Near Heat Stroke at Stunning Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon, Myanmar)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ย. 2024
- TIMESTAMPS: 05:21-Finding the Bus; 07:40-Street Musicians; 08:39-Getting on the Bus; 11:40-Thoughts as I Approach Shwedagon; 14:49-First Glimpse of Shwedagon; 17:22-Into the Crowds; 22:41-Sweating and Burning at Shwedagon; 30:03-"Where do these stairs go?" I'm such a dummy.; 32:37-the Bodhi tree; 37:06-TimeWarp around the pagoda and exit; 43:07-Bus back to Sule and Conclusion
Heat stroke might be overstating things a bit, but perhaps not. The heat was intense on my trip to the beautiful Shwedagon Pagoda, and the sunlight bouncing off the white stone tiles was so bright that it was difficult to even keep my eyes open at times. The stone was raised to such a temperature that it burned my feet, and it was difficult to walk around unless I dashed from shady spot to shady spot. Add to all of that the happy throngs of the Thingyan water festival, and, well, it was hot enough to bring on moments of feeling faint and needing to sit down before falling over.
Also because of the heat and the bright sun, there was not a lot of commentary about the history of the two-and-a-half-thousand-year-old pagoda. I was given a detailed brochure and map (and a sticker!) for my 10,000-kyats entrance fee, but there was no reasonable way to read it and absorb what it said and explore the pagoda in-depth. In fact, even on a cooler day, it might not have been possible. The pagoda complex was far larger and contained far more buildings than I expected, and it would have taken many hours to see it all.
Even so, my trip to Shwedagon Pagoda was a fascinating experience beginning with the bus trip to get there and ending with the long walk down the stairs into the even more crowded local market.
Cheers,
Douglas (AKA The Cycling Canadian)
MESSAGE FROM THE CYCLING CANADIAN:
Thanks for checking out this video. I am the Cycling Canadian (AKA Douglas), and I'm making videos about my experiences traveling around the world both on and off a touring bike. I travel on a low budget, so don't expect luxury and guided tours. This is independent long-term travel.
UPLOAD SCHEDULE
I upload videos every week - sometimes two or three times a week. I'll be going to lots of interesting countries in the future, so if you subscribe to my channel, you won't miss any of these adventures.
WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? THANKS!! JUST CLICK HERE
www.youtube.co...
MY TH-cam CHANNEL HOME PAGE
I started making these videos on a recent 50-day trip to Bangladesh, and I enjoyed it so much that I kept exploring and making videos while I was in Kuala Lumpur. I'm currently in Myanmar. I'll be here for one or two months before returning to Malaysia. You can see all of my videos on my main TH-cam channel right here: / thecyclingcanadian
CONVENIENT PLAYLISTS
Playlists are a great way to make sure you don't miss any of my videos. I put all of my travel vlogs into playlists. If you use them, you can see all of the videos from each country in order:
Malaysia Travel Vlogs Playlist: • Malaysia Travel Vlogs
Bangladesh Travel Vlogs Playlist: • Bangladesh Travel Vlogs
THE CYCLING CANADIAN WEBSITE/BLOG
I don't just make videos. I also write about my trips and take pictures. I have some detailed written journals from previous trips on my website. The website is also called The Cycling Canadian, and this link will take you there: www.thecyclingc...
LINKS TO MY SOCIAL MEDIA:
► INSTAGRAM ►►► / thecyclingcanadian
► FACEBOOK ►►► / the-cycling-canadian-1...
► PICTURES ►►►www.thecyclingc...
► MORE PICTURES ►►►thecyclingcana...
GEAR LIST
Panasonic G85 (mirrorless micro four thirds camera)
GoPro Hero 7 Black
Sirui 3T-35K tripod
Joby Gorillapod
All editing done with Windows Movie Maker and Windows Paint. (My poor little computer doesn't have the power to run anything else.)
TIMESTAMPS: 05:21-Finding the Bus; 07:40-Street Musicians; 08:39-Getting on the Bus; 11:40-Thoughts as I Approach Shwedagon; 14:49-First Glimpse of Shwedagon; 17:22-Into the Crowds; 22:41-Sweating and Burning at Shwedagon; 30:03-"Where do these stairs go?" I'm such a dummy.; 32:37-the Bodhi tree; 37:06-TimeWarp around the pagoda and exit; 43:07-Bus back to Sule and Conclusion
You could wear a wide brimmed hat
@rin rin _I heard that Jack is going to share his wealth in large sums to all Uni students across USA to demonstrate one of his main benefits_
Kindly let me know if you need insight on travelling in Myanmar next time. Although Myanmar is trying to get visitors and tourists each year, it is not always easy for a first timer to go around without getting a local help.
