Serene Retreat

Exotic textile and equally exotic street food attract the tourists.[Photo by Rebecca Lo/For China Daily]

The next morning, we venture out to experience the circular train highly recommended by numerous travel guides. From my map it looks like there is a station behind Bogyoke Market—the former Scott Market—and we wander there on foot.

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Yangon’s unique history means that its rich colonial heritage remains more or less intact, unlike many of its sister cities in Southeast Asia.

There is literally an architectural gem every 20 meters or so downtown, while country manors grace many of the city’s suburbs. Its secular brick buildings and sacred golden pagodas make the city ideal for picturesque walking tours.

We duck inside Bogyoke Market to admire the colorful Myanmar cotton prints and elaborate wood or metal wares before finally reaching our destination: the Yangon Rail Station.

A white facade with four ornate towers, it seems the proper place to begin an expedition to the far corners of the country. Our plans are more humble, and we board the circular train after registering our passports and paying the bargain price of 30 US cents per person.

The circular train is exactly that: a public train that locals use to get around the city and the suburbs via a circular route that takes three hours in total. The cars are cooled with fans, though after the first hour, I welcome the many vendors hopping on and off plying flavored ice.

We get off before the terminus to visit Inya Lake and eat local seafood lunch.

Minn Lan is a real find. It is an authentic experience without a single tourist in sight, and it offers delicious Myanmar noodle salads, fresh fruit juices and a myriad of seafood choices. We love the sour kick of the squid salad topped with cilantro and roasted peanuts, as well as the soft shell crab stirred fried with fresh tomatoes and shredded carrots.