Myanmar ( Burma as was ) Yangon.

It’s the year 1372 it’s 46 degrees Celsius, and the week is divided into Seven and a half days….. Welcome to Myanmar.

Yangon Riverside.

As soon as you step into Myanmar you are hit with the realization that it’s nothing like the Media portrays ( from a street perspective anyway ). Our first nights accommodation IN Yangon ( was Rangoon ) has a room overlooking the hugely impressive Shwe dagon temple complex with the massive golden pagoda, in the evening we visit this place and it’s just gob smacking. As it is very hot ( today is 42 degrees and will be getting hotter ! ) we decide its best to do any site seeing in the slightly cooler hours between 08:0 –noon and 17:00 to sunset.


Yangon houses the 4^th largest reclining Buddha image in Myanmar at 76ft long the Chau-kythgy Buddha is striking. In the downtown area of Yangon is the hexagonal Sule Temple ( hexagonal as at each of the hexagon points is a statue for each of the eight day images ) e.g. Monday is Tiger, Tuesday is a Lion and Wednesday is divided into two half days a.m is Elephant without tusks and p.m is Elephant with tusks so all in all you get 8 images around the temple and pagoda.

Buddha relics, mostly samples of Buddha’s hair seem to crop up in many places non more so than the Kabaye temple, which houses a rather gaudy Buddha image and a small container with a few locks of the said deity’s hair.

Almost everything that arrives into Yangon comes via the River, the busy riverside jetties are a hive of commercial and day to day activity. Our last bit of sight seeing is China Town and the Scott Market, just like many Asian markets, trying to sell you overpriced poor quality jade and gemstones. Next day we fly to Mandalay.

The View from our Yangon accommodation.

Shwe Dagon Temple Complex

Linda at the hexagonal Sule Temple, Yangon.


Sule temple pagoda

Sule Temple

Main Addminisration building Yangon.

Chau Kythgy reclining Buddha Yangon.

Nice feet, this means the Buddha is relaxing if there is no feet markings and the Buddhas legs are straight then its a Nirvana pose.

Kabaye Temple.

Not sure what to make of this, the image is Gold and the little light box houses strands of Buddhas hair. Kabaye temple, Yangon

Early evening at the Shwe Dagon Temple complex.

Shwe Dagon, Yangon.

Shwe Dagon.

Shwe Dagon.

Shwe Dagon.

Shwe Dagon main pogada, eleven tonnes of gold cover this huge Stupa.

Shwe Dagon.

Monks in waiting, young boys are presented prior attending initial monk training.

Shwe Dagon, Yangon.

Shwe Dagon Pagoda.

Buddha Image at the Shwe Dagon.

Shwe dagon at night.
( slightly out of sync thank you blogger ! )

Shwe Dagon at sunset.

Shwe Dagon.

Yangon Sunrise.

Next Blog Mandalay. with a few Yangon images.