Everyone Wears Skirts

Everyone (and I do mean 98% of the population) here wears longgyi. Basically a large tube of cloth that is tucked and tied at the waist. It actually looks quite comfortable, but would take some cultural de-assimilation for a westerner to wear one. I would consider it if it wouldn't let the mosquitos up my legs! Everyone also wears flip-flops, and, like Thailand, slips them off to enter a house or temple.

Other unusual things in the country ... Cars are shipped over second hand from Japan (most on the road are at least 15 years old), but they drive on the right hand side of the road. Japanese cars are right-hand drive, so try to picture passing a slow truck when the driver is on the right side ... Not that that stops them. And seat belts are apparently removed or disabled when the cars enter the country. I've already had a couple of "life passing before my eyes" moments, although the lives I saw today were those of a couple of unwise pedestrians.

There aren't actually a lot of cars on the roads. People are allowed three gallons of gas every three days at government prices (about $0.20/gallon) and after that they have to pay more like market price. But until a few days ago the government was heavily subsidizing that price too, and they recently doubled or tripled it. So less people are driving.

I leave it up to you to look up Shwedagon Paya (or Pagoda) if you want to - it's the only "site" I've seen so far.

I had a proper Bamar meal for lunch yesterday. Curries, but very mild. I had three dishes (with rice): venison stew, what they told me was fish balls (it looked and tasted more like tofu, either way very good), and a sort of slightly drier and less sweet version of creamed corn. It was excellent. I think I'll really enjoy the food here. Oh yeah - huge, delicious meal, about $1.80US.