11:45 😛
The day was Myanmar New Year Day, 17-04-19. Yesterday was same day too. You were there on the day that highest number of people visiting Shwedagon Pagoda in every year. It is a good time to be.
You should have gone at night time. Very chill and beautiful.
Take care of yourself from the sun. Allah Bless you🌹🙏👍
Myanmar is just amazing...... Thanks for visiting this awesome place..... Take care.....
I could almost feel how hot the floor is at the temple. Travelling to another country sometimes make a person clueless. Definitely not a dummy.
Nice informative video clip..Many thanks...wishing you all the best in ur future video work....appreciations from Australia..
wow! this Pagoda complex is really huge. thanks for sharing Sir. 👍
A terrific post! I am happy to see your lovely video. Enjoy your travel around there. God bless you. Thank you very much. From Thailand with love
Great video, I've never experienced heat like I did in Yangon,
My visit to Shwedagon pagoda was incredible, I took a guide( not something I'd usually do) which made it a truly memorable experience, Myanmar is a very special country to visit, and I hope to return one day.
Thank you for your videos. I enjoy it very much.
Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Your videos and comments are really good. Keep up with the good work. Amen.
I appreciate your positive attitude and great personality.Im glad you had a good time in Myanmar.
Actual Myanmar Is Always Peaceful and Helpful Country For Tourist ... I am Sure That You Enjoy About There ..And Thank You So Much For Visit Our Myanmar And Always Welcome To Myanmar ... :)
Thank you for this Douglas. My husband and I were there the week before water festival and we visited the pagoda at dusk, the absolute best time for comfort and beauty. I am in Myanmar as a Cuso International volunteer from Canada, posted in NayPyiTaw - now there's a place I would recommend you check out!
I was recently talking about NayPyiTaw with a German backpacker here in Yangon. He was heading there next, and he also said it would be an interesting place for me to visit. It does sound fascinating from what I've read. It has an interesting history as a planned city.
Wow! The Shwedagon Pagoda certainly looks massive and magnificent. Your timing of visit there may be is a little unfortunate. Nonetheless, you captured the huge visitor flow, while the people were still in celebration mood and the ambience of it. Earlier when you were still on the streets, when a stream of monks in safron robes were walking bare feet in a paradade, seeking alms, my mind wondered, as to what happens to their feet, when the streets are heated up, by the midday sun. Sure enough, you provided the answer, with yourself, experiencing the floor heat. Another well produced informative video, as always.
PS:
Bald has just achieved 590K subscribers, with his Moldovian adventure, drinking homemade wine and vodka with Babrushkas.
He collaborated with Harald Baldr, on a current video of Harald at Atlanta, USA, where Harald gets "beaten up". The comments section was filled with condemnation, for "staging" the fight. Many demanded the video be taken down, and threatened unsubscribing to the channel. As for my personal opinion, I find Harald destroyed his reputation as an interesting vlogger, with that video.
I have a new respect for anyone that walks any distance on pavement and cement in bare feet. I recently had a couple of occasions when I had to walk in bare feet for a time, and my feet were in a lot of pain. When I was a kid, I went barefoot a lot, but I don't seem able to do that anymore. And now when I see the monks walking barefoot through the city streets for many kilometers, I can't believe that they can do it.
An amusing part of walking around Shwedagon Pagoda in my bare feet was that there was a single line of brown stones going all the way around the pagoda. Those brown stones were many times hotter than the white ones, and I soon learned to step over them when I saw them. But sometimes I would forget, and I'd accidentally walk on that line, and the heat was unbearable. It really was like walking on hot coals. So you had to be careful where you put your feet.
I haven't watched Bald's babushka video yet, but I imagine I will. I liked his other Moldova video that I watched. He has an engaging style.
I didn't know about the controversy with Harald's fake video until you mentioned it. So I watched the video and read through some of the comments to see what it was all about. I'm surprised he would do something that silly. To be honest, I've never gotten a good vibe from Harald Baldr. But staging a fake fight like that and involving American politics seems like a very bad idea, even for him. I'm guessing though, that he doesn't really care what people think of him. He wants as many views as possible and being outrageous is one way to accomplish that.
