March 17 - Visited the Shwedagon Pagoda. The Pagoda looks much more impressive from far away. Four massive escalators and elevators take you to the top. Waiting at the entrance was a "Monk" demanding a donation of 2000 kyat(2$). I use quotes because a real practicing Buddhist monk would never demand money. Lots of robed young punks in Yangon. I get the feeling some monasteries are run like troubled youth centers. Images of monks listening to Ipods, eating after noon, smoking and chewing tobacco would be a good project. All activities that are theoretically not for monks.

Had a tasty lunch with some very generous locals before attempting to navigate the local bus system. System probably is the wrong word. We navigated the local bus situation. Our lunch hosts drew and wrote out detailed bus directions. They even ran after us to correct them.

There are three types of buses. The long distance travel type that run mostly over night for foreigners.

Local buses that run loosely defined routes, typically N<->S, E<->W and are numbered. They have the standard crazy driver with a traffic spotter/fare collector.

Last are the pickup trucks that go by many names. You sit in the back with what looks like large propane tanks. There is no logic to where they go. Other than where the driver or spotter thinks they can find customers. However they get there fast and recklessly.

Proving no disillusionment towards Burmese monks we headed to a Vipassana meditation center in the after noon. Our hope was to set up 10 days of meditation towards the end of the 28 day visa. At the Yangon center we spoke to Sujunta who in good English entertained us for at least an hour. He was very welcoming and excited about teaching the ways of Buddhism to lay people. Unfortunately the up coming Water Festival was going to restrict any foreigner instruction due to preparations. Instead we got information about the Hmawbi center that is 30 miles away. More shaded and less noisy. After parting ways with Sujunta we trekked the buses back to the Mother Land Inn 2.