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Published: February 3rd 2007
Monk
Shwedagon Pagoda, YangonIt's not quite what you expect in a country where the people's kindness & generosity is second to none, but Burma is a land full of contradictions. A few days before leaving this stunning country, one of our student friends remarked that despised leader of the military government, Than Shwe, had recently been in Singapore undergoing treatment for what is believed to be cancer. Although misinformation is normal in Burma, it's widely hoped that this was true, & you can bet that just about every member of the population, no matter how kind & how dedicated to Buddhism they may be, will be praying for the death of a man who has helped cause pain & misery for years.
Welcome to Burma, home to one of the most brutal military dictatorships on the planet. A government that strives to make life miserable for it's people, be it from forced labour, outrageous inflation or simply daily power cuts.
Welcome also to a land where despite this, the people are perhaps the most generous, kind & hospitable that you could ever hope to meet. A colourful land that at times appears to be paved with gold, but is really
one of the poorest on earth. A land of Buddhas, temples, where in places people still travel by horse & cart, a dusty land of poor roads, power cuts & a land where
'MINGALABA' (hello!) rings out from every direction.
Almost every day you are destined to meet people who want to befriend you - one day you could find yourself unexpectedly teaching an English class, the next eating a feast for free at a family home.
A debate rages over whether we should or should not visit at all. Democratically elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi has never been allowed to take power, instead she's been under house arrest for most of the past 20 years. Famously, her view has long been that tourists should stay away, and many take her word as gospel.
While the west imposes sanctions, Burma's neighbours choose not to, rendering the whole process a little irrelevant. Besides, many people will tell you that sanctions only hurt the people, not the regime, and the regime doesn't particularly care about the people. While some people will tell you not to visit Burma few think twice about going to places like China where human
Breakfast
In a tea shop - all this for about a dollar. Yangon. rights records aren't particularly great either
Burma could be one of the richest nations on earth, they have teak, gems, oil & once upon a time were one of the greatest rice exporters in the world. Today however, most Burmese live a life of endless poverty, while the generals illegally trade away the country's best resources, along with opium & arms.
Any doubts that anyone could have about visiting Burma are likely to be cast aside within hours or days of arrival. I can honestly say that I've never been to a place where I've been made to feel more welcome & where my being there has felt so important. I made a point of asking as many locals as I could if they thought tourists should come & every single one said yes. Even 'The Lady' as Aung San Suu Kyi is affectionately known, has backed down a little, saying more recently that tourism can have its advantages.
Although land borders seem to open & close on a regular basis, flying to Burma has never been easier. There's few airlines that make it as far as Rangoon, but the recent addition of budget carrier Air Asia
Stupas
Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon certainly makes it cheap. That said, there's something rather unglamorous about turning up somewhere as mysterious & exotic as Burma on a budget flight.
Rangoon's Mingaladon airport is apparently being extended - a longer runway & new arrivals/departures areas. In anticipation of what? You know you are entering somewhere a little different when you've left the biggest flashest newest airport in the world (Bangkok's disasterous new Suvarnabumi Airport) & landed at an international airport where there's only one other plane, & even that one appears to be grounded.
Former capital city Rangoon, or Yangon as it is now officially known, was made capital when Burma was part of the British Empire back in 1885. It lasted in this role until 2006 when the dictators stunned the nation (& the world) by shifting, almost overnight, to a new capital deep in the jungle further north.
Yangon is still the commercial & business capital. Each time I return I expect changes, but in the seven years since I was first here, little has moved on. More large (but largely empty) hotels, more tall buildings, a few more cars & a handful of moblie phones. But even those are hard
Photographer
Many people can't afford cameras so buy one shot from a professional. Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon to come by - they are regulated by the generals & only available at a huge cost, by lottery. It has changed, But by comparison to Bangkok & other neighbouring cities, Yangon is a still a village.
Mahabandoola Guest House & adjacent Garden Guest House occupy prime real estate that will no doubt some day be home to million dollar apartments. There can be few places in the world where guest houses recommended as a 'last resort' by your guide book overlook one of the most famous pagodas (temples) in town. The serene Sule Pagoda sits at the centre of a roundabout below the guest houses, shimmering gold under the deepest of blue skies. It doesn't take long to realise that gold & pagodas are very central to life in Burma.
Stepping into this country is perhaps somewhat similar to stepping into a timewarp. As part of 'British India' some advances were made into the 20th century - but since the Brits left, it's largely as if time stood still. It doesn't look or feel like anywhere else I've ever been. Parts of Yangon are full of impossibly large colonial edifices. Alongside are teashops serving snacks & beverages
Planetary Post
Monks at the Tuesday Post. Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon on chairs & table just a foot off the floor. Meanwhile young monks collect alms in their large black lacquerware bowls, barefoot & in saffron robes.
