Myanmar (Burma)

credits: burma-center.org

Myanmar (Burma) or Republic of the Union of Myanmar is a Southeast Asian Country surrounded by India and Bangladesh to the west, Thailand and Laos to the east and China to the north. Myanmar is also a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ever since 1997.

Jungle giants:Myanmar's kings of the wild

WHEN he invaded the kingdom of Ayuthaya in 16th century. King Bayinnaung was said to have been motivated by the prospect of rich booty. Not just any prize. however - four white elephants.

While this contains an element of truth. historians such as Michael Aung Thwin argue that this supposed motivation for Bayinnaung's invasion has probably been embellished to create a mad monarch narrative about Myanmar's kings.

Nevertheless. elephants - and the white. or albino. variety. in particular - do hold a special place in Myanmar culture. The white elephant - actually more of a pinky-brown colour - is believed to give its owner political legitimacy. so it's no surprise that monarchs have been particularly fond of them. However. the tradition has continued into modern times: When a white elephant was captured in northern Rakhine State in 2010. she was brought to Nay Pyi Taw amid much fanfare. Local media reports detailed how the elephant was unusually clever and was quickly tamed before being paraded through Nay Pyi Taw. Today it resides in a specially built enclosure beside Uppatasanti Pagoda.

Ordinary elephants carry significance as well. In Myanmar astrology. those born on Wednesday morning are represented by a tusked elephant. and those in the afternoon by a tusk-less elephant (with differing characteristics to match). Elephants also feature in Myanmar festivals; the Kyaukse elephant dance festival. held each year in the Mandalay Region town to mark the end of Buddhist Lent. includes a competition where dancers climb inside elaborately decorated elephant costumes and seek to impress the audience with their rapid movements.

Internationally. however. Myanmar's elephant population gets far less attention than that of neighbouring Thailand. where docile pachyderms are trained to perform tricks for tourists. Most of those watching probably have no idea that just across the border is the world's second-largest wild elephant population in Asia. after India. with 5000 individuals. Elephants are found throughout much of Myanmar's forested areas. particularly the Rakhine mountains and a broad swathe of northern Myanmar comprising Sagaing Region and Kachin State. Smaller populations can be found in Tanintharyi Region and the Bago mountains. A similar number. perhaps about 5000. are still work hauling timber through the country's mountainous forests.

Both wild and captive elephants face a number of threats. however. For working elephants. the scaling back of the country's logging industry. including a ban on raw timber exports that came into place in April 2014. could cause massive problems. Without employment. owners will no longer be able to afford to keep their animals. Unaccustomed to living in the wild. the survival of working elephants would be in doubt.

Wild elephants face significant threats as well. particularly due to poaching. encroachment and habitat loss due to expanding agriculture. As a result of the latter. there have been increasing reports of elephants coming into contact with human settlements in many areas of the country - often with deadly consequences.

A number of initiatives to protect the Asian elephant. which some have warned is heading toward extinction. are underway in Myanmar. In Tanintharyi Region. international NGO Flora & Fauna International (FFI) is working with the Forest Department and other local stakeholders to protect what remains of the dwindling lowland forest habitat. which is threatened by palm oil and rubber plantations. Land clearing for plantations has already led to human elephant conflicts in Myeik district. the group says. as elephants tend to keep to their migration routes even if the forest has disappeared.

A particular focus for FFI is the establishment of two new proposed national parks. Tanintharyi and Lenya.

"The designation of two the proposed new national parks would not only protect one of Myanmar's most important elephant ranges."said Frank Momberg. FFI program director in Myanmar. "but also other globally threatened species. such as tapir. tiger and leopards. and the colourful endemic bird of Myanmar's southernmost forests. the Gurney's pitta."

Near Kalaw. a project of a different kind is offering a brighter future to Myanmar's elephants. Green Hill Valley was set up in late 2011 by a local family as a home for two of their retired timber elephants. On the site of a former logging camp run by the state-owned Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE). Green Hill Valley includes a number of other retired elephants given by MTE. The manager is a former MTE veterinarian. who runs it with his niece and her husband. who both previously worked in the tourism industry.

