When the train stopped, a lot of people started boarding at once

people clambering aboard — People boarding the train

As the train on the Yangon circle line slowly slid into the station, the platform was overflowing with people. Unlike the other stations we had visited, this station had a much larger number of people waiting to board the train. Even before the train had come to a complete stop, people began to crowd around the train. The scene spread out as people tried to get on the train car first.

Everyone boarding the train was carrying large bags. They were probably returning from shopping at the market. Some of the vegetables and fruits were visible through the baskets and bags. I realized that because the market is nearby, this station is crowded with people on their way home from shopping.

The train car began to get crowded, a far cry from before we arrived at the station. Still, it is not as crowded as the commuter trains in Tokyo. Everyone was standing with their luggage carefully held in their hands, with their shoulders touching each other. A nostalgic smell wafted through the air on the breeze coming in through the windows. It was the smell of fresh air just brought in from the market.

As the train swayed, the lives of the common people of Yangon seemed to unfold before my eyes. It was a moment that reminded me once again that people's lives are still alive along with the hustle and bustle of the city.

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