“I always knew life would be out there. I didn’t expect to be good at it.” -Old Sean
An Earned Burnout
Kat and I are finally leaving Bagan, the land of endless temples, hot air balloons and dry safaris.
Onward we went, visiting Yangon. The city was our final stop during our long, rapid journey. It was the last place we were visiting in Burma.
Unfortunately, Yangon isn’t exactly a prime tourist destination. It’s a very central city with good access via airline to the rest of Southeast Asia. But the streets are fairly wild and difficult to maneuver around.
I enjoyed Yangon, truly, but I could feel my reserves dripping fairly low. The last dregs of energy and enthusiasm refused to be summoned. We arrived early in the morning, lugging our dusty backpacks out of Bagan.
The Trudges of Yangon
Upon arrival in Yangon, I spent my first few hours blinking owlishly in a state of minor stupor. The heat of the city was sapping me. It had been nearly four weeks of constant effort, activity and adventure.
Please don’t misunderstand, I wouldn’t have traded my Southeast Asian the experience for anything. But I know when my limits are strained. While walking around Yangon, the last pools of my energy started to waver.
In four weeks, I had gone from China into Vietnam for work, flew to Luang Prebang and Laos for my own solo explorations. After Laos, I marched through the Thai countryside alongside Kat before boating, biking and hiking around Inle Lake, the Hsipaw Mountains and the Bagan Safari. Finally, my journey was culminating by visiting Yangon in a swell of tropical heat. And technically, I still had more travel inbound, since a long stay in Bangkok would be my final location.
Despite my exhaustion, I had enough juice to tour the enormous Shwedagon Pagoda. The pagoda is the ultimate centerpiece of the city and a resounding highlight of Burmese religion, culture and civilization.
The Shwedagon Pagoda
The Pagoda has many names: Shwedagon Zedi Daw, the Golden Dragon Pagoda, the Great Dragon Pagoda or the Golden Pagoda.
All of these describe an amazing golden pagoda rising from polished marble grounds atop a steep hill. The complex grounds are patterned marble, all rotating around the incredible central structure. The grounds are densely backed with other gilded structures. There are smaller pagodas, giant walls covered in golden script, praying monks and thin, shaded awnings.
The Shwedagon Pagoda is the most holy structure in the entire country. The structure is covered in gold and is believed to hold four relics from previous Buddhas. (Note, that Buddhism has a several famous Buddhas. They receive different levels of veneration and recognition depending on the country. However, the Buddha as a deity, specifically the founder of Buddhism, was Siddhartha Gautama.)
Sealed within the Shwedagon Pagoda, there are supposedly four relics. This includes the Staff of Kakusandha, a shred of robe from Kassapa, the water filter of Konagamana and eight strands of hair from Gautama.
Interestingly, the Shwedagon Pagoda, which is atop Singuttara Hill, is visable throughout the city. The rest of the city has zoning regulations ensuring buildings stay below 127 meters. This ensures the Shwedagon Pagoda stays prominent above the city’s skyline.
An End to Journeys
After leaving the Shwedagon Pagoda, the rest of my day was spent winding down around the city. I randomly rode a train with Kat. We stopped for a plate of sushi, visiting a narrow street market and finally, energy dissipated, we went back to our hotel.
That ends all our time in Burma. Kat and I simply snoozed for the rest of the day until our flight was due back. We flew back to Bangkok, Thailand, eventually heading the rest of the way home to Beijing.
My time in Bangkok is written in a previous post, to avoid rewriting about the location. My blog post Visiting Bangkok – Neon Paradox Kingdom, can be found here.
For now, I’m finally rotating back home to Beijing.
Until the next trek.
Best regards and excellent trails.
Old Sean
Written February 27th 2018
For more information when visiting Yangon and other parts of the world, visit the Leftfade Trails Destination Advice section.
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