We devoted much of our time in Yangon to visiting two spectacular Pagodas. These places of worship brought people from all over Myanmar, in particular those of Buddhist faith, to visit and worship.
Said to date back 2500 years (let that sink in for a second), the original small pagodas have been rebuilt over time into enormous venues. Our first stop, Sule Pagoda, is located in the center of downtown Yangon. From our travel books, we learned this centrally located Pagoda has found its way into every historical event, frequently as a a gathering point, but also as a place for conflict and destruction. Once inside (shoes off, of course) we walked barefoot around enjoying the details. Unbeknownst to us, we showed up right before the cleaning of the Pagoda. As if on cue, dozens of people, using handmade brooms, began cleaning the floors. There was a sense of harmony and peace in the repeated cascades of water and the swish of reeds on the old stone. Those who'd come to clean weren't temple employees or city personnel; they were local residents, volunteering their time and energy to put a little shine on the holiest location in their lives. Men grunted in chorus as they filled and overturned large buckets of water, while women chatted jovially as they worked their brooms back and forth. The location was foreign to us, but the simple task and genial camaraderie felt warm and familiar. It was a uniquely human moment that reminded us: no matter how long it took to get from one corner of the globe to another, the world is still a pretty small place.
The second pagoda we visited was called Shwedagon Pagoda. We'd read that it was lovely at night, so we grabbed a taxi and headed there right at sunset. Hardly any English is spoken in Myanmar, but we were armed with a guide book and able to show the driver where we wanted to go - and just like that, we were off! We arrived and were promptly dressed by employees manning the entrance. Shorts are strictly forbidden, so we both covered up in traditional longyis. We ditched our shoes and entered right as the sky turned a beautiful shade of rose. It's difficult to capture the history and enormity of Shwedagon with mere words. It is quite possibly the oldest Buddhist Pagoda in the world, and our local guide, Nender, helpfully informed us that the crown is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies. The very top—a glimmering diamond bud—is tipped with a 76-carat diamond. The core is built with brick, and covered in genuine gold plates. The main Pagoda is 325 feet tall... again, let that sink in for a second. Surrounding it are dozens of other Pagodas, each unique and each representing something a bit different. As Myanmar's most sacred site, hundreds of monks from all over the world visit daily, and we felt honored to be amongst them. The details, the candles, the incense burning... it was all so much to take in, and overwhelming in a beautiful way. Even as someone who isn't very religious, there was something unbelievably special about being amongst people who have come, not as tourists, but as pilgrims to a holy place to worship.
