Visit to Shwedagon Pagoda

Hi, it's Sharon here. I believe everyone must be eager to find out more about the culture of Myanmar.

My friend, Eingyin, who is now back in Myanmar for the holidays just visited the 2,500 years old Shwedagon Pagoda. Many pagodas can be found in Myanmar and people go there for religious purposes. In fact, there are more than 4 million pagodas in the whole of Myanmar!

The Shwedagon Pagoda enshrines strands of Buddha's hair and other holy relics. Located west of the Royal Lake on the 114 -acre Singuttara Hill in Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred and impressive Buddhist site for the people of Myanmar. From a humble beginning of 8.2 meters, the Shwedagon Pagoda today stands close to 110 meters. Shwedagon Pagoda is covered with hundreds of gold plates and the top of the stupa is encrusted with 4531 diamonds; the largest of which is a 72 carat diamond.

It is clearly one of the wonders of the religious world. Shwedagon Pagoda represents the best in Myanmar heritage – architecture, sculpture and arts. The Shwedagon Pagoda consists of hundreds of colorful temples, stupas and statues that reflect the architectural era spanning almost a 2,500 years. Once inside this monumental work of art and architecture, visitors can experience the importance of Buddhism to the lives of the Myanmar people.

The top part is all made of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and gold Buda statues like the ones shown on the pictures below:

Shwedagon Pagoda is often crowded with people who do religious as well as community activities – the bustling of devotees and monks washing the statues, offering flowers, worshiping, and meditating.

Here is a video to show some sights of the Shwedagon Pagoda:

Isn't it beautiful? 

Famous Food In Myanmar!!!

HELLO EVERYBODY! 

Today we will be introducing different types of Burmese food. Food is a popular topic in Singapore so I'm sure all of you are excited!

1. Mohiga

Mohiga is a dish consisting of rice vermicelli in fish broth with onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass. a sliced core of banana-stem with fried fish cake, fritters and boiled eggs.

2. Shwe Yin Ay

Shwe Yin Aye is a very popular and refreshing dessert among the people in Myanmar. The meaning of the name is 'Golden Heart Cool'. The dessert is mixed with agar jelly, tapioca and sago with coconut milk.

Last but not least...(I'm sure you guys are very hungry now...)

3. Laphet

Laphet is a name of a popular snack in Myanmar. You can also call it pickled tea leaves. With only a dash of oil, it can be served with sesame seeds, garlic that is fried as well as roasted peanuts.

Stay tuned for more updates on Burmese culture. :)

Introduction

Hi everyone who is looking at this post! We are a group of students from Damai Secondary School's Girl Guides (Singapore) and we are here to promote international friendship. Our group consists of Daniela, Eingyin, Jade, Jia Qi, Sharon, Shu Yee, Tarini and Zauwiyah. Eingyin and Tarini are currently in their home country, Myanmar and India respectively. This blog will be talking about the culture and religion in Myanmar.

International Friendship is about friendship between peoples, countries, culture, and religion, to make peace between different races and avoid misconceptions of other people's cultures. 

One of the steps taken towards this was the setting up of the organisation known as the United Nations. The United Nations was set up in 1945 when World War II ended. It has always wanted young adults, being future leaders, to have more activities which include the involvement of different cultures to promote international understanding and more respect for diversity.

We will be updating this blog regularly over the year of 2014 and we look forward to sharing more things about international friendship and Myanmar with you! Please do visit another blog also done by us: Colourful India. :)

That's all for now. You will hear more from us soon!