"When it rains on Saturday, people will say, "It always takes longer on Saturday for the rain to come." This means that either sporadically or continuously, it will usually rain all day that day – even if it is just a drizzle. He had just stepped out on the pavement when the raindrops suddenly came down from the sky, hitting his upturned face. He had to run to a place where he could shelter for half an hour or so, and he knew that most of the teashops were already full of people sipping sweetened tea and keeping dry. He understood that he had to wait for 15 or 20 minutes until the rain would let up. But today he forgot his umbrella. Travelling through the city on foot during the monsoon season can be tricky, especially without an umbrella – assuming, of course, you want to stay dry. The streets are full of people drenched in water, longyis and tee-shirts clinging to their bodies, as they make their way home. Most people in Yangon carry umbrellas, rather than wear raincoats. Even when it's not raining, pedestrians need to give others a wide-berth on the sidewalks – people of all heights and numbers sheltering themselves from the sun with their umbrellas, as they walk from street to street. Innocent passersby, while making haste through the crowd, get poked by the odd umbrella spoke. Sometimes umbrellas clash, given how narrow the elevated streets in the city are. It can be quite an art sometimes, holding an umbrella up high, and trying to angle it to pass through the sea of heads, other umbrellas and shop signs. Everyone notices that the rain is punctual, especially during the rush hours. You will find files of people waiting for the buses at bus stops, while the rain falls heavily. They'll all be tightly clinging to an umbrella. Umbrellas come from various countries, such as China and Thailand. There are different brands names too – Yamasu, Pigeon, Sonata, Susino, Asahi, Eagle Force, etc. Some golf umbrellas are used by taller people not wanting to get the bottoms of their longyis we..."