I share your opinion about it. When it comes to travel vloggers or daily vloggers, the one thing I value more than anything else is just simple honesty. I have no patience for fake videos or clickbait titles or anything like that. I enjoy almost any type of TH-cam video as long as it isn't fake and it isn't clickbait. That's the one thing that really turns me off.
The Cycling Canadian, you really had a tough experience, walking bare feet on that heated floor of the pagoda complex. Over here in Malaysia, some Hindu and Chinese Temples, have "fire walking ceremony" activity as part of their Annual Temple Festival. It is essentially, a stretch of red hot tinders placed in a shallow pit , normally about 10 meters in length. Devotees who have undergone the few days of ritual spiritual preparation, are allowed to participate.in the fire walking ceremony. I have witnessed a number of such events. Often it is not a walk, but rather a run or dash across for obvious reasons. Surprisingly no one gets a burnt sole. If ever anyone does get a burn, it is often deemed as insufficient preparation or a mistake on the preparation pursued.
Now, coming to that insane video of Harald Baldr. I was totally disgusted. Now, I no longer anxiously await his next video.
As for your vlogs Doug, I find you honest and you tell as you see it, to the best of your ability. You do have vast experience. It is a pleasure watching your videos as it helps me enhance my knowledge. Bald is good with his East European, former Soviet states adventures. Noraly, of "Itchy Boots", a kinsfolk of yours, also provides honest, narration of her adventures on her big bike tour. Currently, she is in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. She provided some magnificient footage of ancient well maintained buildings, from the BC era. I never miss a single episode of of Noraly and Bald.
Always nice, getting feedback from you. Doug. Carry on your good work. Cheers.
Great to see you mingling with people on the streets, like one of them. I hope to see more about food in Burma, please. What happened to your five snacks a day from A to B? Some beautiful Buddhas in the stupas... thanks for showing the ornate stupas and temples... seems a nice scene with families sitting on rugs under the Bunyan trees in the courtyards. Now I wonder about the layout of the Shwedgo site - do the larger temples constitute different kings' resting places or clan temples and are the smaller stupas a kind of ancestral burial place or where the ashes are kept? Thanks for sharing your video... now I can see what Burma's like . It used to be closed to the outside world and we really don't see much of Burma in the media. .
So far, food hasn't been a big part of my experience of Yangon. That's partially because I arrived just as Thingyan, the water festival, got underway, and I spent three days in a row just soaking wet. And that didn't lend itself to snacking.
And since the festival ended, it has been so brutally hot that I haven't felt much like eating, to be honest. When I walk down the streets, I just drink water, and I have little interest in the food that I see around me. And when I have had something interesting to eat, I've had sweat just pouring off my face and hands (and the rest of me), and it's impossible to relax and manage a camera at the same time. Maybe life will get a bit more easygoing soon.
I'm not very knowledgeable about Buddhism and how places like Shwedagon Pagoda are organized, but I did manage to read the detailed brochure that was given to me when I paid my entrance fee. I couldn't read it while I was there because it was just too hot and the sun was too bright to do any reading. But I've read it since then, and I learned a few things. 🙂
I don't know exactly what all the various buildings are at Shwedagon, but as far as I can tell, they aren't burial sites for kings or anyone else. The pagoda itself was founded to house eight hairs of the Buddha plus holy relics from three Buddhas before him: the staff of Kakusanda Buddha, the water filter of Kawnagamana Buddha, and the robe of Kassapa Buddha. (The brochure says "netherrobe", but I don't know what that is. I assume they meant "robe".)
The original pagoda was built around 2,500 years ago and from that point until the 14th century, a series of 32 kings and queens maintained the site and buildings were continually added to house new images of the Buddha and other holy items. And since the 14th century, more kings and queens did the same. I guess each new dynasty placed its mark, and the site grew and grew. The brochure refers to a lot of these buildings as prayer halls, and each prayer hall might contain an image of the Buddha or some other holy object like the footprint of the Buddha and Buddha's sacred tooth relic.
So I think that's the basic idea. The main stupa that houses the four original holy relics is not open. You can't go inside it. So the other buildings around it are essentially prayer halls - places where devotees can pray, meditate, make offerings and perform other religious rites. You could spend days there learning the history of all the Buddha images and other items. Many of them date back centuries - even a thousand years.
