In over four decades of travelling, I have never witnessed a city so surreal as Naypyitaw. Built in the early years of this century by the military leaders, it was opened in 2006 as the new capital city of Myanmar.

It is a city on a vast scale and with huge wide avenues and government buildings. Local people were displaced to make way for this project which is estimated to have cost many billions of dollars.

It is situated in the heart of the country and feels more like an imperial city of a past age designed as a sanctuary for the ruling elite.

The hotel zone contains a large number of huge hotels, most with very low occupancy levels and there are few residential areas in this city.

The journey down to the parliament on a 20 lame highway with just four cars and two motor bikes to be seen is a bizarre experience. It is wide enough and long enough for aircraft to take off and land.

There is also a wonderful pagoda, styled on Yangon 's Shwedagon which is open inside and beautifully constructed.

Another stis a collection of albino elephants (actually pink in colour) close by. The expression 'white elephant' comes from this part of the world. The old King of Siam gave such creatures to courtiers who had displeased him - an unwanted gift which costs far in excess of the pleasure to the recipient.

I am so glad to have seen Naypyitaw - a city like no other.