“Free Text Msg: Citi Cards Fraud Dept. Did you attempt a charge at WALGREENS in the amount of $155.95 on 05-13?”
Had they said CVS or Target, I would’ve had to think twice but Walgreens in New York, that wasn’t me. Credit card fraud is no laughing matter but this is only the second time that my card was hacked and I wasn’t the one being accosted by the fraud prevention department. The other time was someone purchasing some garbage jewelry from Jared.
We all get annoyed when our gift cards, vanilla reloads, or redBIRD transactions don’t go through. We complain to the agent who is trying to protect us that they are interfering with matters of [inter]national [travel] security. Then days like today happen making me feel guilty about berating the agents time and time again.
I’m sure my kindness will dissipate the next time my card is declined for a $3 suspicious purchase as it was a week ago and I’m stuck on hold forever waiting to clear it up. That’s almost as bad as booking multiple tickets in Asia only to have the 5th transaction being the one that sets off the fraud trigger. Where were you on the first four?
Finally, call me paranoid, call me Middle-Eastern, or call me a lawyer, but I can’t help but wonder if writing article upon article about the Citi Prestige is somehow related to this fraud attempt. If so then I would like to tell the fraudster that I appreciate his efforts of spending money in order to stockpile my ThankYou points but if he applied on his own he too could fly SQ with new pajamas.
67,500 AA miles to fly first-class from Hong Kong to Chicago is a sweet deal. Finding out that I received a 6,750 rebate for having the Citi AA MasterCard made it even better. Add in 15 hours of first class luxury and I was in for a real treat which I felt I deserved after all the headaches of Mongolia. Much of the flight was a blur as I had glass after glass of Krug champagne, though I did manage to take a few pictures.
Overall, Cathay was Cathay. It reminds me of a road trip with my parents where I sit back and relax and they do the hard work of getting me from point A to point B. In terms of flying first versus business, besides the selection in champagne and the wider seats, business is not that much of a downgrade. That speaks to the quality of this airline. But for my belief that AA miles will soon be devalued and the rumor that Cathay will limit the number of first class seats, I would gladly chose business over first and be a happy man.
First time in Cathay First ClassSomeone said my previous post describing this is as ‘seat’ wasn’t descriptive. Seat + pillow?Will2kThe private cabinLove the Cathay flowerEmpty First Class but still with Cathay flowers. It’s the small touches that make Cathay a leader in the aviation industry.Foot restBose cancelling headphonesPerfect pourThe standardLight snack then it’s off to pajamas.Helpful displayThe amenities kit was not that great. I miss the Jurlique lip balm from business class.Bathroom soapsThe awkward safety video.There’s no Mandarin word for ‘brace, brace’.A clever promotion.The featured wine was not as good as the standard offering.I’ll be sampling these shortly.Cuvee or nothing.Who took this picture if the window is to my right?Caviar + wines=heavenly while up in heavenDim sum!Ordering off a menu with a bigger selection whenever you would like separates first from business. Fish ball soup picturedVeep + BurgerThe great comforter + Mrs. DoubtfireThe Kim Jung Un Pajamas as I exit the plane in style.
Singapore Airlines’s Private Room is the best lounge I have visited. While flying Emirates, I missed out on the lounge in Dubai because my connection was in business though I did enter an alternative first class lounge. Cathay Pacific whether it be in business or first is the go to lounge of choice. Along with the usual showers, open bar, and food, Cathay’s The Wing First Class Lounge features a Champagne Bar with never-ending bubbly.
My only regret was arriving at the lounge later than I should have. Though I enjoyed the à la carte breakfast, I was a bit rushed and couldn’t go back to the champagne retreat.
Back to the US for the first time in 7 months.The WingFirst Class==>Champagne Bar==>Champagne BarMore awkward, her pouring with me taking the photo or me taking the photo?All I need in life
Lounge + ChampagneI could get used to this.BreakfastDim sumI could get used to this.Noodles. Again awkwardness of standing and photographing noodles. Part of the job I guess.Not a bad way to be leaving Mongolia for home.
After my pampering at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, it was time to get back to real life. It was time for my stay at the Chungking Mansions Hong Kong, a city within the city. Walking into this massive building, I am overwhelmed at the sights and sounds of this fascinating ecosystem.