Thank for ur visit ours country 👍👍👍👍👍
Great informative vid 👍
I thought you going to faint , OMG the heat is so intense.
I did feel close to fainting once or twice. But that wasn't when I was walking. I went into a shady spot to rest (and change the battery in my cameras), and when I sat down, I suddenly felt like I was going to faint. It was a HOT day, that's for sure. Though I think the atmosphere also had something to do with it. It was hard to relax with such a large crowd of people. But I'm still glad I went on such a busy day. It made for an interesting experience.
Sadly you were at the pagoda at wrong time. 😃 Like you rightly mentioned, best time for me is always sunrise or sunset.
Next time to Myanmar, I would like to meet you and answer the many questions that you have.
I would suggest for waiting raining this week as the temperature is too unbearable even for locals. Wish you happy stay in Yangon. Safe Travel! Godspeed.
That's probably a good idea. A friend of mine sent me the weather report for Yangon, and it said that there will be a lot of rain in about one week, and the temperature will go down a few degrees. Hopefully, it will be more comfortable when that happens. 🙂
Thanks for visiting and your video!. It is too hot that even natives find trouble outside, getting heat stove! This summer is hotter than last yr, though year after year increasing gradually. Global warming is a real threat to a third world country like us where there has a summer season. Take care! All the best!
I wouldn’t last 10 minutes there, if not the heat, the crowds would have made me faint. Probably wasn’t a good day for the visit, being the Myanmar New Year.
It’s lovely to see traditional bamboo scaffolding. The fine yellow cane scaffold looks like a fine web hugging protectively the golden chedi.
The ATM looks incongruous in such ornate surroundings.
I see drink stalls on your way to catch a bus, you could have a glass or two of coconut water to replenish the electrolytes lost in your sweating.
Seeing you in the hot sun, Noel Coward’s song springs to mind, (just change the words Englishmen and Britishers to Canadian) :
"To protect you from the glare
In the Malay States
There are hats like plates
Which the Britishers won't wear
At twelve noon the natives swoon
And no further work is done
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun"
"Mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.
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 in a jungle town"
It's always a mixed bag, isn't it? I was actually glad that I went there on such a busy day. It made for a more interesting experience. Same thing for the extreme heat. But, of course, it would have been more comfortable on an ordinary day without the big crowds. And it would have been a LOT more comfortable before the sun was at its strongest. But being there at such a hot time also made the experience interesting. 🙂
I had the same feeling about the bamboo scaffolding. It was so intricate that it did look like webbing of some kind.
There were quite a few more ATMs around the pagoda complex plus a bunch of banks and foreign exchange offices. I guess temples are essentially just as much a financial institution as anything else. They need money to run, and when devotees come and want to make a donation or an offering, it helps that they can get some cash from an ATM. I'm not sure why there would be so many foreign exchange offices, though. Foreign tourists like me are unlikely to make a large financial donation. We just need the 10,000 kyats for the entrance fee. But perhaps they receive a large number of Buddhist visitors from other countries, and they need to change money to make a donation.
The expression "mad dogs and Englishmen" is constantly on my mind (and in my journals) as I explore most countries. I always seem to find myself out in the most brutal part of the day when the local people would never dream of going outside. They look at me like I'm mad, and they point at the sun above me and shake their heads in wonderment. I was out walking around Yangon a couple of days ago across the river in the middle of the day, and there was practically no one on the streets but me. I passed groups of men snoozing in the shade of the trees, and one or two would always glance at me in amazement and then point at the sun and then at the shade. To them, I'm like a child that doesn't know enough to come out of the sun and rest in the cool shade like any same person would. 😄
really appreciate ur vdo. indeed fun to watch!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. 👍🙂
The first day after the water festival is Burmese new year day, which is still a public holiday.
