Myanmar set in emerald and gold

Posted on 08 Mar 2006

IANS

By Minu Jain, Yangon: Green and gold - those have to be the colours of Myanmar, even when seen from the sky.

Green for the lush pastoral landscape and gold for the occasional pagoda glistening in the afternoon sun as the plane circles before landing at the airport here.

The colour scheme was only reinforced as the plane carrying Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam taxied to a halt in front of the magnificent terminal building with an elaborately carved gold-gilt roof.

The drive into the Myanmar capital was no different with green being the colour of the city with its intensive tree cover, extensive lawns and the gilt dome of the splendid Shwedagon pagoda in which relics of the Buddha lie.

Always the gracious host

President Kalam just has to be the most affable host ever. His first question to journalists travelling with him on his special plane Air India one was whether all 21 knew one another or not.

"You are 21 journalists, aren't you? Is everything okay?" Kalam asked as he stepped out of his cabin into the area designated for a briefing. He enquired earnestly whether they knew one another - after all even a president knows that it is important for a team travelling together for six days to develop some camaraderie.

Fruity delights

Always wanted to try mangosteens, rambutans and all those exotic fruits but never knew where to get the really authentic taste from? Well, if you can't travel to their lands of origin, do try to get on to a VIP Air India Flight.

Service was, of course, great on the Air India One flying the president to Myanmar, great wines, a variety of cheese and caviar too. But the fruit basket was exceptional, loaded with the freshest mangosteens and rambutans, the sweetest grapes and the juiciest strawberries.

Flown in from Bangkok, an Air India staffer said, answering a query on where the fruits came from.

Now, that's called pampering.