Myanmar - A Visit to a Country in Transition
Mar 25th, 2014, 07:51 AM
#61
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On to Yangon
Our Santa Maria car and driver was waiting for us at 7:30 the next morning. The ride to Heho airport was far bumpier than we’d remembered. We arrived at the tiny airport after 45 minutes and almost three hours before our flight. We were flying on Yangon Airways (with the reassuring slogan of “You’re Safe With Us.” Burmese airlines have developed an ingenious workaround for the lack of a coherent announcement system: You’re given a color-coded sticker to put on your shirt so staff at the one functional gate could determine at a glance who was supposed to be on what flight. We were on the red flight to Yangon, which departed after the green flight to Yangon. We’d learned our lesson from our previous open-seated Yangon Airways flight – when it came time to board, we quickly scurried across the tarmac and were among the first on the place, ensuring ourselves of first row bulkhead seats with a little extra legroom.
Our flight was without incident and we arrived on time at the Yangon Airport, retrieved our checked luggage, bought a taxi pass for the Traders Hotel downtown ($10 US) and were on our way. The midday Saturday traffic was horrendous – it took almost as long to get from the airport to the Traders Hotel as it did from Heho to Yangon. We loved the Traders. It was luxurious and conveniently located. Our bed was new and firm and had nice all-cotton sheets. However, our promised view of the “pagoda” – I’m not sure if they meant Sule Paya or Shwedagon – was non-existent. We immediately began working on our iPads and with the concierge to see if we could get a dinner reservation at Le Planteur, a world-class French-Asian restaurant considered the best in Yangon – success!! Indeed, an excess of success as we had inadvertently booked both a dinner for that evening (on-line) and a lunch the following days (via the concierge).
I bought a curry chicken bun from the café and we headed out and around the corner towards the nearby Scott’s (aka “Bogyone”) market. It was our first introduction to Yangon’s dense pedestrian traffic and the horrendous state of Yangon’s sidewalks. We had to effectively walk past Scott’s market on the other side of the street, then cross over on a pedestrian walkway and then backtrack to the market. We, like many before us, were seeking a store called Yoyomay – not to be confused with the famous cellist – that specializes in Burmese tribal textiles. There was some confusion on the location – trip reports had it on the second floor of the market while Lonely Planet had it on the first. Then the light came on – the trip reports had been written by Americans while Lonely Planet employs the perverse (in my opinion) European usage for indicating floors. We asked around and promptly found it on the first (or second or upper) floor. The fabrics – from several of Myanmar’s tribal peoples – were gorgeous. After some deliberation, I bought a six foot long Chin runner. It reminded me more of a Peruvian textile than an Asian one. The Yoyomay staff were knowledgeable, helpful and very patient. Afterwards, purchase in hand, we wandered the warrens of the larger market behind Scott’s. There are hundreds of shops here selling clothing, inexpensive textiles, souvenirs, gems, jewelry, food and more. Yestravel snapped a great photo of a sullen looking monk smoking a cigarette, perhaps in an effort to hasten the cycle of rebirth. Somehow, maybe by remembering the alignment of the chartreuse markets relative to the original colonial building – we managed not to get lost and made it back out to Bogyoke Aung San Road. We stopped by a trendy-looking coffee shop for some espresso and a lime cooler before returning to the Traders Hotel.
At 6:15 that evening we took a cab to Le Planteur and our 7:00 p.m. dinner reservation. We’d left plenty of spare time due to our earlier experience with congestion, but traffic had thinned some and we arrived twenty minutes early. Le Planteur was a gorgeous colonial-era brick building in the European style set on spacious grounds. There were about twenty tables scattered around the grounds, which were a combination of lawn and tropical garden. They were lit by a combination of lighting in the tropical foliage and candlelight. We were seated immediately and a waiter discreetly slid a mosquito coil under our table. We had a choice between the Le Planteur set menu and an a la carte menu. [Note: Both menus have changed since we were there in early February.] YT chose two items of the a la carte menu (seafood ravioli and giant prawns, neither currently on the menu). I had the set menu, choosing, in an unintentional affront to animal rights activists everywhere, a starter of foie gros with apple and a main course of veal (no longer on the menu, I think with a tamarind glaze). We also ordered a bottle of Red Mountain sauvignon blanc, which had become our go-to wine this trip.
