31/12/2002
I headed for the airport after my four-day, three-night visit to Myitkyina. A lot of people were stranded at the airport because there was no flight to Putao to the northernmost part of the country. I had to wait for about three hours to take the flight which flied to Putao first and came back to Myitkyina. I had to board the plane on the return from Putao. I have gained more patience when it comes to waiting for something I have lived in Myanmar for sometime. While I was for the plane to come, I enjoyed talking to strangers. It is a pleasure of travelling. I was surprised because the people in Myitkyina understood my Myanmar language more than the people in Yangon did. They listened to me carefully and eagerly. And they understood what I meant. People are very busy and employees from the shops are not very friendly like them. I think they don't understand me because they are not willing to listen to me. The main reason is that I pronounce Myanmar words very badly. There were educative posters of AIDS behind ticketing counter at the entrance of the airport.(K.K)

30/12/2002
This shop sells fruit juice extracted from ripe fruits. I don't see such shops much in Yangon. People in Yangon mainly drink tea and coffee. There are a lot of fruit juice shops in row in the street near the railway station in Myitkyina. I drank avocado juice because I felt rather dry in my throat. It cost 300 kyats. Pomelo (Citrus decumana) and apple juice are also available. In Myanmar language, Avocado is called Htawpat (butter) Thee (fruit). Apple is called Pan (flower) Thee (fruit).(K.K)

27/12/2002
Three-wheelers can be seen only in Bago and Mawlamyaing. It has already been introduced in the Yangon news. The three-wheelers in Myitkyina are more unique. Three-wheeler is called Thonbeecar in Myanmar-Thon (three), bee (wheel), car (car). The three-wheeler is made of a motorcycle. It seems to be imported from China. About 100 three-wheelers are running in the town. Ninety per cent of the goods sold in the market are China-made. Chinese businessmen seem to have influence on the business here.I was told that it would cost 35,000 kyats to go to confluence of the Ayeyawady, the most beautiful scenic spot. It was very expensive. I asked the driver of a three-wheeler if it was possible to go to the confluence by his automobile. He charged me 16,000 kyats for the round trip. It was half of the price I had heard. It took me about four hours to cover the trip which could easily be covered within one and half hours by other cars. The road was very bad. The car was shaking violently and I had to take firm hold of an iron rod. The next morning, I couldn't get up from the bed because my hand and waist hurt. The return trip was also enjoyable like the first trip. But my car had a flat tyre just after 30 minutes drive from downtown. It was not an easy trip because the whole trip took me about nine hours. The message is that my effort to economise made me cost more. It is food for thought. Anyway, it is more interesting in its own way.(K.K)

26/12/2002
Confluence of the Ayeyawady is the most beautiful scenic spots. It is said one cannot say to have been in Myitkyina if he or she doesn't go there. I felt unhappy because the scene was the very common scene in Japan. But, it is a strange place in Myanmar. The place is called Myitson-Myit (river), son (meet). The river in front of the photo is Malikha and the other is Maykha. Water in the latter is very clear. It is very pleasant to go upstream along it. I had to go back early to Myitkyina because it would take me long and I would be late by the three-wheeler. There were gold panning places downstream. You can see a lot of pebbles of various sizes. A big banyan tree gives shelter for the people. The Lord Buddha attained enlightenment under a banyan tree. Although I see banyan trees in Yangon, they are not big like this.(K.K)

24/12/2002
There are not much cars in Myitkyina. The trucks used in agriculture are running in the town. People also use horse carts, trishaws, three-wheelers and bicycles to go to schools and offices. It was very cold in the morning and evening because December is the cold season in Myanmar. It was told it was cold in Myitkyina. But, temperature rather rose in the daytime. Girls used umbrellas while they are riding bicycles. Such scene is rarely seen because it is very dangerous to ride a bicycle in Yangon. I enjoyed the scenes of girls riding bicycles while using bicycles.(K.K)

23/12/2002
I visited, Myitkyina, capital of Kachin State in northern Myanmar. In Myanmar language, Myit means river. Kyi is for big. Na is side. The town is peacefully lying near the Ayeyawady River. The whole town is covered with big trees. I stayed at Xingxian Hotel near the railway station. (Telephone; 078-22281, 23488). It is owned by a Chinese national and the staff there are friendly.(K.K)

20/12/2002
This book is translated from bestseller Tottochan at the window published in Japan in 1981. It sold up to 45 million units. I came across it at a bookshop the other day. I can easily know its origin by reading the title and the name of the writer are written in Japanese on the back cover of the book. I have just read the beginning of the book. The book translated by Ye Mya Lwin from English version was published in 1983. The writer said he translated the book into Myanmar to mark 50th birth day with a wish to leave something in life. The book translated directly from Japanese version was published in 1999. He won the national literary award in 1984 by the translation of Botsuchan (Young master) by Natsme Sosek

19/12/2002
Khway means dog in Myanmar languages. Sok is for "bad". The word implies bad meaning. I am sure it is not in the dictionary. I didn't know the meaning of this. Recently, I was told that word. I didn't understand it and I asked a friend of mine of the meaning. The entrance of Yuzana Plaza is always crowded with shoppers. While I was walking in a hurry to the escalator, the books I carried accidentally touched the hip of an Indian woman walking in front of me. With a fearing look, "Khway Sok" she said to me. It was impossible to walk without touching others in such a large crowd. Moreover, there is no reason to touch the woman who had nothing to like. (K.K)

18/12/2002
I took a ride on this thinking attraction looking at the dinosaur and ultramarine. As we took a seat, water came out from the mouth of the dinosaur. Only very few people took a ride here. The smell of water from the mouth was very bad. One could get the smell from a far away place. That is the attraction tortures visitors producing water when the train enters with speed. We got the smell from wet clothes after the ride. It is more fearful than taking a ride on the roller coaster. 200 Kyats per head.

