Mom and Dad Visit Myanmar - 1

I think anybody who lives far away from their home town has imagined how they would show off their new city to friends or family visiting from afar. Over the recent holidays, my chance came to guide not just visitors, but the people who brought me into this world: Mom and Dad.

I wasn't alone in chaperoning their Myanmar tour. My partner Nicki has, amongst her many talents, professional training and is a licensed tour guide. She knows all about Yangon and it's interesting history. It was great having her along. 
 

Mom took this picture of Yangon's Wiring.
Go read her blog to see how a first-time
visitor experiences Myanmar. Link

When deciding where to take my parents in Yangon, I wanted to see the few places of interest that I hadn't been to yet. So, in this first video, you'll see short clips of visiting the National Museum and The All-Races National Park. Of course, we visited Shwedagon Pagoda, the most significant structure in the city in the minds of the Burmese. 

By bad luck, Shwedagon was under maintenance when my parents were visiting, so they didn't get to see it at its shiny best. 

After Yangon, I drove the SUV we'd rented up to Naypyitaw, the strange created-capital I've visited many times. Then, on to the Irrawady River, and Bagan: the center of an empire that ruled much of this part of the world from the 11th to 15th century. 

Over the first two centuries of the Bagan Age, the industrious rulers competed with their ancestors and future descendants to build as many pagodas as they could. 


 
Consequently, the best way to see it is from above. The video ends with MacKenna's in the sky as we floated in a hot-air balloon over the peaceful and breathtaking sites of one of the most remarkable places in the world.  

Be sure to check out Merikay's Dream, Mom's blog, a place to see their pictures and stories from visiting their son.

Enjoy the video. 

Robert Mac Kinnon's 60th birthday bash.

Robert is my colleague. A delightful man whose last name is very similar to my own. Unlike me, he's full on Scottish. So much so that he had haggis imported for his 60th birthday party.