30/10/2000
A bridge which will link Mottama and Mawlamyaing is under construction. When one gets to Mottama from Yangon, one has to use a ferry to cross Thanlwin river. When it is finished, the bridge will be 10,580 feet(3225 meter)long. It contains motor road and rail road. The bridge is called Thanlwin Bridge.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

28/10/2000
Recent commercials were very interesting. One of them was made as a story. The two brothers were playing with toys. The older brother saved his pocket money in piggy banks. When they were teen agers, while young brother was wasting money going around on a big motor cycle wearing sunglasses, the elder brother was trying to learn computer. When they become over twenty years old, the younger brother is wasting money giving parties. The amount of money the elder brother saved in the bank has increased. When they were middle age, the elder brother could built a magnificent house. The one who was gazing the grand house was no other than the younger brother who had become a poor man. That is made like a story to illustrate the importance of saving money at a bank. That is TV commercial of AWB Bank.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

27/10/2000
It rained very heavily with thunder shower at mid-night on 25th October. It was frightening. It continued till half of next day. After Thadingut festival it is cold season. But, how is the weather this year? There was a storm after the rainy season and a flood in Ayeyawady river. I can still remember that water came over the floor of my friend's house.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

26/10/2000
Performing Art competitions will be held till middle of next month at National Theatre starting from 26th October. Pre-selecting competitions were held on 28th of last month. Participants from various region have come here.
(by Suga Yumiko)

25/10/2000
There will be four gold shops at the four corners of Mahogany Road and Lanmadaw Street. Shwe Nan Daw gold shop, one of them, will open soon. Popular actors Dwe and Lwin Moe and popular actress and vocalist Tun Eindra Bo will appear in TV commercial of the shop. The shop is said to be Tun Eindra Bo's sister's. These actors and actress are advertised to attend the opening ceremony of the shop. There are about twenty gold shops around Mahabandoola Road along the right side of the road opposite of Sule Pagoda.
(by Suga Yumiko)

24/10/2000
I used taxis only to go here and there not long before I was here. Recently, I happened to take buses. It is very cheap to take buses to compared to taxi fare. But, it is rather frightening to stand in the bus for it is severely shaking when I take small buses. I think it is frightening and dangerous when I see men clinging steel rail at the entrance at the back of the buses for they can fall off the buses when they stop dead and start to move fast suddenly.
(by Suga Yumiko)

23/10/2000
10th November is full moon day of Tazaungmoon, light festival. There will be cartoon light festival in 13th street from 9th to 11th November. The festival is held in commemoration of late cartoonist U Ba Gyan. On the light boxes works of famous cartoonist appear.
(by Suga Yumiko)

21/10/2000
The 26th of this month will be a public holiday for it is Depawali Day for Hindus. Eid Day for Muslims is also a holiday. Although these days are not printed on calendar, newspaper carry the announcement of holiday one or two days ahead.
(by Suga Yumiko)

20/10/2000
A new ATR42 arrived at Yangon International Airport on 12th October to join the fleet of Yangon Airways' ATR72. It has entered service from 14th October. It has seating capacity of 46 passengers.
(by Suga Yumiko)

19/10/2000
A new J Donuts shop is going to open in front of Nyaung Pin Lay Plaza soon. J Donuts shops are very popular among young people. These are also meeting places for them.
(by Suga Yumiko)

18/10/2000
The following is an article from "The Guardian" of 2nd February 1960 issue.

B.O.A.C COMETS for speed TOURIST
for economy to
LONDON in 18 hours
SINGAPORE in 4 hours
HONG KONG in 3 1/2 hours
JAPAN in 10 hours
Consult your local BOAC
Appointed Travel Agent or BOAC, 622, Merchant Street, Rangoon. Telephone:14922
British Overseas Airways Corporation

According to the article, there were direct flight to London and Japan from Yangon 40 years ago. The "Merchant St." is now called "Konthe Lan".
(by Kimura Kenichi )

17/10/2000
We went to a fashion show in commemoration of Thidingyut festival held at the ball room of Strand Hotel with Ms.Suga last Saturday (14th October). I haven't seen such a good show before. The show can be said the epoch-making one. Htet Htet Moe Oo, popular actress, was also present together with her husband. Actress Eindra Kyaw Zin, youth actress, who is increasingly famous, was also present there. A total of 7 or 8 hundreds people, including those who were standing in the hall enjoyed the show.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