They served us two tasty courses of amuse bouclé, then our respective starters. Everything was excellent, as were our main courses. The set menu also offered a cheese selection. I was offered a cheese selection; our taste runs to strong cheese and I selected the four gooiest, stinkiest cheeses available. One of them was a Burmese cheese that was superb. After we’d shared the cheeses my set menu dessert arrived; we shared that too. (I can’t remember what it was.) It was a wonderful meal, fully the equal of anything offered in a top-end stateside restaurant – in both quality and in price. Le Planteur gave us a ride back to Traders Hotel in a vintage two-tone Morris Minor, a fun end to a great evening.
After the next morning’s breakfast buffet, we decided to tour the old British colonial buildings near the Yangon River. We used the little map in Lonely Planet. This ended up being quite the expedition. It was hot. The distances involved were more than we’d reckoned on. And Burmese sidewalks are crowded and inconstant, frequently coming to an abrupt end in large holes. In many cases they’re nothing more that a series of eroded and worn concrete slabs laid over drainage ditches. It required one to be constantly on guard about where one set one’s feet; we’d already met a traveler with her leg in a cast due to an accident on one of Yangon’s killer sidewalks. Many of the buildings themselves were in poor repair, having been neglected for sixty or more years. We eventually made our way to Strand Road, where the buildings were in better repair. We ducked into the Strand Hotel near the river. It was like entering another world, one of potted palms and ceiling fans that had otherwise ceased to exist long ago. The lobby was gorgeous - and air conditioned. We rested for a while and then went to the shopping area that ran off it. This was our last chance to buy gifts before leaving Myanmar. The shops were, as expected, more expensive than those in the countryside, but laquerware was nonetheless high quality and reasonably-priced. There was also a nice art gallery in the back, with some modern Burmese art. Our return to the hotel took us by several more old colonial buildings, the Sule Paya and Yangon’s monumental city hall.
We spent the rest of the day in the shade near the Trader Hotel swimming pool, reading. That evening, as sunset approached, we took a cab up to the east entrance of the immense gilded Shwedagon Paya. We took our footwear off and slipped them into a backpack – we knew we would be exiting on the other side. The sheer scale of the Shwedagon and the surrounding complex cannot be exaggerated. The central stupa is surrounded by a potpourri of shorter stupas in a variety of styles, some also gilded; ranks of shrines with Buddha statues, some with neon haloes; and pavilions, including one labeled “Buddha’s Tooth Relic.” The beauty of Shwedagon itself cannot be understated – it has a perfect shape and minimal distracting adornments. And it’s tall – about 100 meters. The combination of crowds (both tourists and Burmese) and, for want of a better word, stuff, created an impression that bordered on that of a theme park. Certainly, the mood of the many Burmese families that were visiting Shwedagon can only be described as festive. After circling the stupa, we sat on the steps of a pavilion on the west side of the central stupa and watched it change colors as the setting sun hit it from different angles. There can be no better last night in Myanmar than sunset at Shwedagon. We exited via an escalator (!) on the west side and finagled a cab back to the Traders Hotel. We ate dinner in the Traders Hotel restaurant. I thought my dish was excellent while YT thought hers was just OK. The next morning we left for the airport and our flight to Bangkok.
Our Santa Maria car and driver was waiting for us at 7:30 the next morning. The ride to Heho airport was far bumpier than we’d remembered. We arrived at the tiny airport after 45 minutes and almost three hours before our flight. We were flying on Yangon Airways (with the reassuring slogan of “You’re Safe With Us.” Burmese airlines have developed an ingenious workaround for the lack of a coherent announcement system: You’re given a color-coded sticker to put on your shirt so staff at the one functional gate could determine at a glance who was supposed to be on what flight. We were on the red flight to Yangon, which departed after the green flight to Yangon. We’d learned our lesson from our previous open-seated Yangon Airways flight – when it came time to board, we quickly scurried across the tarmac and were among the first on the place, ensuring ourselves of first row bulkhead seats with a little extra legroom.
Our flight was without incident and we arrived on time at the Yangon Airport, retrieved our checked luggage, bought a taxi pass for the Traders Hotel downtown ($10 US) and were on our way. The midday Saturday traffic was horrendous – it took almost as long to get from the airport to the Traders Hotel as it did from Heho to Yangon. We loved the Traders. It was luxurious and conveniently located. Our bed was new and firm and had nice all-cotton sheets. However, our promised view of the “pagoda” – I’m not sure if they meant Sule Paya or Shwedagon – was non-existent. We immediately began working on our iPads and with the concierge to see if we could get a dinner reservation at Le Planteur, a world-class French-Asian restaurant considered the best in Yangon – success!! Indeed, an excess of success as we had inadvertently booked both a dinner for that evening (on-line) and a lunch the following days (via the concierge).
