Myanmore Magazine - No.20/June 2018 by MYANMORE

No. 20 /June 2018 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free!

magazine

CHANGING THE GAME THAN THAN HTWE

No.20 / June 2018

magazine Managing Director Andreas Sigurdsson Managing Editor Lorcan Lovett Photography Angel Ko Ko Cover Angel Ko Ko In-house Writer Min Ye Kyaw Intern Suzin Lynn Contributors Jens Raitanen Kaung Myat Oo James Fable Edmond Sailland Illustration Ben Hopkins

Art & Production Kyaw Kyaw Tun Hein Htet

What’s On 5

New openings 26

Cinema 6 The Tea Shop 8

Travel Orwell’s Burmese Home 28 An Alternative Bangkok 30

Cover Story She Shoots. She Scores. 10

Rangoon Rhythm Where is Charlie? 34

Features The Dark Side of Skin Whitening 12 Where to Watch the World Cup 14 The Green Movement 16

Advertorial Grand Designs 36 Tech Talk 38 Green Column / Mixologist Column 39 Business Listing, Promotions 40 Card Deals 41

Q&A Arkar 18 Streets of Yangon 20 Eat & Drink Indian Tadka Downtown 22 Marco’s Cellar 23 Street snacks / Ethnic recipe 24 Chef’s column 25

About Myanmore Myanmore is a registered brand under Lychee Ventures (Myanmar) Limited providing digital and print publishing as well as creative services. Myanmore is managing the leading online city guide www.myanmore.com and printed publications Weekly Guide, EnjoyIt, KnowIt. We also work closely with the team of DRIVE, the first and only premium car magazine in Myanmar. Recently, we have launched application Sarmal (for finding restaurant & bars in Myanmar). The mission is to provide great content and experiences for residents in Myanmar.

Publisher MYANMORE Magazine Pyit Thiri Thaw Lychee Ventures (Myanmar) Limited Permit No. 01588 Printer Shwe Htee Printing Sales & Advertising sales@myanmore.com 0977 900 3701 / 3702

Disclaimer No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from Myanmore. All details are deemed correct at the time of print. The editor, employees and contributors cannot be held responsible for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may occur. www.myanmore.com www.facebook.com/myanmore www.issuu.com/myanmore Follow us on Instagram and Viber.

What's on

Art & Stage

into the night. Entrance is free. Goethe Villa - Kabar Aye Pagoda Rd, Next to Golden Butterfly Hotel, Bahan Tsp | 8:00 pm - 12:00 am

non-alcoholic drink, cake, gift card and an instant family photo. For more information and reservation, call 01544500 or email fb.chry@chatrium. com Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon No.40, Natmauk Rd, Tamwe Tsp | 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm

Celebrate Father’s Day Together 17th June 2018

La Guinguette de Suzette 23rd June

Miss Myanmar International 2018 Grand Final

Free flow wine and beer with barbecue. Georg’s Guinguette will play French popular Bal-musette till late. Entrance fee is 20,000 kyats, with music starting from 7pm. For tickets, contact 09 44952 9557. Ô’Thentic Crêperie & Wine Bar - 45 Yaw Min Gyi St, Dagon Tsp | 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm

12th June The theme is 1960s simple fashion in the grand final of this top model competition. Ticket prices are VIP 10,000 kyats and regular 8,000 kyats. Contact 09 778400007. Novotel Yangon Max - 459, Pyay Road, Kamayut Tsp | 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Nightlife

Dance Anthems 23rd June The Penthouse celebrates the international Fete De la Musique event with a big dinner and dance anthems. Contact 09 771239924.

Honor fathers at a beer and barbecue brunch at Belmond Governor’s Residence: $58 per adult/$35 per child 5-11 years(below 5, free of charge). For reservation contact 01 230 2092.

Father’s Day Brunch 17th June 2018 A beer competition and indoor games session with surprise gifts: $39++ (inclusive of free flow sparkling wine, wine, beer and soft drink). For reservation contact 01 935 1000. Lotte Hotel - No. 82, Sin Phyu Shin Avenue, Pyay Rd, 6½ Mile, Ward 11, Hlaing Tsp | 11:30 am - 3:30 pm

Belmond Governor’s Residence - 35, Taw Win Rd, Dagon Tsp | 11:30 am - 3:30 pm

Father’s Day Sunday Roast

Cosplay Competition at HOG Masters

17th June 2018

1st July A premier cosplay competition at one of the biggest gaming events in Myanmar. Join them to be at the forefront of the growing gaming community. HOG Esports - Marla Myine Yeiktha St, Hledan, Kamayut Tsp | 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sunday Roast and Pool at Rose Garden Hotel is a great way to spend to celebrate this Father’s day. Serving three sharing roast choices on the menu, unlimited draft beer and soft drinks, kids’ corner, live music provided by local band LNR and usage of the swimming pool for only USD 26.00 / 36,400 Kyat net per person. | RSVP : 01 371 992. Rose Garden Hotel - 171, Upper Pansodan St, Mingalar Taung Nyunt Tsp | 11:30 am 4:00 pm

The Penthouse - 271-273, BarGaYar St, Park side one building 8th floor, Sanchaung Tsp | From 7:00 pm

Dining

Father’s Day Family Dinner at Chatrium 17th June 2018

Berlin Club Night 16th June The newly renovated Goethe Villa celebrates its opening week with a multitude of cultural events. On June 16 German DJs Cee and Phon.O will spin the decks in the auditorium late MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Treat your beloved dad at the Chatrium Hotel: Emporia Restaurant seafood buffet dinner for US$37 net per person, Tiger Hill Chinese Restaurant a la carte buffet dinner for $26 net per person and Kohaku Japanese Restaurant buffet dinner for $46 net per person. All meals include a complimentary glass of wine or a

Cinema Cinemas

CINEMA

Now Showing Solo: A Star Wars Story Fantasy/Science Fiction Young Han Solo finds adventure when he joins a gang of galactic smugglers, including a 196-year-old Wookie named Chewbacca. Indebted to the gangster Dryden Vos, the crew devises a daring plan to travel to the mining planet Kessel to steal a batch of valuable coaxium. In need of a fast ship, Solo meets Lando Calrissian, the suave owner of the perfect vessel for the dangerous mission -- the Millennium Falcon. Casts: Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton & more. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Science Fiction, Action Three years after the destruction of the Jurassic World theme park, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing return to the island of Isla Nublar to save the remaining dinosaurs from a volcano that’s about to erupt. They soon

encounter terrifying new breeds of gigantic dinos while uncovering a conspiracy that threatens the entire planet. Casts: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, B.D. Wong, Justice Smith & more.

Coming Ocean’s Eight Thriller, Crime Five years, eight months, 12 days and counting -- that’s how long Debbie Ocean has been devising the biggest heist of her life. She knows what it’s going to take -- a team of the best people in the field, starting with her partner-in-crime Lou Miller. Together, they recruit a crew of specialists, including jeweler Amita, street con Constance, suburban mom Tammy, hacker Nine Ball, and fashion designer Rose. Their target -- a necklace that’s worth more than $150 million. Casts: Rihanna, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchet, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter & more. The Incredibles 2 Animation, Action, Adventure Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back in “Incredibles 2” – but this time Helen is in the spotlight, leaving Bob at home with Violet and Dash to

navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transition for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible. Casts: Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, John Ratzenberger, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Vowell & more. Race 3 Animation, Action, Adventure Race 3 is an internationally mounted saga of a family that deals in borderline crime but is ruthless and vindictive to the core. A world with twists and turns at every nook and corner, which will take the audience by surprise with its sheer unpredictability. When Shamsher entrusts Sikandar with a high stakes heist along with the family for support, what could possibly go wrong? Race 3 rushes towards a high octane climax MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

with betrayals, fast guns, fast cars and sleek action never seen before on the Indian screen. Action and drama that leads to a shocking twist in the climax that takes your breath away. Casts: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Anil Kapoor & more. Vengeance of Angel Drama, Thriller, Burmese A Burmese drama about love, hatred and vengeance of two man and two beautiful women along with puzzles and complications. When everything’s come to revenge, that’s where you take serious matters in your own MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

hands and do everything what makes you win.

