27/9/2000
I unexpectedly found an advertisement of an air ticketing company in a newspaper in English published in 1960. I remember that Yangon which used to be the most developed city in south east Asia forty years ago was the first city to fly direct Yangon-Newyork and Yangon-London then.

26/9/2000
It is the end of the rainy season and the start of cold season. Custard apples (I have already introduced) and sweet lime (Citrus medica lime) (the fruits like green oranges in the tray in front of the vendor) have come into season. One sweet lime costs only 20 Kyats.

25/9/2000
The final final exams of University of Distance Education on October 14th. The place to hold the exams haven't been announced yet.

22/9/2000
A new magazine "Beauty" has come out. It carried an article about works of world famous director Mr.Kurosawa Akira. It was about five pages. The photograph on the third page was right. But that on the first page was wrong. The photo is that of director Ichikawa Kon, the director of Tokyo Olympic and Koto Sasa Meyuki. The name of the actor Kayama Yuzo who starred in Rashomon and Seven Samurai was wrongly written as Toshirou Mifune.

21/9/2000
Cafe De Aroma under Naypyidaw Movie theatre on Sule Pagoda Road was crowded with Europeans and Koreans recently. I have already introduced the place. Although the ceiling is high and inner decoration is very good, a cup of coffee costs 400-500 Kyats. So, only foreign visitors frequent there. Beer is also available. Magazine like Image, Life Style, Beauty and etc can be read. Live TV programme of Sedny Olympic can be watched in the shop. But, Myanmars do not look to be interested in the game.

20/9/2000
The weather has been fine for three days in Yangon. The rainfall in Kalay Township, Chin State, measured 8.86 inches on 18th September was new record. It was the highest measurement during 24 hours for September in 33 years, according to Meteorological Department.

19/9/2000
The opening ceremony of Mandalay International Airport at 7:30 am on 17 September. The runway is 14,000 feet long and the longest in South East Asia. The airport can handle 3 million passengers per year.

18/9/2000
I first visited Lawka Chantha Abbya Labha Muni Image at Mindama Hill in Insein Township the other day. When we got near the hill, we couldn't go further by car. So, we parked the car at the carpark at a rate of 30 Kyats per hour. As we walked towards the hill, we saw a row of stalls which was about 300 meter long. They are giving finishing touches to the giant image now. And buildings are under construction. I can say for sure that the place will become a major attraction for both tourists and local people.

16/9/2000
Yesterday was opening day of World Olympic Games. But there was no special news about it in Myanmar media.

15/9/2000
The flights of Air Mandalay and Yangon Airways will land at the new Mandalay International Airport satarting from tomorrow(16th September). The opening ceremony will be held at 7:30 am on 17th September, according to the airlines.

14/9/2000
We can see beautiful rainbow sometime while the sun shines in Yangon where it rains continuously. This photo was taken from Kandawkyi Tower which I introduced you on 12nd of this month. Tar Mwe Plaza,Yuzana Plaza, Mingalar Market and Mingalar Plaza are situated up to downtown area. The township is strikingly developing.

13/9/2000
In Myanmar, new bridges are ready to open one after another after, Aung Zay Ya suspension bridge has opened. Construction work of 180 meter long Khabaung bridge has completed yesterday. The bridge is on the main road of Yangon-Mandalay motor way in Bago Township, Taung Ngu District.

12/9/2000
High standard apartments are being built one after another in Yangon. Both Kandaw Gyi Tower and Royal Lake Tower are almost finished. Kandaw Gyi Tower is a 14- storey building including car park. This is one of the twenty highest buildings in Yangon. The room from which Shwedagon Pagoda can be seen is 1600 square feet wide and it is US$ 40,000. The room without the view of Shwedagon Pagoda is 7,500,000 Kyats. The foreigners are entitled to buy these apartments. So, Singaporean, Japanese, France, Chinese and etc live in this high standard apartment.

11/9/2000
I came across a strange article in Ahkyo Soung Business Magazine. I will introduce you to new starUtada Hikaru. She was born in New York. She has been composing songs since she was ten years old.Her mother is famous vocalist BujiKeiko. She was awarded The World Besting Selling Asian Artist at the music festival held in Monaco. But, she is not much knows in Myanmar.

9/9/2000
The news is what a friend of mine who returned from Ddaye. The town is two or three hour's drive from Dala on the other side of Yangon river after crossing another river. It is in Ayeyawady Division In the town, it rained for ten days non-stop. It was very difficult to make washed clothes dry. And it was a bit cold in early morning. There was a storm after the rainy season last year. It caused flood and the had to stay in temporary camps. They were worried about increased water level. It rains everyday in Yangon but not the whole day. It only rains off and on.

8/9/2000
Today was International Literacy Day.
The movie on TV yesterday is about young teachers who taught grass root people in the country how to read. The director was U Thu Kha.

7/9/2000
Pan Hlaing Golf Estate will finish on mid-September. It is located in Hlaing Thaya Township. It can be reached across Aung Zeya Bridge from Insein North of Yangon. It is 650 acre wide and there are garden, housing and a 150-bed-hospital which is 4 acre wide in the estate. Designer of this project is famous sportsman Gery Player. This project was started in 1998 and it is a world-class golf estate. This golf course is the sixth in Yangon.

6/9/2000
It has been over one month since we last reported on Lawka Chantha Abaya Laba Muni Marble Buddha Image. Today news is about it. The news of the image that arrived in Insein 5th August is on the media of Myanmar everyday. The image has been conveyed from Insein port to Mindama Hill in horizontal position on the rail. The image was put to upright position yesterday. The image weights about 500 tons. So it was a very difficult job to do so. Donations to the image has amounted to over 36.47 million Kyats. According to those who actually went there, the image isn't very big.

5/9/2000
During World Cup Football matches, there was electricity shortage in Myanmar. But, when the time to telecast the matches came, the electricity was on again. The people in Yangon could watch final matches and etc live on TV the whole night. The opening ceremony of Olympic Festival is drawing near. But there is no news about the festival on TV or in newspapers. It seems that they don't take any interest in it. Following is the response of my questions. According to officials of Aung San Stadium, altogether twenty sportsmen will take part in Olympic Games in weight lifting, track and field, swimming, shotput, archery and etc. They will leave here for Sidney on 10th September.

4/9/2000
The long expected commercial of Tenri Ramen which finished shooting two months ago was started to be telecast yesterday. Mr&Mrs.Nishigaki, Mr.Kimura and his room mates, four Japanese appeared in this commercial. Before the shop of Tenri Ramen is Japan style and now it becomes famous among Myanmar youths, for it is less expensive and can be ordered Kyee Oh (boil vermicelli with meet and vegetables).

Shooting commercial They are Myanmar models.

2/9/2000
The branch shop Cafe Disbar of Cafe Demo has opened. It is located beside MC Cafe, opposite of Savoy Hotel. The place is near Pet shop (Hello) (I have already introduced to you), the cake shop (Pe'Chef) and famous Top Choice. Although, this place is separate from downtown area, there are many interesting shops. The owner Ko Ko Aung of Cafe Disbar studied Restaurant Management for six years in Japan. He married to a Japanese woman and his Japanese is very elegant.

1/9/2000
There are movie festival, dance performance and party in Fukuoka, the largest city on KyuuShuu Island, Southern Japan in September every year. For this occasion, youths and guests from Asia are invited. During the festival, Asia Grand Prizes are awarded to those who are engaged in cultural work on 23rd. This year, Grand Prize (US$ 50,000) was awarded to Mr. Pramoedya Ananta Toer of Indonesia. History researcher Dr.Than Tun of Myanmar won Academic Prize (US$ 30,000).