Visit the beautiful Yangon in Myanmar

Yangon is full of color, chaos, hustle and heat, and home to some of the most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. It’s a city with many sides; from the frenetic stalls and cafés of downtown to more laid back and leafy neighbourhoods with upmarket houses and boutique shops.

Bathe in gold at the Shwedagon Pagoda

The Shwedagon Pagoda (or Shwedagon Paya, as it’s also known) is the iconic symbol of the city — if not Burma – and for good reason. Sitting over 100 metres tall, with roots dating back more than 2,500 years, it is said to hold strands of Buddha’s hair deep inside, which makes it a hugely important site for Buddhists far and wide. Gold plated and diamond topped, the stunning structure is visible from around Yangon, and no visit is complete without spending some time there. It is truly beautiful and captivating and you might just surprise yourself with how long you stay, peering into the seemingly endless temples, shrines and more that encircle the gilded stupa. It’s also a fabulous people-watching spot — from tourists and worshippers to monks and wedding parties making their way around; and not to mention it’s truly magnificent at both sunrise and sunset.

Get to grips with the Nation’s past

National Museum of Myanmar

Two places worth your time if you want to try and get your head around Burma’s complex history are the Bogyoke Aung San Museum and the National Museum of Myanmar. Aung San is hailed as the father of modern Myanmar, not to mention the father of the leader of the National League for Democracy and famed activist, Aung San Suu Kyi. The museum pays tribute to the late general’s life with collections of speeches, papers, photos and personal items and is situated in what was his home prior to his assassination in 1947. The National Museum of Myanmar, meanwhile, looks at the country’s history and evolution as a whole with one of the largest collections of artifacts and relics relating to the development of civilisation, art and culture. Walk through time and see how Burma grew into the country it is today.

Take a minute at the Taukkyan War Cemetery

Burma played no small part in World War Two, as the more than 6,000 Allied graves at Taukkyan (also known as Htauk Kyant) War Cemetery quickly demonstrate. A Commonwealth War Graves Commission site, the cemetery is located about an hour north of downtown Yangon, but is absolutely worth the journey. Well kept and peaceful, it a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives, many fighting far from home, in the jungles of Burma. There are three memorials to look out for which, among other things, also commemorate the near 27,000 soldiers who died in during campaigns in Burma with no known grave.

Tread the boards over Kandawgyi Lake

Kandawgyi Lake sits not far from the Shwedagon Pagoda and is home to the slightly surreal Karaweik Palace (a large, seemingly floating gold structure that is now a restaurant), as well as a nature park popular with local families. It is also where you will find the rickety boardwalk around the lakes’ edge. You’re not quite taking your life into your own hands, but every step is a small leap of faith as many of the boards are loose and old. It is however, worth the careful stroll, taking you past the exceedingly posh Kandawgyi Palace Hotel and over countless lily-pads. Just make sure you have water and some sun protection with you, as once you get out into the middle, there is no shade, and no going back.

Lose yourself in Downtown Yangon

A true highlight of any visit to Yangon has to be just throwing yourself in amongst downtown Yangon’s surprisingly leafy, grid-like network of streets, most of which are handily named by number (New York style) and surprisingly spread out when you put your perfectly laid out map route into action on the street. You won’t know where to look, from the crumbling European style architecture and many market stalls that pop up late afternoon, to the gridlocked traffic at rush hour, and countless street vendors selling bowl after bowl of piping hot noodles. All this happens under a haze of construction as the city grows and develops with new tower blocks and malls swinging into place above your head. It’s the crazy, chaotic side to Yangon that quietens down very quickly from 10PM onwards, and is home to some real gems for eating, sleeping and shopping.

Read more: 7 reasons why you should visit Myanmar

Source Internet

The best Shinto shrines in Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto is home to over 400 Shinto shrines, so it can be a daunting task to choose the best shrine to visit on any trip. Here are some beautiful pictures of the best shrines in Kyoto to help make your choice that little bit easier.

Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings. The trails lead into the wooded forest of the sacred Mount Inari, which stands at 233 meters and belongs to the shrine grounds.

Fushimi Inari is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Foxes are thought to be Inari's messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari Shrine has ancient origins, predating the capital's move to Kyoto in 794.

Heian Jingu Shrine

Heian Jingu Shrine is a relatively recent addition to Kyoto's collection of sacred places, but is still a very impressive shrine which features elegant, richly-colored buildings surrounded by large gardens in the four cardinal directions.

