Arcane Candy

Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Yangon, Myanmar

I’ve always wanted to take a walk around downtown Yangon, but I’ve never had the chance. I’ve passed through it briefly before in a taxi and a bus, but never on foot because I’m usually only in town for a couple of days, one of which is always a sleep day after a long bus ride. Anyway, before heading out for my first walk downtown today, I stopped in the lobby of the Motherland Inn II to take care of some business. Then, right as I was about to step outside, the sky started dumping rain! Wouldn’t you know it? I was so pissed. I waited a short while for it to let up a bit, then when it did, I cracked open my umbrella and marched down Anawrahta street to downtown anyway. I was bound and determined to see it–rain or no rain.

On the way, I shot a photo and video of a lady parked in a trishaw that was carrying a grand total of one piece of bamboo that looked about 50 feet long. Then a really weird-looking old train creaked by blowing a ridiculous, high-pitched horn. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a photo of it because I had put away my camera. After walking for a mile past a bunch of odd shops then through a never-ending series of sidewalk markets, I went up on a pedestrian bridge, where I caught a good view of the golden-spired Sule Pagoda a couple of blocks South. I headed down there next and shot a slew of photos and video as I made my way around the circular Buddhist complex, which is situated like a roundabout right in the middle of an intersection.

Following that, I walked down Mahabandoola Road past a really whimsical looking clocktower to another pedestrian bridge boasting a very unusual square shape that crossed over all four corners of an intersection. It offered an amazing view looking East at all of the street markets, the clocktower and Sule Pagoda glinting in the setting sun. Next, I proceeded a few blocks Northeast to Sakura Tower, where I heard you could ride an elevator for free 20 stories up to the top floor to get a nice view of the city. When I arrived up there, I was bummed to find nothing but an expensive restaurant with a sign out front banning sightseers. So, back down I went into the bustle of the street markets along Bogyoke Aung San Road, where I headed East back to the Motherland Inn II. On the way, I got a few good photos of colorful market life and a highway overpass supported by really unusual and beautiful trestles that were all dolled up in a golden floral pattern.

Roll over photos for captions.
Words and photos ©2012 Arcane Candy.

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