17/12/2002
Most vehicles for amusement are not in frequent use in this park. I took a ride with a one-year old baby girl on the roller coaster with spider web. It suddenly moved speedily at the start. I had to hold the baby tight not to lose control of it. It is a high-speed jet roller coaster. The baby almost cried out of fear and I had to wait for a moment till she over came it. 200 Kyats per head.

16/12/2002
Myanmar is the country that is good at recycling. Old tyres are used as the devices to control slipping in ferries' wheel in the Myakyuntha Park in front of Sedona Hotel. I remember the cars being fixed everywhere in the city. And I suddenly think what I will do if I have a flat tire. It costs 200 Kyats per head to take a ride by the wheel.

13/12/2002
Origin of Hibiscus is Hawai. It can frequently be seen in Myanmar. It is said there are about 200 species of the flower. This flower is in a park. A lot of plants are grown environs of Kandawgyi Lake where I walk two pet dogs of mine everyday. There are some embassies near here. You have to pay tax if you take photographs in a park. I was told to pay tax when they only saw my camera. So, I took photographs at a small park for children. (K.K)

12/12/2002
Maike Te
"Te" is used at the end of a sentence in Myanmar language. It is like "Be". The dictionary compiled by Mr. Ono who I introduced to you gives the meaning of "Maik" being "foolish, dark". The meaning in the new edition of the dictionary published two years ago is the same. But, Myanmar people use the word "Maik" with the meaning of "Terrific". When I asked a university lecturer, she said that the word was not used by elderly persons. But, there are a lot of people who are commented "Maik Te".(K.K)

11/12/2002
Roads are being extended in Yangon to ease increased traffic jams due to the increase in the number of cars. Extension of three roundabouts are underway. This photo is of U Wizaya roundabout near northern stairway of Shwedagon Pagoda. Two other roundabouts are U Htaung Bo near Knadawgyi Lake and Hanthawady near Myanma Radio and Television on Pyay Road.

10/12/2002
This photo is taken from front of Yazana Plaza to the North. The Plaza is one of the most five busiest shopping spots. There are buildings continuous to the north as you can see in the picture. The shops are on the ground floor. Spectacle shops, furniture shops and wooden windowsills shops are in rows. Among them are a hand-made rattan furniture shop and a small clinic. A lot of buildings are under construction near the plaza. On completion the area may become the busiest shopping centre in Yangon. (K.K)

09/12/2002
Although I cannot write the right pronunciation of this Myanmar word, it implies "Market" in English. Various prices can be found in this "Market" journal. I was surprised when I read the journal. Raising of real estate prices by agencies is amazingly very high. I can understand rising of construction materials like cement, iron bars, etc imported from abroad using foreign exchange. For example, the price of my flat at Kandawgyi Tower has become three times high during two years. It is very difficult for ordinary people to own a house in Yangon. (K.K)

06/12/2002
A building under construction. It is located at the bottom of new Maha Bandoola Bridge if you go to Thaketa from downtown. A building seems to be built in the vacant space in front of the building. It is generally priced 26 million Kyats. It can be over 30 million kyats including furniture. The flats except for those on the 10th and 12th floor cannot be bought. According to a Myanmar saying, buildings should not be constructed near a bridge. But, people cannot follow the saying in the age with insufficient ground and soaring prices. I took photographs right after reading the advertisement in a newspaper. (K.K)

05/12/2002
I think faces of Bama and Shan people are like the Japanese. If you look at faces of Myanmar people, you may notice that everyone looks like Japanese people. This is the photo of the two employees at a restaurant. They look like famous comedians from Japan. Japanese people from Southern part of Japan might be of the same origin with Myanmar people and Thai people.(K.K)

04/12/2002
This is the car I came across when I was taking photos in Tamwe Township. This is the first time for me to see such a car in which you can pay the metre-charged fare. Is it aimed for busy merchants? I am not sure if this system is used because there are fare dodgers. When I had a close look at it I could see a computer set in it. If you take a walk around the city, you can come across different interesting things. It has been in five years for me to live in Yangon. But, the city is never simple for me. (K.K)

03/12/2002
This is called "Myauk U" in Myanmar language. It is from a kind of creeping plant. I saw it being sold in the market in Mawlamyaing. A friend of mine who went to Pha-An on a study visit bought it for me. I chopped it into small lumps. I ate it with seaweed putting in the punch. It is said to be yam from Myanmar. And it is different from Chinese yam. It may be more delicious if it is cooked with flour. The yams can hardly be seen in the markets in Yangon. Lotus roots are also using cold in China Town. But, it cannot be grown here because of high ground temperature. I once ate burdock grown at the pilot farm in Pyin Oo Lwin in the hilly region.The cat in the photo is four-month-old Mikko.(K.K)

02/12/2002
The rain came again in November. It rained three or four times in mid November. It is strange for me who have lived in Yangon for about five years. There were consecutive days with heavy rain. The rainy season last for about 7 months starting from April. It is clear that the rainy was unusual. Crops might be badly damaged. It may result in increase of rice prices. Today, it suddenly rained heavily. Some dogs and I had to take shelter under a portico of a house. The six dogs are not mine but those that live in the street. (k.k)