I turned to my friend and said wouldn’t it be remarkable to live here and write a social study on life in the mansions? A quick Google led me to a man who did just that. The building is divided into various blocks with elevators servicing each block separately. Those in the know understand how to maneuver within the maze and bypass the elevators which are programmed to go all the way up or all the way down. For example, if you are on the 6th floor and want to go to the 9th, you must go down to the ground floor then head back up.
Each block has a few hostels with varying rates. Rooms can be booked online at hostelworld/hostelbookers or simply by standing in the lobby of the mansions and waiting for a suspect representative of each hostel to approach you. My brand new hostel was $30 a night for a tidy little fort that had a small bed, a mini fridge, a safe, and a hot shower. It even had a window and rooftop access which provided tremendous views of Hong Kong.
The tiny rooms aren’t the main attraction of the mansions. Staying there is worthwhile because of what you learn by observing the people who come and go. After waiting for the elevator, arrive at the lobby and go to the nearest mom and pop shop that sells beer, ethnic food, and retro cell phones. Crack open a can and either take a seat or walk around. There are clothing vendors, money exchange kiosks that trade at better rates than anywhere in the city, and without fail someone getting arrested for something. Later in the night, there are prostitutes propositioning, drug mules slanging, and bootleggers selling ‘bags, watches, purses.’
I never felt that the mansions weren’t safe or that my personal stuff wasn’t secure. All the activity whether legal or illegal seemed normal. After days of repeating this routine, I finally left Chungking for the airport. Emerging from the underworld, it took some time to once again become a functioning member of society.
The perfect room for Hong Kong, seriouslyA man on a social studies projectVendors everywhereValue food for Hong KongPeople from all overFoods from all over the worldThe ongoings in the mansionRooftop accessPre-party spot by nightRooftop accessView of the Hyatt Regency from the roof of the mansionsThe mansions have stories.Outside the mansions is Hong Kong, inside is a separate world.
I read the same information that many of you read though I don’t get lost in the dark world of forums. While I like tips and tricks, I can’t be bothered to learn how to stack three different gift cards after finding a portal in Poland in order to save $4. At the same time, I messed up my MS on a card and now I’m wishing that TopCashBack still had a rebate for GiftCard Mall.
To that end, the following is only my conjecture on the state of points affairs. I’ve been nervous for some time that American Airlines is going to devalue making it imperative that the spoils from our RedBird days should be burned now. The precursor for TPOL crying deval comes after reading TPG’s post that Cathay may restrict first class access to its partners. That includes American Airlines.
I’m sure the airline is getting sick of dubious characters sleeping in their lie flats, being pampered by their excellent first class service from Hong Kong to Chicago, all for the cost of taxes and 60,750 points (if you have an AA MasterCard). With Citi handing out ThankYou points like candy, the last thing the market needs is more churners with even more available AAdvantage points. Recall all those United MileagePlus points we had during the 5x Ink glory days.
The reason ThankYou may add American as a partner is obvious. It already has many OneWorld partners including Cathay and it is the issuing card company for the Airline. Many bloggers have written that they’d like to see AA on that list as well but, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
Not Breaking News: Book Cathay First today since we all may be flying coach tomorrow.
Anything on the line (Production Possibilities Frontier for my fellow economists) is an efficient use of your time depending on your tastes and preferences.
Anything inside the line is inefficient as should be avoided.
Anything outside is aspirational but may be impossible to do given the constraints of time and resources.
The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa.
The goods and bads of Bagan correspond with Lazy and Labor nicely. Some efforts are worthwhile, e.g., visiting the sunrise pagoda. Some activities require no effort but are still disappointing though they do make for great memories e.g., uniform menus with bland food and getting ripped off.
Let’s dismiss with the bad before we move onto the good.
New Bagan, Getting Ripped Off, & Food
The name of the new part of Bagan without all the history and pagodas is curiously called New Bagan. The part of Bagan with the history and the pagodas is called Old Bagan. New Bagan embodies all that is wrong with Bagan and Myanmar tourism. It is the site of disgusting hotels that nevertheless charge $50+ a night, restaurants that make you long for street food in Yangon, and a hospitality strategy that seeks to ripoff tourists.
