Travelling.

Travelling.
Travelling leaves you speechless. Then turn you into a storyteller. Hope I have been a good one ^.^

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Mr & Missy in Myanmar - Day 8 to 11 - 26 to 29 Dec 2013

Day 8

We reached Aung Mingalar Bus Terminal pretty early around 6+ am and took a cab home. Air-conditioned cab cost us around 8,000 Kyats? 

After we unpacked, showered and had breakfast at home, we decided to go for Thai full body massage to give our tired bodies a treat.  Remember to give them a call to make reservations though. Our appointment was for 11 am but my mom dropped us off early and so we decided to pass time by enjoying Patbingsu at Lotteria!!! Yes, there is Lotteria in Yangon! The effect of Hallyu / Korean wave huh? 

Patbingsu 팥빙수 - a popular Korean summer snack of shaved ice with red bean and other toppings

Nope, not a Korean star but my fav local celebrity - Sai Sai


At Thaya Day Spa (www.thayaspa.com), located next to the Junction Square shopping centre

We chose 90 min Thai Full Body Massage (18,000 Kyats per pax). While I enjoyed the massage, it was torturous for Mister :D He prefers the tender, loving touch of Swedish Massage haha  so if you are like him, go for Aromatherapy Massage. If you are used to doing Yoga or Pilates poses, I guess you should be fine for Thai massage.  The ambiance was relaxing with dim light, soft music and fragrant smell.  Sales ladies did not hard sell us anything and they were very courteous.  They didn't rush us when we sat in the reception area after our session to use wifi for a few minutes.  So thumbs up!

We left Thaya Spa around 1 pm and took a cab to my parents' office to meet up with my sister. Then 3 of us went to meet our friend for lunch.  He was the one who helped us book hotels and car for the Shan trip! Thank you for the trip bookings as well as lunch! (:

At Da Nu Phyu Daw Saw Yee Myanmar Restaurant

As far as I know, there are at least 2 branches of Da Nu Phyu Daw Saw Yee.  Original one is at 29th Street (near Scott Market) but it is not air-conditioned and a bit more cramped compared to this newer branch. The curry dishes and vegetables are already cooked and displayed in a glass counter.  You can just point the dishes you want or you can order from the menu.  Dishes such as noodles and salad will only prepared upon receiving an order.  Every meal will be served with sour soup, preserved fish paste dip and vegetables. Preserved fish paste dip might be a bit smelly and salty but do give it a try.  It might be an acquired taste to some but I love it! Just remember to pop a strong mint candy after your meal :D

After a longggg lunch of catching up with each other, we left for my parents' office and waited till its time to go home.  The good thing about staying in FMI City is that there are shops, supermarkets and restaurants in the compound which are open till 9 - 10 pm! So we stopped by at a hair salon for hair wash & blow. 

Hair wash & blow at a salon can make my hair looked so nice & smooth & frizz-free like this! Why can't I achieve the same results at home?!! T-T


Happy us with well-behaved hair

Day 9

We hanged out the whole day with our cousin! Almost anyway.  She was too young to bring with us to bar-hopping on the last Friday of the year! 

OOTD

 our aunt cooked us a feast! omg those tomato salad & prawn curry were to die for.  She made sure that she cooked each of our fav dish! so sweet right?

After lunch & before tea break, we squeezed in some souvenir shopping time at the Bo Gyoke Aung San Market (otherwise known as Scott Market). It is a huge bazaar located in downtown Yangon with easily recognizable colonial architecture and inner cobblestone streets. The market sells everything from food, clothes, jewelries to souvenirs.  But remember to bargain.  As locals, we just started bargaining from 75% of the asking price. I m not sure how much more the shop owners will mark up for foreigners.  Most of the time, there is no price tag so be careful yea.


