Hello all! So we're safely in Mandalay, Myanmar and happened to find the one internet location in the whole of the city (or so it seems)...so I thought I would take the opportunity to write before I forgot everything that happened in the last week or so.
Myanmar (formerly Burma) is incredible. I think both Deanna and I felt that it might be too similar to the rest of SE Asia (and hence not that interesting at this point in the trip) but we were taken completely by surprise. Perhaps because of the oppressive government here, the country has really kept it's uniqueness and beauty. For those of you planning a trip and wanting to go someplace different, Myanmar is certainly worthy of consideration.
The first thing I noticed when we arrived in Yangon/Rangoon was just how different the people were here. There are many Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese, as well as the native (Bamar) people and indigenous ethnic minorities. It makes for quite a mix. The men here traditionally wear longyi (skirts) like the rest of SE Asia did at one time before the tradition died out. Here they still do. Deanna has been relentlessly working on me to buy and wear my longyi...that and the incredibly hot temperatures should have me converting at some point. I can assure you that no pictures are forthcoming. Another immediately noticeable cosmetic difference here is that the women wear a "makeup" that protects their skin from the sun which is from a ground-up tree. It's very noticeable (yellow on the skin) and I had not seen anything like it outside of Myanmar. The people here are also (for the most-part) unspoiled, extremely friendly, and very open to meeting foreigners. The english spoken (by who we've interacted with) has been very good.
The government plays a huge role here. We've talked to several people who quietly discuss the lack of education, opportunity, and freedom in Myanmar and how there's little hope of change anytime soon. Contrary to my normal bitching about the US government (and election results)it's been humbling to hear how lucky these people think we are. The government presence still plays a large part in everyday life. First, you can change dollars into kyat (local currency) at the airport for the "official" rate of 450 kyat to the dollar...or change money on the blackmarket for 900 kyat to the dollar. The downside is that since it's illegal, the moneychangers all ask you surreptitiously "change money?" and when you say yes...they invite you into a teahouse where the money is handed to you under the table to be counted and then passing the US dollars back. It really feels like a drug deal...but since it's illegal for most Myanmar people to hold US dollars, that's how it works.
There is also far fewer motorized vehicles here compared with the other countries that we visited. The standard mode of transport for shorter trips seems to be trishaw (a bicycle with a side-car...one seat facing forward and one facing back). Deanna and I took trishaws in the littletown of Pyay to see some old ruins...it's really difficult to sit next to a man peddling for all he's worth up hills when I weigh two times as much as he does. I felt quite guilty and also felt like transport doesn't get anymore elemental than human power...until he dropped us off and we rode the OX-cart. Possibly the only less comfortable mode of transport than the trishaw. And did I mention dusty? I don't think that I've ever been more uncomfortable in my life in the 100 degree heat, not being able to breathe, and not being covered from the sun. Who needs the beach?
From Pyay, we visited Bagan. Bagan is an ancient capital where thousands of pagodas/temples were built. It is absolutely PHENOMENAL. When you climb one of the temples at sunset, there are 360 degrees of temple structures surrounding you. Absolutely stunning and I think the government is possibly the only reason this does not get the billing of an Angkor Wat or the pyramids (I'll let you know when I've been through Egypt). It's one of the most atmopheric places you can ever visit...like out of a movie. One overriding theme in Myanmar seems to be "built it bigger than anyone else"...more temples, bigger buddhas, more gold...it's pretty incredible.
Now we are currently in Mandalay in the north/central portion of Myanmar. We've had several great experiences here...we visited a monastery in Amarapura where all the monks come in from their "alms" round of collecting food to eat their meal at 10:30 in the morning. There are over 1000 monks all silently filing into the monastery...into the dining room, and silently eating their meal. There are also over 200 tourists...not so silent, not so respectful, many off of tour buses (hate them!) and willing to step through the monk's lines to take pictures. We made friends with one of the teacher monks and after the tourists left (got their picture I guess) he actually invited us to eat at the monastery and gave a personal tour to Deanna and I of the grounds, his living quarters (mat on the floor), and a lot of insight into education and the government oppression in Myanmar. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one I will always remember.
Well enough for now. We are on a bus tomorrow to Kalaw, and then visiting Inle Lake before slowly making our way back to Yangon. I'm a little sad to be on the homestretch of SE Asia, but starting to get excited about India!
I hope everyone is well.
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