1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #197 - Aung San Suu Kyi's House, Yangon

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #197

- Aung San Suu Kyi's House, Yangon, Myanmar

 

(The movie "The Lady" came to mind, as we walked up to view the home where Aung San Suu Kyi grew up, with his father General Aung San. She is no doubt, the most iconic Asian freedom fighter, other than Gandhi. The t-shirt sold along the streets says it best, "Freedom from Fear". This Nobel Prize winner is still fighting to overturn laws that prevent her from running as President of Myanmar..will it happen in her lifetime?)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #196 - Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #196

- Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

(Shwedagon Pagoda, with its mighty 99metre high stupa in the middle, must surely be the most impressive pagoda we have ever seen. The whole temple ground is serene and peaceful. While historians say it is built in the 6th century, legend has it that it is over 2600 years old. It was undergoing some maintenance work when we were there, with brown straw mats and bamboo stilts covering the stupa, but that could not hide the majesty of the place. Turns out, I was born on a Tuesday, according to an elderly teacher at the grounds, and so, the ritual of bathing the statue of Buddha at the Tuesday Corner was performed then. This is a must-see when in Myanmar)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #195 - Sule Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #195

- Sule Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar

(Sule Pagoda sits right in the centre of the city, within easy reach from our hotel. Seeing one of Myanmar's many famed pagoda, you can appreciate the fine carvings and architectural design, which is kind of unique - I don't recall Thailand's temples to be built this way)  

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #194 - Yangon streets, Myanmar

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #194

- Yangon streets, Myanmar

(After a false start - losing 4xSQ tickets in the process bcoz we thought we could waltz in by getting visas at the airport - we managed to land in Yangon. And what visual treats awaited us immediately on the streets near our hotel - roti prata on the roadside, vegetable and fruit sellers of all sorts, all the sights, sounds and smells. So 1960's. So wonderfully different!  )   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #193 - Dreamliner 787 flight

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #193

- Dreamliner Boeing 787, Doha-Singapore

(The Qatar Airways headline on their advertisement said, "Fly in our brand new Dreamliners to Europe" which succeeded in catching our eye, and money. But imagine the disappointment when on the day of the 0400hr flight, a 'technical software error' caused an almost 9-hr delay, and a diversion - an "FIM", airline code for 'I screwed up'  - to Emirates instead. It was with a bit of relief that the return home was error-free and we finally got our wish to dream on the Dreamliner. Was it any good? Not much more really. Perhaps the 5-setting window shade, not a real plastic shade, stood out the most. We thought the Airbus big-mama A380, was better, frankly)