Magnificent Myanmar

At the end of 2009 I had the privilege of traveling to Myanmar (Burma) with an organisation called MyKids to work in an orphanage. It was an amazing experience. Too long because we got terribly sick but not long enough because the people were amazing, the food was good (except that one breakfast...), the sights were incredible and the need was enormous. We were based in Yangon but managed a trip up to Mandalay and Inle Lake for 3 days.

I also got to spend a few days traveling into the markets to buy household good for the orphange -  what an awesome experience. The matriarch of the family holds the purse in Myanmar. She is the one who you have to "seal the deal" with and it takes time to discuss the transaction, check that every item was in good condition and then count the money. Burmese people can count money quickly, you are dealing in huge wads of notes so you have to be smart about what you are doing. I would count first and then our interpreter would check the count and then the matriarch would check our check!!. Everyone was very concerned with getting a fair deal but bargaining was expected. 

The people were warm and friendly, the kids cheeky and beautiful. The women and children often wear thanaka, which is ground bark,  on their faces, ground bark. The beautiful young girl above had a lovely leaf pattern on her cheeks. She followed us for an afternoon and evening, chatting away in English and managing to sell us all beautiful cards.  She, like a lot of the kids, was persistent and cheeky but not unpleasant. she worked hard for her earnings and at the end of the day we treated her to a meal and a ride down the hill with us in the taxi. Unfortunately she  had to work to supplement her family's income. I do wonder what will become of her.....

We hired a taxi for a whole day / night.  Our driver was fantastic. He patiently waited for us, took us to good eating places and advised us on things to see and do.  The cost for the day was minimal for the convenience of having transport all day / night and the safety of having someone looking out for us.

We viewed the daily ritual feeding of 1200 monks at Mahagandayon Monastery. I personally found it an overwhelmingly sad experience.  There was no joy in any of these men, some of them very young. In fact, I felt really out of place watching the sight of them all coming out of the buildings and lining up for their one meal of the day. 

The monastery sitting on the top of Mandalay Hill was an opportunity for some great pictures. I managed to capture this one at the end of the day as the sun was beginning to set. While the view from the outside balcony is amazing and the sun was a fiery ball, the smog was horrendous.  It seems that plastic has made its way into Myanmar and the only way to get rid of it is to burn it which creates an horrendous stench usually in the afternoons.  The sun reflected on the mirrored tiles of the walkways and arches to produce a beautiful image. We also crossed 1.2 kilometre U Bein bridge, stopping to look at the artists painting with razor blades (amazing), the rice fields and the bird boats on the lake (see below right). The bridge itself is made of teakwood and is over 150 years old. Some parts of the structure looked dubious but we walked on it anyway.

 

Inle Lake was beautiful.  We spent the night at the Gypsy Hotel - $25 a night gets you a double room with sheets on the bed and your own bathroom plus breakfast - two eggs and tea.  I'm not sure how clean the sheets were,  and there was the midnight visit of the RAT, but that's a long story.  The next morning we set off with clear skies and freezing temperatures in a motoroised long boat to head across the lake to visit a church that was held in a large home that stood on stilts over the lake. We were provided with life jackets but I am pleased that we didn't have to test their float-worthiness! We were thankful for pashminas we had brought the day before.

All the homes were built over the lake. They had floating gardens defining the boarders of their "property". There were abundant crops and we passed many long boats full of tomatoes and other goods. The water in the lake is clear, there are water hyacinths everywhere (these are used for weaving) and the views from out on the lake are breathtaking.  We passed numerous fishermen rowing their boats by wrapping their leg around a long paddle at the back of their boats.

The food was lovely but there was nothing western to eat at all. When you order your meal the bowl you receive is actually quite small but the table is then laden with condiments and you are spoilt for choice. Food was cheap and fresh.  Our interpreter and our taxi driver were able to guide us to good eating places.

Vehicles were cheap to travel in but it was actually a difficult decision to get into some  because they had no seat belts, holes in the floor, windows that didn't wind up, and drivers that were chewing Betel nut which is a stimulant.  As a manager of WHS I had to switch on a different part of my brain, there were just no safe options! Motor scooters are everywhere, thousands of them, and they all belch thick black smoke and fumes that clog the back of your throat.


We saw great craft (weaving, silver ware), art, clothing, and handmade brightly coloured parasols. The parasol maker enjoyed my friend Deb's rendition of Singing in the Rain!  Jewellery is abundant with pearls, gemstones and silver in all the market places. Quality was not always great but the stall owners don't mind you checking the goods and finding the best ones.

I suspect that I traveled just on the cusp of the toursim wave hitting Myanmar so we didn't see many tourists. We traveled with a young interpreter which made life easy for us especially during negotiations in markets that were not for the tourists. However, many of the younger kids could speak English and were willing to try their skills out. 

Would I go back? Yes, in the blink of an eye.