16/10/2000
The Thidingyut festival (end of Buddhist lent) was over. It also means the rainy season has been over. Actually, it has been raining heavily since morning. I went to see a gay-concert (the high light of Thidingyut) held in Thadu street in Kyemyindine Township, west of Yangon. There were about four or five hundreds people. The audience shouted "Are you men or women?" About 15 or 16 gays
were all hair dressers.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

14/10/2000
Thidingyut festival (The end of Buddhist lent) was celebrated the other day. The area, around the junction of Ye Kyaw Road and Bo Gyoke Aung San Road, became a pedestrian precinct. There were so many road-side shops and small pay-theatres. The roads were so crowded that we couldn't move. A lot of small hot air balloons called `Mi Boun' were flied. They lit a candle and fixed at the mouth of the balloon. The sky was very beautiful with many balloons like stars at night.
(by Suga Yumiko)

13/10/2000
Gold Finger is a hair dresser shop in front of Bogyoke Market. I saw commercial of the shop on TV. About seven or eight hair dressers in gray dress style hair as I saw on TV. Customers can also havetheir hair shampooed in the shop. It costs only 100 Kyats to have hair cut in ordinary shops. But it cost at least 500 Kyats in this shop. It costs mare to have hair shampooed.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

12/10/2000
In yangon, Balazon Shopping Centre is popular among youths who like fashions. I did not see any youth in longgyi at the Cafe Vrada on the terrace of the first floor. I also saw a former model Mr.Brian and his friends in fashionable dresses. Mr.Brian can be said a pioneer of model agencies in Myanmar. He is also chairman of a model agency.

(by Kimura Kenichi )

11/10/2000
I went to Hanthawady second hand car sales centre the otherday. There were a lot of cars on sale. No need to tell that Toyota is the most popular. Nissan is second. The highest price of a 96 Model Mercedes Bene is 45 million Kyats.

(by Kimura Kenichi )

10/10/2000
Mid - year Myanma Gems Emporium continued at Myanma Gems Mart today. Lots of jade and raw jade are being on sale through competitive bidding system. The emporium began on 3rd October and will finish on 11th October. 620 local and foreign gems merchants have arrived here to attend the emporium. Sales of jade on 7th October amounted to over US$ 1.5 million.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

9/10/2000
I saw Dwe, a star of screen, passed my taxi driving a very magnificent Land Cruiser. According to the taxi driver, it is worth about 30 to 40 million kyats. That kind of luxury is just like a dream for ordinary people. So, Dwe is such a star of stars.
(by Kimura Kenichi )

7/10/2000
Good People Series<2> A Woman of Egg Shop
I bought five eggs from a street stall of egg. It cost 85 kyats. But I had only 82 kyats then. A woman of that stall let me have the eggs suggesting that I would pay the rest later.
(by Suga Yumiko)

6/10/2000
The singer, Sain Hti Sain (it means "umbrella shop") will travel abroad for four months in commemoration of his 50th birth day. His fan are expecting that he'll release new album.
(by Suga Yumiko)

5/10/2000
Good People Series<1> Taxi Driver
You have to negotiate with taxi driver about fare before you get on in Myanmar. When I negotiated with a taxi driver today, he tried hard to understand my poor Burmese, and the fare was reasonable. I felt somehow grateful.
(by Suga Yumiko)

4/10/2000
Application forms of matriculation examination are to be submitted during 2/Oct to 31/Oct. Generally, it is called "10th grade examination" and is also a exam to graduate from high school. The students who passed with grade A can join the university, and the mark of this exam decide which college students can join. Students can challenge as many time as they want. One of my friends failed 7 times, and he said "I'll try again this year!"
(by Suga Yumiko)

3/10/2000
The Exhibition of 4 countries, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and China, called `The Golden Triangle Friendship Trade Fare-2000' will be held from 27/Oct to 5/Nov, under the sponsorship of Ministry of Trade. Now, the ministry is inviting agencies to participate.
(by Suga Yumiko)

2/10/2000
The famous writer and movie director, U Thu Kha has established `Funeral Assist Meeting'. It seems like mortician. He is preparing for hearses and establishment of office with the donation gathered by the members. He is also recruting new members.
(by Suga Yumiko)
(by Kimura Kenichi )