The day and overnight trips. which can be tailored depending on the amount of walking guests want to do. are receiving high ratings on websites like TripAdvisor. with some hailing the camp the highlight of their visit to the country.

Green Hill Valley is one of several places where visitors can get a glimpse of the lives of domesticated elephants. Of course. the easiest option is to drop into Yangon zoo. where there are a number of elephants that can be fed or sometimes even ridden. or Nay Pyi Taw's Safari Park.

But a number of camps are also open to guests. including one near Ngwe Saung in the Rakhine foothills. Another. Pho Kyar Elephant Camp. run by the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry and located about 30 kilometres south of Nay Pyi Taw. is undergoing renovation work and should reopen after October. It features a number of rustic bungalows. and visitors can see elephants bathing and maneuvering logs.

The more adventurous can take tours from Taungoo with Dr Chan Aye from Myanmar Beauty Guest House to see the MTE elephants work hauling logs in the dark teak forests.

Each morning. the oosie - elephant drivers. known elsewhere as mahouts -wake early and round up their elephants by listening for the sound of their leg chains in the darkness. They then trek off to the worksite. where a handful of trees have already been selected and felled. The teak is cut into logs weighing as much as 1000 kilograms each. with one end is tapered so it doesn't catch on the forest floor. Several holes are cut . so a chain can be looped and attached to the elephant's harness and then. with some coaxing from the oosie and his assistant the pet chate. the elephant drags the log.

It's not an easy task. even for an elephant. The 27-year-old male I saw when I visited in January 2009 was visibly struggling. dropping to its knees as the strength drains from its legs and letting slip low roars of exertion.

Finally. after 30 minutes. the teak log was laid to rest beside about 20 others. This is where elephants show their versatility; they are surprisingly agile and can easily manoeuvre the valuable timber with their trunk.

In a 2006 report. non-government organisation EleAid declared Myanmar's elephant handlers "without doubt... the best trained and most skilled in the world'.

The report also concluded that the government could "use extensive natural areas and an enlightened environmental policy to build a major ecotourism industry. The income from such a business could match or even surpass that of timber exports."

In a country where most ecotourism sites are in difficult-to-reach places - both in terms of infrastructure and government paperwork - the development of tourism focused on domesticated elephants offers a relatively straightforward avenue to vary Myanmar's tourism offerings. which remain focused on cultural sites.

This could significantly benefit local communities. have a transformative effect on the lives of the elephants themselves and generate more international recognition of their importance in Myanmar's culture and economy.

Author by Thomas Kean(AirMandalay Inflight Magazine)

Burma

credits: myanmartourism.info

Myanmar (Burma) does not have an official state religion but almost 90% of the entire population are Buddhists who practice Theravada Buddhism. People also worship the 'Nats' (spirits) and their shrines can be seen isolated under a large tree and in some parts of the Buddhist temples. Nat worship is considered to be related to Buddhism as there is a recognized pantheon of 37 Nats. 

Animals resembling Burmese Cats existed hundreds of years ago in Thailand and Burma. Legends say that the Burmese were the traditional pets of Royalty and Nobility long before the Siamese.Burmese Cats

mynamar

What is Mynamar ?

Mynamar  is one of the most misspelled word, referring to Myanmar  formerly known as Burma.

Many web sites mention that the country's official name Burma was renamed to Myanmar by the military junta. But in fact, that is not 100% true. Ever since, this country earned independence from Britain in 1948, people of this country officially (and constitutionally) called their own country,

• in English language, as Burma and
• in native Burmese language, as မြန်မာ , (pronounced Myanmar)

To know more about culture, people, and history of this nation, please go to: https://myanmars.net/myanmar

The critically endangered Gurney

The endangered Gurney's Pitta have been found in southern Myanmar near Linya National Park. in the Ngawun Reserve Forest. Bird Life International. Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association together with the Ministry of Forestry has found the largest group of Gurney's Pitta in Myanmar. They found about 150 of these birds in the same place.