The Love We Do Action, Drama, Burmese

Casts: Phyo Ngwe Soe, Aw Ba, Thet Mon Myint, Nan Su Oo & more.

A Burmese military film which describes the families of soldiers, students and their lives sacrificing for what they love, and for the people they love. A must seen film for those who really wants to know the reality of every country encounters the civil wars and rebellions. Casts: Soe Yan Aung, Moe Yu San, Shwe Thun Kha, May Sue Naing, Min Thu & more. Credits:IMDB

Cinemas in Yangon Mingalar Sanpya Cineplex 09 260 887 035 — 36, 01 230 3 165 Mingalar Cineplex (Gamone Pwint) 09 779 054 671 — 73 Mingalar Cinema 2(Dagon Centre (II) 09 732 54 091 — 92 Nay Pyi Daw 01 251 277, 01 251 288 Shae Saung Cinema 01 252 113, 01 388 034 Thamada Cinema 01 246 962, 01 246 963 Thwin 01 372 594, 01 388 033 Mingalar 01 243057

Tea Shop

THE TEA SHOP Illustration by Ben Hopkins Plastic Menace Whether it’s coasts, cities or mountains, nowhere in Myanmar is safe of discarded plastic waste, which happened to be the theme of World Environment Day on June 5. Plastic pollution is a danger to marine life (last month in Thailand a pilot whale died after swallowing 80 plastic bags) but microplastics also work their way up the food chain to other animals—including humans. In addition, there’s the ugly sight on rubbish in the streets along with a litany of other menaces caused by the pollution. See which Yangon initiatives are pushing back against the waste on page 16.

FIFA World Cup All eyes will be on the FIFA World Cup from June 14, which takes place across 12 stadiums in Russia. Unfortunately, Myanmar didn’t qualify, but that won’t stop world cup fever taking hold in

Yangon. With a strengthening squad, we may see the Myanmar women’s team compete in the tournament before the men’s team. For our cover story on the women team’s captain read page 10 and see where to catch the games in Yangon bars on page 14.

War Heads US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are scheduled for an historic summit at Singapore Capella hotel on June 12. The outcome of what would be the MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

first ever encounter between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader is anyone’s guess, but Trump hopes to convince Kim to give up his nuclear weapons. If all goes well, we recommend MYANMORE Café of the Year Café Salween as the next MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

venue to play host: it has a relaxed vibe, the coffee is good, and you get a free crepe with every beverage at breakfast. Also, you could call it the ‘Salween Summit,’ which sounds good.

Economic Shakeup New Planning and Finance Minister U Soe Win has his work cut out. The 80-year-old former Deloitte managing partner has acknowledged the challenges of boosting Myanmar’s

economy and told reporters he would gradually implement economic reforms, reported Frontier magazine. His predecessor U Kyaw Win resigned after the government investigated him for alleged bribery.

Cover Story

SHE SHOOTS. SHE SCORES. Myanmar women’s national football team captain Than Than Htwe has been a key figure in the game for more than a decade. Ahead of her retirement, the veteran midfielder reflects on her long career and the future of women’s football in Myanmar. Words by Jens Raitanen. Photos by Angel Ko Ko.

is my life. It is everything to me. If there was no football then my life would be meaningless—I would be meaningless.”

“My parents didn’t support me playing football,” she said. “But that didn’t stop me from playing when I was growing up. Football

A football pitch is pure happiness for Than Than Htwe, a place where any sadness in her life disappears. But women footballers in Myanmar tackle bigger challenges off the field. Unlike their male counterparts, Myanmar’s female players still face a lack of acceptance in their communities. Many people still believe women should embark on more traditional roles in their life, rather than pursue sport as a career.

hile men’s football continues to dominate the scene in Myanmar, women’s football is slowly on the rise, mostly thanks to one determined player. Ever since she was a child, all Than Than Htwe ever wanted to do was play football. Despite objections from her parents she embraced her love for the beautiful game and pursued her dream of making football her profession.

Despite the opposition from her own family, Than Than Htwe, who grew up in Ayeyarwady Region, stuck with football and made her dream come true when she was selected for the Myanmar Women’s National Football team for the 2001 Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia. Since then, the 32-year-old midfielder and team captain, who will retire this year, has won more than 60 caps for her country and scored more than 10 goals. She has also won several team medals, including two golds at the Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship in 2004 and 2007.

Her achievements have made her one of the most popular female football players in Myanmar, and her recognition has helped attract support for the women’s national team at home. “I have always given my everything to the national team and I am very proud to have represented my country,” she said. “It’s an honour every time I put on the national team shirt.” The team is a “second family,” she said, with players and coaches spending the majority of their time together. Since making her debut 17 years ago, playing MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

for the national team has been her life. Than Than Htwe and her teammates train five days a week at the Thuwanna Stadium training complex, where they also live together in shared accommodation. The training camp runs across the entire year and on top of her national team duties she also plays club football for Zwekapin United on a weekly basis in the KBZ Bank Women’s Football League, which consists of eight teams. The league is in its second season having been launched in December 2016. The introduction of the league is a big step forward in the development of women’s football in Myanmar. Than Than Htwe feels this will give the new generation of female players a greater chance of developing both individually and collectively. “It has given us the opportunity to play more matches and this is aiding the growth of women’s football in Myanmar,” she said. “This is particularly important for the younger

generation of players coming through the system because they need to be playing as many competitive matches as possible in order to reach their potential.” Before the league, a team of female players would train together weekly and play international games from time to time. Youth development and the quality of the squad was at a lower standard back then, said Than Than Htwe. “But now we are seeing good progress in the women’s game. Our national team has improved over the past few years and we have earned a good reputation in Southeast Asia and gained the support of the fans by being successful on the field.” Playing more friendly matches, particularly against teams that are more experienced and skilled, is “essential for the development of our players,” added Than Than Htwe. The captain is hopeful about the future of women’s football in Myanmar having witnessed and experienced the latest developments. She believes the right steps are being taken in the women’s game and she sees plenty of potential in the young players coming through the national youth teams. For now, though, her attention has fully turned to the upcoming Asian Football Federation Women’s Championship in Indonesia (June 30–July 13), where her team has been drawn in Group B along with Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, and hosts Indonesia. “Our target is to be champions and I believe we are more than capable of winning gold,” said Than Than Htwe. And although she will be playing her final matches for the national team before hanging up her boots, she has plans to coach at club level. “I want to stay in football, I cannot simply walk away from it all,” she said. “My ultimate dream is to become the head coach of Myanmar’s women’s national team. I hope I will get a chance to fulfil that dream one day.”

Than Than Htwe, a midfielder, has more than 60 caps for her country and has won several team medals in the region.

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Feature

THE DARKER SIDE OF SKIN WHITENING Cheap yet dangerous skin whitening products are flooding the Myanmar cosmetic markets. Words by Suzin Lynn. Photos by Angel Ko Ko.

imilar to its regional neighbors, Myanmar often equates lighter skin with a higher stature and beauty, connections that have driven an industry of skin-bleaching treatments. Most of those signing up to the often-hazardous products splayed across advertisements are Myanmar women aged between 21 and 35, according to local skin clinics. “I felt like I didn’t fit in with my city friends,” said a 32-year-old convenience store owner, who did not wish to be named in this feature. “I get teased so much because of my upbringing and skin color.” The woman began using skin-whitening products at the age of 18 when she first moved to Yangon from a village near Bagan. Beginning with mainstream brands such as Nivea, she transitioned to more obscure creams from Thailand, Japan, and Korea. “For the first few days, I felt like my face and neck were burning, but I thought nothing of it; just the product taking effect,” she said. After two weeks, small dark patches began to form around her face and neck, gradually enlarging. “That’s when I stopped and ran to the doctor.” She dropped the product but persisted with skin-whitening treatment in the hope of finding a product that would “instantly whiten my skin.” That product, she believed, was a Korean skin cream, which she described as a “miracle” that gave her an “instant glow and whiteness.” But after using it, her skin burned. “Even using thanaka, I felt my skin was hot and stung from time to time.” Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval can take up to nine months in Myanmar, during which time consumers searching for skin whitening

