On another Odyssey to Burma

/, Cruise Ships/On another Odyssey to Burma

IMG_8554.jpgWhat a treat this weekend for passengers on Voyage to Antiquity’s Aegean Odyssey. The ship is back in Yangon for the first time since it delivered me there in December.
If I close my eyes I can imagine them gazing in wonder at the golden splendours of the Shwedagon Pagoda, and snapping up souvenirs in the rambling maze that is the Bogyoke Aung San market.
Some will be touring the colonial buildings of the city on one of the included excursions and will be setting out to see more pagodas and Buddha statues in Bago. They may have had an early morning start to fly to the spectacular temple complex at Bagan, or the faded delights of Mandalay.
They will not, however, be flying on the same plane that took me to the former capital – it crashed on Christmas Day. But they may be lucky enough to enjoy the privilege of a police motorcycle escort to speed their tour coaches through rush-hour traffic and back to the ship
As well as absorbing all the unforgettable experiences of an amazing country and its gentle, long-suffering people, now emerging back into the world after decades of suffering under a tyrannical government, they may have relaxed over a cocktail in the wood-penelled bar of the Strand Hotel, or sampled lunch at the Monsoon Restaurant, both within walking distance of the ship at the Pansodan Pier.
Just thinking about it is making me wish I was back there. Aegean Odyssey and her crew may be saying farewell to Yangon on Monday evening, but they will return next December and again in February 2014.
IMG_8586_edited-1.jpgIMG_8670_edited-1.jpgP1040129_edited-1.jpg

By | 2017-06-15T15:59:38+00:00 24 February 2013|Cruise Destinations, Cruise Ships|0 Comments

About the Author:

John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.

Leave A Comment