It took me 39 long hours to get to Myanmar and when I finally arrived in the land of the golden pagodas I walked 11.5 miles, the very first day, along Yangon’s bustling streets completely in awe of this wonderful place. I found beautiful street markets with people selling flowers, fish and blankets full of colorful produce. There were faces painted with a yellowish-white cosmetic paste called Thanaka made from ground bark and men wearing traditional longyi’s. I stumbled upon a Buddhist temple covered completely in mirrors and photographed a monk lighting candles at the alters inside. There was a golden pagoda (as promised), a huge lake with lotus flowers blooming from below large lilly pads, people feeding birds at dawn, and a culture of people brimming with happiness and warmth. The city is a blend of old and new, rich and poor, thriving, manic, overwhelming and I’m loving it.
