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| Monkey Man, Martita, Prima and Primo at the Swdedagon |
The first visit on Sunday, was a visit to the Swdedagon
Pagoda. Primo and Prima have visited there on several occasions, but because of
the vastness of the shrine, did not mind visiting again. The Pagoda is located
on Singattara Hill close to the center of town. On the East, West, North and
South of the Pagoda, are ornate, covered staircases, leading up to the gold
clad stupa.
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| One of 4 staircases leading to the Shrine |
It is a circus and riot of humanity leading to the entrance
of the Great Dagon Pagoda. Snake Handler’s, food booths, religious ornamental
stalls, flowers for shrines, beggars galore and children passing out plastic
bags to carry your shoes when inside the Pagoda. They give you a bag and then
ask for money. I gave my bag back to a little girl much to her surprise. I had
no small change for her and as many NGO’s and social service workers in the
area state, “to give children beggar’s money, discourages them from ever going
to school.” I am not sure, as we already know how much it costs a poor family
in Cambodia to send a child to a free school, but when in Rome, I will follow
my Roman friends lead.
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| Let me sell you a shoe bag |
The stairs lead to a metal detector that all should pass
thru. No guns or weapons here. Just flowers and offerings. At the ticket booth,
they give the Monkey Man and myself longi’s to wear. Our shorts are too short.
All footwear is removed – no shoes on holy ground. We are approached by an English-speaking
Guide – Myat – and we hire him for the day.
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| Myat giving Prima a business card |
Myat turns out to be a wonderful and informative guide. He
has a degree in Mechanical Engineering. His father was a principal of a
school. Like so many educated persons in
developing countries, he can make more as a guide than in his chosen
profession.
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| Keeping the Pagoda in good shape |
The pagoda is claimed to be 2600 years old, making it one of
the oldest in the world. The main stupa is gilded in gold, with 4600 diamonds
covering the top as well as a 71-carat diamond. The main temple claims to have several
strands of the Buddha’s hair and it is customary for followers of Buddha to
make a pilgrimage to the Pagoda, once in their life time.
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| Her first Pilgramage |
Inside, it is a cavalcade of color, sound and people.
Families abound. The many pavilions that house the multitude of Buddha’s,
provide shelter for hot and weary pilgrims. Prima and Monkey Man take the time
to photo bomb some Myanmar beauties – which respond with laughter and more
pictures. We pose thruout the day with lots of locals-we are as exotic as they.
Everyone has a cell phone for pictures. Everyone shoots a “peace sign.”
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| Clean up crew |
We stay till our feet are burning on the white marble floors
and until we are overloaded with the LED lights that glow behind the deities
head.
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| Pouring watere |
Myat has been a good sport with us, as we are not the normal
tourists and never have the normal questions. We have also overstayed our
original time with him. Therefor he is tipped well and he give us one last
piece of information – where to eat lunch.
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| Pouring water over their birth-date shrine for good luck |
A quick taxi ride takes us to the Feel Restaurant. Large and
local and on the street. The bus boys gather close to us. Everyone want to say
“hello” and giggle. Nothing on the menu looks familiar, but what the heck? I
have what ends up being a wonderful ginger salad, with a steaming cup of
cappuccino. We share bites of food and eventually wander over to the desert
station, where the lovely waitstaff is happy to have you sample the colorful
offering.
Satiated, we must hurry back to the Beauty-Land Hotel #1, to
get ready for dinner with the Tycoon Pun (poon).
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| Free water station at the Pagoda. |
Primo and Prima are active Rotarians and they have made
contacts in Yangon thru the Rotary. Their idea, is to find another worthy cause
for the Jamestown Rotarian’s to support. Thru hook, crook and sinker, Primo has
been emailing with Mr. Pun about a meeting and upon refusing Mr. Pun’s offer of
golf, has wrangled invitations to his home for dinner tonight for the 4 of us.
Prima has obtained white roses to present to Mrs. Pun, for
her hospitality. The Pun’s live outside of Yangon at the Pun Hlaing Estates and
Golf Club. His instructions to Primo is “go to the gate and ask for me. They
all know who I am.”
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| 71 carat diamond at the top of the Stupa |
The community is high end. Really high end. Even by American
Standards. We wind down the road looking for the right address and spy to our
right, the country club. Only it isn’t the country club, it’s Mr. Pun’s house.
It’s bigger than the hotel where we are staying. Mr. Pun is outside waiting for
us in shorts and a button down. We are invited to the rooftop, where his other
guests have been enjoying the sunset over the Bay of Bengal. There are other
guests, a New Zealander his Chinese wife and child and her parents who have
just arrived from Mainland China. Ms. Pun is delightful and has being a hostess
down to an art form.
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| Lady Buddha |
The home is in a High Chinese Style – lovely appointments
and minimalist. The Pun’s extended family lives in the 15,000SF home (I did not
make a mistake with that number) There is Mommy, Daughter and her husband (the
ice carver) and his father, 6 servants and quarters for another son and daughter
who spend more time away than there. For such a random group, with such
disparate backgrounds, we all manage to have a really nice time together.
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| Free water station on the streets |
At the end of the evening, Primo is able to take pictures
with Mr. Pun and the Rotarian Flag. Letters on introduction will be sent to the
school in Bagan, for our visit there.
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