Yangon is a bustling city, the largest city in Myanmar. The town is full of decaying British Colonial buildings, poverty-stricken residents, and an immense collection of temples including the Shwedagon Pagoda the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar. The sights in Yangon are interesting but the best part of the city are the people. They are the warmest and friendliest people we have encountered on our travels.

Slowly, the country and Yangon are rebuilding after cutting off outside influence from 1965-2011. New modern buildings are going up, KFC has moved into the neighbourhood and residents now can afford to have a cell phone.

Men still wear the traditional longyi and women and children continue to paint their faces with a pale yellow paste called Thanakha that protects them from the sun and keeps their faces and arms cool in the sweltering heat. However, watching the younger generation you can see they are starting to embrace blue jeans, ball caps and all things modern.

Tourism is just beginning to take off (I only saw two selfie sticks) and seeing foreigners is new to the residents of Myanmar. Numerous times of day people would ask to take our pictures (with the entire family), teenagers would giggle and sneak pictures of us with their self phones, and people would shout English phrases from the bus window, from a sidecar bicycle and the back of a truck, "Welcome to my country, You are beautiful, Where are you from?” With a reception like that no wonder we are already planning to head back again next year.

To read more about our adventures in Yangon visit: http://worldwideeyed.com/myanmarshadow/