Wat-Thar-Dote-Htoe

Literal translation means pork on a stick. It is our version of Kway Chap / pork innards.  Every part of a pig is available - tongue, ear, liver, heart, intestine etc.  Since this is a street food, there is no service charge or GST. We could just take whatever we felt like eating but had to keep the sticks.  Then the seller would count all the sticks and charge us.  It is around 200 Kyats per stick? You should definitely check the price per stick before indulging though. As this is one of the most popular street food in Myanmar, remember to give it a chance.  There are so many sellers in Chinatown area.  However,  shops in Chinatown are rather like night market as they start selling only from 5 pm onward. So we went to the food cart, located inside SuperOne Supermarket compound.  Just walk to the back entrance of the supermarket building.

Since it was the last Friday of the year, we had to say bye to 2013 with a bang, you see.  So we embarked on this bar-hopping journey, with the recommendation provided by my sister. She was our designated driver of the night too! Dear sister, we really appreciate your kindness! That's so sweet of you hehe 




Pretty cocktails but that taste was not so great :(
One notable thing about the bars we visited was the lack of quality food and drinks.  Food was average while cocktails ranged from downright terrible to just average. The main purpose of bars was probably to provide a chillax place for people to hangout, I guess. 

At Bar One 4
Among the 5 bars we have visited, this was my favorite so far, ambiance-wise.  The music was soft enough that we could talk and the place was still cozy.  There were both indoor and outdoor sitting areas and the crowd was mostly 20 somethings?
 At Ginki Kids
The crowd here was mostly 30 somethings. The food menu was massive - it has everything from Asian to Western cuisines, and not just bar snacks. The upper floor wasn't air conditioned but I guess it worked in December due to the cooling weather. I am not sure about the scorching hot summer though.
 At Gossip Bar
There were 2 pool tables and it was free for the patrons! 


There was Sports Bar right next to Gossip Bar. As the name mentioned, there were huge projector screens showing premier league matches. While some tables were in the open area, some were inside the 'huts with thatched-roof' and it gave off the beach bar vibe!



At Escape Bar - last bar of the night
It was THE bar to be on a Friday night.  The place was so packed that many people were just standing around.  Most of the patrons knew each other and everyone was mingling! So it was rather like a high school party.  The fact that most of the customers were below 20 years old added to that high school party vibe.  One thing to note - the music was unbearably loud. As the memo at the bar says, if you find the music too loud, then you are too old for that bar.  Find a more-suited place haha

We decided that the night was still young and tagged along with my sisters' friends to GTR club which caters to the young and hip. Unlike clubs in Singapore, there was no need to pay entrance fees.  However, whenever the club is packed, priority entry is given to those who open a bottle.  And that was it for our last Friday of the year!

IF you think that's not enough, you can try Strand Hotel Bar, 50th Street Bar, Union Bar & Vista Bar.

Day 10

After enjoying breakfast at home, my mom dropped us off at the Yangon International Hotel for another round of Thai Massage as both I and my sister were fans.  Not Mister though.  I did promise him afterwards that  I would not drag him to anymore massage session, unless it's Swedish or Balinese Massage :D

Indian Affair for breakfast (Puri with Potato & Naan with Pae-Byout / boiled beans)
Boiled Pae-Myit (root vegetables like sweet potato) 
OOTD

After a 90 min massage session, we took a cab (1,500 Kyats) to the Feel Myanmar restaurant for lunch.  Their menu is extensive and majority were not prepared in the kitchen.  Instead, they were prepared in their respective food stalls, rather to give off the vibe of road-side shops. There were waiters to take your order and serve you food though.  It is extremely popular, both with locals and foreigners due to extensive menu, affordable prices, yummy food & its proximity to Shwedagon Pagoda (major attraction for both locals & tourists). 
Malacca Chicken Rice, Shan Noodles, Prata, Samosa
Myanmar Desserts & local kuehs
Assorted Tempura
Wat-Thar-Dote-Hote with Vermicelli (bee hoon)

Super yummy Noodle Salad

Kyay Oh is Mister's favorite! He prefers dry version compared to soup though.

