When I tried to book my bus down south at the local travel agents to my hotel I was told that I needed a government permit to travel south. Welcome to rubber time, everywhere in Asia things just take as long as as it does and no sooner! the bus leaves when it's full and you my or my not get to do what you plan too. I headed into town and eventually got my ticket at a small travel agency. Problem solved and no permit needed!!! So looking around the dusty crumpling colonial streets I spot a nail bar, a tattoo parlour and trendy coffee bars with wifi. I also spot the small dusty shops where making a living is a struggle and taxi drivers in beaten up cars are desperate for trade.
I head to the most sacred place in Burma, the Shwedagon paya temple complex. It's incredible, set on a hill in middle Yangon, this complex of golden stupas and temples takes your breath away, or is that just the hundreds of steps you need to climb to reach the summit! It's a Saturday afternoon and there are hundreds of devotees walking round and there's monks a plenty, many eager to ask where you are from . The sky is a perfect blue and the sun is beating down, making photography difficult. By now al l my walking has blistered my little toe and despite covering myself with suntan lotion I have a red neck!!!! And let's not talk about the humidity. Still I find an amazing spot in the shade to people watch and sit by a family to seem to only want to watch me. This is such an amazing place - so tranquil yet so crowded, so spiritually full.
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