Day-to-day life in Myanmar

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/27/2024 at 2:58 PM, scotty1286 said:

North, I am working on Ramree island.

 

Are you a dive instructor? 

[Tomtomtom69]

On 12/3/2024 at 8:10 AM, simon43 said:

So, the general opinion is that Burma and Laos are both boring, but the beer is great in both countries!  I disagree with the first POV, but definitely agree with the second 🙂.  But 'Myanmar Beer' is off the menu nowadays because of its ties to the military.

Still easy to find Myanmar beer even in Mae Sot, Three Pagodas Pass and other border areas of Myanmar. 

 

I find it to be just OK. Not remotely as good as Beer Lao and only slightly better than any Thai beer. 

[simon43]

4 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

Still easy to find Myanmar beer even in Mae Sot, Three Pagodas Pass and other border areas of Myanmar. 

 

I find it to be just OK. Not remotely as good as Beer Lao and only slightly better than any Thai beer. 

I can find Myanmar beer at many shops and cafes/restaurants.  But like most of the local Burmese, I won't buy it because of its ties to the military. (Were it not for those ties, I would drink it by the gallon!)

[simon43]

9 minutes ago, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

Do locals stare at you a lot since you're one of the few westerners in town? Must feel like being a rockstar! 

Yes, most locals do stare and many total strangers come up to me to say 'Mingalaba' 🙂  On my 5km walk in Mandalay today and in the supermarket , I saw no foreigners....  I probably don't look like a visiting tourist either.... (thanks ChatGPT for the image).

 

 

[Tomtomtom69]

7 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Yes, most locals do stare and many total strangers come up to me to say 'Mingalaba' 🙂  On my 5km walk in Mandalay today and in the supermarket , I saw no foreigners....  I probably don't look like a visiting tourist either.... (thanks ChatGPT for the image).

 

 

 

Haha. Nice photo.

 

Still, you just have to be white, in order to be noticed by the locals. Nothing to do with wearing socks with sandals and big flashy cameras, like the old American tourist stereotype. 

 

Not saying your encounters would be negative; but more out of curiosity, since foreigners are now so rare in Myanmar, even in places like Mandalay. Even at a mall in Bangkok, I once had a strange Thai teenage girl approach me and say she was so excited to meet a foreigner. A total wacko, or some bizarre English project from school? I don't know and it wasn't the first time either, but at least the third time...(granted, only the 3rd time in nearly 20 years but just saying). 

 

Hence why in a country like Myanmar, I'd expect such encounters to be even more common. 

[Tomtomtom69]

37 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I can find Myanmar beer at many shops and cafes/restaurants.  But like most of the local Burmese, I won't buy it because of its ties to the military. (Were it not for those ties, I would drink it by the gallon!)

 

Oh, I see. A pity you're using politics to determine what you choose to eat or drink, although I'm not going to judge you for that. It's up to you. 

 

Myanmar beer - not my cup of tea, regardless of politics.

 

In fact, it took me a year to even open my second bottle I purchased on a trip to Myanmar a few years ago because I remembered how ordinary I found it to be the first time round. I only drank it because it was getting close to expiring and I didn't want to throw it away. 

 

When I visit Myanmar, I generally don't buy it at all, simply because, I don't like it. It's not enjoyable. It feels like I have to force myself to drink it. I'd rather drink tea, or any imported beer. 

[simon43]

Today is January 2nd and back to school.  Except it's not!  I got up at 6am, prepared my lessons, walked 40 minutes to school, only to find that the school bosses decided to take today and tomorrow as extra holiday, except no-one bothered to tell me lol.

 

Oh well, no problem, back home and relax.

 

I took this photo of some nice paintings on the wall of an empty house - very nice

 

 

I went out to the print shop in Mandalay.  There are a lot of police about with long guns, plus some fighter jets screaming over the city.  Probably some new year fighting close to the city (the last reported fighting was only 13km away...)

[scotty1286]

On 1/1/2025 at 3:05 PM, Tomtomtom69 said:

 

Are you a dive instructor? 

No.

[Burma Bill]

23 hours ago, simon43 said:

police about with long guns, plus some fighter jets screaming over the city. 

 

Hi Simon. Happy New Year, however please take care and try and avoid the genocidal Tatmadaw and its allies.

[simon43]

4 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

 

Hi Simon. Happy New Year, however please take care and try and avoid the genocidal Tatmadaw and its allies.

Yes, Happy New Year to you as well.  The problem with the Tatmadaw is that when they see me (a foreigner), they come over to shake my hand.... I haven't yet learnt the Burmese for 'sod off!' and it no doubt wouldn't be appropriate to utter that phrase 🙂

 

I must say that the hotel that I'm now staying in has a wonderful view of Mandalay Hill and the pagodas, about 4 km away from me. I wish I were an artist, since it would be good to paint a picture of the green hill and golden pagodas in the background, and the somewhat-ramshackle buildings in the foreground.