Journey to Myanmar
Part 3
Part 3
Decades of military rule kept Myanmar off most travelers’ lists until a few years ago, when the regime began to loosen its grip. But many problems remain. In the past few weeks, thousands of Rohingya — a Muslim minority — have fled persecution in western Myanmar. The situation has escalated into an international emergency and underscores Myanmar’s poor record in dealing with ethnic minorities. Tourists are kept away from areas of conflict, so most visitors to Myanmar will not see the full picture. But after years of isolation, the country is now more accessible than ever, and travelers can experience for themselves what life looks and sounds like in this complex nation.
The Yangon Circle Line crawls 30 miles around the city and its suburbs and takes about 3 hours, passing through what feel like whole strata of Yangon society.
Streets of Yangon
Downtown Yangon is messy, congested, noisy, and bursting with street life. As Rangoon, it was the former capital of Burma province in British India. Today, the slowly rotting skeletons of neglected colonial buildings preside over bustling Indian and Chinese markets, Hindu temples, Muslim mosques, and Buddhist pagodas.
All over Yangon, old buildings are coming down as new ones rise. Efforts are underway to preserve some of the decaying Victorian and neoclassical gems, but it can feel like the city is crumbling before your eyes even as development goes up.
A street of downtown Yangon is lined with book vendors.
Thousands of Indian laborers were brought in by the British during colonial rule, and downtown Yangon is dotted with Hindu temples.
Buddhist monks chant prayers over loudspeakers around the clock at Shwedagon Pagoda
Gold and diamond-encrusted Shwedagon Paya is one of the most sacred sites in Buddhism. Its 325-foot spire is covered with several tons of gold leaf and is surrounded by dozens of lesser shrines and temples, all apparently competing to be the most ornate.
Buddhist pilgrims perform various rituals in the countless pagodas that surround the golden spire.
Streets of Yangon
After the sun sets, some streets of downtown Yangon remain just as packed and vibrant as during the day. Hundreds come out to partake of the city’s varied food culture, including one street of open-air barbecue and beer joints.
Eating options vary. There are sit-down restaurants, or visitors can buy food and eat it at one of the many plastic tables on the sidewalk.
Open-air produce and meat markets operate late into the evening.
The market day finally ends long after dark, and the cleanup begins.
By Scott LaPierre, Elaina Natario, Russell Goldenberg, Gabriel Florit
