already liberalized some and it will get better, not worse, unless both the well-meaning idealists and the venal politicians (the two are almost always mutually exclusive) somehow manage to screw it up with their "interventions."

We didn't have to buy Foreign Exchange Certificates. We weren't forced to stay at government facilities. We were free to do what we wanted. We didn't try to go to the areas where the Army is fighting a border war or take pictures in forbidden areas. We had no reason to do so and were not interested in risking our lives to make a point.

We did stay in a fantastic hotel, Golden Isle Cottages, built on stilts on Inle Lake. The hotel is owned and operated by the Pao people, who at one time in the not too distant past were in armed rebellion against the regime. They are using the profits to build hospitals and schools and provide jobs for hundred of Pao. About 5,000 Burmese died in the 1988 revolution. It was caused by economic issues, not political ones. The People of Myanmar are not interested in going through that again. One of our guides said it best, "How do we know that what we get will be any better than what we have?"

What about my own government? We are not refusing to engage and have intercourse, so to speak, with countries like Saudi Arabia, China, Vietnam, Pakistan, Zaire, Nigeria, Egypt, and others that have regimes just as or more repressive than Myanmar.

Is the human rights record of Myanmar abominable? Yes, it is.

Would the people be better off with a more democratic government? We have no way of knowing.

Will things continue to improve in Myanmar for its people? It looks like it might.

Is tourism a positive force for change? I believe it is.

Is it more effective for the U.S. Government to engage the Government of Myanmar or is it more effective to boycott and thereby hurt the people? The generals are going to do just fine if there's a boycott or not.

I despair when politicians make blanket statements about countries they know little about or to serve a political agenda. Yeah, I know, they do it all the time.

If you doubt what I am suggesting, go to Myanmar and see for yourself. That way you can serve my agenda by expanding tourism in Myanmar and serve yourself by expanding your experience and having a guaranteed great time.

We scheduled two full days in Yangon at the end of our trip. In order to maximize our time we took the advice of our guide, Nomo, and also used the Lonely Planet guidebook to decide what we could see in the time available while still doing some unscheduled wandering.

On one of the days, we had access to a car and driver. In addition to the Shwedagon and Chaukhtatgyi Pagodas, covered elsewhere in this journal, we visited Inya Lake. The area near the lake is a popular spot for family outings and picnicking. There are also restaurants, hotels and shops scattered around the lakeshore. The ubiquitous food stalls are mostly clustered at the South end of the lake. The University of Yangon, which was closed for many years for political reasons, is also at this end of the lake.

Before the government moved to the new capitol at Pyinmana, many ministers lived near Inya Lake’s shores. This made it impossible to drive around the lake as access to the rulers’ neighborhood was forbidden. Perhaps, now, after the move, you can circumnavigate the lake. Aung San Suu Kyi, the political leader, who is under house arrest, also lives near the lake in her father’s house. We were told, at first that we could drive by but it turned out not to be true.

We also visited the Dusit Inya Lake Hotel, a 211 room Russian-built monstrosity that has been totally refurbished and is now managed by the Dusit Group from Thailand. The 35 acres of gardens and grounds are extensive and beautiful, offering some great views of the Lake. The lobby is impressive, but lacks the informality and friendliness I expect from Dusit properties. I think they were trying for a 1930s retro look, which gives the whole property a coolness that is not in sync with the tropics.

Our next stop was Kandawgyi (Royal Lake) Park, another spot popular with locals. The government has recently upgraded the environs to try and make it a major sightseeing attraction. One of the most impressive sights is the Karaweik, a concrete reproduction of a royal barge. There’s a restaurant near the barge that features folk dancing in the evenings. The zoo is very near Kandawgyi but we didn’t have enough time to visit it.

Since we wanted to see the world famous Strand Hotel, we headed towards the waterfront. On our way we passed the Sule Pagoda. This temple has long been the heart of the city, so much so that the British used it as the exact center when establishing the grid plan of streets in the mid-19th century. The pagoda was probably built around 230 B.C. I regret, now, that we didn’t stop and visit it but our guide was a bit dismissive, most likely because she was getting tired and so we didn’t stop.

On our drive to the waterfront, we passed through a couple neighborhoods of refurbished colonial buildings. At one time most of these buildings were home to squatters but the government built shelters for the squatters on the outskirts of Yangon and so now these old mansions house offices, galleries, restaurants and shops.

