Arrival in Yangon – Park Royal Hotel

The toughest Burmese bandit can never understand it.

In Rangoon the heat of noon is just what the natives shun.

They put their scotch or rye down, and lie down.

We arrived Saturday evening, passed through immigration quickly and were met by our guide, Myo, ( say – mee-o) and our driver, bearing flowers, a very welcoming touch.  We were surprised that our hotel was so big and modern.  William, the director of the agency, was there to meet us and hand over our tickets for planes, hotels, cruise, etc. while Myo checked us in.  He thanked us for visiting the country at a time when many people still will not come, and assured us that to the best of their ability they had booked non-government hotels, flights, etc.

William also had presents, which we hadn’t expected at all.  We each received a longyi, (the long, wrap around skirt worn by men and women), and a traditional Shan shoulder bag.  Harry immediately asked how to tie his longyi, and so in the middle of the hotel lounge he had his first (of several) lessons.  This was in fact an exceptionally good idea on the part of the agency – it was in a sense ‘permission’ to wear the longyi, which we did fairly often during the trip.  Harry particularly found it much more comfortable, and cooler, than regular clothing, and found he was usually the only non-Asian man wearing it wherever we went.  It attracted attention, smiles, and positive comments as well!

One major surprise in our first few hours in Myanmar was the number of  comments made about the government – the state of the roads, the lack of freedom in the elections, etc.  We had been warned not to bring up the Generals, or The Lady,(Aung San Suu Kyi)  but William and Myo spoke fairly openly about the current situation.

(From now on I will refer to the country as Myanmar, ( pronounced – mee-an-mar ) as    that’s what everyone there now calls it.)