I bought a curry chicken bun from the café and we headed out and around the corner towards the nearby Scott’s (aka “Bogyone”) market. It was our first introduction to Yangon’s dense pedestrian traffic and the horrendous state of Yangon’s sidewalks. We had to effectively walk past Scott’s market on the other side of the street, then cross over on a pedestrian walkway and then backtrack to the market. We, like many before us, were seeking a store called Yoyomay – not to be confused with the famous cellist – that specializes in Burmese tribal textiles. There was some confusion on the location – trip reports had it on the second floor of the market while Lonely Planet had it on the first. Then the light came on – the trip reports had been written by Americans while Lonely Planet employs the perverse (in my opinion) European usage for indicating floors. We asked around and promptly found it on the first (or second or upper) floor. The fabrics – from several of Myanmar’s tribal peoples – were gorgeous. After some deliberation, I bought a six foot long Chin runner. It reminded me more of a Peruvian textile than an Asian one. The Yoyomay staff were knowledgeable, helpful and very patient. Afterwards, purchase in hand, we wandered the warrens of the larger market behind Scott’s. There are hundreds of shops here selling clothing, inexpensive textiles, souvenirs, gems, jewelry, food and more. Yestravel snapped a great photo of a sullen looking monk smoking a cigarette, perhaps in an effort to hasten the cycle of rebirth. Somehow, maybe by remembering the alignment of the chartreuse markets relative to the original colonial building – we managed not to get lost and made it back out to Bogyoke Aung San Road. We stopped by a trendy-looking coffee shop for some espresso and a lime cooler before returning to the Traders Hotel.
At 6:15 that evening we took a cab to Le Planteur and our 7:00 p.m. dinner reservation. We’d left plenty of spare time due to our earlier experience with congestion, but traffic had thinned some and we arrived twenty minutes early. Le Planteur was a gorgeous colonial-era brick building in the European style set on spacious grounds. There were about twenty tables scattered around the grounds, which were a combination of lawn and tropical garden. They were lit by a combination of lighting in the tropical foliage and candlelight. We were seated immediately and a waiter discreetly slid a mosquito coil under our table. We had a choice between the Le Planteur set menu and an a la carte menu. [Note: Both menus have changed since we were there in early February.] YT chose two items of the a la carte menu (seafood ravioli and giant prawns, neither currently on the menu). I had the set menu, choosing, in an unintentional affront to animal rights activists everywhere, a starter of foie gros with apple and a main course of veal (no longer on the menu, I think with a tamarind glaze). We also ordered a bottle of Red Mountain sauvignon blanc, which had become our go-to wine this trip.
They served us two tasty courses of amuse bouclé, then our respective starters. Everything was excellent, as were our main courses. The set menu also offered a cheese selection. I was offered a cheese selection; our taste runs to strong cheese and I selected the four gooiest, stinkiest cheeses available. One of them was a Burmese cheese that was superb. After we’d shared the cheeses my set menu dessert arrived; we shared that too. (I can’t remember what it was.) It was a wonderful meal, fully the equal of anything offered in a top-end stateside restaurant – in both quality and in price. Le Planteur gave us a ride back to Traders Hotel in a vintage two-tone Morris Minor, a fun end to a great evening.
After the next morning’s breakfast buffet, we decided to tour the old British colonial buildings near the Yangon River. We used the little map in Lonely Planet. This ended up being quite the expedition. It was hot. The distances involved were more than we’d reckoned on. And Burmese sidewalks are crowded and inconstant, frequently coming to an abrupt end in large holes. In many cases they’re nothing more that a series of eroded and worn concrete slabs laid over drainage ditches. It required one to be constantly on guard about where one set one’s feet; we’d already met a traveler with her leg in a cast due to an accident on one of Yangon’s killer sidewalks. Many of the buildings themselves were in poor repair, having been neglected for sixty or more years. We eventually made our way to Strand Road, where the buildings were in better repair. We ducked into the Strand Hotel near the river. It was like entering another world, one of potted palms and ceiling fans that had otherwise ceased to exist long ago. The lobby was gorgeous - and air conditioned. We rested for a while and then went to the shopping area that ran off it. This was our last chance to buy gifts before leaving Myanmar. The shops were, as expected, more expensive than those in the countryside, but laquerware was nonetheless high quality and reasonably-priced. There was also a nice art gallery in the back, with some modern Burmese art. Our return to the hotel took us by several more old colonial buildings, the Sule Paya and Yangon’s monumental city hall.
