28/9/2001
There is no market near 132 street in Tamway Township. But, there are a row of pavement-shops in the near by street. Consumer goods and toiletries are available there. I think if there is a ward, there must be a market. I thank the road-side market that opens on Sunday also. Although nothing is changed on Sundays, there are more children in the market. This is a place where most residents are Indians. The children are playing stone balls because it is a school holiday. It really brings back memories. It is quit like Japanese stoneballs. There is a round ball inside it. I saw children playing with tops when I visited Pyin Oo Lwin. And many children flying kites on the bank of the river when I went to Mandalay.

27/9/2001
A new Japanese - English Guide Book will be published by AJC company that used to publish the guide book "Tabi no Tomo". It will distributed free at airports, embassies and travel companies. It carries information about tourist sites, beach resorts restaurants, souvenir shop and etc. It will come out in October.

26/9/2001
There is a small shrine in restaurants and shops. Orchids and other flowers are offered to it. There are many shops that sell shrines near Tamway Plaza. Buddha images are sold at eastern stairway of Shwedagon Pagoda. I saw a girl staff in man's clothing at a shop. When I asked the owner if he was a man of a girl. The owner said he would be angry with you. Later, he told me in whisper that she was a girl and he lived like a man. Here in Myanmar, of course, there are different type of people.

25/9/2001
Than Lin Tun, a former staff of Sanay, opened a restaurant. It was Zay Ya Myaing restaurant. It is located in the middle of a small park. Myanmar draught beer is available here. I visited i worry there for about two weeks. Some come and drink since morning. They call doing so that he washes his face with alcohol.

24/9/2001
The football fans in Yangon are infront of TV most of the time now. Nine-country football match if SEA games is being held Kualur Lumpur in Malaysia. Myanmar team draw with Cambodia, won Lao and Singapore and was beaten by Thailand and Malaysia. Last week, Thailand was first, Malaysia second and Myanmar third.

21/9/2001
It is natural that umbrellas sell well in the rainy season. Some people buy new umbrella if one breaks. They generally have their umbrellas mended. Due to raising prices of umbrellas, umbrella repair shops have a lot of work to do before and during the rainy season. A repair costs 50 Kyats to 200 Kyats. Most Myanmar believe that if they lose and umbrella, it takes back bad luck from the owner. It is just consloation.

20/9/2001
There are many people who have their shoes mended without throwing them away when the strings of slippers break while they are walking. These road-side-shops are very useful for these people. Mending of a string costs 20K.

19/9/2001
Special programme was broadcast on TV on 13 and 14 September. Stars of screen Dwe, Lwin Moe, Eindra Kyaw Zin and Nanda Hlaing acted in that movie. Nishigaki of Sanay and I (Kimura) go a chance to act in a scene. The director of the movie was famous Zin Yaw Maung Maung, the tallest man in this photo.

18/9/2001
Seasonal fruits like pear and citron etc are sold on this trolley. The fruits are sliced and kneaded with coloring powder, sugar and liquorice. Iced fruits are also sold. On the trolley, a gong is hung. The vendor strikes the gong as he goes around pushing the trolley. Two citron fruits cost 100K.

17/9/2001
We have already introduced keeping of fish for fun. The fish in this photo is called "Lucky Fish" and costs 90000 Kyats each. Their food is said to be beef and prawn (alive). I am mot sure whether they bring good luck to the people or not. But, the fish that can eat such good food is lucky.

14/9/2001
This photo was taken when the air-conditioner from our office was serviced. Air-conditioners are serviced biannually in Myanmar. It costs 3000 Kyats for each time.

13/9/2001
They are red flowers. They are called Sein Pan in Myanmar. Red flowers bloom among green leaves like flame. Both flowers and green leaves are fresh. It can be said the most beautiful season because it is the rainy season. It is the fourth rainy season in Yangon. It seems to rain more this year.

12/9/2001
The news the terrorists attacked on New York city and Washington, D.C. is a big news on TV and newspaper in here Myanmar too. From this morning, a lot of people are talking about this news at the teahouse, bus stop, office and etc...

11/9/2001
Video theatres are in vogue at villages and regions where there are not cinemas. There are many video tape rental shops in downtown Yangon. But, recently, CD(VCD) became more popular. I came across many VCDs on sale at Mingalar Market and I bought a lot of them. Some of them are Mr. Bean, Samurai Kid, Chaplin, Matrix, Crying Freeman(Japanese comic made into a movie in Hong Kong.) and etc. If you really look for things, everything is sold in Yangon. Things from China, Thailand, Korea, things from unknown countries written in Japanese and etc.

10/9/2001
There is a monastery in front of crystal Palace on Shwegondaing road. Four Japanese students who are studying Myanmar at University of Foreign Languages entertained an audience with four songs accompanied by harp, Myanmar traditional musical instrument. The instructor of them is U Pe Tin. After practising two times a week, they can play the harp very well. Their classmate, Thai student dropped the lessons at one try and a Chinese student dropped out after a month of practising. They both seemed to drop it because they could not say the tune Do, Re, Me, Fa. There is no music class at school in Myanmar.

7/9/2001
I took a photo of a man playing in the sightseeing boat from distance the other day. But, now, I entered the Bogyoke Park in front of the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar after paying 10 Kyats for entrance fee. We I took a stroll in the park, it seemed to be a big one. I saw tracks for mini train but not the train. At the bank, there was a sightseeing boat. We could take it after making a reservation. It is not only a beautiful park but also located in front of Royal Kandawgyi Lake. We can gaze from the back.

6/9/2001
This a picture of bat. The cat at home was running around the flat in an evening when it was raining a little. When I found out why, it seemed to followed something. I took a photo when it was stuck at the door. It was a big bat. I set it free out of the flat so that it was not tortured by the cat.

5/9/2001
Gold fish are kept at the offices. It is written "Shwe" in Myanmar. It is said to bring luck if they are bred in residents and offices. Moreover, Chinese believe that idea. I asked that was not very beautiful. He said that because the fortune teller adviced to keep something concerned with water on the western wall.

4/9/2001
O Shin, a drama made by NHK, is telecast in Thailand and Malaysia again and again. It is famous all over Asia. A Vietnamese student from University of Foreign Languages said that he was very excited after watching O Shin. Such famous name O Shin is used a brand name of a washing soap. The advertisement of the soap appeared in a journal in Myanmar. I think there are still many Japanese brand goods that cannot be found Japan.

3/9/2001
A strange service is being provided in Pansodan Street. It is ear was cleaning and manicured and ears cleaned. It cost 300 Kyats for having the nails manicured and ears cleaned. After that light massage is given to back of neck. It is a good business without investment and place.