短短的5天很快就過了。對整間事情的不平衡還是有的。哈哈。好像有點小氣。But I don't care, I'm just gonna feel that way. Because people like him won't feel apologetic at all. 反正已經回來了。
很短，但很多歡笑的旅程。Haven't traveled with this bunch for some time, and they are really easy people to travel with, not to mention that we have known each other for 18 years now. Still, if you compare them to other groups of friends I have traveled with, it just feels different. I guess there's really nothing we cannot talk about. (except for maybe not able to tell me about my cake and all) LOL!
Day 1: Singapore - Yangon
(Bogyoke Market, Shwedagon Pagoda)
So it happened on the first day when we got to Novotel Yangon Max Hotel. I total didn't suspect any of this entire thing, as I really thought it was normal to be waiting at the hotel lobby for the room to be 'ready' because we reached quite early. And then we were accompanied by the manager, which I thought was okay also because she's showing hospitality to fellow colleagues. And then.. I was welcomed by an army outside the room, with a cake, and candles, and rose petals in the room, and birthday card, and balloons. LOL! And a handmade guide for Bagan! That was totally effort plus! And so, I was totally surprised. Happy as I was, I also felt awkward after the song and the candle blowout. There was really an awkward silence. Lol! And afterwards I was thinking about the fact that I was wearing my specs rather than contacts. :/
Went for our first meal at Junction Square just 5min walk away, turned out to be pleasantly good too! (And probably the cheapest we had too) It's a local eatery with noodles, and dim sum. I had one of the best wheat noodle with garlic oil. And I kept on saying their iced milk tea tastes like one of those in our coffee shops, albeit a little milky.
Original plan for the day was to travel up to Golden Rock, but it was canceled due to wet weather conditions a few days before the trip and the tour says it's unsafe to travel over. And I suggested we be more chill so the trip is not so packed. So we were left to explore the city (which was supposed to be 2nd and last day's activity). haha.
Went to Bogyoke Market (a.k.a Scotts Market) and Shwedagon Pagoda. Bogyoke Market is like... I don't even know how to say it. Haha! Anyway, stalls were mostly closed by 4.30pm even though the opening hours were till 5.30pm. The hall was completely, if not almost, dark. Almost because there were only 1 or 2 stalls selling jewelry still opened. The lanes outside was quite a scene though, where many uncles and aunties sat at the alley with short tables and stools drinking tea and eating their hightea I supposed. And maybe doing something else I don't know what. I can't even tell where is the stall because they were just sitting along the wall. But it was really really crowded. So I was amazed, but well, we didn't even attempt to join them to soak in the local culture feel because it looks too scary already. haha
So we got to Shwedagon Pagoda before sunset. The start of our pagoda journey (i.e taking off shoes at each of them) The place is really huge and pretty. The floor is totally tiled, so it doesn't feel hot at all, and although a little wet due to the unpredictable rain throughout the day, the rest were fine. The structure was so beautiful I guess I really took a lot of pictures there (though at the end of the day, you will say, these pagodas they look the same) LOL.
And then... we got to the chinatown area for dinner -- grilled/bbq sticks and a little zichar. (which is also the start of our zichar journey) We had ours at Shwe Mingalar Restaurant, recommended by a blog, we were too lazy to look around and we called a grab by inputting the address directly, so we couldn't really choose after stopping right outside their place. Haha! But the entire street is filled with shops and stalls selling these sticks. The meal was rather satisfying. :) And Day 1 was gone, decided to go back to rest even though we fell asleep after lunch before heading to the market, we really had an early flight and I barely slept the night before.
Day 2: Yangon - Bagan
Circular Train, St. Mary's Cathedral, City Hall & Pagoda, Night Bus
Wanted to go out early but it was literally pouring. And it got heavier over time! So we decided to prepare and go out a little later. Thanks to the hotel staff, we didn't have to go all the way to the Yangon Central Station to take the circular train and we heed their advices to not go to the market because it will be muddy due to the weather. They suggested we travel towards the city instead. And so we did. The circular train ride was a little eye opener from the ticket to taking the train. Tickets were 2000kyat (about 20cents SGD) flat rate. The entire (circular) train ride will take about 3hours to complete. We took to the city which was probably quarter circle. Stood throughout as the seats were wet from the rain before. Commuters (or not) were doing all sorts of things in the train. Selling stuff like fruits, vegetables, breakfast, telephone simcard, and monk asking for blessings, 2 women beside us were doing work scraping some coconut, and then proceed to eat her lunch in the train.
Lunch was at Lotteria because we don't know what to look for and after the rain, the weather became really warm and humid so we seek air-conditioned shelter. Haha! But it rained and stopped multiple times that day it was so unpredictable.
Venture out again after some satisfying cheese sticks and chicken at Lotteria and bubble milk tea from Koi! Walked all the way to St. Mary's Cathedral, which was at the end of the entire street. A pity that we can't go in to the church itself; there was practically no one there. Went back to the City Hall area with Sule Pagoda right in the middle of the round about.
