This has been a wonderful day of seeing a large number of fantastic pagodas at a range of sites Bago, formerly known as Hanthawaddy is situated 50 miles north east of Yangon. First stop Shwemawdaw paya A large pagoda complex, similar to the mighty Shwedagon pagoda in downtown Yangon and a popular place for locals as well as tourists. It is interesting to see unusual buildings like a pagoda built especially for birds and an astrology building for pilgrims to d...

Sunday feels like a different day of the week as it does back home. There are less cars on the road and things are just a bit more leisurely. My first visit is to the French Institute, which hosts a number of great events and this morning is a meditation class. Very relaxing and very enjoyable. I will learn more about mindfulness and meditation techniques whilst I am here in Myanmar as it it a good counterbalance to the intense and often chaotic lifestyle here i...

I like going to visit my local pagoda in Kwaik Wine Pagoda road. I feel at home here and I look in on the trustees in their office. This time I am with my VSO friend Chris and they make us very welcome with tea and coffee. I hear the word 'Englishman' on a phone call which one of the trustees is making and half an hour later, as we are walking around the complex, the familiar face of another trustee greets us with a firm handshake and welcome. We have another ...

I love being back in Yangon. I get to meet such interesting people who are living such interesting lives. The international volunteers In my office over the river in the township of Hlaiang Tharyar, I have Anne and Paul who are Australian volunteers from the organisation, AVI. They have had experience of volunteering in East Timor and the Solomon Islands. The freelancer/scholar I also have a super colleague Aly from the USA who is a freelance journalist and g...