01-24 Yangon 2

Buddist worshippers at the Shwedagon Pagoda
Buddhist worshippers at the Shwedagon Pagoda

24.01 Yangon 2, Bogyoke Aung San Market and Shwedagon Pagoda revisited

I did not go monk hunting for a third time in the streets at dawn but and after a leisurely breakfast with the others transferred to the airport for the flight back to Yangon.
There the temperature was about 30 deg.C. Inle Lake had been much cooler especially at night. Since the rooms are not heated and the restaurants open to the outside one had to wear a fleece. There had been no more rain though.
Largest and liveliest of Yangon’s markets, the Bogyoke Aung San Market, is worth a stroll with its wide and diverse range of goods from groceries to handicrafts, and antiques to the latest fashion wear. It is a haven for souvenir hunters. I looked around for model clouded leopards for my grandson but only found these stuffed ones on sale in a sort of antique shop, which must be illegal. I brought him a monkey instead which he seemed to fill the bill. On some market stalls in one of the villages there had been strange animal pieces including snake skins for sale. I think intended for medical use. There was also an article in the local paper about a large number of animals skins,etc. being confiscated in a raid.
We returned to the main attraction of Yangon, the Shwedagon Pagoda, to watch the activities there. Some sort of flower festival seemed to be in progress. We stayed until it was quite dark and then moved to the nearby Padonmar Restaurant for our farewell dinner.

Candles are lit round the main stupa at dusk
Candles are lit round the main stupa at dusk

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