products will turn to the black market, said Dr Hnin Leh Khin, founder of My Aura Aesthetics Clinic. Family and friends told the shop owner she would struggle to find a husband because of her dark skin. She began taking pills bought from the black market, three times per day. “I didn’t tell anyone I was taking them. I was so desperate.” Societal pressure on one side, and a concerning list of symptoms, including fatigue, weight loss, and dehydration, on the other, she returned to the doctor, who told her the pills were damaging her kidneys. Excessive usage of bleaching and whitening products can even lead to cancer, said Hnin Leh Khin. High levels of mercury typically found in the products cause rashes, discoloration, and scarring, he explained, while high-percentage alcohol, silicones and steroids dehydrate the skin and hinder cell renewal. Dermalogica Myanmar provides “brightening” treatment plans based on skin types and emphasizes the importance of hygiene for healthy skin, said its education manager Dr Su Watkins. Obsessive usage of skin whitening products can cause extreme sensitivity and skin thinning, meaning the person eventually can not use any skin products at all. “People who come to our clinic have uneven skin issues, a lack of skin care, and have used various skin products without any prior knowledge,” said the doctor. Dermalogica and California Skin Spa work together to raise awareness of skin health, and teach the pros and cons about the products. Dermalogica advises against artificial color, flavoring and fragrance, as well as SD alcohol, an antibacterial and

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

cleansing agent, animal fats and animal testing. “A person’s skin pigmentation is more genetically influenced and trying to change that could result in damaging consequences,” said Su Watkins. Whereas sometimes damaging tone-altering such as exposure to UV-rays can be prevented, bleaching can be irreparable. One particular consequence is cystic-acne, in which the pores become blocked, leading to inflammation and infection. Both Hnin Leh Khin and Su Watkins agree that the government should do more to education the public on the impact of skin bleaching products. Su Watkins added that consumers should more heavily scrutinize products. “One size doesn’t fit all,” she explained. “We have to use products based on seasons and weather conditions.” Going against the “natural order of your body” will have dire consequences, she said. Years of using skin-whitening products have left the Yangon shop owner scarred and with severe skin pain, but she would still consider using them again. “I might, I don’t know, but one thing’s for sure; I’ve learned to be more careful. Of course, I still want to be beautiful, but I don’t think anyone should put their health at risk for that.”

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

“For the first few days, I felt like my face and neck were burning, but I thought nothing of it; just the product taking effect.”

Feature

WHERE TO WATCH THE WORLD CUP

The FIFA World Cup 2018 kicks off on June 14, with 32 national teams worldwide competing in a total of 64 matches played across 12 venues in 11 cities of Russia. Phew! That’s a lot of numbers, but the most important to remember is July 15, when the final takes place at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Words by Min Ye Kyaw.

ootball lovers in Myanmar are super excited to cheer on their chosen teams— which, unfortunately, do not include Myanmar itself, as the country failed to qualify for the tournament. During the 1960s and 1970s, Myanmar (then Burma) was a dominant football force in Asia, winning the Asian Games in 1966 and 1970. But the team’s last major achievement after the 1970s was a silver medal in the 1993 Southeast Asian Games. Since then, the under-20 squad has given the country more hope, qualifying for a spot in the 2015 FIFA Under-20 World Cup (though it failed to make it out of the group stages.) Nonetheless Myanmar has a passion for football, ignited somewhat by the first live airing on a major match on television—the UEFA Champions League final—in 1996. For World Cup Russia 2018, Yangonites can watch all 64 matches on Sky Net Sports channels, which won exclusive rights to air the matches in Myanmar.

as well as surprise prizes during the tournament. Sule Shangri-La Hotel, 233 Sule Pagoda Road, Pabedan Township 01242828 Ext: 6430, 6431 Mahlzeit & Atlas Rooftop Yangon’s one and only German restaurant in Sanchaung township hosts a “football fun fest,” screening all games live on a big projector. Guests can enjoy special deals on both food and beverages, including thematic snacks and cocktails matching countries competing in the cup. 84 Pan Hlaing Street, 1st floor, Sanchaung Township 09 784 151250

50th Street Cafe Restaurant & Bar

Sports Bar @ Inya Lake

One of Yangon’s most popular expat haunts, 50th Street Bar is a little slice of home for many foreigners living in the city. They will show all the matches and offer some enticing promotions. Also, show up in a team jersey and win a shot or beer every time your team scores. Play the in-house bingo cards to win a variety of prizes, too.

Popular among locals and expats, this bar won best Myanmar Beer outlet in the 2017 MYANMORE Awards. They have big TV screens in every corner and for June will have buy one get one free on Kirin beer every Wednesday and Thursday night. On Sunday and Monday in June will be buy one get one free on Carlsberg and Tuborg. Also every third Tuesday of June, July and August will be 6,000 kyats free flow on vodka, cocktails and beer.

The opening night has a special World Cup-themed quiz and food and drinks specials will be available for the first game. 9/13 50th Street, Botataung Township 01 397 060

10A Shwe Taung Kyar Street, beside Marketplace by citymart, Bahan Township 09 977 606888 Time Out Sports Bar @ Novotel Yangon Max

Gallery Bar @ Sule Shangri-la Yangon

The Beer Factory With a cool industrial layout, this bar offers great drinks and high quality service. They will screen live matches on big TVs and have happy hours as well as prizes for those who can guess the winning teams.

Ooredoo customers can watch all the matches live in their phones by downloading the app from Google Play Store or Apple Store or dialing *565# and downloading the app. But for those who want to experience the cup in a fun and boozy atmosphere, we have rounded up the best venues and promotions.

On the second floor of Sule Shangri-la, this bar oozes class, with a large pool table, sofas, big screens and classy decor. All of the world cup games will be shown live on new big screens, and they have a welcome-back offer— one house drink on your next visit,

37 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Inya Lake Hotel compound, Mayangone Township 09 731 32161

Lukas Podolski celebrates winning the world cup with Germany in 2014. (fifaworldcup instagram)

Whether you’re looking for a spot to catch up on your favorite sports matches or just feel like playing darts, pool or miniature basketball, this bar should do the trick. Cheer on your favorite team with your football buddies and enjoy promotions— buy one, get one free on all draught beer during games. Plus, buy one beverage and participate in the “Live Score Game Focus”— the winner gets one free three-liter beer tower. A Carlsberg tower and tortilla chips are US$20 net, selection of five MYANMORE magazine #18 April 2018

beer bottle buckets are $22 net and Carlsberg buckets are $16 net. Novotel Yangon Max, 459 Pyay Road, Kamayut Township 09 251 185 975 Garbo Bar @ Meliá Yangon Themed on Hollywood’s Golden Age and named after the famous actress Greta Garbo, the bar is a mixture of dark wood and marble, with weak and golden lights adding to the ambiance. Watch matches live on their 100 square-foot big screen and cheer for your team with their buy one get one free promotion on Heineken Beer and Garbo Special Combo Set. Meliá Yangon, 192 Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township 01 9345000 Babett Babette is the perfect place to enjoy a Spicy-G tequila cocktail and delicious tapas. Celebrate the launch of the world cup with free-flow beer during the opening ceremony and first match, available with any burger purchase. They are broadcasting every single game of the tournament on three massive screens. Keep your spirits high and support your favourite team with US$1 beers during game time, or enjoy one of a burger and beer combo for 16,000 kyats. 5 Alan Pya Pagoda Road, Dagon Township 01 243 639 Harry’s Bar The Singapore-based establishment is now in Yangon. There are numerous beers on tap while their ever growing list of cocktails keeps the atmosphere kicking till late. Myanmar Plaza (HAGL Myanmar Centre), Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township Junction Square, Kyun Taw Road, Kamayut Township 09 7777 08395 Roof Alchemy Roof Alchemy is a two-story cocktail bar that is often packed with partygoers. Renowned for its molecular cocktails, Roof Alchemy offers a creative range of cocktails and shishas. MYANMORE magazine #18 April 2018

Yangon International Hotel Compound, 330 Ahlone Road, Dagon Township 09 502 0073, 09 254 272 460 Regional Bistro This bar is one of the eight places where you will be able to find Burbrit Beer—locally brewed craft beer produced in Myanmar, but following a centuries-old German tradition. Big beer drinking sessions are common on football match days.

range of other promotions and games. They have one beer station and small food stalls. G26-49, Ground Floor, Between 47th & 48th Streets, Maha Bandula Road, Botahtaung Township 09799423723 Rosie’s Sports Bar A cozy downtown bar with a good atmosphere and friendly staff, .Rosie’s is a place you can enjoy watching live matches with friends.

live screening of football matches and live performances from Southeast Asian dancers, it will be difficult to find a seat if you come too late. 4th Floor, Myanmar Plaza, 192 Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, Bahan Township 09 44247 7778 Captain Bar @ Savoy Hotel Yangon

456A/B, Corner of Link Street and Dhammazedi Road, Golden Link Residence, Bahan Township 09 42060 6005

No.25, 50th Street (Lower Block), Botahtaung Township 09 777 066714

Urban Village

Eclipse Bar & Restaurant

Watch the FIFA World Cup Live Streaming at Captain’s Bar for every game with favourite sports teams, extraordinary passes with lots of beer and complimentary bar snacks. A complimentary glass of beer to Dutch and Italian teams dressed up in national colours or wearing team jerseys during the opening match.

