A trip to Myanmar(burma)

Its been a long time since I am in this blog after Chinese New year.  Was busy and travelling.  This time make a trip to visit my brother and sis-in-law in Yangon. My son and 2 other friends came along with me.
We flew from Klia direct to Yangon, the flight took about 2 and 1/2 to reach our destination.  The time different in Yangon and back home is 11/2 hr behind time.  This is the end of winter and we can fill the heat once we were out of the airport.  Myanmar has 3 seasons, winter(Oct to Feb),summer(mar to jun) and raining season(July to Sept).  The temperature can go as high as 38 or even 40 degree F .  During our stay for 6 days we experience the temp between 19 to 38 degree F.  Morning is very cool will its hot like oven in the afternoon, the air con in the bus or car can't even cool down the temperature in the vehicles.
We were welcome by my sis-in-law's sister (winsome) at the airport as my sis_in-law(Judith) was busy with her meeting.  Once were at Judith's house, she got to photostat our passport to report to the police station, this the procedure if any visiting relatives are stay with the locals.  Unfortunately, the police station called and said we were not allow to stay with them!  So we have to move to hotel.  Judith manages to book us into City Golf Resort near the airport for only US28 per night under cooperate rate.
After settling down , Judith arrange with her driver to take us for gems stone shopping in Scott market, May & Mark and Gem museum.

My friends, Evelyn and Emily bought the most of the gems, but I don't fancy all these, finally they bought Sapphire, ruby and some jades too. real shopping. We brought not enough cash(all in USD), we have to loan from my brother. The business man in Myanmar don't accept credit cards.
The next day, we went to visit the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, it seem they placed the biggest diamond on top of the highest point of the pagoda. I can't see it even watch by the telescope provided, but other said they can see the sparkle sometimes depend on the sunlight shine from which directions.

From Yangon , we joined a local to Bagan and Lake Inle.  We flew to Bagan airport by focus airplane. This is my first flight in my life in this type of plane.

 A simple and small airport of Bagan

The first pagoda that we visit in Bagan, there are more then 2000 various sizes of pagodas in Bagan.  There is a saying if any tourist do not visit Bagan just like he/she never been to Myanmar.

some of the smaller pagodas.

A visit to the local market.  Can see all the organic vegetables.

Palm sugar

Local grown onions

Organic carrots

Unbleached cooking oil

Ladies making fermented tea, one of the appetizer before meals

Lots of river fishes from the river

All the big fishes

Using traditional weighing machine

Smallest egg plants i have ever seen

Dried fresh fishes(not salted fish)

Some more pagodas that go back to as early as 11th century, some of the pagodas were so strong that they can survive during the last 2 earthquakes.

Watching sun set on top of one of the pagodas.

We had 2 nights stay in this chalet, very comfortable and beautiful

Sun set by the riverside at our chalet.  Our next destination will be Lake Inle. I will continue in the next blog.