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.
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| 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.
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| The Strand at Night |
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| 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.
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
That's an impressive Xylophone. I bet it sounded great.
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)
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
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-
Wow! Did you plan that picture for A-Z. It's beautiful.
A great post Lee. enjoyed the read as usual.
Yvonne.
What a BEAUTIFUL xylophone!!! I wish I was there with you sippy expensive tea 😉
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ClarabelleRant
Wow! Is her xylophone made from wood?
Elizabeth Mueller
AtoZ 2015
My Little Pony
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/
Lovely pictures. You make a good tour guide.
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!
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.
Your trip sounds like a lovely experience overall!
Yvonne
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.
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
Might be true. Sounds like a lovely experience. I would probably try to imagine it as you did.
I'll go with true for that one.
What a gorgeous instrument.
Wow! That's a beautiful xylophone. That sounds like a wonderful evening. 🙂
What an enchanting night that must have been. That is a beautiful instrument.
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
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
I used to play with those in music class when I was a kid. They are neat instruments. 🙂
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
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.
Lovely looking instrument – never seen one like it
its is such fun to see how creative people have been with 'X' in the challenge
That's a beautiful Xylophone. And the building is really amazing at night.