Around this time last year, I got to travel to Myanmar. Little did I know that it was the start of my spiritual enlightenment and self-discovery. And until now I am thankful that I chose to go. As they say, in the end, we regret the things that we did not do.
We booked the promo flight October 2017. January 2018 came and one of the two friends I should be traveling with backed out. So it was just me and CB. The same week as our scheduled trip, Mt. Mayon in Albay erupted. We did not think that it would affect our travel plans as the Bicol Region is at the east side of Philippines. Clark International Airport is at the west side. Singapore, where we would have our lay-over, is far in the south. So we canceled a week of work, packed our bags and off we went to Angeles City. We booked a cheap room in an inn close to the airport. While we were preparing to have an early night off for our 7am flight, CB received a shocking message.
A standard robotic message without any clue on the reason why our flight got cancelled at the last minute or even a hint of help on the concrete things we should do. We clicked on the link which just redirected us to a page of other travel date choices which were all days after. We Immediately called their hotlines via skype and phone. Both were not free as it turned out we were calling Singapore or Australia. All our calls were declined or diverted. After a quick shower, we head straight to the airport. At midnight, the outsourced ground crew haven’t even processed the flight cancellation. After a series of assertiveness and waiting outside of their office while they put on their make-up, they gave us a similar toned standard robotic explanation. The flight has been canceled due to Mayon volcano’s eruption. All of their flights to and from Singapore and Philippines have been canceled. If we wish to rebook the flight, we need to head on to the link or call their hotline. Our connecting flight to Yangon from Singapore was unaffected. Only their flights to and from Singapore and Philippines were canceled. In other words, our travel plans were in chaos and at the verge of getting cancelled altogether.
There comes at a time in your life that you have to commit a quick but monumental decision. That was my first for 2018. Should we pursue this Myanmar trip that did not start quite well or just go back home and repeatedly explain the ridiculous situation to family and friends?
They say crazy people change the world. Oh well, that crazy decision of continuing with the trip despite the initial obstacles, indeed changed my world. For the better.
If all else fails, home will always be there. That same early morning, we booked a 10 am flight to Singapore from Manila through Philippine Airlines. Yes, the local airlines PAL and Cebu Pacific did not cancel any of their Manila, Clark or Singapore flights despite Mayon volcano’s eruption. This was enough time for us to catch our connecting flight from Singapore to Yangon with an hour or two of window shopping in Changi International Airport.
The good sign that all is well.
When we arrived in Singapore, everything went smoothly. There was still the robotic welcome from the original airlines as check-in, baggage and boarding pass printing were all automated. We tried raising our concern to the help desk but they directed us to the same hotline that never answered us a few hours back. But with our passports stamped and the plane on time, we finally felt that this trip would be amazing.
And off we go!
We arrived in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, early evening. Clearing immigration was a breeze. Philippine passport holders are visa-free in Myanmar as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). A brown passport still have perks.
Using the airport wifi, we booked an Uber to our hotel. Passing through Yangon at night, I couldn’t help but notice that the city could have been what Manila looked like 30 years ago. Minimal skyscrapers, moderate flow of private cars but emerging business establishments. Pictures of Aung San Suu Kyi were common in the billboards and posters. I am aware of her legacy in Myanmar as I watched her biography film a few years back and read some articles about her work. She is a woman who sacrificed her life, love and family to fight for Myanmar’s independence. The Uber driver likened her to a mother. I realized that the people of Myanmar have limited knowledge of how the world currently views their savior and the ongoing conflict in the Rohingya state. But I also began understanding their innocence and their respect for the flow of life. After all, their faith in Buddhism is one of the country’s pillars and defines their identity.
Myanmar is known as the Land of Golden Pagodas. A fact that becomes evident once you see Yangon during the day.
Schwedagon Pagoda, also called the Golden Pagoda, is considered as Myanmar’s most sacred Buddhist pagoda. It is believed to house relics of four previous Buddha including Gautama Buddha. It is also the grandest pagoda in Myanmar. Its stupa is made of gold plates while the crown is tipped with diamonds and rubies. As it is a religious place, visitors should dress modestly. Shoulders and knees should be covered. A longyi, Myanmar’s tradition skirt, comes in handy. If you are underdressed, you can rent out a longyi from the registration office before entering the pagoda. You can also leave your footwear here.
the Schwedagon Pagoda complex
People from all walks of life pay homage to Schwedagon. It is common to see local families doing a pilgrimage among the lines of monks and group of tourists. Traditional prayers can be heard from the speakers spread all over the complex. You can also do the washing of the Buddha ritual in a corner based on the day you were born. As I was born on a Friday, the same day as Gautama Buddha, I washed the Buddha in the Friday corner. I was supposed to pour the water to statues of the Buddha, the angel and the representative animal (thaukkaya or guinea pig) for 25 times (my age at that time) only but ended up doing a total of 75x thinking that it should be 25 times per statue. Two other pilgrims finished before me. After the washing ritual, I went to the nearby temple to pay respect to the relic of Gautama Buddha and wish for luck and charm.