And soon it was time for some drinks and tea time - (read: shelter and air-con) again. Walked again.. to Cafe Paradise. Had some pancakes and crepe. It was so good because the crepe actually taste so homely. Hehe. Because of that, I was so full, I didn't have any motivation to buy food for the night bus so I skipped dinner. Got back to hotel to bathe and freshen up because we really needed to, before leaving for the bus terminal.
Check-in for the bus is really easy and fast. We traveled by JJ Express (Joyous Journey), seats were actually very comfortable, until I really feel like going to the toilet. LOL. We stopped twice for toilet, food and drinks (no I didn't have any) and eventually reached the bus terminal at 5am, and was swamped with many many people asking if we needed transport. Oh well, because we didn't arrange for any from the hotel, we got 'chopped' by them lor. But well, we were too tired to think of anything else and that's why we also paid more for the entrance fee with 25000kyats than 10USD each. It was only till lunch that we talked about it. lol
Day 3: Bagan
Checked-in to Bagan View Hotel, it was easy and fast, we got to our room immediately and we just crashed for a (long) while because we were tired. I really concussed quite fast and woke up a little late also. HAHA. Thankful that we got to check-in so early. I guess it was because of all these bus and flight schedules that made the check-in and check-out timings so flexible, and because they are nice.
Anyway... it was a day of Pagodas. We went to so many, we could hardly remember any of their names. HAHA. But.. just let me put down what I remembered (though half of the time I was a little distracted catching pokemons at the pagodas). So there a few kinds of pagodas (similar to what we call a temple), a worship place. So pagodas are temples that you can go in, and stupa are those you can't. It was a pity that all pagodas were closed for safety reasons due to the recent earthquake. And they will only reopen in July. What a timing.
Currently, there are a total of 3,122 pagodas in Bagan and they are built in the 11th and 12th Century. 11th century's pagodas generally only have 1 entrance, and 12th century ones have 4 or more entrances. Also, because it's not quite possible to visit all of them, we went to a few important ones, and see the others from afar. So there's the prettiest, the tallest, the biggest and the best architecture.
And so we met this guide, Khant (read: cant), who was quite good. BUT. He kept on telling us things in a straight face and many times turn out to be his jokes. It was till the point we can't differentiate whether he was lying about going to Russia for the world cup or not. HAHA! The chats were so funny I really khant-not.
The trip was booked via Klook. So apparently we can't book him separately for another day to tour somewhere else he suggested - Mount Popa. So we went back to hotel to ask the concierge for a driver, which is about the price of the Klook one - which we thought was not too bad.
Day 4: Bagan - Yangon
So we booked a half day tour to Mount Popa because we were told it will be enough anyway. Driver was ok, and also tried to explain some places to us, help to take some photos. Didn't exactly know what we were in for at the place actually. HAHAHA! And today we all wore slippers. Only to know that shoes are only allowed for a certain distance. The rest of the time no shoes at all, and we continue to climb steps, whether clean or not, whether outdoor or indoor.
So half a day was gone after up and down, watching monkeys and also avoiding them. There were really hell lots of monkeys on the entire mountain. And the trip ended with us looking at this man trying to retrieve his cap from a monkey from the top of his lorry. 😂
And then back to hotel area for lunch and check out to go the airport. We were soooo early and there was nothing to do. And everything was manual! Wow. Hardcopy handwritten boarding pass, manual labour to bring our check in luggage to the plane, manual custom also. It's also bring-your-kid-to-work day cos the custom officer had a kid at his side drawing on other paper while he tick off our names off the passengers' list.
And yup, it has to be propeller plane. Good thing it was a really short ride. So we are back to Yangon City. Didn't do much cos big sister is also down with some gastric problem.
Dinner at a recommended cafe nearby. Food is not bad, but some of the food are better out in the streets. The ambience of the place was good though, with world cup on the screen (albeit some wordings on the wall). And big sister wasn't feeling well, so we sort of just chill back at hotel at night because there was nothing much to do too. HAHA!
Oh! And we really seen what's call 免(缅)电(甸)... The 3 of us walked out from the restaurant and in a second the street went FULL BLACK. Good experience? Great. But quite scary too, there was no one else on the street except for this person sitting along the sidewalk.
Despite all the discomfort of the sister, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YIH at our own timing! A bit early but we did! And so... eat cake again! HAHAHA
Day 5: Yangon - Singapore
Last day! Googled for noodles and Supermarket around us so that can go and shop. Breakfast at 999 Shan Noodle, not bad leh! But still the first day one really imprinted some memories in us. Then walked to the supermarket, which is actually quite far away. Bought quite a bit. LOL. And managed to try the roadside stalls for tea. Just for the experience lah. Cabbed back and went to eat Sharky - Italian food. It was nice! And then it was time to check out and fly back :(
Review:
Was it fun? Yes, and interesting.
Will I go back to Myanmar? Maybe, but will definitely not go back to bagan, because they have quite a number of cities we can explore.
Was it worth? Yup. I think so. Because it changed my perception of Myanmar a little. (Not as bad as I thought) And thought that maybe we should have planned a longer trip. (But actually I can't because I had to be back :/ )
