Monday, February 10, 2014

Myanmar

I want to be sure to post this before tomorrow. Jane and I got back from Myanmar last night.

It was a spectacular trip. Myanmar is beautiful, and on the cusp of being developed for tourism. I am so glad we got to see it now.

I have posted pictures (lots). I hope it is easy for you to get. Words can not do this experience justice. My meagre photos only begin to tell our story. Jane has some fabulous photos I am going to beg for.

This was the view from our hotel window upon arriving in Yangon. The large pagoda Schwendagon. I could give some history, but I am afraid I got overload on history and it might be totally wrong. I will just share with you some of the sights.




One giant of a buddha. Myanmar is Buddhist. The influence from India is obvious in the pagodas. Myanmar shares it's border to the west with Bangladesh, which was part of India and Burma, that  were part of the British Colony in the mid 19th Century.



I have fallen in love with Asian babies. They are absolutely adorable. This little pixie has thanaka on his cheeks and nose. It is a paste mad from sawdust of a tree. It is a sign of beauty but also protection from the sun.


Another. I have edited severely for this post, but I just have to show you these angels.



A woman at the "five day market". Every 5 days they come in from the country side. To sell their produce, and buy what they need. Lush vegetables. And TOMATOES. I do miss tomatoes. They seem to only manage cherry tomatoes in Singapore climate. But here they have cold nights, and I am guessing that allows the tomatoes to grow to a bigger size.


This is an unusual way to see the dome of one of the pagodas. If you are in the right place you get the reflection of the dome in a puddle on the ground. The amount of gold on these temples is breath taking. Myanmar is rich in resources. Gold, silver, tin, oil, natural gas. precious stones. It will burst into the global economy when it advances a bit.


The pagodas have a strong Indian influence. These all date to the 11th to 13th Century!



My dear buddy, the other half of the Jane and Jane team, chatting with our guide in Bagan.
And where is Bagan you ask. Oh no? Well we did a triangle. Yangon is the south, Bagan north west, Inle Lake north east, and then back to Yangon. Bagan is filled with temples, pagodas, shrines, stupas. All from the 11-13 C.


Sunset at one of the pagodas. The soil is dry dusty red clay soil, very arid in the dry season. When the rains come, it will swell to luscious green. But the lighting at dawn and dusk is spectacular.


We were so lucky to happen on a once a year festival. The monks have been the source for education and everybody would take some time to study at the monastery. They try to go at least once as a child, once as a teenager, and once as an adult. There is a state school system being started, but it has a long way to go. So we saw a parade, where these little girls were heading off to the monastery for a week, maybe, or three months, or a year of study. They were dressed up with makeup and sequins and silk, and it was a pageant. The parents are so proud. Some of these little girls looked like they felt like princesses, others, like lambs to the slaughter. It was amazing to watch the procession.


We went to a village. No water, so these women went to the well and carried their precious water home. Can you imagine how heavy that is? And in the heat? But do note the evre present smile on the women.



This old woman was smoking a cheroot, made locally. Tobacco cut with sawdust, so not so addictive. She holds a gourd to catch her ashes. Good thing, the homes are straw and bamboo.


A little rock in a basket


No electricity in the town , but I am sure I heard a phone ring, and it roll to an answering service.
And how cool to see this solar panel on this house.


Jane and Jane

Yet anther of my 500 pics of these panoramas.



And another one. The dust rising from the roads at dusk


One of my favourite photos. Cattle and goats being herded home at dusk.


Inle Lake. AMAZING.
Our hotel was on stilts in the lake. These fishermen were taught to fish this way by the Japanese when they occupied Myanmar 1942-1945. It is remarkable. The fisherman stands on the back of the boat, paddles with one leg by wrapping his foot around  a paddle. He balances, paddles and then he uses that cone to catch fish. The lake is 22 k long but only 5 m deep. It would be taken over by water hyacinth, but for the fishermen, who every time they go into town have to take a huge sack of water hyacinth that they have pulled out of the water. That is the way to keep the lake from being overtaken by these weeds.


It is like ballet on the water.



We did a home visit. The Myanmar smile ever present. This lovely old man sat and nodded to everything said. Did he understand any? Maybe not, but who cares, he was delightful.


These long necked ladies are amazing. They start at age twelve or so with a few brass necklaces and work their way up to many. It is a sign of beauty. She said it was only uncomfortable for a few months. They sleep on their side with their head held up with a wooden box. Those brass rings are heavy. How do they wash their neck?


Sunset off our hotel in Inle Lake. Spectacular.


Just one more of my many pictures of the fishermen.


Our lovely guide in Inle Lake. Jimmy is dressed very typically, a "longy" (a tube like sarong) a shirt, a beautifully knit "Irish knit" sweater, a heavy jacket, socks in his sandals. As the day warmed from morning maybe 10-15' to afternoon 30', he would peel layers. I can say I saw no adults in jeans or shorts, all men and women in longys. The women wear a plaid "flannel-like" shirt.


We went to where they make cheroots. They cut the tobacco with saw dust. It tastes awful, but I had to try. Notice Jimmy has peeled a layer, his sweater.


Went for a walk in to town from our hotel on stilts. These men were trying to drain this field. with a sump pump on a generator. They were in past their knees in cold mud. When the work day was finished they cleaned up in water that was the colour of black tea with milk.


And so we say a fond farewell to Inle Lake. This was our departure party seeing us off on our boat trip back to town. It was at 7 am, and we are dressed for the morning temp, maybe 13', colder on the boat.


Tomorrow Jane and I fly to Hanoi for 3 days, then an overnight train north west, 12 hours, to SaPa. It is near the Chinese border in the foothills of the Himalayas. We will visit hill tribes at their markets. Should be great. We are gone a week.

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