C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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AtoZBlogChallenge:X is for Xylophone

April 28, 2015 By C. Lee McKenzie 27 Comments

Join in the fun! 
It only takes a minute to visit more AtoZers on the Linky.

My theme this year is Burma AKA Myanmar. I used to live in Laos, so I looked forward to returning to Southeast Asia. I spent a little over three weeks exploring this country, learning a bit about its culture: its history, religion, and language. I thought others might enjoy some of what I learned and see some of what I saw.

One Tired Pedicab Guy near the Strand

A huge treat for me was going to the Strand Hotel in Yangon. They’ve restored the old colonial building and it was a step into the colonial history of Burma. The warm wood paneling and elegant polished floors were so elegant.

In the lobby a young lady played the Xylophone, so while I sipped my very expensive coffee (5000Kyat which equaled $5), I listened to music and pretended to be in the early 1900’s, back in a time when the city was called Rangoon, wearing an elegant gown, carrying a parasol on my arm.

The Strand at Night
Girl at The Strand Playing the Xylophone

Question: What do you know about this Lotus that’s used for weaving?

T 1. While the lotus is used for weaving cloth, it’s also a sacred plant. (The Padon-ma Kya. the Sacred Lotus is believed to bloom only in sunlight and the Kumudra (Gamod) Kya. a fabulous white lily. is said to bloom only with moonlight.)

F 2. The lotus flower is beautiful, but poisonous. (The seed of the lotus is edible. They are green and resemble a large peanut and come embedded in a cup-like bulb and is commonly called Kya-Khwet. (that is a lotus cup) on a stalk. It is a very tasty ingredient in steamed duck or as part of the stuffing in duck roast. They can also be eaten raw.)

NOW what do you know about the xylophone in the Strand Hotel?

T/F  Authors such as Maugham, Kipling and Orwell were entertained by the music from the xylophone in the Strand lobby.

Answer tomorrow.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Arlee Bird, AtoZChallenge2015, Letter X

Comments

  1. Random Musings says

    June 4, 2015 at 11:05 pm

    That looks amazing! I love the xylophone touch – I can totally see why you felt like you'd stepped back to the early 1900s (in a good way)!
    Popping by on the A to Z Road Trip
    Debbie
    http://www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com

    Reply
  2. J Lenni Dorner says

    May 5, 2015 at 5:02 am

    That's an impressive Xylophone. I bet it sounded great.

    Reply
  3. Natasha Duncan-Drake says

    April 30, 2015 at 10:43 am

    Lovely xylophone – usually I have only heard them played by children banging about, but the couple of times I have heard them played professionally have been wonderful.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

    Reply
  4. Empty Nest Insider says

    April 30, 2015 at 8:57 am

    The lighting really brings out the beauty in the building. I've never seen such an unusual xylophone before. I remember seeing Beyond Rangoon with Patricia Arquette. I didn't realize that it later became Yangon.

    Julie

    Reply
  5. Birgit says

    April 30, 2015 at 1:57 am

    Oh I flunked the last test. I will say True to this question. I love the look of the xylophone. For some reason the first image that popped into my head is the kid's brightly coloured toy-hahahahaaa-

    Reply
  6. Natalie Aguirre says

    April 29, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Wow! Did you plan that picture for A-Z. It's beautiful.

    Reply
  7. nashvillecats2 says

    April 29, 2015 at 7:21 am

    A great post Lee. enjoyed the read as usual.
    Yvonne.

    Reply
  8. Clarabelle Rant says

    April 29, 2015 at 5:55 am

    What a BEAUTIFUL xylophone!!! I wish I was there with you sippy expensive tea 😉

    You can find me here:
    ClarabelleRant

    Reply
  9. Elizabeth Mueller says

    April 29, 2015 at 5:53 am

    Wow! Is her xylophone made from wood?

    Elizabeth Mueller
    AtoZ 2015
    My Little Pony

    Reply
  10. Deepti Agarwal says

    April 29, 2015 at 5:26 am

    Beautiful and elegant instrument this is..
    m loving your Myanmar visit and the info provided makes me want to visit this beautiful place..

    http://serendipityofdreams.blogspot.in/

    Reply
  11. Beverly Stowe McClure says

    April 29, 2015 at 2:13 am

    Lovely pictures. You make a good tour guide.

    Reply
  12. Michelle Wallace says

    April 28, 2015 at 10:03 pm

    Wow! I've never seen a xylophone like that.
    Now to decide whether Maugham, Kipling and Orwell were entertained by the music from the xylophone in the Strand lobby…. I'll say true!

    Reply
  13. Nick Wilford says

    April 28, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    I think that is the most impressive xylophone I've ever seen. A world away from the little plinky plonky things you get in school. I can definitely see those guys hanging out there, grooving to some tunes.

    Reply
  14. Yvonne Ventresca says

    April 28, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    Your trip sounds like a lovely experience overall!

    Yvonne

    Reply
  15. Kern Windwraith says

    April 28, 2015 at 9:27 pm

    That sounds like a delightful way to spend an hour or two, sipping coffee, soaking up the ambiance, and listening to that young woman playing the xylophone–and, of course, imagining the conversations you would have had with Maugham, Kipling and Orwell.

    Reply
  16. Patricia Lynne says

    April 28, 2015 at 6:48 pm

    I bet that would have been a wonderful experience.

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

    Reply
  17. Susan Gourley/Kelley says

    April 28, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    Might be true. Sounds like a lovely experience. I would probably try to imagine it as you did.

    Reply
  18. J.H. Moncrieff says

    April 28, 2015 at 5:17 pm

    I'll go with true for that one.

    What a gorgeous instrument.

    Reply
  19. Tyrean Martinson says

    April 28, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    Wow! That's a beautiful xylophone. That sounds like a wonderful evening. 🙂

    Reply
  20. Karen Mortensen says

    April 28, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    What an enchanting night that must have been. That is a beautiful instrument.

    Reply
  21. Hilary Melton-Butcher says

    April 28, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    Hi Lee – can quite understand you being entranced by the zylophone at the hotel – and how wonderful to have had the opportunity of visiting the hotel and listening to your lady play. Happy memories .. and those gorgeous woods around the building …

    Definitely Kipling, Maugham and Orwell would have listened and stayed there .. I'm so pleased you showed us your xylophone .. Hilary

    Reply
  22. A Tarkabarka Hölgy says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:51 pm

    I would love to hear what that instrument sounded like!

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary – Epics from A to Z
    MopDog – 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

    Reply
  23. Chrys Fey says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:31 pm

    I used to play with those in music class when I was a kid. They are neat instruments. 🙂

    Reply
  24. Scribbles From Jenn says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    That is a cool looking xylophone. I don't think I wouldn't mind paying $5.00 for coffee if I got to drink it in The Strand with music from her to go with it.

    Scribbles From Jenn – Visiting from the A to Z Challenge

    Reply
  25. holli says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:15 pm

    What a gorgeous instrument. I bet it was lovely listening to the music while relaxing with nice coffee. The hotel sounds amazing!! I can imagine being exhausted too if I was pedicab driver. All of that pedaling makes me want a nap too.

    Reply
  26. Zannie Shaman says

    April 28, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    Lovely looking instrument – never seen one like it

    its is such fun to see how creative people have been with 'X' in the challenge

    Reply
  27. Alex J. Cavanaugh says

    April 28, 2015 at 12:09 pm

    That's a beautiful Xylophone. And the building is really amazing at night.

    Reply

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