Thanks! I didn't know that at the time, but it makes sense. That's why the pagoda was so busy that day. Before the festival, I tried to find out which days were holidays and how long the festival was, but all the websites gave different information. 😃
Pray for Myanmar🇲🇲🇲🇲🇲🇲🙏🙏🙏
Great video doug, if you get a chance you should try and check out the pagoda in Naypyidaw on your travels. Its a 97m tall replica of the Schwedagon Pagoda but doesn't have any scaffolding surrounding it and only a handful of people there
the locals have mixed feelings about that pagoda because it is built by the Military even though the country is in dire poverty. They wanted to replicate what kings built and build themselves a new city and a new costly pagoda to rival the revered shwedagon. Basically their illusion of grandeur and want to be royalty despite putting the country further into financial ruin. The pagoda is representing excess and indulgence of the ruling dictatorship that failed its people
@@crewmatewillthrowthesehand7600 _You are right on this_
if i go here without an umbrella i will get headache and faint
The summers in Myanmar have always been intense. Especially this year.In the noon the temperature is as high as 38 degrees. You chose the worst time to go to the pagoda 😂
I've been very surprised by the heat, to be honest. It's much hotter than I expected.
Wow. You went during a busy time. I went at night in July and it was basically empty
I didn't realize it at the time, but I think the day I went was the official first day of the New Year in Myanmar. It was the day right after the main days of the water festival, and it was still a holiday, and an important day for Buddhists to visit Shwedagon Pagoda. It probably would have been more comfortable going there on a less busy day, but it was certainly interesting to see so many people there.
THANKS YOU FOR THE VIDEO
Traveling can be rather stressful at times. Many people try reducing stress by going the easy way like taking a taxi or joining a tour group. However, you learn much more by asking around and do the hard way like the locals.
Get a longhi which can be used as a sheet later when you don’t want to wear it anymore.
A meditation course could help to reduce stress for life. Myanmar is a popular place for foreigners to do Vipassana, under Goankaji( Burmese Indian), go check it out, ask or google. Big monasteries offer a 30 or 60 day course. Many people, especially foreigners, are going for that, but the application process is long.
A longhi makes a lot of sense in this hot climate. With my MacGyver-like approach to life, I'm not sure how I could survive without pockets, though. I need pockets for all my stuff. 😄
Yes, I prefer the stress of trying to do something on my own rather than having a guide or being part of a tour. I guess I don't think of it as stress. It's just part of the experience. A couple days ago, I went for a walk along the river and took a ferry across, and there was a lot of interest in me from various guides. I guess there were some villages nearby that tourists often visit, and these guides wanted to take me there.
It would have been easier to just say yes and then let the guide handle everything. But I find it really bothersome to have someone constantly talking to me and telling me about things. I end up feeling like a prisoner of the tour guide.
I'd probably end up learning a lot from a guide - whether at Shwedagon Pagoda or at a fishing village - but I'm always happier just bumbling about on my own, even if I don't understand what is going on around me.
Thanks for the suggestion about a meditation course. I've never done anything like that. It's not really a part of my world. But you never know, right? It might be a great thing to do.
Hi I dont know why you are not wearing a hat..I live in Australia ,heat stroke can sneak up on you giving you a headache plus.I love looking at all your videos....
that is why people go to Shwedagon at night time
I knew it would be hot, and I thought that would be okay. But I had no idea just how hot it would be. I definitely should have waited until later in the day or even at night. 😄
0:01 Selamat pagi to you too, Cikgu.
24:00 Take care of your health, ok...
Don't worry. I try to take care of myself, even in this heat. And I had a nice air-conditioned room to return to at the end of the day. 🙂
Good day Doug....a challenge for you, why not wear a sarong / Burmese longyi like those burmese guys. Some malaysians wear sarong too but in Burma it's like a traditional outfit they wear it everywhere. The real challenge is wearing the longyi while you vlogging down the street. How about it?? It's comfortable n cooling too in the scorching sun !!!
Wearing a longhi is probably a good idea, especially in this heat. But that's assuming they come in sizes long enough for my legs.
I could do it as a fun experiment. But I don't think I could adapt to wearing one on a regular basis. I'm addicted to pockets - especially now with all my camera gear and microphones and lens covers and batteries and keys and memory cards and smartphones. I need pockets for all that stuff. 😄
@@PlanetDoug haha.....i can imagine but it's really ok even if the longyi doesn't cover your entire legs more air conditioning hihi. Imagine you would be the first vlogger to do so....Pockets? you have your little backpack to put in your stuff lah.. :))
Ftin Ftin longyi is also called Pa Soe
This year, I think we are having the hottest summer. It's brutally hot and even locals like us can't stand the heat.
The heat has defintiely taken me by surprise. I'm not sure I've ever been anywhere as hot as this. I probably have, but I can't remember it. And if the local people are suffering, you can imagine how it feels for a poor Canadian like me. I'm yearning for the cool, cool snow of a Canadian winter. 🤣
it's getting hot everywhere around the world..
