By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' eastward to the sea, There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks of me. ..Rudyard Kipling

When Kipling wrote those words could he have known the love and affection the Burmese population of Myanmar would show their pro democratic leader, Aung San Suu Kyi? I found everyone held her in high esteem. Five  million people have signed a petition asking for the consititution to be changed so that she can run for president in next year's elections..  but it doesn't look hopeful.

I set off on my journey to Myanmar with  excitement, I was visiting a land where time had almost stood still, little did I realize just how much it had stood still, and little did I realize the depth of my concern at how quickly all  that may change.

I knew I'd see temples, pagodas, stupas, meandering rivers, monks,  dusty cities, rural villages, thought I'd even see an elephant, but nothing had prepared me for the gentleness of the people, the innocence of the children's  faces, the beauty of the land, nor the talent of the artisans.

Nun's wear pink, Monks,  orange.

Ananda Retreat sailing the Ayeyarwardy

A few local words sure helped.
The following are my own phonetic spellings which seemed to work well.
Mingalaba - Welcome/Good morning/Hello
Jaysobay  - Thank you
Whare peepee - I have already bought.  

Golden stupas everywhere

Dragon fruit

captivating expressions

Economy based on natural gas, rice, teak and gemstones.
8 majority tribes, 135 minority tribes, 100 dialects and languages spoken
Schools teach English and Burmese.

Gold leaf artisans at work

How soon will change happen? 

Taxi's don't have meters, negotiate price prior to embarking your journey.
New US dollar bills after the year 2006 are accepted .
Credit cards are almost not accepted anywhere except in hotels.
ATM machines are few  but do work.
Longhi (not sarongs) are worn everywhere by men and women
Only need to pack flip flops as constantly removing shoes to enter pagodas.  

Internet works well in most  upscale  hotels otherwise, for now, consider it non existent.

Try a Burmese massage over a Thai massage. 

Take a horse-drawn cart ride. 

Eat a morning glory salad and wonder how soon you can return. 

Mahamuni Pagoda

On the outskirts of Mandalay  is perhaps one of Myanmar's most religious monuments. The Buddha  is said to have been sculpted directly in the presence of Gautama Buddha  during a visit to the kingdom of  Arakan. Gold leaf offerings are applied in homage to the  Buddha with so many layers that his body is now quite out of proportion with a truly large heart and enormous hand.    Here, members of the public purchase their small square inch of gold leaf and wait in turn to apply it . It's a truly moving experience. 

The Kuthodaw Pagoda referred to by some as the biggest book in the world as 729 marble slabs inscribed with the Tripitaka texts surround it.

Kuthodaw Pagoda built by King Mindon 1857, in effect a copy of  Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan .

Nomadic Ayeyarwady River Life .

Approach to Mandalay Hill as seen from the River.

Approach to Mandalay Hill as seen from the river.

Local barges navigating the sand banks. 

Nomadic villages along the banks of the Ayeyarwady

Mandalay - The Cultural City

The talent of the local artisan craftsmen in Mandalay never stopped .
If I wasn't watching  gold leaf being made, it was a demonstration on making bamboo paper where the fibers are soaked for three years, or silver being beaten into an ornate goblet, creative puppeteers,  weaving,  embroidery, woodworking to the dust of marble carving.

Intricate wood carvings

wood carving.

Most artesans seems to prefer working on the floor

Young girls display their talent at embroidery

Puppetry

ceramics

More detailed embroidery

Carving a Buddhas face out of marble

Knife painting

Hand made paper umbrellas

Weaving

The dust of marble carving

Silversmith artesan

People versus Pagodas, Scenery versus Stupas, Lifestyles versus Loving

The boat man who rowed me out to the U Bein Bridge  

I found everything in Myanmar integrated into an essence of  serenity. It didn't matter where I was, what I was looking at,  how strange  the circumstances, there was always  a peace  that indeed,  passeth all understanding.  These amazing people have not let the changes of their political past destroy their values.
A visit to Myanmar is not just  for the beauty of  the pagodas, temples, monuments  but for the admiration of an amazing nation  that is overcoming  much adversity.  Get there soon before it changes too fast. 

Our amazing chef, who produced the best meals through out my three weeks in Myanmar and China 

Gracious Thiri  who showed us how to make and apply  thanaka

My adorable Manadalay guide.

On the steps of the Mahamuni Pagoda

    

The Sanctuary adopted village of Sin Kyun along the Ayeyarwady river.

Sanctuary Retreat  has a philantropic attachment to this little village - supporting it in it's needs while keeping it true to the culture of  the people without westernizing a whole village.   Visiting  this village was one of the highlights of  being in Myanmar.

My greeting from the village children as I stepped of the ship

Bamboo chaise longues.

Thanaka face cosmetic used as sun protection in children

Delight  at being given  some candy.

Where ever you go there's an ox, a horse or a pig.

This lady was on her way to make hats.

tilling the lands

The two resident monks survey the farm land

Growing long beans

More bamboo housing on stilts.

Water is plentiful, it's just not at the end of an easy faucet.

More Tanaka

Is it really a school day.