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Hi Everyone! Unfortunately this update is without photos as we are in transit at the Bangkok airport and we can't download our photos!!! Hopefully we will be able to in Laos where we will arrive tonight.
It's been two weeks and we have traveled all over Myanmar. What a fascinating trip we had! Myanmar is geographically very interesting as it shares borders with India, Bangladesh, Laos, China and Thailand. To the south is the Andamar Sea and the Bay of Bengal is to the West. The country is influenced by all of these surrounding countries by it's dress, food and customs. Myanmar is one of the most Buddhist countries in SouthEast Asia with over 90 percent practising Boudhism. We decided to hire a guide for our two weeks. Htun was the 5th member of our family for those two weeks. Htun is young and fun and loved the kids, easy for him being one of 8 children! Our adventure began in Yangon and took us north to Bago, Kawal, Lake Inle, Mandalay and Bagan. I must say that we decided to take the road less traveled. Most tourists fly from one destination to the other. We soon learned why as our van bounced us along the monsoon worn roads of the country! We were a bit shaken up to say the least after several days of driving but these roadtrips were well worth it! As Htun kept telling us, this is the way to see how we really live in Myanmar. He couldn't have been more correct!
Every day we had some special experience that made it all worthwhile! The kids rarely complained which was amazing to me ( I wanted to complain!) We saw so many pagodas and Buddhas that it is uncountable! At one point the children wanted to know how many Buddhas there are. It was hard for them to imagine that there was only one, just a million stautes to honor him. Htun taught us a lot about Bouddhism. He has spent time being a monk just as many others here have. At the age of nine or ten boys become novice monks. We were fortunate enough to witness an initiation ceremony for several neighborhoods. It was so full of color and life and the young boys looked like small princes on horseback as they went to the pagoda to ask the Nats, (these are spirits) to protect them during their novice period. This system works very well as for many young boys this is a way out of poverty. In the monestary they are guaranteed meals and are given an education. For the other boys they stay a week and then return to their families. Being a monk is not like becoming a priest. The boys and girls, who are called Nonns, are allowed to enter the monestary and leave as they please.
Myanmar was eye opening to the kids as they were witnesses to the fact that many in the world still live with nothing. As we admired the beautiful lush countryside the kids saw children their age fixing the roads in 100 degree temps! They also saw the very simply made homes made of woven bamboo with no electricity and no running water. Even hard for Emmanuel and I to wrap our heads around the idea that people are still living like this and traveling by horse and cart, plowing their fields with water buffalos.
Unfortunately the govenment of Myanmar is run by the military who don't do anything to help the common people and especially the tribal people who make up a huge part of the population. They are often displaced, their homes destroyed and yes, there is abuse. Even for the average person it is almost impossible to own a cell phone or a car. (Just to get a phone it costs $1,000!) The average farmer makes less than $30 a month!
Htun was a farmer for many years so we often stopped off in the fields to see how things grow and what is cultivated. So interesting to see plantations of seasame seeds, cabbage, bamboo, eggplants, cotton etc. The rice fields were so green and lush that at first glance we took them for the most finely manicured golf courses in the world! Before WWII Myamar was the number 1 exporter of rice in the world! Now they are number 1 in teak exports and are unfortunately cutting down too quickly!
After learning so much about farming Tatiana has decided she wants to start growing a garden and selling at the farmers Market! Our friend Lucien will have a partner!!
Yohan discovered the joys of the national sport which is chinlon or cane ball. This is a small ball (a bit bigger than a soft ball) that is made of bamboo and has 12 holes. Men stand around in a circle and juggle and pass the ball to one another without using hands and without letting it touch the ground. Htun got a ball for Yohan and everywhere we went he managed to either join a game or start a game with anyone who was standing around. He was actually becoming quite good and wanted to spend our last days doing only that! Htun and Yohan also bonded because of soccer. The country is crazy about the sport and there were many games while we were here. Yohan slept in Htun's room one night so they could wake up at 1:30 am to see the Manchester vs AcMilan game! We are finding that soccer is really a sport that weaves the world together!
The amount of Pagodas in this country is unbelieveable! When we reached Bagan we had already seen at least 50. Well in Bagan there are over 2,000 alone!! I wish the pictures were present to give you a better idea, hopefully soon!
The main pagoda in Yangon, Shwedagon, was built 2,500 years ago!! Seeing something so historic is really a moving experience. It was magic and one of our favorites!
On the culinary front we ate well but it was not amazing. A lot of curries (not spicey), noodles, rice and stir fried veggies. Last night we had a salad made with the leaves of the tamarind tree. I think this was my favorite.
When we were in the middle of the country in Kalaw, we did a day trek to a village. The kids were able to actually visit the houses, have tea with the people and see how they live. I think they were most impressed with the oldest woman in the village who they say is over 100 (No one knows her true age).
On the way back from the village we stopped off at a little hut where we were served fresh chapati and cabbage curry. There were only two other people there with us and they were American. We started talking and learned that they were also from Seattle!!! What a small world it is! These were really the only other Americans we saw. Most tourists were French, Italian, and Spanish. We were there during summer so there were no tourists!! Nice for us to visit things, I guess in the fall and winter there are many tourists.
We were surprised to see that people all wear the traditional dress which is the longyi. Men tie theirs in the middle and women wear thiers more elegantly off to the side. The fabrics for women are very nice. The women all paint their faces with thanaka which is a paste they make from a tree. The men have stained red teeth as they spend their days chewing betel.
Having a guide was so enriching but we are a bit exhausted! Luckily our last three days in Bagan we had a pool and were able to spend the hot afternoons in the water.
Today at the Bangkok airport we are catching up with everything and gearing up for 2 weeks in Laos. We will arrive in Vientiene and work our way north to Luang Prabang. We have been told that we can find wine, chocolate, beer and bagettes in Laos. The kids are excited. We will see what the internet situation is like in Laos and if possible we will add photos. In Burma the internet is censored so our one attempt was without success.
Once again, we love all of your messages and wish we could respond to every one of them but we are always on a timer at the computer. We think of you often!
FROM YOHAN:
I am in Bangkok but last week I was in Myanmar, I took a roadtrip from Yangon all the way to Bagan. On the way I saw many different monuments, lots of fields and people working on the fields. I also saw a cave with 8,000 buddhas!! I enjoyed the food . I also went trekking with a trekking guide. I saw lots of trees and villages. In Bagan I saw lots of Pagodas. It was amazing! I played a lot of cane ball which is a Myanmar national sport that everyone plays. I also enjoy watching soccer. Today I am going to Laos. I hope I see as many things that I saw in Myanmar. I will be sending you more emails soon.
Yours truly,
YOhan
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Robert & Martine
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La belle aventure continue!
On les attend ces nouvelles, et merci pour les formidables descriptions de Cori, qui nous font rêver,( on s'y croit!) et nous font oublier qu'il n'y pas de photos. La vie d'ici parait bien dull, quand on vous lit! Mais grâce à l'élection présidentielle, l'excitation nous tient. Emmanuel, le 6, on fait le bon choix!!! On vous embrasse.