Built in 1895 to commemorate the 1100th anniversary of the founding of Heian Kyo (Kyoto), and dedicated to the Emperors Kammu and Komei, the first and last Emperors to rule Kyoto, the buildings are a partial replica of the Imperial Palace of the Heian Period (794-1185). The vermillion-lacquered Otenmon Gate and Daigoku-den (main hall) are especially beautiful. The gardens are representative of Meiji Period garden design, and have a rich variety of flowers that change with the four seasons.

Yasaka Jinja Shrine

Yasaka Jinja Shrine is a colourful, bustling downtown shrine in the heart of the city, which overlooks the geisha and entertainment district of Gion. It is one of Kyoto’s most important shrines and has a long connection with the Kyoto Geisha community. The shrine is home to the famous Gion Matsuri which takes place every year over the entire month of July.

Shimogamo Jinja Shrine

Shimogamo Jinja Shrine is one of the oldest and most beautiful shrines in Kyoto. Located at the junction of the Takano and Kamo Rivers, the shrine is surrounded by an ancient forest with trees that are up to 600 years old making it an amazing place to take a stroll.

Kifune Jinja Shrine

Kifune Jinja Shrine is located up on a hill that offers a fantastic escape from the heat of summer in the city. Stone steps lined with red lanterns create an attractive and atmospheric setting that is just magical in any season.

Kamigamo Jinja Shrine

The Kamo Shrines, Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine, are both recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are two of the most important and oldest shrines in Kyoto.

In fact, the Kamo Shrines even predate the city's establishment as national capital in 794. Throughout the thousand years that Kyoto served as Japan's capital city, the Imperial Court patronized the shrines as establishments dedicated to the city's protection and prosperity.

See more: Discover 5 unique and incredible traditions in Kyoto

Source: Internet

Traditional Chinese medicine tricks in 5 ingredients

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient healing system based on Taoist principles of living in harmony with nature. Eating the right foods is central to adjusting our bodies, helping the organs function smoothly and in harmony with one another. Here are five star ingredients to make you feel fitter and more energized, according to TCM.

Ginseng

Ginseng’s Chinese name, renshen, means “human root,” because it vaguely resembles a human body: a bulbous head on top, with two “arms” and two forked “legs” at the bottom. Its appearance is significant in Chinese culture, because it’s taken to symbolize ginseng’s potent ability to cure human ills.

Specifically, ginseng is said to strengthen and replenish qi (vital energy), which is essential to the body. Qi a vital substance that sustains life, warming the body and allowing it to move and develop. Qi circulates throughout the body along with blood, providing energy to our organs and tissues.

Goji berries

Also known as wolfberries, goji berries have been used as an herbal remedy for over 3,000 years, with its first recorded use in The Classic of Herbal Medicine. More recently, it’s come to the attention of the West, who revere it as a “superfood” that’s packed with a potent punch of antioxidants and vitamins.

These berries taste floral and sweet, and usually come in dried form. They are thought to be anti-aging because they can benefit the kidneys and to nourish jing, or kidney essence, which underpins human vitality. Goji berries are also eaten to improve eyesight.

Mung beans

This essential yin (cooling) food helps to detoxify the body, expelling heat and adding moisture. Yin and yang are the opposing, primordial elements of nature. To be in good health, our bodies need a roughly equal balance between yin and yang.

Summer time is associated with yang, so it’s important to cool down our bodies with a yin food like mung beans. A refreshing bowl of refrigerated mung bean soup – quite simply, mung beans simmered in water for 20 minutes – is very popular in China during hot weather.

Jujube

Jujube dates have been used in TCM recipes for centuries. They can easily be steeped as teas or steamed with congee to aid circulation and to bolster qi. These brightly-colored fruits are high in vitamins B and C, with a firm red skin, soft, sweet flesh and large seed in the middle.

The seed of the jujube is as important as the flesh. Jujube seeds are thought to promote blood flow, calm the mind, and soothe the nerves, and are often used to treat insomnia. When cooked in water, jujube seeds can reduce fatigue and regulate sleep.

Walnuts

The Chinese have long believed that eating walnuts can sharpen the mind and boost concentration and memory. This stems from the fact that the crinkled appearance of a walnut resembles the folds of a human brain – and according to TCM principles, like replenishes like. In fact, walnuts help to lower cholesterol and have been found to contain compounds that aid the heart and the brain, including omega-3 fats, vitamin E and folate.

In addition to helping the brain, walnuts can support kidney qi and aid digestion by lubricating the intestines. As a warming food, walnuts are a great addition to the diet during the winter months. You can snack on raw walnuts or incorporate them into stir-fries or baked goods.

Read more: The main flavors of Chinese cuisine

Source The Culture Trip