Mayanmar

What is Mayanmar ?

Mayanmar = myanmar

Mayanmar is a very commonly misspelled word, referring to the southeast Asian nation called Myanmar. 

Many web sites mention that the country's official name Burma was renamed to Myanmar by the military junta. But in fact, that is not 100% true. Ever since, this country earned independence from Britain in 1948, people of this country officially (and constitutionally) called their own country,

• in English language, as Burma and
• in native Burmese language, as မြန်မာ , (pronounced Myanmar)

To know more about culture, people, and history of this nation, please go to: https://myanmars.net/myanmar

Subscriber Trunk Dialing Service National Telephone Area Code

Is available for subscriber in the following town

Cooling down in Pyin Oo Lwin

Kandawgyi National Gardens is a 437-acre park with a 70-acre lake, forestland and flowers galore. The park was originally built in 1915-1916 by a British forestry official, Mr. Charles Alex Rogers.Although only 70 kilometres from Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin is worlds away climate-wise, a refreshing antidote to the hot, dusty and hectic streets of Myanmar’s last royal capital. In that distance, the road between the two towns climbs from 74 to 1050 metres above sea level, winding through pine forests and past mountain vistas. This change in elevation, and the accompanying drop in temperature, accounts for much of the difference.

Pyin Oo Lwin can be nearly 8 degrees Celsius cooler than the plains below, the perfect climate for growing flowers, fruits and vegetables year-round. Combine this abundant plant growth with colonial-era buildings and a stunning mountain backdrop, and the result is one of the most uniquely picturesque towns in Myanmar.

Pyin Oo Lwin was originally a Shan Danu village, but in the late 19th century it was occupied by British colonial forces. In 1896 it became a hill station that served as a retreat for European civil servants stationed in Mandalay during the hottest months, from March through May. Many of these seasonal residents built Edwardian-style summer cottages, a good number of which are still standing on grassy plots around town despite the heavy damage sustained by the area during World War II.
My visit to Pyin Oo Lwin occurred last December, and although Mandalay is not at its hottest at that time of year, it was still a relief to drive up into the tree-shaded hills. We climbed for more than an hour, passing cargo-laden trucks making their way to the Chinese border at a snail’s pace. We stopped halfway to let the engine of our hired car cool down and to eat delicious Shan noodles at a roadside restaurant. When we had our fill we continued our ascent, and every few minutes it seemed like the temperature dropped one or two degrees Celsius. Then the road levelled and we found ourselves in Pyin Oo Lwin, a town that was, as advertised, sprouting with trees, flowers and vegetables.

It wasn’t hard to find a place to stay. We chose a reasonably priced guesthouse on the main road, but there are also pleasant mid-range hotels nestled on quiet backstreets. In early 2007 the accommodation options will expand with the opening of Hotel Pyin Oo Lwin, the town’s first four-star resort. The facility is expected to include a restaurant and a tram service for rides around town, as well as to and from the nearby airport currently under development.

In the meantime, the literary-minded might want to stop by Thiri Myaing Hotel, which was once Candacraig, where Paul Theroux stayed in the early 1970s, as recounted in his book The Great Railway Bazaar. For those with a taste for nocturnal horror, the government-run Nan Myaing Hotel is purported by locals to be haunted by restless spirits of the dead. 

We started our exploration of the downtown area on foot, taking our bearings from Purcell Tower, whose hourly chimes duplicate the 16 notes played by Big Ben in London. The main street is a mix of colonial-era buildings and graceless modern Chinese architecture, which, aside from guesthouses, also accommodate restaurants and teashops. Many of these are run by descendants of the thousands of Nepalis and Indians who moved to Pyin Oo Lwin during the colonial era.

Our immediate goal was to buy gifts unique to the area for friends back in Yangon. Our first stop was one of the numerous shops on the main road selling attractive hand-knit sweaters and hats to guard against the chilly nights. Maybe they weren’t the best purchase for people living in the steamy climate of lower Myanmar, but it’s the thought that counts. We also went to the central market to buy fruit jam, produced using strawberries grown in the hills around town. The fruits are also used to make a variety
of dried snacks, shockingly sweet wine and ice cream.