We spent the rest of the day in the shade near the Trader Hotel swimming pool, reading. That evening, as sunset approached, we took a cab up to the east entrance of the immense gilded Shwedagon Paya. We took our footwear off and slipped them into a backpack – we knew we would be exiting on the other side. The sheer scale of the Shwedagon and the surrounding complex cannot be exaggerated. The central stupa is surrounded by a potpourri of shorter stupas in a variety of styles, some also gilded; ranks of shrines with Buddha statues, some with neon haloes; and pavilions, including one labeled “Buddha’s Tooth Relic.” The beauty of Shwedagon itself cannot be understated – it has a perfect shape and minimal distracting adornments. And it’s tall – about 100 meters. The combination of crowds (both tourists and Burmese) and, for want of a better word, stuff, created an impression that bordered on that of a theme park. Certainly, the mood of the many Burmese families that were visiting Shwedagon can only be described as festive. After circling the stupa, we sat on the steps of a pavilion on the west side of the central stupa and watched it change colors as the setting sun hit it from different angles. There can be no better last night in Myanmar than sunset at Shwedagon. We exited via an escalator (!) on the west side and finagled a cab back to the Traders Hotel. We ate dinner in the Traders Hotel restaurant. I thought my dish was excellent while YT thought hers was just OK. The next morning we left for the airport and our flight to Bangkok.
Mar 26th, 2014, 01:18 PM
#64
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Thanks for your entertaining report YT and GT. It's been great to read your take on places that I visited perhaps only 3 weeks after you.
Le Planteur will have to go on the list for next time.
Good on ya.
Caroline
Le Planteur will have to go on the list for next time.
Good on ya.
Caroline
Mar 27th, 2014, 02:21 AM
#65
Really enjoyed your report, YT & GT. You've really gotten my appetite whetted with your description of Le Planteur -- a future GTG, perhaps?
I'm fascinated by the contrasts -- your descriptions capture the sense of the country in transition perfectly--the sophisticated shops and classy hotels vs. the rough, crowded sidewalks.
Many thanks for another wonderful TR!
I'm fascinated by the contrasts -- your descriptions capture the sense of the country in transition perfectly--the sophisticated shops and classy hotels vs. the rough, crowded sidewalks.
Many thanks for another wonderful TR!
Mar 27th, 2014, 05:12 AM
#66
Original Poster
Thanks for following along, progol & sartoric. sartorial, I thought it was rather fascinating to read our two reports of such different visits so close together to the same country.
And yes, the contrast of being in these very nice hotels with the conditions of the towns/villages was stark. For us, we rarely stay in those type of hotels so it was especially striking.
Indeed, LePlanteur would make for a lovely GTG.
And yes, the contrast of being in these very nice hotels with the conditions of the towns/villages was stark. For us, we rarely stay in those type of hotels so it was especially striking.
Indeed, LePlanteur would make for a lovely GTG.
Mar 27th, 2014, 11:35 AM
#67
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Loved reading about Le Planteur.
My husband and I often go with both a set menu and a la carte when the restaurant will allow it so that sounds like a plan.
Can you give me an idea as to the menu prices for both a la carte items and the set menu? The web site does not list menu prices.
My husband and I often go with both a set menu and a la carte when the restaurant will allow it so that sounds like a plan.
Can you give me an idea as to the menu prices for both a la carte items and the set menu? The web site does not list menu prices.
Mar 30th, 2014, 06:48 AM
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Kristina - Dinner at Le Planteur is not cheap. This was, by far, the most expensive meal we had in Myanmar - the prices are comparable to higher-end restaurants in a US city. The set menu was $68USD. The ravioli appetizer and the prawns main were $19USD and $36USD respectively. The bottle of Red Mountain sauvignon blanc was $35USD. They even charged us a dollar apiece for our waters. The ride back in the wonderful old car was gratis.
