Festival day at Shwedagon

Today is a public holiday. New moon day and the end of Buddhist lent. We got up early to go to Shwedagon with one of my colleagues who was keen to show us around. At 7am the place was thronging with thousands and thousands of people, but still somehow peaceful.

The weather at the moment is apparently the hothothot period before it cools down for “winter”. So even though it was first thing in the morning we sweated our way around the place. Always nice.

Along with the thousands of adults and children there were lots more monks and nuns than usual. All out and about with their alms bowls. Members of the public came prepared with sacks full of sweets, treats (choco-pies) and cans of luminous fizzy drinks to give to the waiting monks and nuns, who hopefully have a good dentist lined up. (Strike me down but there was something vaguely trick or treat about it… although admittedly more treat than trick).

Anyway we had a great morning, and are going back tonight with some other friends to see it in all its night time glittery splendour.