We sampled the homemade strawberry ice cream at Golden Triangle Café and Bakery, where we also drank cappuccino while
sitting in wicker chairs on the covered deck listening to Indian music from a teashop across the street. Golden Triangle is also a good place to buy another local product that was much appreciated by our friends back home: organic coffee made with locally grown beans. 

The shopping out of the way, it was time to do some sightseeing. We hired one of the local pony carts that, aside from the colourful paint job, looked like they had rolled straight out of America’s western frontier circa 1880. Our destination for the day
was Kandawgyi National Gardens, a 437-acre park with a 70-acre lake, forestland and flowers galore. The park was originally built in 1915-1916 by a British forestry official, Mr. Charles Alex Rogers. When it opened in 1917 it was about 170 acres in size, and has slowly expanded over the years to its current size.

We wandered the grounds, admiring the immaculately landscaped flowerbeds, exotic orchids, wide-open meadows and whispering pine forests. The lake featured an island with a small stupa that could be reached via a wooden bridge. Swans and ducks roamed freely among the tour groups and picnicking families. Overlooking it all was the 10-storey Nan Myint Tower, from the top of which the park looked like an impressionistic collection of colour splashes expertly arranged to maximise aesthetic effect.

Just outside of Kandawgyi National Gardens we saw another project under development, a “national landmark” park that when completed will contain miniature models of famous sights from all the states and divisions of Myanmar. Slated for inclusion were scaled-down versions of Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon Division), Golden Rock (Mon State), Chaungtha Beach (Ayeyarwady Division), Shittaung Pagoda (Rakhine State), Hkakabo Razi Mountain (Kachin State) and Inle Lake (Shan State).

The next day we hired a car to range farther from town. The area around Pyin Oo Lwin is known for its natural beauty, which includes wooded hills and a number of waterfalls. We opted for the easily accessible Pwe Kauk Falls about 8 kilometres outside of town on the road to Lashio. It’s a popular area with the locals, offering shady picnic areas and inner tube rentals for those who want to get wet. We had a blast watching kids and adults alike float in the water, fully clothed, in the pool beneath the cascading water.

Our next stop was the spectacular Peik Chin Myaing Buddha cave complex. Outside, there were groups of visitors and pilgrims posing for photographs and splashing in the waterfall that issued from the cave mouth. Inside, the scene was a bit more serene, and very otherworldly. We had removed our shoes in deference to the sacredness of the site, and the water that flowed from hidden tunnels over our feet was icy cold. We were in a place that seemed far from the sun and indeed far from the earth as we knew it, as the dim lighting revealed subterranean pagodas and niches containing scenes from the Buddha’s life. We followed the mysterious cavern about one kilometre to the main shrine before retracing our steps back to the land of sun and sky.

On the way back to town we stopped at Maha Anhtoo Kantha Paya which, after the time we had just spent underground, seemed to shine so brightly in the sun that it made my eyes water to look at it. The pagoda has an odd story behind it: In April 1997, a truck passed through the area carrying three marble Buddha statues from Mandalay to their new home in China. Just past Pyin Oo Lwin, one of them fell from the truck and, despite many attempts, could not be reloaded due to its weight. What to do in such a situation? While the other two statues continued their journey to the border, the wayward image stayed where it was,
and a pagoda was built by locals to house it.

As I ambled around the hilltop pagoda, I thought maybe the story was not so strange after all. Surrounded by vistas of strawberry fields, feeling the cool air brush against my skin, I realised that I, like the statue, had no desire to be anywhere other than where I was at the moment.

Author by Michael Rasmussen(SweSone Yangon Inflight Magazine)

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Pickled Tea Leaf Salad

Pickled tea leaf (la-phet) salad is an exclusive snack of Myanmar nationals. Its taste is delicious and lingers in the mouth. Once you have tasted it you would crave for more. It is an unforgettable snack for those who have had once.

