![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.phoenixcontact.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2012\/07\/Yangon-7.jpg\")
<\/a>The treasure of Myanmar, Pagoda. Really magnificent. It is also gold-plated, diamond-studded with jewels embedded. Believe it or not…<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u00a0The Airport, the cars, the taxis\u00a0and the road<\/h2>\n
Impressive but small Airport \u2013 It has the likes of Changi Airport\u00a0of Singapore with the\u00a0familiar thick carpets and directional signs. Considering a market that is re-opening up to the world, the Airport is definitely too small for the country.<\/p>\n
The good news is that the country is building up a new International Airport in Yangon, ready in 3 years. Another good side of the first impression – There was no waiting time for the baggage. Our bags were waiting for us on the conveyor belt instead.<\/p>\n
Roads are designed with drivers driving on the right side of the road. That I can understand as this country was once a \u00a0British Colony. Nevertheless, for many of us, as a \u2018standard rule\u2019, that will also mean that the steering wheel is on the left side of the car.<\/p>\n
This assumption is wrong. There is a mixed \u2018identity\u2019. In this country, you will see cars with a good mixed of left side steering wheels and rights-side steering wheels too.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The car number plate with Burmese language. We have 26 alphabets. Burmese characters have 35. I think, the number plate reads: 4C, 1984???<\/p><\/div>\n
Cars are rather new and a good number of luxurious cars too. The roads are surprising clean, neat and peaceful, which is a surprise. Comparing it to the major cities in Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, China, India (oh, I realized the list can go on and on\u2026), the roads in Yangon\u00a0seems\u00a0better.<\/p>\n
I realised the difference\u00a0after some thoughts.\u00a0There is no motor-bike on the road! After a check, the reason is that the Authorities have banned motorbikes into the city of Yangon.<\/p>\n
Safety-wise, I personally feel that taking Taxi is safe. However, the one I took, before we can negotiate, or at least get the drive to switch on his meter, we are ripped-off with USD 10 for a drive of 2 minutes \u2013 less than 1Km.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Mobile connection<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.phoenixcontact.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2012\/07\/yangon1-300x214.png\")
<\/a>Forget about your handphone. It is not going to work well. Not a bad idea to getaway sometimes.<\/p><\/div>\n
You will be disconnected from the rest of the world, almost. You are not able to use your phone. No sms, no calls. If you are lucky, you do get a \u201c1-bar\u201d connection sometimes.<\/p>\n
No, it is not the reception problem, but as I understand from one of the Burmese, it is \u2018jammed\u2019 up by the Authorities to prevent foreign usage. The only way around is to use a local mobile card, or via data-line services such as Whatsapp in hotels with wireless connection.<\/p>\n
US Dollars and Credit Cards<\/h2>\n
Unofficially, for big items such as hotel, US dollar is accepted. Otherwise, prepare some local currency, Kyat. Swipe your credit card in the hotel and you will be punished with a 4% charge \u2013 at least for the hotel that I stayed – Traders Hotel. And beware \u2013 the hotel rates are not cheap \u2013 we paid USD250 per night. The hotel room, however is of good standard.<\/p>\n
Pants, not so popular<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/blog.phoenixcontact.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2012\/07\/yangon-2-300x225.jpg\")
<\/a>More airy than pants? Pants are not as popular as the traditional ‘wrap-around’<\/p><\/div>\n
The traditional \u201cwrap-around\u201d is still a very popular choice among the citizens. Men and women don this traditional \u201cwrap-around\u201d (like sarong) comfortably. It is quite an interesting sight to see men in business shirts but with the \u201cwrap-around\u201d as their pants. School boys and girls seem to have the same attire, short-sleeves shirt with green \u201cwrap-around\u201d in all schools.<\/p>\n
\u00a0People<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Forget about your handphone. It is not going to work well. Not a bad idea to getaway sometimes.<\/p><\/div>\n
You will be disconnected from the rest of the world, almost. You are not able to use your phone. No sms, no calls. If you are lucky, you do get a \u201c1-bar\u201d connection sometimes.<\/p>\n
No, it is not the reception problem, but as I understand from one of the Burmese, it is \u2018jammed\u2019 up by the Authorities to prevent foreign usage. The only way around is to use a local mobile card, or via data-line services such as Whatsapp in hotels with wireless connection.<\/p>\n
US Dollars and Credit Cards<\/h2>\n
Unofficially, for big items such as hotel, US dollar is accepted. Otherwise, prepare some local currency, Kyat. Swipe your credit card in the hotel and you will be punished with a 4% charge \u2013 at least for the hotel that I stayed – Traders Hotel. And beware \u2013 the hotel rates are not cheap \u2013 we paid USD250 per night. The hotel room, however is of good standard.<\/p>\n
Pants, not so popular<\/h2>\n<\/a>More airy than pants? Pants are not as popular as the traditional ‘wrap-around’<\/p><\/div>\n
The traditional \u201cwrap-around\u201d is still a very popular choice among the citizens. Men and women don this traditional \u201cwrap-around\u201d (like sarong) comfortably. It is quite an interesting sight to see men in business shirts but with the \u201cwrap-around\u201d as their pants. School boys and girls seem to have the same attire, short-sleeves shirt with green \u201cwrap-around\u201d in all schools.<\/p>\n
\u00a0People<\/h2>\n
<\/a>More airy than pants? Pants are not as popular as the traditional ‘wrap-around’<\/p><\/div>\n
The traditional \u201cwrap-around\u201d is still a very popular choice among the citizens. Men and women don this traditional \u201cwrap-around\u201d (like sarong) comfortably. It is quite an interesting sight to see men in business shirts but with the \u201cwrap-around\u201d as their pants. School boys and girls seem to have the same attire, short-sleeves shirt with green \u201cwrap-around\u201d in all schools.<\/p>\n