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… Suu Kyi (Don’t say “key”, “ky” is pronounced “ch” like in “cheese”!)

I expected tears to well up in my eyes when I would be standing in front of Shwedagon Paya thinking of Aung San Suu Kyi holding her mass rally here (1988) speaking to thousands of people and citing her father’s (Aung San’s) ideas on democracy and freedom. Instead no peace for nostalgic looking back on history or silent meditation. We approached the biggest, golden, bell-shaped pagoda (paya, zedi, stupa, it contains important relics) together with crowds of pilgrims that were flocking to and fro this most religious Buddhist site. The atmosphere was that of an amusement fair, with stalls  offering all types of souvenirs from religious paraphernalia to colourful children’s toys. August 2 was Full Moon Day, a holiday on which families visit renowned religious places. Shwe is the word for “golden” and Shwedagon Paya is the biggest of its kind, so big it doesn’t fit on a photo. If you can never get enough of gilded pagodas and buddhas go to Myanmar. They are everywhere. Travelling through the countryside you can see them sparkling in the middle of a field that is being ploughed by oxen as in the Buddha’s age. I wasn’t in time to shoot a photo. But needless to say, it’s not because of the golden pagodas, payas and Buddhas that the country is so utterly backward and poor.

Huge reclining Buddha at Chaukhtatgyi Paya

Botataung Paya, we couldn’t get in because our US$ were not new enough. They didn’t take Kyad either.

Sitting Buddha at Ngahtatgyi Paya

around Shwedagon Paya

Shwedagon Paya

worshippers at Shwedagon Paya on August 2

Sule Paya, the centre of downtown Yangon[gallery orderby="ID"]