Due to the very hot weather all over Myanmar, you Should wear a hat or cap; not to get an unnecessary head-pounding... I couldn't even stand the heat during my visit to my own country. I was forced to use the umbrella during the daytime, especially in the mid sunny days... You could Pass Out...
I love your criticisms.
I was born and, am still stuck in this country for my whole life.
So, eventually, I got used to the "Complicated Bus System" or "Burning Weather", and even forget to complain.
I think, sometimes you forget if you've suffered long enough.
But, one thing I'm still not used to and always been pissing about is *"People Blocking at every entrance, pushing and (worst then cutting lines/Queues) they never make a line."*
I don't know why everyone is like that and it is annoying.
Do you have any idea/suggession to make it better?
That's a very good question. I've noticed that forming a line and waiting in a line is not customary behavior in Myanmar.
When I go into the convenience stores (or any store) to buy something, I stand in line and wait. But everyone just goes ahead of me. At first, I thought they were being very rude. But then I realized it was normal. Everyone does it. Myanmar just doesn't have the tradition of waiting in line yet.
In some stores, I just gave up and left. I couldn't get to the cashier to pay because so many people pushed ahead of me. I just put my items back on the shelf and left without buying anything.
I think this will change over time naturally. But I also think the stores and the store clerks can help change the behavior. In one store in Yangon, the clerks refused to serve the people who pushed ahead.
The clerk saw that I was waiting and waiting and waiting, and finally, she ignored the people pushing ahead of me, and she reached for my items and served me first. And that helped teach the people to wait for their turn. If all the store clerks do that, then it will become normal to wait in line. 😃
its just very hot (even for summer) in Myanmar. Could be the changing climate and global warming. Its unfortunate that you had to arrive in Yangon at the peak of this heat. I hope it did not ruin your trip entirely. Do try again at night if you would like to explore more
I guess I didn't plan my trip very well. 😄 It would probably be more comfortable at another time of year. And I have the unfortunate habit of always going out in the middle of the day. I should definitely try to go out at night more often.
Welcome To Myanmar!!!!!
Finally a new video after water festival...😍😍😍😍....the weather definitely hotter than Malaysia, drink more water sir..... btw congrats on 2k subscribers....
Thank you. I didn't even notice that the channel had reached 2,000 subscribers. That's great news. 😄
I do drink a lot of water, but I guess I haven't shown that on any of the videos. That's one thing I've noticed about Yangon - people and businesses are very generous about supplying water. There is drinking water available in all kinds of locations for free. And when I left from Shwedagon and I was walking towards the buses, a man came up to me and gave me a bottle of cold water to drink. He was from an organization that was distributing drinking water to people on the street. And I guess I looked hot and thirsty.
Thats very kind of them....god bless them....
@@PlanetDoug _water donation is a custom. at the entrance of all small villages, you'll find potable water pots and shelters for travelers_
As someone who is born and raised in Yangon I’m still very confused with the bus system.
I've only ridden on a few buses so far. I quite like the airport bus. That's a very convenient and easy and inexpensive way to go from the airport to downtown and then back to the airport. And the other buses were actually nicer than I expected. They weren't too crowded and they were air-conditioned, and they only cost 200 kyats. That's a pretty good deal. But, of course, I don't know where the different buses go in the city. It would take me some time to figure that out.as a visitor. 🙂
yaya. Miss smart
I got a heat stroke watching this clip..wear a straw hat or something..its dangerous walking around like that in the sun
Agree,I have to take umbrella whenever I go out (I’m a citizen )
· 11:00 The escalator is only for pedestrian overpass or connected to other building?
• 47:02 My favourite soy milk is V-Soy, also from Thailand same like that Lactosoy. It tastes different from any other soy milk here, but haven't see any small pack here. Normally 1 liter pack or in a bottle. Maybe you could try when return to KL later. Couldn't find any Lactosoy though.
· Finally a city bus ride 😄. I look on map, seem like the place is not that far (by your standard of course) from your hostel, might be around 3.5 km. Maybe midday sun preventing you from walking?
· You use GoPro only when going back from the Pagoda?
