Mahseer

Note if you intend attending before the shopping centre opens at 1100 you need to use the 2nd floor car park entrance.

2nd floor. They are open 0900-1630/1700 but close 12-1300 for a feed.

Was at Central Festival immigration this morning at 1100 and pretty quite for all services with only half the chairs taken in the main hall. Give it a go you may be surprised but avoid Monday & Friday if possible and day after holidays. And yes you can do retirement extension there.

There used to be a Chiang Mai based airline that operated a grand total of 2 aircraft both Cessna Caravans each taking something in the region of 8 passengers. Name was Kan Air and they flew to places like Mae Sot, Pai, Chiang Rai, Nan and Mae Hong Son. Name was Kan Air and an absolute joy to fly with them but alas long gone. The aircraft were for a long time parked on the military side of the airport but not sure if still there. As stated not a lot of demand from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot and elsewhere considering there are a grand total of 2-3 flights from Bangkok. Maybe if the border was to reopen flights would pick up but not sure that will happen anytime soon but heres hoping.

Good to hear you are safe.

Survived I trust? https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-airstrike-kills-40-civilians-on-rakhines-ramree-island.html

Banded woodpecker spotted in Bang Saphan 2 weeks back. First time in 14 years and hasn't been seen since. IMG_5684.mov

Norden has halibut which is very much worth a look if you can't f&c. Comes with mash & mixed veg. Delightful.

Sorry Simon last one. Anyone who visits Yangon and skips downtown really is missing out.

I spent a couple of mornings just taking photos of the buildings in the 21-48 street area and the vast majority are still occupied despite the various states.

That is how down town Yangon looks specifically streets 21-48. It's the appearance that buildings 100 years old take on when there are insufficient to maintain. Personally I love this area.

Russians tourists typically don't wear suits on holiday. When I visited November 2023 there was a curfew in Yangon so when I revisited July & November 2024 I enquired and was advised there was no longer a curfew. If you have nothing to contribute..........

No curfew in Yangon at present and it's a great place to visit despite extensive troubles elsewhere in the country. As for safety wandered downtown daily on my own up to midnight and never an issue but that's just one persons experience. Tourism is about non existent at present but did come across couple of groups of Russians but they were likely in town on business. As for power outages as others have stated it's a way of line of life and the day there wasn't a power cut would likely make headlines (if allowed).

Similar view to the Excelsior my hotel of choice in Rangoon. Love the place and the view.

Kalaw is still excellent. Was there last November (after visiting Taunggyi for the balloon festival) and it still retains all the charm. Needless to say didn't see a single tourist the 4 days I was there.