30/11/2001
Today (30.11.01), fullmoon day of Tazaungmoon, is a public holiday. This is the photo of the decorated trees of offertories to be donated to the monasteries at Kathina robe offering ceremony of Nyaung Pinlay Plaza where our Sanay office is located. the trees of offertories will be conveyed to the monasteries in procession and donated to the monks there.

29/11/2001
The pagoda is the one that Myanmar Buddhists want to visit and pay homage at least once in their lifetime. It is said that a Mon King came to the pagoda to pay homage. It is said to be recorded in history. A pagoda was constructed on a big rock which is going to fall down. It is called Golden Rock Pagoda. It is a famous pagoda among foreign visitors. On the day I visited there, the pagoda was crowded with young men and girls because there was Thidingyut Festival (End of Buddhist lent). There are rice shops at the back row of pagoda precinct. There emerge many concrete buildings. Many buildings are also under construction. Souvenir shops have looked better. Granite tiles ate placed on the pagoda platform and it has become very neat and tidy. I think something is wrong because there are very few China-made tiles with old peacock design and floral design on them and they are tilted. The tiles were there long time ago. From a foreign visitor's point of view, sudden substitution of the new thing among the old thing is wrong to some extent. But, on other hand, Myanmar people like the new.

There are rice shops at the back row of pagoda

28/11/2001
It is more convenient to go to Kyaikpawlaw Hmeshindaw Pagoda after visiting Kyaikhtiyoe. "Hmeshin" means living mole. The pagoda is said to possess great influence because the image enshrined in it has a mole on its face. Hairstyle of the child among the visitors to the pagoda can hardly be seen in Yangon. I think I haven't seen it so far except for this photo. It is delightful to see remaining old cultural style like this in the villages.

27/11/2001
This the Buddha image situated in Mon state which can be reached by three-hour drive from Yangon. It is called Kyaikpawlaw Mheshindaw Phaya. It is strongly built and its history seems to be very old. Peacock designs are installed on the windows and on the walls. Bama people brought Buddhism for Mon people. It is said there are a lot of beautiful girls among Mon people. There is no need to mention the name of Nanda Hlaing, a beautiful actress, who is from Mon State.

26/11/2001
I saw three-wheelers which cannot be seen in Yangon in front of a famous Pagoda in Bago. Three-wheelers used to be vehicles called Tuk Tuk in Thailand. In downtown Bago, we can see lovely small like this. The one in this photo is moving zealously with 7 or 8 women passengers on it.

23/11/2001
As you know, Yangon is capital of Myanmar. It would be better to think that Yangon is quite different from other places. News for this week is places >from far away places. It takes about an hour to go there from Yangon. For example, if you head towards Bago, you will see wide fields and there are not buildings over three storeys. In the fields cows and buffaloes are working. If you proceed to small towns, it may be said to be amusing. Bicycles are very useful for transportation in places where transportation is very difficult. There are also bicycles in Yangon. But, it is a place where people who want to live long cannot ride bicycles.

22/11/2001
This photo was taken while an accident broke out in downtown Yangon.

21/11/2001
Trial broadcasting of FM89.0 Mz run by Yangon City Development Committee has been conducted starting from 1st November. It is available from 10 am to noon and from 14:00 to 16:00 in the afternoon. It mainly broadcasts Myanmar Stereo songs and carries few news. Date for regular programmes has not been fixed yet.

20/11/2001
Rumours that a Buddha image has come out over Lanka Chantha Ahbayalaba Muni (Marble image) has spread yesterday and the day after yesterday. The place where image is kept was crowded with believers the whole night. The reason why the image has come out is unknown.

19/11/2001
It rained at night on last Wednesday. The weather has becomed cold suddenly next day. Northern wind had blown. It has become colder at morning and night. At last, the cold season has set in. But, the sun is very hot in the afternoon.

16/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Museum
This is the museum in Nyaung Shwe, Shan State. Palace of Sawbwas is made into the museum. The building is very good. It is closed on Mondays and public holidays.

15/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Chickens
This is the place where chickens are fed.

14/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Fish Rice
This represents Shan food and it is very delicious.

13/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Threads from Lotus
This is a place where threads are extracted from lotus. High-class things are made of these threads and exported to foreing countries.

12/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Threads
This is ginning of threads for weaving longgyi.

9/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Tomato
This is a place on ground where tomatoes from floating cultivation are stored. Tomatoes are transported to towns in the country and exported to China via Mandalay.

8/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Market
This is the market which holds every five days. It is busy with shopper since morning.

7/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Floating Farms
These are floating farms cultivated in Inle. Especially, tomatoes are grown on floating islands. Production from island are two times more than farms on the guound.

6/11/2001
A Feature of Inle Lake : Buddha Image
These are five images kept in Phaung Daw Ol pagoda. During Phaung Daw Oo festival, four images are conveyed aroung the villages on a barge.

5/11/2001
Things are sold at discount at Super Markets and department stores to mark Thadingyut, end of Buddhist Cent. The discount is from 10% to 50%. There are market festivals crowded with shoppers.

2/11/2001
Yesterday was full monn day of Thadingyut. It was an official holiday. Every place was crowded with people. Especially pagoda platforms were so crowded with visitors that they could hardly move. There is a custom in Myanmar that one cannot get married during the period between fullmonn day of Warso (about 5th July) and fullmon day of Thadingyut (about the end of October). We will receive invitions of wedding reception since the end of October.

1/11/2001
During the occasion of Thadigyut (light festival), lamps are lit at every house. The children play with small toy carts made of plastic and bamboo with candle light in it. Playing with fire crackers has been banned for four years. It is broadcast on TV.