Preparation:
First clean the pickled tea leaves with some water twice or trice and squeeze it to discard the bitter juice. Then put the tea leaves on a plate and mix thoroughly with peanut oil and fish sauce. and keep to one side. Peel. wash and slice garlic thinly. Then wash
and halve tomatoes before takingout seeds and slice thinly. Wash cabbage before chopping very thinly. Remove stalks from chillies and wash them.When the ingredients are ready. put the pickled tea leaves (la-phet). crispy fried lab-lab beans. some fish sauce. thinly sliced tomatoes and cabbage and edible peanut oil on a wide plate and mix together properly. For those who like a hot and sour taste squeeze drops of lime and thinly sliced fresh chillies when blending to make the salad. When taste of the la-phet salad meets your requirement. prepare in a plate. After that sprinkle dried shrimps and garlic on the salad before putting green chillies. Now a plate of traditional Myanmar pickled tea leaf salad is ready to be served.

Ingredients:
Fine pickled tea leaves = 80 g
Fried lab-lab beans = 80 g
Fried garlic = 40 g
Fried peanut = 80 g
Roasted sesame seeds = 40 g
Dried shrimps (not salted) = 40 g
Garlic (large cloves) = 10 cloves
Fresh chillies = 10
Tomatoes (moderate size) = 3
Cabbage = 160 g
Myanmar fish sauce (sweet) = small amount
Pure edible peanut oil = 80 g

Author by Lu Thar Kyaw(SweSone Yangon Inflight Magazine)

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The Magic and Mystery of Shwe U Min (Pindaya Caves)

There are no familiar hills or trees, no stars in the sky, no buildings or other architecture with which to get your bearings. That's because the entrance to the cave system is marked by the distinctly Myanmar Shwe U Min Pagoda (Golden Cave Pagoda), while beyond that can be found a maze of more than 8000 Buddha images dating back hundreds of years. To enter a cave is to lose sight of the geological, celestial, and cultural waypoints that provide clues as to where in the world you are. There are no familiar hills or trees, no stars in the sky, no buildings or other architecture with which to get your bearings.

Maybe this is why caves have, since time immemorial, been associated with otherworldly creatures and experiences. They are, according to countless legends from different cultures across the globe, the realm of dangerous monsters, spooky oracles and eccentric hermits. The Pindaya Caves, located in a limestone ridge on a high plateau in MyanmarÊs Shan State, are no exception.
According to a story from long ago, seven Shan princesses once entered the cave complex to take refuge from a storm, only
to be caught in the web of a giant spider that lived there. Their screams for help were heard by a passing prince on a white horse, who came to their rescue, defeated the spider and set the girls free. 

Although they share in the worldwide tradition of inspiring folktales, the Pindaya Caves are exceptional in another respect: Once you are inside and have left the surface world behind, there is no mistaking what country you are in. That's because the entrance to the cave system is marked by the distinctly Myanmar Shwe U Min Pagoda (Golden Cave Pagoda), while beyond that can be found a maze of more than 8000 Buddha images dating back hundreds of years. It is an astounding sight that has long beguiled Buddhist pilgrims and casual visitors alike. 

When visiting Pindaya, the enchantment begins long before you reach the caves themselves. The 45-kilometre road from the charming colonial hill station town of Kalaw passes through gently rolling hills, fields cultivated to grow rice and potatoes, and a series of villages peopled by the Pa-O and Danu ethnic groups. 

The town of Pindaya is worthy of replication on postcards throughout the world, with its tranquil and picturesque Boutaloke Lake nestled beneath a soaring limestone ridge. The area is mostly populated by Burmese-speaking Taung-yo people, whose handicraft specialties include terracotta pottery, and Shan paper made from mulberry bark and used to make colourful parasols. A weekly market allows visitors to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of local culture.