· Do you plan to visit other places or you're being restricted to Yangon only? 15 hours train ride to Mandalay seem interesting
only for pedestrian overpass
@@thurasoe4174 thanks. I rarely see any pedestrian bridge anywhere with escalator unless it's connected to malls or other buildings.
That escalator was only for the pedestrian overpass. It didn't lead to any buildings at all. I was surprised to see that as well.
I've never really drunk a lot of soy milk before. I generally just drink regular milk. But here in Yangon, I haven't seen much milk for sale. The soy milk seems more popular, so I've been trying that. It's good. I'll look for V-Soy when I return to KL.
You're right. Shwedagon Pagoda looks to be just over 3.5 kilometers from the hostel. It seemed a bit far to walk in that heat, especially when I knew I would be walking around the pagoda a lot when I got there. The way things turned out, I'm very glad I took the bus. It was far hotter at the pagoda than I expected. 🙂
You have a good eye (or ear). Yes, I used only the GoPro for the trip back from the pagoda. That's because I put the Panasonic away when I walked around the pagoda shooting the TimeWarp video with the GoPro. When that was done, I was already down at the bottom of the pagoda stairs and close to the bus, so there didn't seem to be a need to take out the Panasonic again.
I do plan to visit other places in Myanmar. Things are just going very slowly for me in Yangon, and I might not make it to Mandalay/Bagan on this 28-day visa. If I don't, I'll probably leave Myanmar briefly and then return with a second visa. (Assuming that that is possible. I haven't done any research into that yet.) Taking the train would definitely be my preference. I already went for a ride on the circular railway here in Yangon, and that was a lot of fun. I can imagine that taking a train to Mandalay would be interesting. 👍
April is the hottest month of the year. (Probably why we have the water festival) Even during cooler months, I prefer to go there at night time. 6pm Sunset is also great but probably still crowded. Around 7-8pm is perfect. Less crowded. I'd assume night-time might not be best for GoPro footage. But you will definitely find it more enjoyable. Quiet, peaceful and serene with lights and glistening golden colors, with the sounds of chimes and chants.
I guess I didn't plan my trip very well. I didn't even think about whether it was the hot season, the dry season, the rainy season or anything. But I'm glad I was there for the water festival. That was an experience I won't soon forget. 😃
Hello dear Mr. Canadian, I like most part of your video, but your 37:06 TimeWarp around is rather nauseous. I'd like to suggest you to heavily edit it again or cut out that part of the video will make it really a great one. Thank you for your amazing adventure!!!
Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the video - though not the Timewarp part. I think the Timewarp feature is like when you get a new toy. It's a lot of fun, and you want to use it a lot. So I walked all the way around the pagoda and down the stairs in one long sequence. Probably too long if you found it nauseous. 🙂
After Thingyan Water Festival , everyone goes to pagoda .. That's Why it's extremely crowded... and chaos .. Although i am native here..i can't stand that heat .It is better to go at Sun set or night time.
I learned later on that that was actually the first day of the new year, so it was still a holiday. That's one of the reasons it was so busy. And the heat really was difficult to deal with. It seems like the hot season in many countries around the world is now REALLY hot. There seem to be heat waves everywhere, and the heat wave in Myanmar at that time was extreme. 🙂
You should also consider visiting shan state
I'm hoping to go to Shan State soon. I've heard that the train ride from Mandalay to Hsipaw and maybe up to Lashio is very interesting. Any other places I shouldn't miss in Shan State?
You need a large sun hat with all that walking.
I don't see any foreigner at the pagoda except u.
I saw two other foreigners while I was there. Both of them were young backpackers. I spoke to one of them, and he was dying from the heat just like me. We met because we were both taking shelter under the same shady tree to keep our feet from burning up. 😄
Guess it's real hot there in Yangon, please take care of your body! Btw, how is the commodity prices in Yangon compared to Kuala Lumpur? I would like to visit there someday too!
The prices seem lower than in Kuala Lumpur - at least for food and drinks and hotels and that sort of thing. More importantly, you seem to get a lot more for your money. There is better value here. For example, my hostel rooms have cost about 30 ringgit a night, and that includes good air conditioning, good WiFi, really nice bedding and pillows, free coffee in the lobby, and a free breakfast every morning. There is no way you'd get all that in Malaysia for 30 ringgit.
I haven't stayed in any kind of a hotel here (just hostels), so I don't know if the good value is the same for a basic hotel. But for a budget backpacker, Myanmar seems to be much better value than Malaysia, especially since Malaysia instituted the tourist tax at all the hotels.