It may be argued that Myanmar has been closed off to visitors for so long that they have yet to acclimate to the influx of tourists. I argue that time has come and gone. It is my contention that locals in Bagan are suffering from tourist fatigue. Ugly Americans, naive travelers notwithstanding, the Myanmar Tourism Board should look to its Thai neighbors for how to deal with tourists more graciously. Fees to enter the City of Bagan that go to preserve pagodas if you ask one local, infrastructure if you ask another, and in the pockets of the powerful if you ask a third are ridiculous. Indeed, our friendly innkeeper sympathized with us when he heard that the ‘tourist tax’ went up from $15 to $20 the night we arrived.
Price gauging runs rampant from New Bagan to Old Bagan where so-called upscale hotels go for hundreds of dollars a night without good reason. The food which caters to tourists is bleh pizza and terrible hamburgers. I guess that’s what they believe tourists want to eat. Next to the pagodas are young kids who spend their days peddling postcards, bootleg copies of Orwell’s Burmese Days, and overpriced, poor quality longyis. Unlike in Yangon, the solicitors aren’t very friendly. Some are rude and forceful.
Pagodas
Enduring all the nonsense described above is worth it because of the pagodas. Trying new methods of getting to and from one pagoda to the next is what makes Bagan an adventure within an adventure.
The Bicycle: The Best Worst option
If you’ve made the arduous journey from Mandalay to Bagan via boat then you can tolerate more suffering. Rent a bicycle from your guesthouse and prepare to peddle with no gears from New Bagan to Old while busses zip by, electric bikes pass quietly, and horses trot along oblivious to everything.
As a man who is terrified of bicycles, I recommend, at least for the sake of your backside, to do it for half an afternoon. It is fun to hop on and hop off but the sun and soreness can quickly catch up.
The Car: The Worst Best option
If you take a taxi to the pagodas then I wouldn’t want to travel with you. Though it is convenient, it is not adventurous.
The Electric Bike: The Middle Ground Option
I’ll peddle on a bicycle at my own pace even with people honking and laughing. What I will not do is rent a motorbike. I’ve yet to meet one person who has traveled to SE Asia that hasn’t either wrecked a motorbike or been taken to the cleaners for damage to the bike that the proprietor said was not previously there. Fortunately, electric bikes are not motorbikes. They are a speedier version of the Hoveround that can show you scenery as spectacular as the Grand Canyon. Though I didn’t rent one, I would still recommend it if you’re going to be in Bagan for a few days.
The Horse and Carriage: The Best Best Option
The horse and carriage is going extinct in Bagan. With the tour busses, taxis, and mobile apps, the need for an old school travel guide are coming to an end. That’s a shame because second to renting a bike, nothing was more enjoyable than the horse buggy ride. Even though the ride is bumpy and uncomfortable, making it ideal for half of an afternoon, it was the best way to see and learn about Bagan. The guide brought us to the ideal pagoda to see the sunrise and told us to wait till the hot air balloons flew overhead. He explained that the pagodas were built as a competition among landowners to see who could build the most elaborate, most ornate pagoda. One was built bigger so another was built taller. One had more decadence so another had more murals and on and on.
Sunset Pagoda
Shwesandaw Pagoda is known as the sunset pagoda. It is a steep climb resulting but wait till you see the view. Arrive early because the crowds and tour busses all do.
Sunrise Pagoda
I was more awe-struck with the sunrise in Bagan than the sunset. The morning was quiet as the crowds had yet to arrive. At that time, I could envision what Bagan was like so many years ago. Then the tour bus showed up and kept the engine running, effectively interrupting my oneness with nature.
Hot Air Balloon
If you have the money, I would recommend the hot air balloon ride. The cost is $350/person but I imagine that the views make the price worthwhile.
