Pic of the Week 17

The Shwedagon Pagoda by night. Just magical…

Camera stolen and a lot of great pictures lost… I am still frustrated and depressed but as people have been telling me, I have to keep going. It is hard right now but I want to start writing about one of the highlight countries I have recently visited – Myanmar. And a good way to do so is to start of with another Pic of the Week. I know this category actually doesn’t deserve its name anymore since updates have been coming rather regularly. But I still like it and don’t want to abandon it. Maybe one day I find the time and concentration to actually post on a truly weekly basis.
Anyhow, the image above has been taken in Yangon, Myanmar’s capital where I started my journey of this amazing country. Pictured is part of the famous Shwedagon Pagoda. It is Myanmar’s most important sacral building and represents the religious center of the Myanmar. It is regarded as landmark of the entire country and represents one of the world’s most famous stupas. It is a sacred place and every Burmese should do the pilgrimage to the pagoda at least once in their lifetime. I went there during the evening and stayed until it was dark. The atmosphere was magical with candles lit around the stupa and the sites around illuminated by warm lights. I could sense, that this place is special to the Burmese Buddhists sharing that moment with me. People wandered around it devoutly, silent and respectful only accompanied by chanting coming from some of the surrounding halls. Magical is what describes it best and magical is what the whole country would present itself to me during trip.