Travelogue (Taunggyi)

Travelogue (Taunggyi)

View video at
http://www.myanmar-embassy-tokyo.net/

Text and photos at
http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/pages/traveltg.html
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Mingabalar, today we are going to present MRTV-3 travelogue programme
to Taunggyi. From Yangon to Taunggyi is over 456 miles long. Taunggyi
can be reached by car or by train or by plane. The advantage of
traveling by car is you can study the economic and social life of local
people on the way.

If you choose to travel by car from Yangon to Taunggyi, we would have
to pass through Bago and Mandalay divisions. We have left Yangon since
2 O'clock in the afternoon and now is 6:30 in the evening and we have
passed 180 miles from Yangon and it is the entrance of Taungoo apart of
the Bago Division. And now is the time for dinner so we are stopping at
one of the food shops on the way and to have a dinner.

On the way, there are 24 hours food shops, where you can take the
break. After a long drive from Yangon, we now take a stop at Swa where
we have to take coffee or tea or cold drinks for night snacks.
Eventhough it is a night time, there are still many vendors selling the
local produce such as palms, oranges and sticky rice with bamboo stick.

After reaching Yinmabin, the ascent begins. The weather is getting cool
as you near Kalaw nick named as the bank city which is the favorite
town for tourists. Then, you will reach Aung Pan in a short time. When
we are now arriving at Aung Pan, 36 miles to go to Taunggyi, it's
very early morning. So we have an early breakfast with the Shan
traditional noodles. After a long drive from Aung Pan, we will be in
Taunggyi. The landscape is quite different, fresh mountain air will
refresh the tiredness after a long journey.

Taunggyi meaning huge mountain is situated in southern Shan State and
it is the capital city of the Shan State. And it has cool weather and
the weather is so moderate but right now the weather is so cool and the
temperature is 5C. And it is situated 1,650 feet at the lowest and
5,910 feet at the highest above the sea level. The capital city is
surrounded with high mountains and it is situated on high plateau.
There are also religious buildings, pagodas, beautiful parks and other
interesting places to visit. Moreover houses, government buildings,
private owned business centers and hospitals, food and clothing stores
and international standard hotels are everywhere. While in Taunggyi,
you can also visit Shan State's cultural museum where exhibitions is
on the traditions and customs of Shan nationals, their daily households
are items and cultural heritage may be observed.

When you are in Taunggyi, you should wish to taste Shan traditional
food especially in the early morning. It is the must for everyone to
have Shan noodle, steamy Shan noodle and it can be served with mustard
pickle. Here is a lime, here as a chilli and here is a sauce and here
is a sugar. I like a little bit chilli because of the cold weather. So
I add chilli.

Taunggyi market day is booming with business where local residents
attiring in traditional costumes are bargaining. The price is
reasonable and all the agricultural produce here have a good demand in
lower Myanmar regions.

Every year, visitors from far and near flock to Taunggyi to joy
Tazaungdaing Lighting Festival there. Communal Kahtina offering
procession, day and night events of hot air balloons launching
competitions, lighting processions are breath-taking. And every
visitors can participate joyously. So you may come and joy this joyous
Taunggyi Tazaundaing Lighting Festival next time.