This place in Urban Asia Center is hosting Yangon’s very first football village to enjoy live matches and a

Yangon’s busiest hotspot for drinking, socialising and great music on the fourth floor of Myanmar Plaza. With

Savoy Hotel Yangon, 129 Dhammazedi Road, Bahan Township 01 526289

Feature

THE GREEN

MOVEMENT

MYANMORE visits a band of environmentalists raising awareness of plastic waste.

his year’s theme for World Environment Day is plastic pollution, a scourge on Myanmar that is more easily seen in its beaches, mountains and cities than its dearth of reliable statistics. But over the past year a string of hopeful environmental initiatives are pushing back against unnecessary waste. One example is Yangon’s “Straws Suck,” an increasingly popular campaign to drop non-reusable plastic straws in bars and restaurants. Introduced by Nikki Barltrop, chief operating officer of 57Below Catering, the campaign has attracted some of the city’s biggest establishments; even KFC is now offering straws only on request. Meanwhile, the some fourmonth-old bamboo straw firm Palü is offering a reusable and biodegradable alternative to diners.

Why people should alleviate the damage we deal to the environment is a vast and immediate concern. After all, the innocuous plastic bag can take up to a millennium to decompose, almost twice the lifespan of the Roman Empire. In its wake is a disastrous environmental legacy. According to a 2012 World Bank report, solid waste generated in Myanmar was 5,616 tons per day— 0.44 kilograms per person. By 2025 the report forecast that number to reach 0.85 kilograms, driven by an increase in consumption and urban population growth, and a lack of effective waste treatment. Conyat Create Equipping businesses with the tools and knowledge to become more

sustainable, Conyat Create’s 10-strong team of mostly women work from an office full of reclaimed materials in Hlaing township. Citing Myanmar’s vulnerability to climate change as one of her main motivators, Howe realized that “not only businesses but the wider community didn’t understand sustainability.” “Our consumption of plastic is over the top. In Myanmar, you don’t have the proper supply and value chain to deal with plastic.” The insufficient means to deal with plastic waste has “impacted our health, waterways, supply chains, fishing,” she added. Australian-born Howe grew up in Myanmar and led corporate social

responsibility at oil and gas firm MPRL E&P from 2011-2017. Improving relations between companies and communities are a major focus for Conyat Create, as is training Myanmar nationals to help implement environment strategies. Part of the task is convincing companies why investing in the environmental is crucial to profitability, such as a fishery preventing plastic waste in the waters to protect its supplies. “As a business, you want to adapt in the long term or leave yourself exposed to risk later on. And not all employees want to be part of something that’s profit driven; they want to be part of something responsible and doing well.”

Palü joined several other groups in a talk on tackling plastic pollution, hosted by sustainable consultancy and change agency Conyat Create at Urban Village on June 4. “There has always been environmental initiatives in Myanmar, it has just sped up over the last six months,” Anastacia Howe, founder of Conyat Create, told MYANMORE. “We realize there are a lot of great things happening. We see our role as helping all these players shape the conversation, but tying in the why.” The “why” ranges from toxins in microplastics ingested by marine life and ascending the food chain, to the recent landfill fire in Hlaing Thar Yar township that hospitalized 26 people—a noxious two-week blaze that some say could have been avoided if the waste was properly separated and treated.

Sustainable consultancy and change agency Conyat Create is raising awareness about plastic pollution. (Supplied)

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Palü Any entrepreneurs concerned that responsibility may not necessarily translate into profitability need only look to Palü, the bamboo straw firm born in March and already producing up to 400 straws every week for 15-20 clients. “That number grows everyday,” said its founder 32-year-old Lyn Minn-Din. Palü is a shortened word in the Chin dialect for a bamboo straw used to drink a local rice wine, but the idea came from further afield when Lyn Minn-Din noticed alternatives to straws as well as other green initiatives on his Southeast Asian travels. Back at his workspace in Energize Myanmar, Lyn Minn-Din spoke to colleagues from an Ayeyarwady Region village specializing in bamboo craft. Bamboo forests are often leveled to make way for betel nut plantations, with some of the leftover bamboo bought by Palü, he said. The stalks are cut into lengths and washed in the village, and then sent to the Energize Myanmar office where they are sanded, washed, boiled and sun-dried. Bunched in 10 for 10,000 kyats and with a little bamboo cleaning brush, Palü straws are stocked at Union bar. Customers of Blind Tiger, Mandalay Mee-Shay, Yangon Bakehouse, Inle Sanctuary and Chin Café in Kachin State among other venues will also come across them. Each straw lasts for about 15 uses, but ultimately Lyn Minn-Din wants Myanmar to be straw-free—including

Boxes and model elephants made from coffee sachets at craft shop Chu Chu. (Myanmore)

in its teashops—and willing “to see the problem as a problem.”

made from plastic and second-hand sweaters.

“I am very happy if you just don’t use a straw ever again, regardless of whether it’s bamboo or plastic, because if you use a straw it’s still trash,” he said, adding that inevitable trash should be biodegradable.

Managing director Wendy Neampui described turning people’s mindset toward recycling as “a very difficult thing.”

When the engineer, who spent most of his adolescent in Scotland, leads fitness program Fight Camp Yangon, he will drink water from his grandfather’s decades-old whisky bottle. His family uses tiffin carriers the same age as him but kept in pristine condition. Myanmar has a tradition of reusing, he said. Chu Chu That tradition is practised creatively at social enterprise Chu Chu, a Dalabased craft shop that takes its name from the Myanmar for plastic bags, which staff heat and fuse together to create a range of colorful products. The shop-cum-workshop also provides items for other outlets, while it buys many supplies from the local community. These range from local boys combing teashops for coffee sachets, to the bicycle repair shop next door touting old inner tubes that are fashioned into wallets.

Palü bamboo straws. (Supplied)

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Between its glass-bottled walls, women mould the coffee sachets into model elephants amid curtains of traditional Chin and Rakhine weave

“It will take time. We need to change people’s behaviour, basically.” Waste management expert Friedor Jeske, who started Chu Chu with Wendy Neampui in 2014, carried out a company-sponsored audit in December 2017 on Mandalay landfill sites. He estimates four plastic bags are used per person daily in Myanmar’s urban areas, however he could not see any plastic bottles, metal cans, or cardboard in the landfill sites. “Every item that could have been recycled was removed before the load was emptied in the dump,” he said, explaining that recycling in Myanmar is mostly carried out by an informal sector of waste collectors who earn about 5,000 kyats per day. Dealers sort the waste before exporting or recycling it. Metal is melted down, glass is washed and re-used, plastics are cut into flakes and sent to China—“maybe ending up in your new North Face [polyester] sweater,” added Jeske.

