Yangon (Burma) Myanmar

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Yangon Myanmar: A corpse has been pulled from the river. Hard to see the details in this picture, but the guy stiff as a board lay with arms and legs raised, body the color of the river water. His mouth gaped open and eyes puffed out in a grotesque mask of death.

Yangon Myanmar: Lots of tri-shaws like this around town, though none of the drivers ever offered me a ride.

Yangon Myanmar: This is one of the Muslim residential areas into which I stumbled before realizing what it was. The path led through clusters of shacks and on into a complex of grave yards. People along the way were friendly and helpful as I threaded my way through their backyards and between their houses.

Yangon Myanmar: This is an example of a minaret at one of the many mosques in town.

Yangon Myanmar: The Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Elevator tower entrance to the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: One of the statues inside the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Inside the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical street scene.

Yangon Myanmar: One of the sidewalk cafes which spring up along the streets every day.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical street scene crowded with vendors.

Yangon Myanmar: Here are the fixings for a Betel Nut chewing package. The leaves are smeared with a white paste, sprinkled with various "spices" onto which is pile a few chunks of Betel nut. People chew this stuff and spit what looks like rusty water as they do it.

Yangon Myanmar: Open air deli.

Yangon Myanmar: One of the displays in the jewelry sellers area.

Yangon Myanmar: These guys are playing Checkers on boards painted on the sidewalks.

11-18 October 2002

Hello from Rangoon Burma...
much more to be written from my extensive journal notes.

While it is now officially known as Yangon Myanmar, it will always be Rangoon and Burma in my mind. That said, Yangon is a fascinating city, but travel outside the city is all, but impossible. All transportation is controlled by people determined to extract the highest possible fees from foreigners. There are several excellent hotels in the central part of the city, the best value a French establishment.

Although I did spend seven nights in the country, it seemed to be impossible to travel any real distance from the city center. While exploring the waterfront I came upon a corpse being removed from the river, a young male, bloated and completely naked. I later learned that dissidents frequently end up in the river and wonder if I had seen an example. I got a picture of the dead kid as a coroner loaded him into a station wagon. No one in the vicinity seemed at all concerned by the occurrence. Be sure to check out the pictures using the little camera icon in the top right corner.

Peace

Fred L Bellomy

Yangon Myanmar: Shwe Dagon Pagoda.

Yangon Myanmar: Some of the river taxis which ply the waters around Yangon.

Yangon Myanmar: This is a corpse pulled from the river being hauled away by the coroner. While I could get no details about this particular death, many reports are made of dissidents being murdered by the military regime and the bodies disposed of in the river.

Yangon Myanmar: A group of young monks(?) marching through town accepting alms from the faithful.

Yangon Myanmar: Entrance to the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Inside the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Inside the famous Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex. The marble floors soon became dangerously slippery when the afternoon rain made its appearance.

Yangon Myanmar: Inside the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical street scene. Even with all the political turmoil in the country life goes on for the ordinary people.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical street scene: housewives shopping, buses transporting people to work; life goes on.

Yangon Myanmar: One of the vendors making a Betel nut package. People chew this stuff which stains their teeth red.

Yangon Myanmar: Cute little kid and his proud grandfather. See the yellow paint on its face. Women do this to themselves as protection from the sun... they say, though it looked to me like a crude form of cosmetic... not very attractive to my eye.

Yangon Myanmar: At the main intersection in the city.

Yangon Myanmar: Fruit stands like this are found in every block around the business district.

Yangon Myanmar: Another of the ice water vendors.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical crowded street scene.

END

Yangon Myanmar: One of the smaller Hindu temples scattered around town.

Yangon Myanmar: One of the more ornate Hindu temples scattered around town.

Yangon Myanmar: A closer look at one of the Hindu temples scattered around town.

Yangon Myanmar: Someone has a sense of humor... note the "target" painted on the side of this elephant sculpture.

Yangon Myanmar: The Ciba Pagoda in the center of town very near the closed American Embassy.

Yangon Myanmar: Sandals of the young monks. Almost everyone wears these flip-flop sandals.

Yangon Myanmar: All American businesses pulled out of Myanmar to protest the lack of democracy. Owners changed the names of the enterprises a little and continued doing business. This was the Mac Donald's.

Yangon Myanmar: This was the old Dunkin Donuts shop, still a very popular place being operated like the original... and with effective air conditioning. Young people come here to smoke, talk and drink the ten cent ice drinks.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical street scene near the center of town.

Yangon Myanmar: Shwe Dagon Pagoda.

Yangon Myanmar: Inside the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex.

Yangon Myanmar: Inside the Shwe Dagon Pagoda complex is a series of escalators leading from one of the entrances to the complex proper. Kids play around like this is their version of Disneyland; running and climbing on the monuments and statues with impunity. No one ever said a word to them.

Yangon Myanmar: Note that these windows have only shutters, no glass.

Yangon Myanmar: Typical street scene.

Yangon Myanmar: This is how vendors produce ice water for drinking. A conical shaped piece of ice sits in a cloth net and water is repeatedly poured over the ice until it is sufficiently cold for the customer.

Yangon Myanmar: One of the many open air tea "houses" seen everywhere throughout the city.

Yangon Myanmar: Another of the religious monuments in the center of the city.

Yangon Myanmar: Fruit seller.

Yangon Myanmar: I saw several groups of guys playing chess around the city.