Streets of Yangon II: color scenes

Yangon is a city that deserves to be discovered by foot. It's quite vast and it can be very hot at times, but the pleasure of simply walking through its alleys, discovering amazing little corners or buildings left and right is totally worth it. Architecture-wise, Yangon is a city with a visible colonial past were time and rains have passed mercilessly and have left their sign on the walls and windows: everywhere you go, the big, old buildings will greet you with their mouldy facades and rotten furniture, with their faded colors and their leaning railings. Yangon is a city of contrasts, where once majestic buildings are abandoned and decrepit today, while people live in small beehives and spend most of their time in the streets. After last week's monochrome collection (you can see it here) today we embrace color!

Human beehive, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Nature vs. cement, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Deterioration, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Open decay, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Quiet afternoon, GM1 + Olympus M Zuiko 45mm

Transparency, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

But there is more to Yangon than simply decay and abandonment from better times; the city is far from dead, and it shows a relentless energy and will to prosper that can be seen in certain areas that are experimenting rapid urbanization and growth. Though tourism and foreig presence is still small in the city (and the rest of the country), things are starting to change and signs of modernisation can already be spotted througout the city. The area near Yangon's main attraction, Shwedagon Pagoda (I will cover it in a future post), is specially active in its development: new condominium buildings are starting to appear, and the lake around the floating Karaweik Palace, another of Yangon's renowned attractions, has turned into a nice, big and well kept public park.

Karaweik Palace I, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Karaweik Palace II, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Shwedagon through the trees, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Afternoon reflections, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Romance in the umbrella shade, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Cooling down, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

But what is a city without its myriad of faces and souls populating every road and every street? Day and night, old quarters or developing areas, shaded corners or sunny squares, Yangon is never empty nor quiet, and you will always encounter people anywhere you go in this exciting, dirty metropolis. Kids playing and men riding, women carrying goods back home or vendors advertising. Chances are very high that you will grab a few smiles and even rudiments of conversations along your way, and more often than not, the best memories you will keep from your days spent there willl not be places but people. 

19th Street, GM1 + Olympus M Zuiko 45mm

Night market, GM1 + Olympus M Zuiko 45mm

Umbrellas, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The dishwasher, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Textures and surprise, GM1 + Olympus M Zuiko 45mm

The little guardian, GH3 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Ice-cream seller, GM1 + Olympus M Zuiko 45mm

Searching for tired legs, GM1 + Olympus M Zuiko 45mm

To see the collection of images from Yangon Circular Railway, click here., and for images of the beautiful pagodas that populate the city, including the renowned Shwedagon, click here.