The old Capital of Myanmar, Yangon. In 2005 the government moved the capital and foreigners are not allowed to go to the new one. However, Yangon is still the life of Myanmar. In May 2008 a cyclone hit Yangon and the surrounding provinces. Over 1 million people died and the government refused help from any outside country, our taxi driver also said the government wouldn't let the people of Myanmar help others in need either. The economy was crippled and as a result of no aid being given more people died as well. Two years later there is little obvious evidence of the cyclone.
Yangon es la vieja capital de Birmania, pero para los turistas lo sigue siendo ya que visitar la nueva capital esta prohibido. En mayo del 2008 Yangon y los alrededores sufrio un ciclon que acabo con mas de un millon de personas. En esa epoca el gobierno rechazo todo tipo de ayuda por parte de paises extranjeros por lo que parte de esas cifras fueron post al ciclon.
Yangon es la vieja capital de Birmania, pero para los turistas lo sigue siendo ya que visitar la nueva capital esta prohibido. En mayo del 2008 Yangon y los alrededores sufrio un ciclon que acabo con mas de un millon de personas. En esa epoca el gobierno rechazo todo tipo de ayuda por parte de paises extranjeros por lo que parte de esas cifras fueron post al ciclon.
The streets of Yangon
Old Colonial buildings of Yangon
Ok, yes that is spit! All the men and old women chew this thing called betel, it is made up of leaves, a nut, and some lime juice. When it is chewed it turns red, so the streets are splashed with red juicy spit. It is EVERYWHERE!
The men and boys of Myanmar all wear skirts called longyis
Really HUGE beautiful, but unkept houses
Shwedagon Paya, the biggest in Yangon, dating back 2500 years. It is coated with pure gold and has 5000 diamonds and 2000 other stones on the top. I tried to climb it with a knife, but got in trouble- just kidding:)
Some large boat thing that we tried to look at, but like every sight in Myanmar they charge you for it! It was the end of our trip and we were sick of being over charged for everything, so we didn't go in.
A really sad sight to see. This was a glass factory that was destroyedGl in the cyclone. The families that own it and work it are so over whelmed by the damage, they haven't done much to clean up. There is glass everywhere. The old man that runs it was so eager to show us around and tell us about the process. At the end of the tour, I wanted to buy something, so I picked the smallest thing I could find.....and it was expensive, shoot......so I gave him my emotional support instead!
Glass everywhere......when I say everywhere, I mean glass plied on top of each other in huge mounds! It has been described as a glass garden.
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