30/08/2002
MAI's aircraft B737-300 will fly from Yangon to Bangkok vice versa in the mornings on Tuesdays and Saturdays starting from 3rd September 2002. Flight number 8M 225 leaves Yangon at 07:30 and arrives in Bangkok at 09:10. Flight number 8M 226leaves Bangkok at 10:05 and arrives in Yangon at 10:45.Silk air is increasing its weekly flights from 7 to 9 starting from 27 October 2002 to 29 March 2003 for Singapore-Yangon-Singapore flights. The flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flight number MI518 leaves Singapore at 15:20 and arrives in Yangon at 16:40. Flight number MI517 leaves Yangon at 17:40 and arrives at Singapore at 22:00.

29/08/2002
Phone calls to Nyaung Shwe had to be made through Taunggyi in the past. New switchboard has been installed in Nyaung Shwe. We can easily call Nyaung Shwe from where calls were difficult to get through.

28/08/2002
Surprising at the Ronaldo-like-hairstyle of a young boy, I asked him for permission to take a photo of him. When I aimed my camera at him, he responded "Yes" with a best smile. I think soccer may be language of the world. Although I felt the flood I came across on my way to Chaungtha was great trouble, local people didn't take it a serious matter. Therefore, I think they seem to experience such floods every year.(Takizawa Masakatsu)

27/08/2002
This is the place where a bus was pulling the cars on to a z-craft on our way toChaungtha during the rainy season. Water level was the lowest then. Transportation across this place may stop next day.(Takizawa Masakatsu)

26/08/2002
I went to Chaung Tha beach resort in the rainy season hiring a car at 25000 kyats. The amount is not much because it is about 3,000 yan. But, I was surprisedwhen that amouunt was said to be much enough for 50 persons to go there by bus. In this photograph, the but I took was pulling the van. We had to help each other. The cars were like swimming. Capacity of the bus and the technique teh driver used were very interesting. The flooded area was about 1 km. Buses are like driving in lake. It was more fearing than riding a roller coaster.(Takizawa Masakatsu)

23/08/2002
Can it be said a pleasant time during the rainy season? I saw some people fishing when I went for a walk around Kandawgyi Lake because the weather was fine. What would they catch? There are signs bearing "No playing football!" "No fishing!""No riding bicycle!" It may be because there are rules to be broken in any country. This place is for movie makers, jokers, fishermen and couples. The other day I came across a Peeping Tom who was watching couples from a bush with binoculars. Anyway, it is a pleasant and peaceful park.(K.K)

22/08/2002
This is also about a park; Kandawgyi where you go for a stroll with the admission fee 10 kyats. I once came across Myanmar actors in the middle of shooting a movie at Fuji restaurant in front of Yangon University of Foreign Languages. They are the two most famous actors__Dwe and Lwin Moe and the most beautiful actress; Nanda Hlaing. I missed the chance of taking photograph of them because I didn't have a camera then although I keep it handy wherever I go. The other day, when I was quickly taking a lot of photographs of a scence of a movie while I was taking a walk in Kandawgyi Lake, a man came to me and charged me 200 kyats for taking my camera in. It costs US$ 5 to enter the park and the man kept following me. Therefore, I couldn't do anything and paid him 200 kyats. The actors I came across then was not very famous. They are beautiful Hla Eizali Tint and Min Oo, former husband of commercial queen Htet Htet Moe Oo.(K.K)

21/08/2002
There is a Beer Garden in the park where the dog takes a nap in the afternoon. A mug of beer cost 120 Kyats last year. But, it has become 150 kyats suddenly. The price has been rising and it became 200 kyats per mug starting from August. The price was not raised by the restaurant on his own accord. It was raised by the beer company all over the country. The restaurant owner had to store 30 barrels. Because of soaring prices, the restaurant which is popular with customers for lower prices and taste of food had to raise the prices a bit. (K.K)

20/08/2002
This dog was taking a nap at Zeya Myaing Park in the afternoon. Number of dog keepers is on increase recently. But, there are very few residences with large compound. In contrary, downtown area is full of apartment buildings. A group of two or three dogs can be seen in front of the buildings. They are neither stray dogs nor ones kept by someone. Someone from the building feed them. Therefore, they are not like the ones wandering around the city. That is difference between pet dogs and stray dogs. Whenever I go for a walk with my dog brought from Japan, I have to avoid the roads where there are stray dogs. The dog in the photo can get food from the restaurant on the park.(K.K)

19/08/2002
The Trade Centre is located in Pazundaung. Irregular exhibitions and trade fairs are held there. When Thai Trade Fair was held, there was traffic jam on the road due to cars of visitors to the fair. That shows the interest of Myanmar people on Thai products. This fair was held to promote sales of products from Myanmar. There were stages on first and second floors. Models holding goods walked along the catwalk. There were also stage performances. People took interest in the performance of a gay. The Myanmar song accompanied with his performance was about a woman abandoned by her lover when she was pregnant. The accdience gave him a big round of applause when he was over acting indicating a handsome man among the audience. Finally, the gay got down from the stage and kissed the man suddenly. There was a great noise with laughter of on lookers. I have no idea if this incident spreaded. Number of visitors were on the increase day by day and there was no standing room on the last day. The gay was the most popular despite the fact that the models at show were beautiful.(K.K)