The sector is “completely unrecognized” by the government and driven by people who “have no choice but to do anything else,” he said. But an increase in advertising, cheap products and consumption is threatening the “repair and repurpose” sector, while as the economy develops, he says, waster collectors will become employed elsewhere, leaving a chasm in the recycling industry. Green Wave Local environmentalists say plastic pollution awareness is at is nascent stage in Myanmar, where consumers are being told the impact of irresponsible waste so that they can pass on the message. Other recent initiatives, such as recyclables pick up service RecyGlo and environmental group Thant Myanmar, are helping spread the message of waste reduction across the whole country—not limiting it to the middle class, repats, and expats. “People have started to realize the issues at about the same time and now it has got to the point where we kick it into gear,” said Lyn Minn-Din of Palü. “We’re all on the same page, let’s tackle this together.” By the next World Environment Day, the fledgling community may well have grown into Myanmar’s biggest green movement yet.

Q&A

Arkar (right) is among a new wave of filmmakers creating anticipated movies in Myanmar. (Facebook: Arkar)

ARKAR A slew of young filmmakers have shaken up the Myanmar film industry so far this year, with social media playing a key part in spreading and promoting their work. One of the filmmakers, Arkar Win, is leading efforts to prove that Myanmar filmmakers are moving away from poorly-made clichéd tropes and producing films able to compete in an international market. Initially shooting documentaries, commercials, and music videos, Arkar moved to the big screen in 2016 with the filming of adventure movie The Mystery of Burma. The trailer piqued widespread interest on Facebook and queues of people buying tickets for the film snaked out of cinemas in May. The director talked with Min Ye Kyaw about his break into the industry and love of Indian films.

Q Why did you decide to pursue filmmaking? Before, I was in satellite engineering and didn’t have plans for filmmaking. I thought a Myanmar movie couldn’t appear in the foreign film market and if it did it’d probably just reach Singapore or Bangkok where there are many Myanmar citizens. I dreamed of a Myanmar movie going global—that was what I wanted to do. But I was an IT guy, not a filmmaker. Then filmmaking turned digital and everything you needed to learn was available on the Internet. My little brother was making songs, so I shot his music videos as a kind of testing ground. When I lived in Singapore some directors from Hollywood recruited part-time crews, which I joined on daily and hourly rates. Techniques I learned during this time I have adapted back here in Myanmar and finally I changed my whole career to filmmaking. In 2016 we went to Bangkok for a TV commercial and the company offered us an opportunity for film production. Q When did you get started in filmmaking? In 2011, but it was 2012 when I came back to Myanmar and founded my own ARKAR Production company and officially started my career.

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

“ I dreamed of a Myanmar movie going global—that was what I wanted to do. But I was an IT guy, not a filmmaker. ”

Q What film has inspired you the most?

Q Do you have any advice for young Myanmar filmmakers?

I like Hollywood blockbuster movies— not most superhero films, but fantasy ones. For example, The Lord of the Ring for fantasy and Unbroken by Angelina Jolie for realism. I like almost every movie of Christopher Nolan, a master at both directing and script writing. His Batman series, Inception; they have inspired me a lot. Also Peter Jackson is really talented at fantasies and production design, for example The Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit. But films that have inspired me the most are Indian, like OMG – Oh My God! It’s similar to Myanmar—they made a film about the misconceptions of their country, with fewer visual effects but with a strong concept. Indian movies have better scripts than Hollywood movies.

We all started there, so don’t listen to negative comments. Some say filmmaking is not a good investment of your time, but if you really want to be a good filmmaker, make up your mind and shoot what you want—don’t be afraid of feedback. Just keep on trying in whatever you are good at and one day, some producer will find you, and give you a chance. Don’t think if it’s small or big, do your best and keep on your projects. Q What projects do you have coming up? After The Mystery of Burma Part 1, we have a horror film, Tin String, and a family drama, Two Worlds, which describes the love between a father and his little girl. We also have a collaboration coming up with a Thai director and actors, scripted by a Thai writer. We will start shooting in July and hopefully it will come out in October, November. But we’re not sure whether it will screen in Myanmar this year because it may be chosen to take part in a film festival at the end of the year. Hopefully, we can screen it in Myanmar around 2020. One of the villains from a Jackie Chan movie will take part in this movie and well known actors from Asia will be casted, too.

Q Tell us about your latest film, The Mystery of Burma. How did you come up with the idea? When I was working in Singapore in 2011 and making short videos of my own, Jeffrey Mitchell, the elder brother of former US Ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell, contacted me to make a film in Myanmar and offered a budget. He had some financial backers in LA. I asked my younger brother to write a script, but the budget was not enough to cover the film so we cancelled the contract. In the meantime, we updated the script and in 2016 we got the necessary budget. Q What is your current assessment of the Myanmar movie industry? Everyone has seen a big change in the Myanmar movie industry since the start of 2018. It’s much stronger than previous years, and the impact has been as big as the change from keypads to touchscreens on mobile phones. Some people from the film industry have been left behind, but the audience is really stoked by seeing current films. But we still need improvements to challenge the Southeast Asia film market and we have a long way to go before reaching MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Q Describe your ideal perfect day as a film director.

an international audience. I hope we improve and reach a certain level in the next 10 years, although I really like the changes so far in 2018. Q TV or Netflix series are arguably more popular than ever. Would you like to make one, and what is the difference between shooting a series and movie? I would like to make a TV series; I have an offer already. But I don’t have a good script yet so it will be on hold. I also have films coming up

and our production company needs to strategize all the marketing and promotions of the films. But I am looking for a good script and if it goes well I will make a mini series in 2019. For the differences, we get more time for TV series and to construct each character in detail. For a film, we must make sure all the necessary climaxes in the plots are covered. It must be commercial and all the cast must be obvious. Also a movie takes at least one year or beyond to shoot, but a TV series only takes about six to seven months.

Well (laughs)… if I get to wake up early, I eat breakfast alone and go out to the balcony. Then I sit in the computer chair and research for my films—like which content I should curate and what my movies need. At 10am, my office starts running stuff like sending quotations, script writing, discussing schedules for shootings, etc. By 6pm, everyone stops working and gathers for some barbecue dinner or plays some games along with drinks. And 8pm afterwards, we eat dinner and go back on the Internet for entertainment or have a conversation with friends. By 10pm I watch Netflix, TV series and then go to bed around 1am. That’s all.

Photo Essay

STREETS OF YANGON “Behind every door and inside every shop is a person whose story is a joy to listen to,” wrote Bob Percival, former editor of this magazine. The late Australian author described Yangon’s hidden treasures and street life in his 2015 guide Walking the Streets of Yangon, which has been reprinted twice. “It is a city of street vendors,” he wrote. “Of fortune-tellers, teashops, colonial buildings, bookstalls, mosques, temples, modern shops, street markets, endless teashops, beer stations and a thousand eatingplaces.” To celebrate his passion and curiosity for the city, we have invited young Myanmar photographers to showcase their work on their favorite streets. This month, 21-yearold Kaung Myat Oo shares his photographs and writings about the lane he grew up on. Migathi 22 in South Okkalapa township, 12th ward, is down a small lane on Migathi Street. It was first created around 1958 when the township was being developed as part of a citywide plan. We don’t know exactly how it got its name, but ‘migathi’ is a Pali word. My grandmother moved in 1969-1970 from Mawlamyine to Yangon, where she lived on the corner of Migathi Street and Migathi 22. To this day, our family still lives there. When I was younger, there were no paved roads here, and all of the homes were single-storey with tin roofs. Before that, I have been told, the area was mainly trees and surrounded by woods. Now the roads are paved, and some wooden houses have become apartment blocks and high-rise condominiums. New neighbors have replaced old neighbors, and there is much more traffic congestion. Because it is where I grew up though, I still like Migathi 22 better than other streets.

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Review

INDIAN TADKA DOWNTOWN

don’t like to see independent restaurants replaced by big chains, but in the case of Indian Tadka supplanting India Kitchen on Maha Bandula Road, at least the takeover has yielded a better dining experience for guests, writes Edmond Sailland. While I frequently enjoyed dining at its previous iteration, the revamp gives a definite uptick in the quality of food and surroundings and perhaps a slight decrease in the price. Indian Tadka’s third outlet in the city is a far more stylised setting than the restaurant’s previous occupant, with large pieces of artwork, statement light fittings, and a lot of brass. The mezzanine level looks far more inviting than it did previously with a fancy balustrade. I started with the potato samosas (2,000 kyats) which had a reassuringly irregular shape, convincing me they were homemade, and a nice thick, chewy skin. The stuffing lacked any real flavor punch but the accompanying sauce was tart, rich, and tangy. The tandoori murgh tikka chicken (5,500 kyats) was the highlight of meal with succulent and soft meat, well-balanced spices and lovely charred notes.

