A visit to Shwe Dagon Pagoda and the former Arakan Kingdom – Day 1 @ Yangon.

Prologue.

I had wasted 10 days of vacation and holidays during Christmas 2017 and New Year 2018 by hanging around in Singapore when I could have visited Myanmar instead. I wanted to avoid the tourists. Just as the new year started, it was time for the Chinese Lunar New Year. I became restless with wanderlust. Wondering if it might make sense, I wrote a very short email to Fiona @ Pro Niti asking if it was worth the effort to visit for 5 days. She was my travel consultant during my previous visit in May 2017 and she remembered the activities that I like. Within a day she responded with not just one but three itineraries to visit three completely different parts of her country. She had prepared the itinerary according to my likes and showcasing the beauty, the culture and the traditions of Myanmar.

Option 1 was Mrauk-U in Rakhine state, the former capital of the last Arakan Kingdom. With a small protest between some Buddhist Monks and local authorities having gone bad, we kept our options open. Fiona kept an eye on the situation and suggested that I pay an advance based only on the cheapest itinerary which was Option 2 and a backup itinerary.

Obtaining an e-Visa through the Myanmar Government’s website took less than 1 business day. And SQ had flights operated by MI at the most convenient times in both directions. Everything was ready a month before the Chinese Lunar New Year.

https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/NewApplication.aspx

15 Feb 2018 – Day 1: Yangon and a dinner.

A week ago, Fiona confirmed that the Mrauk-U itinerary was a go. I reached Changi Airport with more than enough time on my hands. First on the list to do was souvenir shopping and looking for new books to read. A couple of pints of beer and a “Champion Breakfast” for lunch later at Harry’s pub, I walked over to the gate.

The MI flight was a little disappointing this time with the in-flight F&B service. I managed to take a nap and watch a quarter of Assassin’s Creed by the time the pilot announced that we were approaching Yangon. Walking from the aircraft, through Immigration, collecting my teeny-weeny stroller and clearing customs took not more than 15 minutes!

The first surprise was seeing Mr Ko waiting for me. He was the one who chauffeured me around Yangon last year. While I requested Fiona to check if Mr Tun Tun Naing would be available to guide me in Yangon, I had forgotten to request for Mr Ko as well. Fiona being Fiona, had taken care of this as well.

My initial plan was to visit Shwe Dagon Pagoda at sunset but decided to skip it. Mr Ko drove me to the hotel – Merchant Boutique Hotel – which is a stone’s throw away from the Pagoda. Check-in was swift and smooth.

Fiona was waiting for me with all the necessary documents including travel and hotel vouchers, and a local SIM card. And a surprise – a gift of a local t-shirt and a lungyyi. Well……..

After a detailed briefing in her usual formal, brisk and efficient style, she took me up on my offer to buy dinner. “House of Memories” it is called these days. But, once a upon a time it used to be the office of Byogoke Aung Sun. His office is still preserved along with his desk and the office equipment that he used. Around the walls and inside the office, hung photos of free and independent India’s first Prime Minister, Mr Jawaharlal Nehru, many with Byogoke himself.

The F&B menu was in the style of a newspaper with the first two pages telling the history of the building. While Fiona was busy discussing with the waiter and trying to decide on what local food to order, I decided to read some history – many a secret meeting had taken place in this house about Myanmar and India’s independence from British rule; Netaji Subash Chandra Bose was kept hidden in this house for a few days for his meetings with Byogoke.

Dinner was tradition ethnic cuisine – Chicken curry cooked in Kachin style (Chicken Kachin Chet), Pork curry with Bean-curd paste and Shallot & Tarlabaw soup in Kayin style. And we had these with Coconut rice with green Peas. And of course, a couple of glasses of Myanmar Red Wine. They make some really good wine in Myanmar! Another surprise for me. I had to be polite and hence, I could not keep the Hindu tradition of burping to show the appreciation of the meal.

Upon returning to the hotel after dinner, I parked myself at the rooftop beer garden which had an unhindered view of Shwe Dagon. This was the main reason I had requested for this particular hotel – Merchant Boutique Hotel. I had a couple of pints of Mynmar Beer while I set up my tripod and camera and took some photographs of Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the night from a distance.