Snakes on a Train!
Snakes on a train!? Is my Charles Bonnet Syndrome taking over again or have we entered a bad Hollywood prequel? Thankfully neither is the case; instead this is a story of just two things you can do on a trip to Yangon. Visit the Twante Snake Temple and ride the city’s infamous Circular Railway.
The Snake Temple near Twante.
Visiting the Snake Temple was high on my ‘things to do in Myanmar’ list. As is often the case though the journey to and fro ended up being more interesting than the destination itself. To get to the Snake Temple the first thing you need to do is get out of Yangon on the ferry to Dala.
The ferry ride across the Yangon River is over quickly but full of life while it lasts. Sit on the bottom deck and you will see and hear all manner of local snacks being carried (in hands and on heads) in front of you. Not hungry? That’s OK, toys, clothes and other goods are also paraded and offered to all. One of the many things I love about Myanmar is that a market can spring up anywhere and at anytime!
Once in Dala we chose our taxi (after many offers) and made our way to Twante. The drive to Twante was my first chance to see a glimpse of rural Myanmar. Palm trees and rice paddies along with bamboo shacks and the occasional livestock surrounded me. The joy and excitement of seeing this new environment, if only a blurry glimpse of it, overtook any fear created by our increasingly speeding driver on roads which appeared to have no rules.
We were dropped off on the outskirts of Twante and began the fun of getting a ride to the Snake Temple. Since we didn’t know the name of the temple and the locals didn’t understand English we did our best to mime the actions of snakes to a group of motorbike drivers. Many puzzled looks and laughter were shared by us and a group of motorbike drivers until we all managed to see eye to eye. If you are planning on visiting this temple I recommend saving a picture of it to show motorbike or taxi drivers – this tip holds for any other places you may want to visit throughout the country.
The welcoming commite at the Snake Temple.
After a 20+ minute motorbike ride we arrived at the Snake Temple. I had previously read that the Burmese pythons that live at the temple are fed pop-corn dipped in condensed milk by the caretaker nuns. With this I had imagined a Dr Suess meets Indiana Jones type atmosphere, instead it was a very subdued one.
The pythons that were there were more concerned with lounging about and sleeping than they were with eating popcorn and their caretakers were content to do the same. With low vision it was hard to see the snakes at first and I was initially disappointed. I was hoping that the nuns that look after the place would be active in showing off the temple and its inhabitants but all was quiet.
A Burmese Python at the Snake Temple.
I was thankful to have my brother there with me as he was able to point out the snakes that were hiding in the roof and in the donation box. I doubt I would have even seen the ones that were on the floor without help so I am glad that Caleb pointed them out before I discovered them with my white cane.
I quietly circled the temple a number of times and whilst not a place of much action it was enjoyable just experiencing the peace between human and snake; two creatures who are often better known for their destructive deeds. It was hard to see them at the time I used my camera to try and capture their image so that I could at least see them later.
A python amongst Buddha figures.
From the temple we decided to walk the kilometre or two to the motorbike/taxi stop on the main road back to Dala. I must admit that I found this walk just as enjoyable as the temple itself. It was hot and the scenery itself wasn’t spectacular but it was great just to be walking in rural Myanmar.
A Myanmar Mobile – I can’t always see them well but can always hear them!
With ferries, taxis and motorbikes taken care of, next on the to do list was travel on the Yangon Circular Railway. The Circular Railway takes approximately 3 hours to travel the 46 kilometre loop.
The Circular Train.
A train whose destination is the same station as where it departed from doesn’t sound particularly appealing. The uncomfortable seats don’t help. The ride on the Ynagon Circular Railway is however an extremely enjoyable experience. Over its 39 stops the train travels from the city centre, through the suburbs and into the outlying rural areas.
I found it a fantastic way of seeing the area. Legal blindness obviously means I can’t see as much when looking out the windows as others. Constant movement can make it even harder to focus on things or realise what they are before they pass b., Despite this, being on a train has its advantages for the blind traveller. Once aboard I don’t have to worry about my own movement and bumping into objects and people. I don’t have to exert all my energy in trying to deal with my surroundings. Instead I can sit back and let my surroundings unfold before me.
Life on the tracks.
Daily Myanmar life carries on just outside the open window. Small scale food vendors and larger markets; people walking to work and home and monks collecting alms; rice paddies and piles of burning rubbish all went by and I happily soaked it all up (OK, could do without the burning rubbish). It is a great taste of Myanmar life from the relative comfort of a train seat. Many people that we passed carried on the age old tradition of waving to the train passengers which made an already enjoyable experience more memorable.
A smiling passerby – something you’ll have to get used to in Myanmar!
It is not just outside the windows where this play of daily life is put on. The train itself is not at all just a tourist train but is used by local commuters. Families, friends and solitary travellers constantly get on and off the train at its various stops, filling the carriage with colour and conversation while they are on.
A family enjoys the view.
Vendors use the train to carry their goods from market to market and the aisles of the train of course become mini markets themselves as all manner of foods pass by.
A vendor on the Yangon Circular Railway.
We stopped at one of the main markets on the line and I highly recommend others do too. Navigating the market that fills the train platform with low vision and a cane was at first difficult but with help from my brother it was doable. We made our way to the back of the market, past the rats and over the paths that at times resembled small rivers and found a suitable place for lunch. I cannot tell you what it is that I ate but it was delicious and at 1,000 kyats (or approximately 1 dollar) for a large lunch it was great value. Conversation was limited but lunch was served with numerous smiles from the staff and other market goers.
Lunchtime
With 39 stops there are many other options to break up your train journey and of course if you don’t want to travel the whole loop you can also disembark anywhere and catch a taxi back to the centre of Yangon. Early mornings are the best time to travel if you’d like to see the carriage full of market vendors and their goods but the train trip can be enjoyed all day.
One of many markets along the line.
Train tracks coming to life.