Indian classics in a well-curated environment The Kashmiri dum aloo (3,500 kyats) was both sweet and creamy and therefore felt very indulgent. The cashews gave a welcome additional texture and a great nutty kick. I really enjoyed the strong ginger flavor and the subtle smokiness of the saag paneer (5,000 kyats). Both curries sated the appetite, but left me wanting a little more in the way of flavour. The naans—we tried garlic and plain— were crispy, chewy, tasty but a little too oily. Indian Tadka serves up a mean mango lassi (during mango season at least) and the masala chai is authentic tasting. The beer, which I always feel is the perfect accompaniment to curry, is reasonably priced. Indian Tadka offers more than palatable Indian classics in a wellcurated environment with betterthan-average service—you wouldn’t expect a restaurant in this price range to change your plates between courses. Its curry-house feel and shareable dishes make it the perfect place to amass a group of pals for a night of Indian fare. Address: 297, Maha Bandoola Road, Yangon Hours: 10am to 11pm Phone: 01 389 367

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Review

MARCO’S CELLAR Go for the wine, stay for the food

had been bemoaning the lack of a decent wine bar in downtown Yangon over the last year, so was thrilled to see Marco’s Cellar open in a heritage building on Merchant Road a couple of months ago, writes Edmond Sailland. My first visit did not disappoint: Marco serves up a large variety of wines handpicked by a sommelier based in Singapore. To line the stomach, the menu boasts a good variety of fairly reliable and reasonably-priced western dishes. I would go back for the wine, and stay for the food. Marco’s wine list is vast. With bottles from around the world you’re likely to find some old favourites as well as something new to try. There’s only a handful available by the glass (around 7,000 kyats) so best to get a group of friends together if you want to try a couple of bottles. I started with the Cape Dreams Sauvignon Blanc—a crisp clear white wine that was perfectly refreshing for a sultry Yangon evening. The Huma Four Seasons Pinot Noir was rich and full bodied. I also sampled the Chateau Chapron Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which was lighter than the pinot, but also scrumptious. The cheese plate made for a decent accompaniment. At 8,000 kyats, it’s reasonable for Yangon and had some tasty strong cheddar and blue cheese. The mozzarella and brie were, however, fairly tasteless. The bruschetta (3,500 kyats) was reassuringly standard – ripe juicy tomatoes atop a crispy crunchy baguette slice. It could have done with more garlic, good quality olive oil, and perhaps a little more fresh herbs. The truffle fries (3,500 kyats) were a bit cardboard-tasting but the punchy garlic mayo made up for that. For mains, the the baked fish fillet (9,000 kyats) was not overly fresh MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

tasting but came with a good tomato and cheese topping. The oven roasted chicken (11,000 kyats) was served with a punchy wine sauce and herby roasted vegetables. The penne al funghi (8,500 kyats) was deliciously creamy. Marco’s should become a downtown go-to for wine lovers. The sophisticated environment, with a lot of the wine bottles on display, natural wooden tables and good lighting, is the perfect place to peruse the impressive wine list and indulge in a tipple. The food is reasonably priced and reasonably-flavoured—perhaps not a reason to visit in itself but good enough to turn an aperitif into a supper into a postprandial.

Address: 499, Merchant Road, Yangon Hours: 11am to 11pm Phone: 09 789 499777

MYANMORE restaurant reviews are done independently. Meals and drinks are paid for by the publication.

Street snacks / Ethnic recipe c recipe

STICKY BUSINESS

aw Aye Kyaing, 60, has been selling sticky steamed rice at the busy junction of Sanchaung and A Shae Gone streets in Sanchaung township for 15 years, writes Min Ye Kyaw. Her 27-year-old niece Ma Kaythi Win helps to wrap the snacks and take customer orders. Having moved from a town in the Ayeyarwady Region, the family began selling fruit, but the produce rotted quickly and business was slow. Then Daw Aye Kyaing shifted to sticky rice, which was a tough sell to begin with. Now she has perfected the recipe: soak it nightly in clean water and steam it at the stall, in a holey pot half-filled with water. The trick is carefully and slowly pouring the rice mixture into the pot, and then adding some salt and oil. After half an hour, the yellow treat is ready to be served with green peas and coconut shreds. Black steamed sticky rice is made the same way and is even tastier and more digestible with some sesame seeds sprinkled in. It keeps for three days and Daw Aye Kyaing buys all the ingredients at the

Sticky steamed rice is one of Yangonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite street snacks. (MinYeKyaw)

night market on her way back to the monastery where she lives. Her stall sells yellow, black, and white sticky rice with beans at 300 kyats per serving. Daw Aye Kyaing also sells steamed green peas and lablab

beans at 400 kyats per serving as well as djenkol beans during the rainy season for only 100 kyats per portion. Sometimes Daw Aye Kyaing is busy with orders, mostly during Myanmar festivals such as Pyatho, Tabodwe, and Tabaung, but otherwise she usually

sells about 60,000 kyats worth every day. Address: Junction of Sanchaung and A Shae Gone streets, Sanchaung township Hours: 4.30am-9pm

MON MUTTON CURRY

rom the herby fare of the north to the fresh and spicy seafood along the western coastline, Myanmar has an endless choice of tasty ethnic cuisine. To try your hand at cooking a classic, Mon Ma Lay on 200 Oak Pon Seik, 1st Street, Mayangone, offers the following recipe. Ingredients 1 onion, finely chopped 5 garlic cloves, crushed 5 cm-piece ginger, peeled and grated 2 teaspoons of chilli powder 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 teaspoons paprika 100 ml peanut oil 2 teaspoons tomato paste 1 kg boneless mutton, skin removed and diced 1 lemongrass stalk 100 g tamarind pulp concentrate 1 tablespoon fish sauce 3 teaspoons of caster sugar

Instructions - Place the onion, garlic and ginger into a food processor or pound until it into a smooth paste. Stir the chilli powder, turmeric, and paprika into the paste. - Over medium heat, heat the oil in a saucepan. - Add the onion mixture and tomato paste. - Stir for 15 minutes or until browned and the oil separates. - Add the mutton and season it with salt and pepper. - Add lemongrass and 160 ml of water. - Cook without the lid for one and a half hours or until the mutton is tender. Extra water may be needed. - Add the tamarind, fish sauce and sugar. - Cook for 10 minutes more or until the liquid has evaporated and the oil has returned to the surface.

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Chef’s Column

STRAIGHT FROM THE SOIL MYANMORE Chef of the Year 2018 award winner Chef Orng writes about the importance of organic fruit and vegetables.

ast month we held a seafood night using only local produce—lobsters, crabs, oysters, sea snails, shrimp and more, all from different parts of Myanmar. It was going to be a one-off, but people enjoyed the night so much they’ve asked for another one: join us Friday, June 22 for another seafood special! Low season is a time to get creative, to experiment with dishes that will hopefully impress our diners and to train our team. We’ll probably be trialing some French-inspired creations (maybe using smoked eel or frog) and expanding our ‘farm,’ a plot next to the lake at our restaurant. Under the watchful eyes of our resident ducks, we grow basil, celery, mint, coriander, lemongrass, chili, as well as spring onions, runner beans, and tomatoes are on the way. We have started to use a lot of this stuff. In fact, almost all of our herbs now come from the farm. One of the main reasons why we care so much about food sourcing and safety is because of the dangers of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which are seemingly becoming more widely used in Myanmar. Buying fruit and vegetables from the local market, you have to be extra careful, especially now with this head in the middle of summer. Wash them with salt water for a while. I can often taste the chemicals that have been used on some raw vegetables, like carrots and cucumbers. And it’s not as if you can go to the market and taste everything—sometimes you can’t tell until you start preparing and taste the produce. Fresco or Sharky’s are great, but their price range means they’re not available to everyone. MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Chef Orng tends to his garden nearby his restaurant. (Leo Jackson)

Fortunately we also get produce from our family farm in Mon State, such as our mangoes, which we pick ourselves. Of course, we will never be able to grow everything for the restaurant, which is why I’m working with farmers in Bago to produce specially made orders. I asked them to grow onions for me, something like 1,000 kilograms, I said, ‘just keep them for me, I’ll use it.’ For most of my team this is the first kitchen they have worked in. They have learned quickly how best to cook

this organic produce—practically, they know what they are doing, and now I am giving them other tests. Using the proper chopping board, for example. And I explain why. I don’t train them to work, I train them to be creative: don’t give a man a fish; teach him how to fish! And in our case literally teach him how to clean, gut and cook a fish.

