Shwedagon temple

Rangoon’s central landmark is a large temple complex, overshadowed by a huge golden pagoda. It was undergoing extensive renovation when I was there and enclosed by a dense web of the Asian scaffolding – bamboo rattan.

I was told that I should also view another restoration project on the city’s outskirts, and with this in mind I went back to the hotel, showered and changed and had my last Rangoon breakfast. By this time my taxi and driver had arrived, but he carried a passenger in the front seat, which was my usual spot. I knew that there was no point in arguing and took my place in the back seat and gave instructions to proceed to the Giant Buddha, the location of which had been described to me in detail.

We had no sooner started out and turned off in what I knew to be the wrong direction when the extra passenger turned in his seat and started yelling at me in Burmese. He was a fierce old character and it didn’t take me long to gather that he was the owner of the dilapidated Chevrolet Stylemaster that I had been travelling in. The object of his visit was to wring more money out of me for what he apparently considered as a full weeks hire!
I had been well schooled by my mate as to what was likely to happen on the last trip, but I was still taken aback. He was taking me on a slow roundabout journey to press his point, in fact we had by this time travelled about a mile in the wrong direction and I was already contemplating a long walk back if I backed down in any way as I had been told not to do under any circumstances. So I launched into a tirade at the driver to return me to the hotel the way he had came and when he did so, I turned my attention to the owner. There was no sign of the hotel or familiar streets, and within a couple of minutes I was paying the driver off in the middle of town to the accompaniment of loud howls of protest from the owner.

It didn’t take me long to find an English speaking shopkeeper who informed me that my proposed destination was only a few minutes bus trip away, and so I spent a pleasant hour inspecting and photographing what is a pretty impressive structure.