16/08/2002
Gradually, the last day to attend the Yangon University of Foreign Languages has arrived. I first joined the university in September 1998. After experiencing worries and various event, I finally graduated. I received graduation certificate and transcript of performance in excitement. This ws the first time for the university to hold such a ceremony since it was first established in 1964. I felt excited again to graduate with assistance rendered by all the teachers.(K.K)

15/08/2002
At home or at school, Myanmar people are taught to pay respects to parents and teachers in line with Buddha. In the text of University of Foreign Languages, students are taught to pay respects to parents and teachers, to behave politely, tobe the ones who knows code and conduct of a human being, to help others in trouble, etc. To materailise the teaching, we held a ceremony to pay respects to teachers of University of Foreign Language to express the gratitude we owe to them before we left the university. We - five Japanese, three Korean, two Vietnamese,awoman from Thai military- invited all teachers from Myanmar language Department.We presented gifts to the teachers after dinner. Although I took a lot of photographs, I couldn't express one because I couldn't get permission from the teachers. There are eight classes-basic, intermediate, diploma1, 2 and degree 1,2,3. Wewere only ones who organized such ceremony. And teachers praised us.(K.K)

14/08/2002
You may know your future at this road-side astrologer at a cost of 10 kyats per prediction. It is like astrology in Chinese temples. Chopsticks them bearing number of stars. One can consult with the astrologer letting him know date of birth and showing his or her palm. It costs 100 kyats.

13/08/2002
The most popular soccer match is Premiership in Myanmar. Time table booklet has come out and it has space for making a list of number of goals and marks gained.The last result can be guessed yourself. It costs 150 Kyats per copy.

12/08/2002
In Myanmar, everything is recycled. Rubber bushes are made of worn-out tyres and used in various parts of a car.

9/08/2002
Bogyoke Aung San Market, one of the major commercial centres in Yangon, will open everyday for business starting from August. It will close on gazette holidays. It closed on Mondays in the past.

8/08/2002
We can still see counterfeit Japan-made things in super markets. I bought a packet of instant noodles with logo and brand of a famous manufacturer in Japan. Can it be China-made product? I put the content into boiling water. After three minutes, I ate it. Oh! My God! There was a hard thing in the noodle. It was a plastic spoon. After eating two-third of the noodles, a sachet of chill and oil came out. I thought it wouldn't be so, if both the spoon and the sachet were placed on the noodles. This is about recent incidence in Yangon that told me how good Japan-made things were after finding counterfeit Japan-made things. (K.K)

7/08/2002
Padeingo Pan (Goldsmiths have to cry for mot being able to imitate that flower). The flower is the one which I introduced to you in last August. The name implies the meaning that even goldsmiths cry because they can't copy the very detail design of the flower. I come to realized that it is also a long-lasting flower. In the vase, roses last for two or three days, gladiolus last for four or five days and chrysanthemum for about a week. But, the flower lasted for about a month_from the end of June to the end of July and it is still beautiful and fresh. Pink flowers fell after three weeks but white flowers are still blooming like artificial ones. (K.K)

6/08/2002
It is mid-rainy season. About one-hour non-stop rain causes flash flood in the streets and they turn into rivers. Cars runs splashing in the water like a motor boat. I aviod such flooded roads because body of my car is low. When I can't do so and manage to go through such roads, I usually sit in a tea shop and wait till water level becomes lower. My power of tolerance has become more stronger after four years in Yangon. (K.K)

5/08/2002
There is no separate period for music, physical exercise, drawing and martial arts in primary school in Myanmar. Therefore, the students cannot read music notes. Recently, when I did headstand, some Myanmar youths were surprised and they said that they could not do so. Therefore, I taught them how to do a handstand. Out of six youths, only half of them could perform the act. The rest of them couldn't out of fear. (K.K)

2/08/2002
There are flowers of pumpkin tree. There are served at some restaurants as a dish. Pumpkins can be stored for a long time. But, flowers can be availabe once a uyear. Therefore, they are not included in the menu of restaurants. When I told my desire for eating the flowers. The cook fried pumpkin flower Tenpura removing the stamen, thin skin of the stems and beating the stems with flatside of chopper. It was very delicious and it freshend my mouth. (K.K)

1/08/2002
I have wrote about the billboards of Paris, recently marketed. I had a puff of Paris cigarette comparing with London, the most popular in Myanmar and 555. It is mild and it may be for girls if it is in Japan. Bill Boards have been erected at the most busiest places in Yangon. But, the cigeratte is not so popular. (K.K)