Orng Kitchen Green Acres Residence Compound, 1 U Sein Maung Lane, Kone Myint Yeik That Street, (Off Highland Avenue) 7 miles, Mayangone Township 09771195020 12pm-3pm / 6pm–10pm (Closed Monday)

New Openings

What’s new this month? Mary’s • Western Mary’s is a breakfast and lunch restaurant with outdoor seating, offering friendly service and delicious breakfasts, brunch and lunch with Western and Asian dishes. 2 Mahar Baw Dhi Street, from Kyauk Kone Street, Yankin Township 09 253 071 389 7 am - 5 pm

Decola Bistro • Myanmar, European Decola blends traditional Myanmar fare and European classics in a contemporary setting. From its brunch selection to its home-baked cakes and endless range of fresh drinks, it’s certainly worth a visit. 123 Phone Gyi Road, Upper Block, Lanmadaw Township 09 767 770123 9 am - 9 pm

Find out more at sarmal.com.mm

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

STEAK on Street • Western A great place to hang on with friends or family in the evening, STEAK offers an assortment of grilled and barbecued meats and seafood with some greens on the side in a street setting.

Bung Shi Kachin Food

Waizayantar Road, beside Citymart, Thingangyun Township 09 7779 99296 4 pm - 10 pm

• Kachin Experience real Kachin dishes without having to leave Yangon. Bung Shi presents its dishes on leaves as part of the Kachin tradition, and has various salads, soups and interesting mains. 48 Baho Road, Sanchaung Township 09 45936 4647 8 am - 9:30 pm

RGN Cafe & Bistro • Asian, European A fine-dining atmosphere with affordable cuisine, RGN has clay pots, hot plates, steaks and good appetizers. 142C, Min Ye Kyaw Swar Road, Lanmadaw Township 01 230 0150 11 am - 11 pm

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Travel

ORWELL’S BURMESE HOME

James Fable visits Katha, a former colonial outpost on the banks of the Ayeyarwady and the setting of George Orwell’s first novel. Photos by the writer.

“

Burmese Days is a good book, but even better are Orwell’s second two about Burma, Animal Farm and 1984.” So runs a common joke made about the days of military rule in Myanmar. Of course, of Orwell’s “Burmese trilogy” only Burmese Days could be bought, since its anti-colonial overtones were thought to validate the junta’s “Burmanisation project”— their attempt to reforge a national identity after colonialism had shifted the country’s ethnic demographics. Most expats have read Burmese Days, Orwell’s first novel, and while it isn’t his best it’s certainly relatable. In particular, he captures the expat’s love-hate relationship for the country, and the isolation felt upon returning home after long periods abroad. Some would even argue that contemporary expat society is redolent of his colonial characters.

is the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, comparable to the colonial mansions in Pyin Oo Lwin, albeit not as magnificent. Originally Mr Macgregor’s residence, its interior is filled with colonial-era pictures and with information boards (all in Myanmar language) about George Orwell. The upstairs is dusty and decaying. You can collect the key for the padlocked gate from the grey house opposite. One hundred meters down the road sits the 1924 tennis club and the British club. The latter, which now serves as an association office, is a halftimbered structure whose upstairs has been renovated. The old bar stores broken fans, empty petrol cans and a shinning Yamibisi motor. The downstairs classroom, conversely, is the original and has been well maintained.

The setting for Burmese Days was Katha, fictionalized to Kyauktada in the novel, and George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Blair, lived there from 1926-1927 while serving as a colonial police officer. Several buildings that feature in the book linger, and the Katha hotel, whose architecture evokes the colonial period, provides brochures with key buildings identified. The map is tiny and unclear, but you can work with it. The grandest structure still standing

George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Blair, lived at this house during his service as a colonial police o

I timed my arrival at the tennis court with a training session, and one of the club’s regular 10 members invited me for a game that afternoon. The

lines had been repainted, but the court needed resurfacing and the net looked to be a colonial relic. I leaned on it while collecting a ball—and suddenly collapsed. The wire inside the white lining had snapped. I had destroyed the single nice legacy left by my countrymen—what would George have said? Had I been a Burman in the colonial days, I would no doubt have received numerous lashings. But my hosts just laughed, assuring me it was “no problem,” and began repairing the wire.

Katha lies on the banks of the Ayeyarwady.

George Orwell lived in the two-storey police-commissioner’s house, which is now home to the township police commander. Unsure whether I could MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

officer in Burma.

enter, I tip-toed in, and was ushered to the upper floor by an elderly lady. However, the upstairs was bare and in need of renovation. The residences of the book’s protagonist John Flory, Dr Veraswami, the Indian Anglophile, and the Lackersteens, guardians of Flory’s beloved Elizabeth, still stand but are by no means must-sees. The old prison and St. Paul’s Anglican Church, however, are worth a look. Katha boasts a pleasing setting on the Ayeyarwady River and can be accessed by boat, train or bus. Whether travelling downstream or upstream, the IWT ferries dock here at midnight; if you want to see the scenery, take the speedboat. MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

I arrived on the full moon of Nyaungyaythone Pwedaw, when Buddhist worshippers pour water over Banyan trees to celebrate the birth, englightenment and death of Buddha. Everyone wore their best traditional dress, girls sported sprigs of jasmine in their hair, smiles were ubiqutious. I was encouraged to join in the fun, which quickly got me in the festival spirit. Street food stalls materialize in the town centre at evening, and several neo-colonial buildings are dotted round town, as well as teak ones near the riverside, where women come to wash their clothes, beating them dry with wooden paddles. Besides the Burmese Days attractions, I visited a sleepy Chinese temple near the

old prison, and a couple of elegant pagodas. Along from the sizeable pagoda occupying the northern end of Strand Road is a couple of beauty parlours offering upper body massages for a mere 3,000 kyats. Accommodation options range from classy to basic. The best is the boutique Katha Hotel (US$18-43, including breakfast), which has an attached restaurant and offers Wi-Fi. For budget travellers there’s the riverfront Ayeyarwady Guesthouse, where for 8,000 kyats you get a simple single room with a fan and share squat toilets prone to blocking. However, for rural Myanmar it isn’t so bad.

Katha receives few tourists each year, but for literature lovers, as well as those seeking a relaxing riverside break, Katha is certainly worth a visit. Scan this QU code for an AFP video of the effort to save the Katha buildings featured in George Orwell’s book Burmese Days.

None of the Burmese Days buildings are advertised as attractions, and

Travel

A view from the infinity pool at Bangkok Marriot Hotel The Surawongse. (Supplied)

AN ALTERNATIVE BANGKOK

Duncan Hines spends two days exploring another side of the Thai capital. Photos by writer.

ure, Bangkok is eating bugs on Khao San Road and lurid nightlife and tuk-tuks and temples. For many foreigners living in Yangon, it’s a getaway for shopping and feasting. But for the savvy traveler, the Thai capital is a trove of genuine surprises that color any visit with novel memories and photos.

The hotel pays homage to traditional Thai crafts. (Supplied)

Its main waterway, the Chao Phraya River, is as crucial to the city now as when it was founded by King Rama I in 1782—15 years after the Burmese sacked the former Siamese capital of Ayutthaya. Watch the river ferry cargo and passengers through the city from Yao rooftop bar atop of the newly opened Bangkok Marriot Hotel The Surawongse in the city’s storied old quarter.

