Welcome to Flashback Friday. Today we go to Myanmar or Burma as it was once known. It was an exhausting trip to get there. As you can see, too many countries in too few hours. But it was well worth it. Myanmar for all the troubles that it's faced is a beautiful country with people I will never forget. I remember that first evening; the balmy night air, the peaceful silence broken only by the snap of the slight man's flip flops walking ahead of us. and gently humming a soothing melody with words I'd never learned and couldn't understand.
Three countries, one destination...
Three countries today - if a silent transfer through Thailand counts. Yes, that was today, flew from Cambodia to Bangkok and transferred for a flight to Yangon. I'm counting that as three countries. It sure feels like countries.
Burma. Already feeling the language barrier. Headed off to find a strip of cafes in the heart of Yangon. Not so easy to find especially without a map. Yangon has over 5 million people so it sprawls over a considerable area. Asking directions, not easy. One cab driver tried to help, he enlisted his friend, who motioned to another friend, who brought in a woman who could speak very elementary English. After a few minutes of polite smiles, hand waving, garbled directions on every side, it was time to head back to the hotel and collect outside reinforcements. Someone who could write directions on a piece of paper and a taxi driver to lead the way. And we were off. Again, not so easy. We were dropped off in a very interesting area of the city, with restaurants and shops. And, as dusk gathered, it was clear that it was also a rather poor section of town. Across broken concrete and open sewer lines, it was a long walk until a friendly cab driver gave us a ride down to what he thought we were looking for - a Karoke bar. Stepping out of the stripped down to the metal floorboards, seventy era car, was to again face a walk to - we weren't sure where. Fortunately, another cab showed up and another cab later - back at the hotel and supper at the buffet.
Strangers in a strange land, they were determined to help us.
Ryshia
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