http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Asia , Burma en-us Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:46:04 +0000 Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:46:04 +0000 Ok we're now more than a week further and basically all we did was visiting an English school in Mandalay and cruising to Bhamo Myanmar style... Guess this latter was a trimmed down or budget version of a similar trip we might do later when pensioners on the Mediterranean...Let's Enjoy EnglishOn our cycling around in Mandalay we got lost at a point one day while looking for the teak monastery b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay/blog-481838.html Myanmar aka Burma is weird. Coming from Kolkata India we flew via Bangkok to Yangon. Our plan is to stay here approx one month but we'll see. Touristy Weirdo CountryMyanmar was also on our list of weirdo countries to visit but apparently this is a rather touristy one all facilities are here tourist all around no strange abnormal military nor police presence on the streets you can talk http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon/blog-479558.html All becos of this Rock Was mesmerised by Steve McCurry and Felix Hug's photos of Golden Rock.The reason why I chose Myanmar for my CNY trip.Didn't expect that it was so difficult to get to Golden Rock or maybe it's a way to test one's devotion and commitment to this holy place.As we didn't manage to get an early flight back to Yangon we only arrived in Yangon at almost 3pm on the day we were http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Myanmar/blog-477179.html Salut Notre arrivee tard a Bagan nous laisse entrevoir quelques uns des milliers de temples parsemes dans la plaine certains etant eclaires et ca nous donne envie de voir tout ca au plus vite. Notre premier jour sur place se transforme vite en veritable marathon ayant pour but en voir le plus possible La zone d'interet s'etend sur quelques kilometres meme si les temples continuent d'abonder p http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Bagan/blog-476664.html Salut a tous j'espere que vous ne vous etes pas trop ennuye de nous Alors voila la suite... On est arrive a Mandalay a 5h du matin le 26 decembre attendus par une armee de chauffeurs de taxi. On a donc embarque dans un taxi avec nos nouveaux amis suisses Bruno et Marylin et on est parti vers le Royal guesthouse. Il etait plein et on a du frapper a trois differentes portes pour http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-475064.html People often ask meldquoYou're an idiot. You shouldn't travel to Burmardquo.An interesting question and not the easiest to answer I'll admit. The headlines will tell you that Burma is a dangerous place and that by visiting you are legitimising the repressive regime. I'll attempt to answer both these points later in the essay. Er blog I meant blog of course. I'm also going to continue http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Bagan/blog-474645.html Mere Nature nous a prepare un spectacle matinal flamboyant comme crsquoest souvent le cas dans cette region desertique. Une boule de feu se leve a lrsquohorizon promettant chaleur et beau temps pour la journee. Pour le moment nous observons l'eveil de la vie par la fenetre de notre bus. Devant leur modeste demeure de bamboo les villageois sont accroupis autour drsquoun petit feu de fo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Kalaw/blog-471949.html Bonjour a vous fideles lecteurs Pardonnez notre pause mais l'internet sur les iles de la Thailande n'est pas donne. En fait rien n'y est donne Mais ca c'est pour une prochaine entree... Aujourd'hui le Myanmar Nous sommes donc atterris an republique du Myanmar le 17 decembre au matin apres une nuit de deux heures de sommeil. Nos premieres visions de ce peuple etaient deconcertentes http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/blog-470633.html On oublie tres vite la conjoncture politique en arrivant au Myanmar. La gentillesse et surtout le sourire des gens rencontres permettent de mettre vite a l'aise quiconque ayant assez de determination pour remplir la tonne de formalites necessaires pour venir visiter ce pays. Le tourisme en est encore a son etape embryonnaire et les Birmans sont extremement accueillants avec les pelerins sac au http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon/blog-467863.html Unfortunately we had to fly into Myanmar with Myanmar Airlines the government airline as there were no land borders which we were allowed to cross to gain entry. Having previously filled in all the visa documentation at the embassy in Bangkok where it certainly wouldnrsquot be wise to state your profession as lsquojournalistrsquo as you probably wouldnrsquot be allowed in and fillin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/blog-462525.html It looks like Father Christmas threw up in the lobby of the ParkRoyal Hotel.The lobby is decorated in a garish redgreengold theme. Several huge Christmas trees covered in long loops of sparkling lights and glittering ornaments are located just inside the entry. Christmas carols are blaring on the hotel's speaker system. The Christmas decorations don't stop at the lobby....the exterior of t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon/blog-459284.html A group of monks here in Inle Lake had a bit of time on their hands and a group of smarterthanaverage cats in their monastery. All the fun started when the cats began to jump up on the monks' laps while they were meditating and then through their clasped hands. The monks realized the cats' acrobatic potential and taught them to jump through little hoops for treats. Now it's a major tourist http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Inle-Lake/blog-459283.html Sometimes it is hard to believe that this isn't all a dream. This morning we had breakfast at dawn under our large acacia tree. The full moon was low on the horizon and we had a perfect view of its reflection in the Ayeyarwady River. Our flight today to Inle Lake was at 815am. Our phenomenal guide and driver Aung Shwe and Minmin picked us up at the hotel at 645am for the ten minute drive http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Inle-Lake/blog-459282.html We have secret information about the state of the world in 2010 and we'll be happy to share it with you.The Nats told us.Buddhism is the official religion of Burma but it coexists peacefully with ancient animistic beliefs that have been part of local culture for thousands of years worshiping nature like hills trees lakes. The Nats spirits are at the center of this animist worship. There http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Bagan/blog-459224.html What do you think of when you hear the word Burma British men wearing linen suits sipping gin and tonics while resting in wicker chairs being cooled by ceiling fans Stunning ancient temples and abundant natural resources A horrible and oppressive military regime Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and the government's initial refusal to accept foreign aid Democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi's ongo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon/blog-458375.html Tis a simple enough rule one developed very early on during my foray into Myanmar cuisine for ordering the chicken rarely resulted in chicken as I am accustomed to it but rather a small side dish of chicken bones would arrive to accompany my rice. These bones were mostly devoid of flesh and a person would have to pick one up and gnaw it like a rat to get anywhere with it. Having a profound disli http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mawlamyine/blog-454773.html I would like to post here my plan for a trip to Southeast Asia which took place last year. My purpose was to visit the most important artistic and architectural sites of Thailand Myanmar and Cambodia without neglecting other attractions. Despite some remarks in commentaries which can fit a travel journal I had no intention of writing one. Neither did I try to share with you my impressions. A lo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/blog-443849.html ...But I will try to put Inle Lake into words... I think I fell in love with this place. It's definitely not for the restaurants they are seriously lacking here but in everything else there is so much natural beauty that it's crazy. I did a few things while here.. rented a bike and cycled for about 1215 miles. I went out to Inle Spa where I was the only person there. Made for a nice time to rel http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Inle-Lake/blog-437298.html We arrived in Bagan after a 12.5 hour short ferry trip 79 hours by bus I hear. The ride was really relaxing and seeing nature and the people going about their day was nice. We decided we would walk to our hotel from the Jetty it was only about a km. Sorry but sometimes the metric system is all I have to go by... Anywho we checked into our hotel 2nd place with air con included for a whopping http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Bagan/blog-437289.html They say that Thailand is the land of 1000 smiles.. Well Myanmar must be the land of the genuine smile. The people here light up when they see a foreigner... and they don't come to often I am guessing. I can count on my hands usually the number of foreigners I see daily.. using my toes is reaching but it's possible if you are doing something major like taking the ferry which only leaves twice a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay/blog-437283.html