29/03/2002
Electricity storage started at the beginning of 1998. According to a friend, there are very few wards where there is not black out in Yangon. Tamway where I live experience power shortage now and then. But, we can't help it. Therefore, it is not convenient to use fridge, washing machine and iron. But, there are a lot of people who live happily with candles and charcoal. There are also iron which can be used putting charcoal in it. Sometimes, I think it was wonderful to spend a silent night with candlelight. (Sometimes, we had to watch TV with the use of inverter.)

26/03/2002
Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications is making arrangements to double existing public telephones 500 to 1000. Arrangements are underway to launch 100,000 GSM phones. The initial payment to sign on to the network is K 500,000. It costs K2 a minute for incoming calls and K4 aminutes for local calls.

25/03/2002
There are Chin baskets with sling made of bamboo and sword used by Chin men. Even they live in other regions apart from Chin State, they keep these things handy.

22/03/2002
Last week, an official from our company attended meeting of tour companies. At the meeting, an official of the ministry said that they intend to make "2004" Visit Myanmar Year like that of 1996. If every thing goes well, visitors to Myanmar may increase in 2004.

21/03/2002
I saw big Ngakhus (Clarius batrachus) at the morning market in Tamway. Gravy of Monhinga that represents Myanmar is mainly cooked with this fish. As for a Myanmar, if they say fish they mean first from rivers. Squid and sea fish curries are available at Chinese restaurants in downtown Yangon because Chinese foods have become more popular. "Squid" is called "Pyigyi Nga" in Myanmar language.

20/03/2002
IT Company, Bagan Cybertech arrangements are being made for installation of 10,000 e-mails. I took about a week to have e-mail installed at the beginning of the project. If everything goes well it can be finished in a day. In addiction, there are other intranet service programmes. Installation charge is cheaper than MPT. It costs 200 US$ for private users and 600 US$ for companies and firms.

19/03/2002
Broccoli is one of green vegetables which are rich in vitamin A. Recently, it has become famous because it is effective for preventing cancer. Cauliflower can be seen at the markets very often. This was the first time for me to see broccoli in a period of fours in Myanmar. It was exactly the same as that in Japan in colour and in feature. I bought it early in the morning and cooked it. It was very delicious. Vegetables from Japan such as cabbage, green pepper and etc have become more common. Pump king, potatoes, ginger and sesamum also can be found. Large cucumbers are not completely available. Carrots are a bit small.

18/03/2002
There were a lot of traffic jams recently in Yangon. I think number of cars have increased closing of roads up to 9 am for practising of drill of Armed Forces Day Parade which falls on 27th of March. Summer has come in Myanmar now. It is a daily routine for the people to take crowded buses without air-conditioner under blazing sun. It is something wrong for me to take a bus without air-conditioner. But, I can live at my flat where there are no air-conditioners.

15/03/2002
Dough sticks made of flour are deep fried. But, it has special taste and it is eaten with Monhinga. It is delicious to eat it seperately. It goes well with coffee. It is available at tea shops in Tamway where Indian people live. But, there are a few shops lide this where they made I Kya Kwei themselves. This tea shop is located in front of Tamway Plaza on Mau Kon Road. The name of a boxer was "I Kya Kewi". Although he was defeated in the match as soon as the match started, hewas very famous.

14/03/2002
This photo was taken near the jetty when I went to Dala on other side of Yangon Bank of Yangon river. Worn-out tyres are used as asphalt for tarring on the road. Beside the tyres are firewood to boil the tyres.

13/03/2002
I just in troduced you to collecting of clients at the markets. This time was in the evening when trishaws were not in use and parking at their places. I got a chance to read a book_ diary_ written by a Japanese who stayed in Yangon for about three months. I was surprised to find many wrong facts just after reading about one passage on a page. It was written in hte book that it is better not to ride trishaws for they are dangerous. It is true. It is dangerous to take it by it is going among trucks and buses. But, the writer contined to say that trishawmen own the trishaws. It is total wrong. Most of trishaws are owned by other people. They are hired at a rate per day. Like private-own trishaws. It is the same for taxis. Generally, taxis are owned by other people. Some trishaw men share a trishaw and work by shift_ day and night.

12/03/2002
This is new production of the old design radio of twenty years ago. It is sold for K 3,300.

11/03/2002
Name of all the taxis are changed under the arrangement of YCDC, names of all the taxis have been changed as City Taxi. The word: City Taxi is written on the either sides and they are numbered according to districts. There is a board with registration numbers and curriculumvitaes of the owner and the driver on the dashboard of the car.

8/03/2002
Rose, king of flowers, is called "Hninzi Pan" in Myanmar language. They are available in red, pink, yellow and so on. They cannot be available in many colours. Moreover, it is a hard job to grow rose for the tree likes rain. Although there are big roses called "wheel roses", those we can find in this country is small roses like the ones in the photo. They are available at anytime for the roses are bought by many house holds. Moreover, chrysanthemum and gladiolus sell well.

7/03/2002
Bananas is one of the fruits that represent southern countries. There are many kinds of bananas. They differ in size, colour and shape. There are also three-side bananas and huge golden bananas in red colour. They are all-season fruit. There are so many houses where banana trees are grown in the gardens. The banana trees seen to be easy to grow.

6/03/2002
When I go for a walk for health on the congested roads of Tamway township, I see new apartment buildings under construction. From six to eight storey buildings are being built on very small plots of land. A building has apartments on left and right sides. Stair way is in the middle. It is typical design of apartment buildings in Yangon. Customarilly, they haven't got a lift. I think there are about 20 buildings which have lifts in downtown Yangon. Skyscrapers in Yangon are the Traders Hotel and sakura Tower opposite of the former. They are 24 storey buildings. Others are eight storiey ones. Before starting construction of a building, huts are built for workers to live. It is typical process of construction in the country. After finishing construction of the building, the huts are removed away.(k.k)

5/03/2002
The Myanmar youth team took part in the First ASEAN U-17 Youth Football Tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 19th February to 2nd march and won the championship trophy and the fair play award. It was the first victory for the Myanmar team since 1972 when it stood first in the Asia Zone-2 Olympic qualifier match.

4/03/2002
There are a lot of shops which sell ice. Fridges are not widely used. Although, someone has a fridge, it is just like simple box because there is electricity black out everyday. Therefore, iceshops has become a thing of necessity. There are some shops which sells iced juice and ice-lolly. There are also street-venders who sell iced water at a price of 5 kyats a glass. There are very small shops at road side.

1/03/2002
It is said that a Taiwanese runs the restaurant. About 35 air-conditioners are installed there. Interior decoration may be that of Yangon. I have taken this photo from my apartment because nobody is allowed to take photograph in the restaurant. It is located on the six floor of Mingalar Mon market near Mingalar Market. There are disco, night club and show. Admission is K2,000 per head for man and K500 for woman. Every customer is given a free drink. It has a band and female singers. The singing programme of the singers was followed by fashion show of beautiful girls which lasted for about an hour. In the middle of the show, the active dance of three gay persons and male dancers. The place was crowded because costumes of models were beautiful. Later, disco time came again at about 11 o'clock. Sound production was good although text of English song was strong. But, the previous disco had to be closed for the row of customers. There were four or five guardmen on the dance floor. There are eight or nine guardmen on the dance floor. Young men were dancing in undisciplined state. But, we could come back home without any problem. (k.k)