After lunch, we took a cab back to my parents' office near Scott Market (1,500 Kyats) and rested there till about 5 pm. In the evening, my mom brought us all to Shwe Pa Zun Bakery and Cafe.  Try Kulfi & Faluda which are perfect for our warm tropical weather.  I am more of a fan of their baked goods though. Thumbs up for Nan Ka Htaing Cookies, dried bread, Palmier and Sa Nwin Ma Kin cake!  


After our tea break, my mom went back to office.  My sister brought Mister to Chinatown to try more street food while I took a cab (1,500 Kyats) to Golden Duck restaurant to catch up with my high school friends.  The restaurant is located in a park and there is a great view of beautifully-lit Shwedagon Pagoda at night.
There would be mosquitoes especially during the rainy season (May-Sep) so it might be better to reserve a table indoor.

Try Roasted Peking Duck, Fried Eel & Fried Meat wrapped in Potato Slices. 

Day 11

Our last day in Myanmar! I & Mister accompanied my mom in her morning walk which ended up in a hair salon & spa :D I had my arms and hands exfoliated, manicure, hair wash & blow while Mister had facial, hair wash & blow.  Vain us haha Then, my mom pampered us with delicious home-cooked meals before sending us to the airport. Mister's favorite was soft-shell crab curry while mine was fish cake salad and prawn curry. Thinking about that lunch makes me hungry now :(


 Fried fish cake salad - Myanmar people love our salad which ranges from noodle salad, rice salad and tomato salad to ginger salad. The most famous of all is pickled tea leave salad.

 Prawn Curry

  Chicken & Gourd soup

  Fried Fish
  At the airport - bye Mommy! See you again soon! xoxo



Mister at the OGAWA massage chairs - nope, you don't have to pay. Its absolutely free. Though Mister didn't think the pain was worth it.  The machine squeezed your feet too tight at some points! You can see his hand-carry food bag beside the massage chair right? That's filled with cakes from Shaw Pa Zun, Kyay Oh & Bak Zhang / Zong Zi from Chinatown :D

AND that's a wrap of our Myanmar trip!

 Up Next - 5D4N Thailand Trip. Stay tuned!

Thaya Day Spa
www.thayaspa.com
3rd Floor, Building 17
next to Junction Square Shopping Centre
Pyay Road
Kamaryut Township, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (95) 9-73173979

Da Nu Phyu Daw Saw Yee Myanmar Restaurant
http://danuphyudawsawyee.com
Myay-ni-gone carparking compound
Corner of Pyay Road & Shin Saw Pu Road
Dagon Township, Yangon, Myanmar
Tel: (95) 9-8636780

SuperOne Supermarket
65 Lay Daunt Kan Road
Next to Kyaik Ka San Stadium
Tamwe Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Bar One 4
www.barone4.com
  • 12 Kan Baw Za Road
    Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Ginki Kids
  • 18 Kan Baw Za Road
    Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Sports Bar
Mya Yeik Nyo Hotel
20 Pa Le Road
Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Gossip Bar
Mya Yeik Nyo Hotel
Poolside
Bahan Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Escape Bar
www.escapegastrobar.com
31D Kan Yeik Tha Street
Mayangone Township, Yangon, Myanmar

GTR Club
Inya Lake Hotel
37 Ka Bar Aye Pagoda Road
Yangon, Myanmar

Feel Myanmar Restaurant
www.feelrestaurant.com
124 Pyi Htaung Su Avenue Street (or Pyi Daung Zu Yeik Tha Street)
Dagon Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Shwe Pa Zun Bakery & Cafe
www.shwepuzuncake.com
246, 248 A Naw Ra Hta Road
Lanmadaw Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Golden Duck Restaurant
Kan Taw Mingalar Garden Compound
Shwedagon Pagoda Road
Dagon Township, Yangon, Myanmar

Adios!
xoxo
Miss N

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Dec 2013 Trip Itinerary
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