As a five-star property surrounded by heritage sights on one of Bangkok’s oldest and most prominent roads, The Surawongse makes for a superb base to explore a lesser-known side of the capital. Nearby are the neoclassical Neilson Hays Library, the 19th century Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, and Bangkok Folk Museum, which gives an insight into the lives of well-heeled Bangkokians during World War II. The décor of the hotel pays homage to the old Thai phrase “chang sip mu,” or “ten divisions of craftsmen,” which encompasses traditional Thai crafts of carving, modeling, lacquering and metal beating among others. In the lobby, for instance, as well as being greeted with a bracelet of scented flowers and a lemongrass tipple, MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

guests will notice puppet models and costumes amid an abundance of silk. An easel, brushes and weaving are set stylishly around the reception; lacquer work adorns the ballroom door, and stenciled imagery of old Thai village

life lines the walls of the breakfast and dinner restaurant, Praya Kitchen.

southwest, prepare for a bicycle ride in the so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;lungsâ&#x20AC;? of the metropolis.

Take a few hours to enjoy the spa and infinity pool before venturing out in the local neighborhood. Then, heading

Bang Krachao In the middle of the Chao Phraya

River is a lush green island dotted with centuries-old temples and colorful orchards. Bang Krachao would feel similar to a lazy village on the banks of the Mekong River were it not for the skyline in the backdrop. Take a five-minute boat from Klong Toey port (10 baht) to the pier, where bikes are available for rent (70 baht per day, 30 baht per hour). Attractions include a firefly tour and the Bangkok Tree House, a boutique lodging and coffee pitstop. But perhaps the best fun here is to simply ride around Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park and Botanical Garden, spotting kingfishers, cranes, and slightly unnerving monitor lizards. From Klong Toei station, hire a taxi to reach Klong Toey port and then take a boat to the island. So Heng Tai

A scuba diving pool was built in old Chinese mansion So Heng Tai about 15 years ago.

Whereas a visit to Bang Krachao might be better suited to the morning, So Heng Tai is the perfect place to while away an afternoon. The Fujian-style teak mansion in the old Chinese neighborhood of Talat Noi has been standing for some 230 years, making it one of the first Chinese abodes to be built in the area, and one of the last remaining. But the four-meter scuba

In a large grassy lot near Ramkamhaeng Road Soi 101 is the stripped carcasses of jets. MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Travel

diving pool dominating the space around its three pavilions is the icing on the cake. A Chinese migrant who became a successful trader in edible bird’s nest built the mansion during the reign of Rama I, so the story goes. Seven or eight generations later, his descendent built the pool to teach scuba diving students, and the district government requested he opened the house to the public. Visitors are asked to buy a drink, with profits going to maintenance of the house. For those interested in diving, the NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) standard courses are 15,000 baht for locals and 16,000 baht for foreigners (course materials available in English, Japanese and Mandarin as well as Thai) and include an open dive in Pattaya. 282 Soi Wanit 2, Khwaeng Talat Noi, Khet Samphanthawong. Opened Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday from 9am-6pm, Friday from 9am-9pm, and closed Monday.

Airplane Graveyard Cycling Bang Krachao and sipping ice coffee in So Heng Tai would fill a day nicely. Equally as good would be scouring the wrecks of airplanes before catching a film in an historic cinema. No one quite knows how the stripped carcasses of jets ended up in a large grassy lot near Ramkamhaeng Road Soi 101, but it has made for one of the most unusual draws in Bangkok. Although reachable by bus or taxi, the canal ferry from Klong to Wat Sri Bunruang Pier is an easy way to get here. Most of the seats, life jackets, safety manuals and oxygen masks have been taken from the former Orient Thai Airlines MD-82 jetliners and Boeing 747 nose sections, though bits are still scattered inside. Some of the fuselages are home to families, who charge about 200 baht for entrance to the site. When exploring the aircraft be respectful and extra careful because of the many sharp points and flimsy platforms.

Take the Klong canal ferry to the last stop, Wat Sri Bunruang Pier, and walk down Soi 107 to the busy highway Ramkamhaeng. Then take a right and walk for 100 meters.

Scala Theatre, Siam Square Soi 1, Rama I Road. Find out what films are showing on +66 2 251 2861 or visit moveedoo.com.

Scala Cinema Tie up a weekend getaway with a film at Scala, Thailand’s last remaining single-screen movie hall. Located at Siam Square shopping center, Scala was designed by architect Chira Silpakanok and opened in 1969. Scala means ‘stairs’ in Italian, a flight of which lead up to the art deco atrium and a grand chandelier. The 1,000seat cinema usually leans toward independent films, and tickets are cheap. With the recent closure of Apex Theatre Group’s classic cinema Lido (the group also owns Scala), this movie hall has become even more special to the country. It’s modernist exterior is attractive, too. Go there for the ultimate retro cinema experience.

Get there Myanmar National Airlines (MNA) is a quality and comfortable airline that regularly flies YangonBangkok, roundtrip from US$105. Stay The Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse is the Thai capital’s latest five-star property, located in an area steeped with history and attractions. Visit marriott.com for deals and reservations.

Sri Nakhon Khuean Khan Park and Botanical Garden.

MYANMORE magazine #20 June 2018

Music

Charles-David Hay and his band Where is Charlie? perform at Atlas rooftop bar in Yangon. (Konstantinos Dessis)

RANGOON RHYTHM More and more bars are popping up around Yangon, bringing with them a rising tide of live bands and music. Suzin Lynn explores the dive bars, rooftop lounges and hipster hangouts where the best musicians can be found.

Where is Charlie? Usually whipping up cocktails and charming patrons in Atlas Rooftop Bar & Lounge. The 27-year-old Swiss artist Charles-David Hay started his bar managing and music career in Myanmar at MOJO Cafe & Lounge

in Yangon about four years ago. His band Where is Charlie? is a collective of musicians from Myanmar and Southeast Asia. The son of a jazz club director and great-grandson of the Genevan Philharmonic Orchestra, Charlie

began learning the cello at the wizened age of three. He counts as influences guitarists legendary Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix, as well as more recent bands Arctic Monkeys and the Black Keys. Any audience to his band are likely to hear blues, rock, funk, and reggae; an eclectic mix undoubtedly

shaped by traveling. “I’ve learned so much from meeting different people and musicians from many cultures and backgrounds,” he said. Before the start of Where is Charlie? in 2015, Charlie lived in Vietnam where he taught music to mentally MYANMORE magazine #19 May 2018

and physically handicapped people through NGO Maison Chance Vietnam. Afterward, he moved to Myanmar where his band has played on stages countrywide. Past venues include Mojo, the French Institute, Myanmar Plaza, and the ballroom at The Strand. “My most memorable concert would have to be at the Christmas Market at Myanmar Plaza this past year, the audience was very lively and warm. I hope there’ll be more chances like this for live bands across Myanmar, where it’s open to any and all audiences, which makes it easier for these bands to get scouted.” The essential part of being a performer, he says, is “to find ways to work around problems and show that you are truly into the music.” Being an instrumentalist, Charlie would have less commercialized and electronic music, and value quality over quantity when it comes to producing music. “It you enjoy it and it’s your passion, just do it,” he tells fledgling musicians. “There are ups and down to every job.” Follow Where is Charlie? on Facebook to see where next they are playing live.

#Trending Film: The Incredibles 2 Everyone’s favorite family of superheroes is back in “Incredibles 2” – but this time Helen is in the spotlight, leaving Bob at home with Violet and Dash to navigate the day-to-day heroics of “normal” life. It’s a tough transition for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone must find a way to work together again—which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible. Fashion: May Toe Khine Ascending as Myanmar’s own teen fashion queen, May Toe Khine has built an empire of fashion trends. Her aunt being Myanmar Academy Awardwinning actress Eaindra Kyaw Zin and her mum being the designer of Vivid Fashion, May Toe Khine has hailed from creative royalty. From her personal chic street wear and her trendy Instagram, to high-profile photo shoots and cat-walks, May Toe Khine has become the talk of the town. Place: Pan-Pacific Yangon Yangon’s Instagram feed has been bombarded recently with poolside pictures from Pan-Pacific with historic downtown Yangon as the backdrop. The infinity pool is unlike any other around the city. Either lounge poolside with some cocktails and friends or have a relaxing afternoon tea while listening to the hustle and bustle of downtown below.

Gig Venues The Basement 785 Mahabandoola Road, Lanmadaw Township With a slightly dive bar atmosphere and a decent choice of food, The Basement is a good place to catch

In the Charts Top New Myanmar Albums

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