31/3/2003
Thingyan (Water festival) is drawing near. Padauk, Gunkino flowers were blooming. It may be because of the rain which came last week. Padauk flower bloomed a bit earlier this year. People cut branches with lovely yellow flowers and sell them in the market. I feel pity for the flowers. In fact, they are very delicate and they don't last a day after being plucked.

28/3/2003
This is Yangon habour. I was asked in Japan if it is faced to the sea. Although Shanghai has also a word, the sea, both Shanghai and Yangon don't face to the sea. They are located at the bank of rivers. This is Kyemyindine harbour to the west of Yangon. There are wholesalers of sugarcane which sell will for sugarcane juice in this hot season.(K.K)

26/3/2003
These are Taung Zalat flowers, symbol of Chin State. It is used to make wine and salads. It can be eaten raw. The flower bloom only in the cool season. It is out of season now. It can only be seen in Chin State.

25/3/2003
Chin Khaung Ye, traditional brewed drink. Chin people drink at annual festivals and serve the guests with it. It is made of red millet. The fermented drink contains some alcohol. One can be drunk if he drinks a lot of it. Chin people drink from their childhood. It is said to be good for health. Myanmar people entertain guests with plain tea. Chin people with Khaung Ye.

24/3/2003
Chin National Day was celebrated in Mindat in Southern Chin State on February 20. The event included sport activities. It also featured traditional weaving and tools.A lot of tourist visited there.

21/3/2003
This is the shop in Hledan, which I introduced yesterday. I took a photo of it because it is located at the first floor of the building to be reconstructed. When did it open? If an antique lover comes here, he might become a regular customer here. The seats at the barbershop are also old-fashioned. I also had my hair cut there. The old scissors hurt me. The barber may be the oldest. There was a new address to move. The shop seems to move to a quite new place. We will be remembering the old building after it has disappeared.(K.K)

20/3/2003
Heldan Junction near Yangon University. One can see the six-storey building at right side. The hamburger shop at the second floor of the building is crowded with young people. There are a lot of English language and computer classes at the building on the right. I attended a coumputer class this week. (I will write about it later.) Arrangements are under way to start a new building project. I took this photo because you will never see this scence in future. Over -ten storey buildings are on the increase. But, 20-storey buildings are not much in the city. Hledan in Myanmar means rows of carts. The place may be where a lot of bullock carts and horse carts gather. It may be an important place in the past.At present, there are campuses at the outskirt of Yangon. Therefore, there are not many students in Yangon university campus. But, the place is always crowded with people. (K.K)

19/3/2003
Mangoes have come into season. Almost all mango trees bear small mangoes and flowers. Small mangoes are on sale in the market. At meals of Myanmar people, the fruits are indispensable as dip. Small mangoes fall as heavy fog fall at the end of cool season and at the start of summer. Mangoes are said to be plenty this year.

18/3/2003
The Forest Department has opened Pho Kyar resort at a place one hour drive from Taunggoo. About 30 elephants are being trained by Myanmar trainers. Visitors can see tricks played by the elephants and the creatures at work. Guest houses are underconstruction at the site. It will become a seeing spot for ecotourism.

14/3/2003
It is very strange weather. It rained at some places in Yangon. The rain suddenly came with strong wind. The rain also downpoured this afternoon bringing thunder storms and hail stones. People picked hailstone pushing one another.

13/3/2003
When I was strolling in the China-town, I smelled something sweet. I found out ripe jack fruits were being sold around me. Hard Kernels and soft Kernels are available. Hard Kernel is more popular.

12/3/2003
Summer has come starting from this month. It is very hot in the afternoon. Cold drinks sell well. In this picture, you can see selling of yoghurt in small earthern pots. It costs K 150 a pot. It can be eaten with sugar or jaggery. Yoghurt is the most suitable food for this season.

11/3/2003
Typical Myanmar houses have jaggery made from toddy. Jaggery is used to make traditional snacks and it is served as sweet after meals. You can see jaggery at Myanmar rice shops. Those who do not give sweet enough for a week.

10/3/2003
It is havesting season of water melons, which are grown along Yangon-Mandalay highway. Fresh watermelons are directly sold in front of farms at much cheaper prices. Owners from fruit shops in the city and passengers buy water melons at the shops.

06/3/2003
Favourite sport of Myanmar people is football. They take more interest in it. They play football on the road. It can be played on a small plot of land with a ball. Moreover, there are no confusing rules and regulations about it. I am sorry to say that they know nothing about baseball. Even if they see on TV, they cannot understand rules. We need players from defending team who do nothing waiting for attack. Moreover, large ground and equipments are needed. Football matches are broadcast life on TV and weekly journals carry football news. The sport has become increasingly popular. About ten weekly journals on football such as First Eleven, Sport Light, Sport SC, Entor, Star Sport, Tet Lan. The photo is of Tet Lan Journal that carried photo of Japanese football player Nakamura. (K.K)

05/3/2003
Hospital is called Sayyon in Myanmar language. (Don't get confused with factory "Satyon"). In addition to hospital, there are a lot of private clinics in Yangon. They open in the evening when regular working hours of doctors at government hospitals. The earning from a clinic is about monthly salary of a medical practitioner. Is the regular salary too low or is the side income too high? For example, there are a lot of doctors at the building we live. I notice that there are also a lot of owners of flats at the Blazon high-class condominium. When I went to a clinic the other day because I had a running nose and a bad cold. I was given a lot drugs as you can see in the picture. It cost K 7800 for the drugs of three day-treatment. It is about one month salary of a waiter. Drugs are Thai-made. Drugs for sore throat Zedex is from an Ireland Company. It seems to be produced in India. I think only the rich can afford to take such expensive drugs. I remember an elderly lady asking for medicine when we went trekking in Kengtung, Shan State. I think people have more trust in expensive foreign medicines. (K.K)

04/3/2003
It seems to be species of pumpkin and gourd. This is a famous brand of sunflower seed. I no longer eat it because it contains salt and not delicious. But, the wrong Japanese words on the packet attracted me. Is it said to be delicious? But, it is written wrong. It is China-made one. Why is it cheeked carefully? I don't want to make it a fuss. But, there are a lot of wrong Japanese writing. A friend of mine who live in France told me that French menus in the res taurants in Japan are written wrong. So, I have to take great care to write correct Japanese and Myanmar words. (K.K)

03/3/2003
Another thing which takes Japanese name. There used to be a tea shop by the name of "Sumou" run by a returnee from Japan. Yokozuna is a snack also available in Japan. It goes well with beer. Although its price has become K180, it is still affordable. I wish that a Myanmar becomes a famous Sumo wrestler, because there are non-Japanese famous wrestler in Japan.(K.K)