The waterfront was, at one time, the commercial center of Yangon and is the site of the completely refurbished and world famous 32 suite Strand Hotel. Only The Raffles in Singapore has a reputation to challenge the Strand. The same people who refurbished The Raffles also did the Strand. The wood floored lobby, surrounded by a 360º mezzanine, is magnificent. The restaurants are world class. I imagine the room appointments and the service are superb, also. We wanted to have a drink at the long bar but we were definitely under-dressed so we passed on the opportunity which would have included pretending we could afford to stay here. Suites run $450 a night. We discussed coming back the next day for afternoon tea but decided not to.

After leaving the Strand wandered around the waterfront, visited the ferry terminal which services people who must cross the river daily and looked at some of the old, but now refurbished, godowns (warehouses). By this time we were tired and hungry so, much to Nomo’s relief, we decided to head back to The Traders for a late supper.

The next day we were on our own so we walked most everywhere. As in so many Asian cities, walking the streets gives you a much better appreciation of the culture and lifestyle of the people than you can get any other way. This is no less true in Yangon. The side streets are full of stalls selling everything imaginable from fresh fruit, to prepared food, to designer knock-offs, to pirated CDs to semi-precious gems. Every price is negotiable and there are no returns so be sharp and careful.

As the day heated up, we headed for the Bogyoke Aung San Market, also known as the Scott Market. It is on Bogyoke Aung San Lan. In case you didn’t know, Bogyoke Aung San is Aung San Suu Kyi’s father and is revered as the liberator of Burma from Great Britain. The reverence does not extend to his daughter, however.

The market is housed in an excellent example of a British colonial building. It’s been here for over 75 years. Everything a tourist could want is on offer, a wide selection of traditional products, such as Longyis (traditional dress that looks something like a sarong and is still worn on a daily basis by both men and women). All types of Myanmar arts and handicrafts are featured such as lacquerware, wood and ivory carvings, traditional puppets, tapestries, silverware, brassware, silk and cotton fabrics, and shoulder bags. You can get hand-made local cheroots, to say nothing of candies and other snack type goodies.

There are dozens of jewelry shops peddling precious stones, gold and silver. I offer three cautions. One, make sure you know your gems well enough to not get ripped off. Two, don’t be afraid to negotiate. It’s expected and if you don’t you are most likely paying too much. Three, if you do buy any precious stones, make sure you do it at a government approved stall so they can give you an official receipt with their name and address stamped on it. The smuggling of gems out of Myanmar is rigorously punished. The best you can hope for is that customs just confiscates your gems and doesn’t delay your departure, impose a fine or even lock you up for a short time.

There is a little hustling but basically not much. You can also buy black market Kyats here. To avoid any possibility of a problem, buy some cheap item and pay in US dollars and take your change in Kyats. It was cool and comfortable inside the building and we enjoyed just walking around and poking our nose into some of the shops.

We left the market and walked about two kilometers to the National Museum. The museum is reviewed elsewhere in this journal. After the museum we decided to take a very late lunch at a not so well-known hotel, The Pansea, 35 Taw Win Lan, phone : 221462, fax: 228260.

If we return to Yangon, this is where I want to stay. It’s built on the site of an old teak plantation. It is not that much more expensive than The Traders but has an elegance that rivals the Strand. The grounds are meticulously kept with a small bridge over a fishpond that leads to the entrance. In the evening, dinner can be taken outdoors next to the fishpond.

We arrived at the hotel restaurant, The Mandalay, past lunch time. In fact the staff was having a meeting. Nevertheless, they graciously seated us and apologized for the delay. The chef is French and the menu features Nouveau French cuisine plus Burmese specialties with a French twist. The chef was eating a late lunch himself at the next table so we had a delightful conversation about food, the limitations of living and working in Myanmar and what a wonderful oasis this place was in the midst of Yangon.

The food was very good and after lunch we explored the hotel itself. The interior, as we expected, is a statement in teak with simple but elegant wooden construction. It has a colonial feel about it that adds to the general ambiance of both the hotel and the restaurant. We only saw pictures of the rooms. They seem spacious and comfortable. The service staff were most gracious and both Pam and I agreed that if we had known about this place, we would have stayed here.

We decided to take a taxi back to our hotel and pack for our early departure the next day. We could have easily spent another exciting day or two in Yangon. There is a lot to see and do.