Even greater insight into rural Myanmar lifestyles can be gained by taking advantage of PindayaÊs status as a popular jumping-off point for long treks, which can last anywhere from one to four days. Trekkers typically pass through nearby Danu, Pa-O, Palaung and Taung-yo villages and spend the night in remote monasteries.

The Pindaya Caves can be reached from the town by foot, horse cart or hired car. Once in the upper parking lot, the options are to walk up the 200-step covered stairway to the entrance or, for a small fee, take the lift. Before descending into the underworld,
it is worth spending a few minutes taking in the panoramic view across the lake and the surrounding countryside.

The 15-metre-high Shwe U Min Pagoda, just inside the cave complex's entrance, was built during the 12th century by King Alaungsithu, a Burmese/Mon ruler who was said to possess supernatural powers. Since then it has drawn religious pilgrims from far and wide. No one is quite sure when the first Buddha images appeared in the caves, but the initially small number has been added to over the years by visitors. There are now thousands – made of various materials such as alabaster, teak, marble, brick, cement and jade – that have been arranged to create narrow, mazelike pathways that beg to be explored.

The Buddha images, most of which have now been painted gold, glint mysteriously in the dim electric light, some clustered in groups that reach to the ceiling on stepped red pedestals, some tucked away in secret, solitary corners. A few chambers can only be reached on hands and knees, and many pilgrims value these quiet niches as prime environments for meditation and devotion.

With shoes forbidden within the underground complex, walking barefoot on the cool and sometimes slippery stone floor adds to the unique and adventurous spirit of the cave exploring experience. 

The mysteries only seem to multiply the deeper you delve into the complex. There are the famous sweating Buddhas, a series of jade images that are at all times covered by condensation. Devotees believe that people who rub the 'sweat' onto their own faces will be imbued with good fortune and beauty, and will find that their ailments are healed. There are rock formations with evocative names like the Weaving Loom of the Fairy Princesses, while wooden mallets indicate the location of stalactites that, if struck just right, make a 'gong' sound that resonates through the subterranean chambers. The passageways seem to go on forever, and indeed one legend say that the caves extend all the way to Bagan, some 200 kilometres away.

The fact is, the caves only reach about 150 metres into the heart of the Shan Plateau, but through travelling this distance, visitors can begin to plumb the infinite depths of Buddhism and Myanmar culture.

Author by Douglas Long(SweSone Yangon Inflight Magazine)

From the snow-capped Himalayas in the north to the coral-fringed Mergui Archipelago in the south. Myanmar's 2000-km length crosses three distinct ecological regions within the vast Indo-Malay bio geographic realm: the Indian sub region along the Bangladesh and India borders; the Indochinese sub region in the north bordering Laos and China; and the Syndic sub region bordering peninsular Thailand. Together these regions produce what is quite likely the richest biodiversity in South-East Asia. Ecology & Environment

Night life in Yangon

HOW and where can you relax in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, after a long days work, a tedious journey,
a vigorous weekend of recreational activities or perhaps you might just want an evening out with friends
and colleagues to have a cozy chat about your travel experiences an talk about old times or current affairs. There
are numerous places. 

So, how about relaxing around hotels' bars? Hotel Nikko Royal Lake along the shore of Royal Lake (Kandawgyi Lake) offers Maymyo Bar, a prime venue for a relaxing evening with friends or colleagues. For leisure, private multi-language karaoke,
a modern designed dance floor and attractive dancers are available at the Lobby Bar which is open from 7:00 P.M until 1:30
A.M. Another venue where you can discuss or chat is the Dagon Bar at the Summit Parkview Hotel. The Dagon Bar with a
live music band is renowned as a preferred choice among evening leisure communities. You can be a dancing queen or king if
you wish to, on the spacious dancing floor which is open from late evening until midnight. Not too far from the Summit Parkview hotel is the Savoy Hotel where you can enjoy authentic German cuisine and beverages at the CaptainÊs Bar while sipping German beer. On Wednesday, the place is especially crowded with western expatriate community talking, dining and enjoying German food and beverages during happy hours.

