Friday 25 November: YANGON

Alex lead us on a short walking tour of Yangon. No bikes today. We start at a Catholic Church which seems incongruous and we are sure there must be some Buddhas somewhere! We walk through the old colonial area and a colourful market with an overwhelming aroma of dried fish paste which neither of us ever want to smell again. We revisit the market and some of the areas that we explored on our first day and are pleased that we are feeling more acclimatised to the heat and general bustle. Simon has been admiring Alex's "Bike Myanmar" cycling shirt so we take a taxi to Bike World, probably Myanmar's only bike shop. It is in the back of beyond and we were naive to think it might be like retail outlets at home. There is nothing on display, it is full of bike parts and the shirts are retrieved from a cardboard box behind the counter. We are hot, dusty and thirsty so we find a very rustic bar near the lake for a beer. Although hungry we are not brave enough to risk the food. At 4pm we regroup to visit the Shwegadon Pagoda, the largest and most ornate pagoda in Myanmar. We have seen the golden dome glinting on the horizon and it is equally impressive close up in the setting sun. There are 7 sections around the pagoda representing the various days of the week. Using days of birth the Burmese are categorised as various animals and these are used to determine whether you are predicted to be a good match for your partner. Simon and I were born on a Monday so are both Tigers. We feel this may be a better option than a Mouse or a Guinea Pig which represent Thursday and Friday! There are 63 smaller golden stupas surrounding the massive main dome and it is very atmospheric with locals lighting candles and incense and pouring water as an offering at their relevant station. The main dome is really huge and the pinnacle is apparently encrusted with diamonds, jewels and other precious stones.

We then gather for our final supper as a group and manage another curry (although we are both rather longing for some bread and cheese and a glass of red wine!) We show our appreciation to Alex, our guide who has been really fantastic. He is a modest and charming Burmese man who has worked incredibly hard over the last couple of weeks. His organisational skills have been exceptional and he has really helped us to understand a little better some of the customs and beliefs of this fascinating country.