The complex also has small temples with statues of Buddha in different positions and space for prayers and meditation. There is also a little museum that displays the Schwedagon’s history dating back to Myanmar’s monarchy before the British rule. The remains of the last queen of Myanmar turned female Buddhist monk is also in Schwedagon.
The people of Myanmar are generally calm and helpful. The manager of our hotel even gave us a map and marked the key attractions in Yangon. He even suggested a good dessert place and a trusted money changer. They have this smoothie-like dessert called ‘falooda’ that the manager termed as Myanmar’s halo-halo. Bring crisp US dollars to change into Burmese kyat or to directly pay for hotels and tours.
We then took an overnight bus to Bagan. Their sleeper buses have lazy boy seats, individual screens for movies or music and complimentary snacks. There is also an attendant to assist passengers throughout the trip.
We arrived in Bagan an hour or two before sunrise. We hired a van to take us to the view deck and later on transfer us to our hotel. Despite the language barrier, the driver was kind and friendly. Having these characteristics seems to be the positive effect of Buddhism to its followers.
Bagan sunrise is a must-see. The view of the rising sun, ancient temples and hot air balloons is simply amazing. It is definitely worth the wait and the cold temperature.
After resting, we visited a traditional village where I got to buy a traditional silk longyi and try some local fried snacks. We had a temple run, where we learned more about Buddhism, for the whole afternoon until sunset. As someone who lives in a country full of beautiful sunsets, I can say that Bagan’s sunset is stunning and one of a kind.
The next day we head on to Taung Kalat, Mt. Popa’s volcano plug. It is another important place for Buddhism. It has a 777-step stairway that leads to a monastery on the summit. As in any Buddhist temple, modest clothing is expected. Footwear should be removed before going up. You can choose to bring it with you or leave it on a rented locker. Pilgrims are welcomed by monkeys ready to snatch some drinks or food. There are also vendors in between the steps selling flowers and snacks. The stairs are regularly cleaned by young men who politely ask for donation.
On top, the temple is decorated with gold and symbols related to Nat worship. Mt. Popa is Myanmar’s Mt. Olympus. It is believed to be the home of the most powerful Nats (spirits) and the center of nat worship, a unique Burmese Buddhism belief. There are families and groups of friends who do the pilgrimage bringing with them offerings of flowers and cash donations.
When we got back at Bagan, we searched for a tour package with an inclusion of transfer to Mandalay. And as I said, people of Myanmar are nice and hospitable. We scored a good deal where we got to tour Monywa on our way to Mandalay.
The temples in Monywa has a different architecture. Instead of gold plated they are pastel colored. And of course I did appreciate it a lot as those hues are my favorite. It is also in here that I got the chance to see the most number of Buddha statues- a thousand Buddha in meditation. It also probably has the tallest standing and sleeping Buddha I have ever seen in my life.
Before going to Mandalay, we stopped in U-Bein bridge to catch the sunset. It is considered as the longest teakwood bridge in the world. It is a melting pot of locals, tourists and monks. During our visit, there was even a group of beauty pageant contestants having their photoshoot.
From Mandalay, we rode an overnight bus to Yangon. As it was a Sunday, we attended a Catholic mass. With this trip I came to a realization that while my religion is still Christianity, my philosophy has changed into Buddhism. Using Paolo Coelho’s words,
“All religions lead to the same God and all deserve the same respect.”
We then visited the national museum after. We tried more Myanmar food. Then on our last day we went up high a hotel to have a 360° view of Myanmar.
So that’s pretty much my Myanmar travel anniversary post. Looking back, pursuing this trip was really one of the best decisions I ever did. Myanmar is mesmerizing. It started my path to peace and enlightenment. I gained new perspective about life. I have become more calm, open and patient. Most importantly, I am where I am supposed to be.
As Buddha once said,
“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”