For those who prefer an Irish style setting, Paddy O' Malley's, an Irish Pub at Sedona HotelÊs basement is a popular venue. Normally, the pub is lively and crowded with a live Philipino band. It offers a 50% discount on food & beverages during the happy hour of 6:00 P.M and 9:00 P.M. As it is an Irish pub, it is the only venue where you would have a chance to enjoy, special foods on special days like St. Patricks Day. The Kandawgyi Palace has its Disco Pub and The Grand Plaza Park, the Music Club with a big square bar with a band. For downtown entertainment, the Traders Hotel has a Gallery Bar with a live music band. The Bar actually has different themes on different days of the week, but Thursday's Blues Night is famous in Yangon for expatriates and the local community. If you have any desire to socialize in Yangon, it is the place you should pop into. On Thursday's nights, you can enjoy live entertainment and a complimentary snack buffet during the happy hour of 5: 00 P.M and 9:00 P.M and you can also enjoy a 50% discount on all standard beverages. Yangonites and local expatriates normally gather at the Strand Grill and Bar of a 100-years-old at the Strand Hotel. The Strand Grill has one of the most elegant dining rooms, endorsed with a classical guitarist's entertainment. You can have a chat with friends or sip drinks choosing from a wide range of drinks offered at the Bar under a charming atmosphere. A two-piece jazz duo performs every Friday.

Apart from hotels' outgoing venues, where else you can go for late night entertainment or more private enjoyment. A bar near the top of 50th Street is an American country style, 50th Street Bar & Grill which opens all day until midnight and is a renowned place for going out to. There you can try your skill at darts while sipping drinks with your friends, or talk about your workplace or any other topic of your choice. The restaurant furnished in American country style with red brick walls and a big wooden wheel offers two-storeys of seating accommodation. Mr. Guitar, a similar popular place with locals and foreigners, is open from 7P.M to midnight featuring unplugged music and an outside courtyard, so that you can have a cosy conversation.

Frenz Restaurant situated at Pearl Condominium is also another good place for evening leisure. At this restaurant, you can order various dishes for dinner or supper or sample different kinds of beverages. The restaurant also has live musical entertainment.

For something quite different, why not embark on a Riverine cruise along Yangon's Hlaing river, soaking up the panoramic views of the lush green city with the mighty Shwe Dagon Pagoda dominating the sky line in the distance. You can while the time away, sipping drinks and nibbling snacks or if you prefer why not head for the Karaoke lounge. Myat Thandar Riverine cruises openate in the evenings of Sat, Sun and public holidays commencing at 6:00 pm during the open season.

Author by Theingi Myo(SweSone Yangon Inflight Magazine)

The postal codes of different townships in Yangon are listed as below. Some townships are divided into two parts.Telecommunication

Mandalay (Capital of the last dynasty)

The second-last king of the Konbaung dynasty, which was first established in 1752, was King Mindon, great-great grandson of the founder King Alaungpaya, who united the country into the Third Myanmar Empire.

Flowers of Myanmar

Myanmar has a moderate climate and is also rich in different species of flowers.Here are some of the flowers found in Myanmar.

The man behind the portrait

MY first visit to the Bogyoke Aung San Museum was memorable, but not for all the right reasons. I had taken the opportunity to visit the museum on the one day of the year it opened - Martyrs' Day, July 19 - but in 2009 the reception was not exactly welcoming. The narrow Bogyoke Aung San Museum Road, which winds northward from Kandawgyi Lake toward Shwegonedaing Road, had been closed to traffic, so anyone wanting to pay tribute to the general had to file through a long cordon of police.

Ecology & Environment

From the snow-capped Himalayas in the north to the coral-fringed Mergui Archipelago in the south. Myanmar's 2000-km length crosses three distinct ecological regions within the vast Indo-Malay bio geographic realm: the Indian sub region along the Bangladesh and India borders; the Indochinese sub region in the north bordering Laos and China; and the Syndic sub region bordering peninsular Thailand. Together these regions produce what is quite likely the richest biodiversity in South-East Asia.