The bike ride to Bagan.Without a guide we were aimlessly wandering.Though it doesn’t take a guide to appreciate the beauty.Apologies for not knowing the names.Incredible structures.The fortressNo touristsThe hidden pagodaWe biked till we found an area with no people and explored.The viewThe viewClimb to the topThe people at the Sunset PagodaThe sunsetPerfect sunsetStole this from a kid to take a photoThe views as the sun goes downArtistic toneThe decentThe surrounding pagodasThe angry monkeyThe horse
The sun risingSunriseThe balloonsView of the Sunrise PagodaAtop the Sunrise PagodaMore hot air balloonsThe guide quickly took us to the next pagoda.Imposing pagodaEntrance to the pagodaPagoda in the distancePagoda up closeMy favorite pagodaThe detailPagodas as far as the eye can seeTrying to recall the name of this pagodaPagoda up closeOh pagoda
Tired of taking the bus, I thought it would be a great idea to float down the river from Mandalay to Bagan via the Irrawaddy River for ten hours. The cost was $50 per person while the cost of all the bus rides reported up to this point (RT Yangon to Ngwe Saung, Yangon to Mandalay, and finally Mandalay to Yangon) was only $85.
Sailing down to Bagan was described as a pleasant, romantic journey that included breakfast and all you could see nature. The first few minutes were tranquil as the ferry left port and began the trek. We were seated on the middle deck which provided many opportunities for taking photos.
Hours later the sights and sounds were the same and the snail speed was maintained. After an endless assault by mosquitoes, we went down below and sat idle staring out the window hoping that the itching, sweating, and general nausea wasn’t a result of malaria running through our veins.
Finally, night came and we disembarked from the hell boat and arrived in Bagan. Personally, I love boats and thought this experience would be a lot more rewarding and peacful. It ended up being interminable and insufferable. I would not recommend anyone take this rickshaw of the river. Stick with JJ Express VIP.
Late arrival for late departureShe took my bag without me asking then demanded a tip!Mind your step.Beautiful morningAll smiles at the beginning of the journeyTraffic up and down the river.That’s my boatRecreationThen the views got boring.Which is why the captain drank and boated.And so did II would’ve swam for it.Beautiful Sunset
A unique feature of TPOL is the Travel Guide Directory. Points are great but getting you to a new place is only the start of the journey. The more daunting task is knowing what to do you when you arrive at a new location and only have a 3-4 days to see it all. Now you can easily break out your TPOL app (coming in 2020) and get to drinking, eating, and sightseeing.
The guides take a little longer to write/upload photos but having them all in the palm of your hand is far more convenient than the Lonely Planet guide of things I don’t have time to do.
If you didn’t click the link above, here’s where I am to date. Mandalay and Bagan are up next.
Guns & Butter Travel Guide Directory
If you want to really know what you should do when you only have one night in Bangkok, worry not, ThePointsOfLife economist limits your choices to Guns & Butter: A Better Way to Travel.
Anything on the line (Production Possibilities Frontier for my fellow economists) is an efficient use of your time depending on your tastes and preferences.
Anything inside the line is inefficient as should be avoided.
Anything outside is aspirational but may be impossible to do given the constraints of time and resources.
The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa.
Before you go about exploring, it’s important to know about the kyat, a useless currency like the Mongolian tugrik. I had read online that ATMs were hard to find, that I should exchange as much money as I could at the airport, and that I should be wary of bills that were torn because they wouldn’t be accepted by merchants.
The last tip is true but the first two are nonsense. First, there are ATMs everywhere. Second, unused kyat can’t be exchanged back to dollars at the airport. It’s a shady monetary policy by a country that is hungry for dollars.
In addition to currency controls, be prepared to pay the tourist tax for all major attractions in Myanmar. Locals can visit the temples for free but tourists have to pay. This wasn’t a big deal when I first arrived to Myanmar because I thought it was appropriate that tourists pay to visit religious sites while those going to pray should not be charged. This outlook changed after I was mistakenly given hotel prices where one side said, ‘tourist price’ and another side said ‘local price.’
For a garbage hotel nonetheless.
That ridiculous policy continued when I went to Bagan and was charged $20 tourist tax just to enter the city!
Maybe the do-gooding humanitarians will think I’m being cheap or heartless and that the extra money is going to support the local economy but that would be naive.
The final point about money is for taxis. Taxis cost $1.50 for a ride within the city. They do not cost $2, or $3. That’s what locals pay, that’s what you should pay.
Tourists be warned.
Toilet paper is worth more .