As for other items - electronics and camera gear, etc - I'm not sure how the prices compare to Malaysia. My sense from what I've seen is that they are a bit higher.
@@PlanetDoug It's great to hear that, thanks so much for your details explanation!
Will it be cooler in November? That's when I'm coming.
daling430 yess!! December is even better. Winter in general
It has to be cooler in November. It couldn't possibly be hotter without actually being on fire. 😄 From people I've spoken with, it sounds like the two- or three-month period starting in December is the most comfortable time to visit as far as the temperature goes. But I'm guessing that November should be okay.
When you come again call me please.
I’ll give you an umbrella because some time the weather is so hot in Myanmar.
at 9:05 aaahhh... taking the bus eh... ??? i guess thats what happens when you left your bike behind...
at 24:02 for 3 straight days you been drench with water now you are drenching in your own sweat...
Yes, I finally had to give in and take a bus. Shwedagon was a bit too far to reasonably walk, even for me. Though if Yangon had a subway system, I'd take that instead. 😃
Do u need any help?
I make the same mistakes about going out to late. Need to get up earlier.
You should not go there after new year water festival.it will be surely crowded.
That's true. I didn't realize that it was still a holiday when I went there. But it was still interesting to see so many people. It was part of the experience for me.
Long live Myanmar
Hi
23:19 You are right, what I hate most about Myanmar peoples is they always block at entrance, at the walk ways, and never bother to queue.
I think that standing in line (a queue) is something that develops over time. I noticed that in some stores in Yangon, the store clerk wouldn't serve people that just crowded around the counter. They'd tell them to form a line. She was teaching them to do this. 🙂 I remember when I first arrived in Yangon, I was kind of surprised when I went into a store and all these people would just push past me and shove their items in front of the cashier. Yet, people in Myanmar were extremely nice and polite. So it was strange that they would do such a rude thing. But they just didn't know any better. It was normal for them to simply go to the front. They didn't know about queuing. But it's slowly changing.
Minglaba
Minglaba. 🙂
It like hell here.
The heat was definitely on the extreme side. 😄 The temperature has ranged from 100 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit almost the entire time I've been in Yangon. I noticed on the forecasts that there might be some rain soon, and then the temperature is projected to go down to maybe 93 degrees. It's crazy when I see a temperature like 93 degrees, and it strikes me as nice and cool.
@@PlanetDougHere, We have no idea why western country travellers love that hot weather. You gonna be fried.
I actually prefer the cool weather of Canada. I've spent most of my adult life outside of Canada, and I've enjoyed it, but I've never adjusted to the heat. 🙂
I was watching an American movie the other day, and I noticed that three of the characters greeted another person by saying "Nice day today, isn't it?" and "Beautiful day." and "Great weather w're having."
And that's such a common thing in Canada. There are so many beautiful cool days with blue skies and white clouds that "Nice day today" has become a greeting. I used to say it all the time. But I don't think I've ever said it even once in Asia. 😃 The heat is like this force that I have to constantly struggle with.
Of course, the flip side of that coin for most people is when the winter temperature in Canada drops below freezing. Then they start to yearn for the heat of Asia. But I love even the cold winter temperatures of Canada.
yangon have online taxi ?
Yes Grab
Where are your sun glasses and hat? Sun is not good for your skin.
Still searching for that perfect hat. 👍😎 Maybe if I find a great hat, it can be a part of a new signature look.
You should have taken a taxi to save you a lot of stress and getting sick from heat stroke.
That's true, but I had no idea it was going to be that crowded and that hot at Shwedagon. Even so, it was an interesting experience to take the bus and then walk from there. It's all part of the small adventure. 🙂
@@PlanetDoug well, good to hear that you had fun.
I am Myanmar but we can’t stand the heat
a hat would help!!
Shwedagon Bff
Since Allah sent the prophets Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad peace be upon them all and imposed the pilgrimage to the Sacred House of God and cruise in it the devil spent people to worship creatures and cruise them and Satan is an enemy of man and does not want him to enter Paradise after death The demons of Bashrfi help him mislead people and distract them from worshiping God alone. They are doing the same as God Almighty to worship him but for idols or graves or ... etc
Circumambulation and prostration of God alone to his partner
Thank you and sorry for the intervention🌹
0
Dirty road in myanmar .