We got into Rangoon late, but not too late as to hear the last Muslim prayer call from a nearby mosque. The next day, walking around was perhaps the biggest cultural shock I've seen in my travels. Within a five block radius of our hostel, there were 3 Buddhist temples, 2 mosques, a synagogue, a Hindu temple and an Italian restaurant (ok so not quite a pizza parlor). There was also a Chinese (Tao/Buddhist) temple nearby.
These religious differences were accentuated by the racial diversity I saw on the streets; people whom I might have identified as Thai, Nepalese, Indian or Bangladeshi, all in one place as a result of Burma's geography (as well as British colonialism). This diversity will inevitably dominate many of my Burma bloggings to come. I only wish I had the means to upload photos on the road to share this smorgasbord of culture.