Shwedagon Pagoda
The Shwedagon Pagoda is number one on the must see list of things to do in Yangon. For tourists, it’s a marvelous structure that rivals the pyramids of Egypt. They represent the boundless reach of human ingenuity. For Buddhists, it is the holiest pagoda in Myanmar. Devout Buddhists make the pilgrimage to Yangon to behold this religious wonder of the world.
The two best times to come are at sunrise and sunset. I visited at sunset and it did not disappoint. Due to scheduling conflicts, I wasn’t able to go for the sunrise but would recommend doing both if you have the time.
Taking great photographs was a challenge because the pagoda was under construction and covered by a goldish tarp. The orange street lights and protective fences didn’t help. Nobody hates imperfect photos more than I so go gentle with your critiques. (Photos taken with Nikon 1 J4.)
The fences also made it hard to photograph the pagodas.Shwe means gold.Bathing BuddhaImagine what it was like hundreds of years ago.Gold, gold, goldI wasn’t a fan of this green light actionMe and the PagodaLights ruining the shot. Save your photo critiques please.Pagoda after pagoda and my best photo
Avoiding Garbage
If you read my post on hotels in Yangon, you can see how beautiful the city once was. The pictures do not show the garbage that is all over the city. Besides India, I have not been to a country with more foul smells, more trash, and more unspeakables littered throughout than Myanmar. That problem is compounded by the unrelenting sun and heat.
Garbage everywhereIf only it didn’t smell like garbage and other excrement
Street Food
Shifting from the negatives, I will say that Yangon has excellent, diverse food. There’s no need to go to fine dining such as the Padonmar Restaurant we went to for Christmas dinner when there are much more affordable options right on the street. Padonmar, a recommendation of the Shangri-La, is in an upscale neighborhood home to many of the embassies. The food was great but not more amazing than basic options.
Padonmar Restauraunt:
Myanmar whiskeyUpscale Burmese foodOne of everythingNgapi, no thanksGreen curry
Truly on the Street
Rubber chicken?EggsPancakesHot pot in the streetSugar freeLet’s cook
Biryani & Cold Drinks
Biryani & Cold Drinks
Best biryani hands down, better than IndiaChicken Biryani
999 Shan Noodle ShopHighly recommended.
19th Street, the best place to be in Yangon
Ko San in YangonStreet foodStreet foodStreet foodthe liveliest part of YangonBurmese BBQOkraSambusaLike grandma’s treatsThis is what makes 19th street so great.All sorts of foodVegetablesAnd the best fishBBQ Fish
Street Markets
Unlike the street markets in Chiang Rai, those in Yangon are worth visiting because the merchant are willing to negotiate. Tourists should certainly purchase a longyi, perhaps some jade, and even gold in order to fit in. The sunglasses which go for $1 and underwear which go for the same are not the quality knock-offs of their Shanghainese counterparts.
The street salesJunk for saleGet your longyiCute pups for saleThis guy didn’t have his visa.Haircut in my fancy attire for $1
Pagodas
How many temples can you see in Thailand before it gets repetitive? The same question can be asked of Myanmar. My pagoda threshold was a lot higher in Myanmar because like Angkor Wat the design was unique. Still after going from Yangon to Mandalay to Bagan I predict that your quota for pagodas will be met.
Buddha’s First Sacred Hair Relic PagodaGold and donationsDonationsNot a tourist
Strand Hotel for Happy Hour
After avoiding all the garbage and after purchasing one too many longyis, it’s time to class it up with a visit to the Strand Hotel for happy hour. There you will find expats who tell tall tales of their time in Burma along with inexpensive, quality drinks that will restore a sense of normalcy otherwise unfound in this strange city.
Be sure to use kyat at the Strand since the exchange rate for dollars is awful.
Half off during happy hour on FridayStrand RoadThe Strand HotelBe happy you’re out of the hot sun
Conclusion
Prior to visiting Myanmar I had a romantic view of how the country would be. Like many SE Asian countries, it has history, architectural marvels, and intrigue dating back thousands of years. Like many SE Asian countries, it is overrun by street peddlers, tourists, and general uncleanliness. This unfiltered look at Yangon shouldn’t dissuade you from going. Just know that if you are looking for a land untouched by time, you’re too late.