Modern developments that have taken over in most of the rest of Asia are still often frowned upon here. Many men still wear traditional longyi (like a sulu or sarong) rather than trousers or jeans. Almost all women wear thanaka on their faces, a paste made from tree bark that's said to be both anti ageing & a sunblock. Outside influences have yet to convince people to uncover & wear shorts or sleeveless tops. Most women don't dare drink or smoke, most people in their mid twenties that we met hadn't had a boy or girlfriend yet. One woman in her mid twenties told us that her parents wouldn't even let her go out with friends on New Year's Eve.
Spending an hour or so in a teashop is a good way to observe daily life. An endless supply of samosas, cakes, noodles, rice & curries are available, along with a bottomless pot of Chinese tea. Rather than drink the excellent local coffee most locals favour coffemix & teamix - readymade sachets
Monks
Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon of tea or coffee, powdered milk & far to much sugar.
In China people stare & stare until it unnerves you. Here people stare until they can no longer hold off a grin & say Mingalaba! People are curious, but always friendly.
Shwedagon Pagoda is perhaps not just the most famous sight in Yangon, but the whole of Burma. It's one of the three most visited Buddhist pilgrimage sights, along with Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay & Kyaiktyo, home to the Golden Rock. Originally built some 2500 years ago it's changed a little over the years while earthquakes unbalance & kings rebuild.
Shwedagon's bell like structure, known as a stupa, & the towering umbrella at the top rise a staggering 98 metres above its base. Although views of it often appear from nowhere across the city, it's not until you get up close that you appreciate its true majesty. From north, south, east & west, four walkways lead up to the small hill where Shwedagon sits. In the alleys stalls sell religious artefacts, tools for prayer & souvenirs. Surrounding the main stupa are countless more smaller stupas, statues, shrines & images. Unlike touristy temples in other countries nearby,
Student Notes
A page from a student's book - makes interesting reading. Yangon this is a place for devotees - day & night it buzzes with activity as locals & pilgrims make their journey. Popular points of worship include the eight 'planetary posts' - each related to a day of the week (Wednesday being two days in Burma). At each day's post sits a Buddha & an animal, similar to years in China, here in Burma each birth day has an animal. Prayers are made at the post of your own day of birth & cups of water are poured over the statues to gain merit & good fortune.
Burma is often called the Golden Land & from just one glimpse of Shwedagon you can see why. Above the golden stupa sits an umbrella (or 'hti'), a vane & flag - gold and silver plated & decorated with 1100 diamonds & 1383 other precious stones. At the very top is an orb coated with 4351 diamonds & one single 76 carat diamond.
Along with the devotees are a handful of tourists, and almost always along with those, you'll find local monks & students wanting to practice English. Our culture & our experience of other travels in Asia tells us that if
Sule Pagoda
at night, Yangon. someone approaches you, they normally want something in return. Be it to sell something, to be a guide, to offer a service, most things come at a cost. Even when you're told it's free, a fee is normally expected - but not here.
Shwedagon is full of people who want to be your friend. Most want to practice English, most will be your guide for free, many are happy to talk politics & a few will end up changing the course of your trip.
One of the many monks that we met invited us for dinner at a local's place he knew of. As it happens, monks aren't allowed to eat after midday, so dinner was a quiet affair, but he did manage a few bananas. He asked if we'd be able to help out at his English class the next morning but having been up since around 3am for the flight we'd fancied a lay in the next day. Begrudgingly we said yes.
Having left school half of my lifetime ago, it was an unexepected return. I can safely say that we entered that classroom having put absolutely no thought at all into what we would
have to do or say. By 9.30am over 100 eager students lined the 1950's era benches, the mirrored walls appearing to multiply their numbers to the thousands. Placed in front of the class we were given a microphone & the lesson began. I have no idea if what followed was any use to any of the students at all, but I'm sure a few of them had a good time.
Whilst the teacher slept at the back of the room, we undertook a question & answer session that hopefully improved the English of a few students:
"What's your country? are you married? how many children? why no children? how long have you been here? how old are you?" The same questions were asked of us over & over again - if they weren't listening to the answer we just gave, were they learning anything at all?
But a few paid attention. A few even had interesting questions:
"What's your ambition? what should I do to get a job overseas? how's my English? why did you choose your husband/wife? "how long have you been in the world?" "What's your salary??" is another popular question. Telling
Monks
Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon them your actual salary would be telling them that you earn more than all of their families put together & then some. The diplomatic answer seems to involve avoiding the answer but instead explaning that in our countries costs are just a little higher than what theirs are.
A random mix of lower end middle class, they were a melting pot of all ages - monks, teenageers, married, single, male, female - almost all with one aim: To somehow better their lives through learning English. Some already had vague jobs supposedly lined up overseas, others dreamed of such things.
Many see English a ticket out, not just from poverty but also from the country. The most popular job option has to be 'tourist guide' - the only career that seems to have any hope of prospects. But even that's a little dubious.
Many see the outside world as some kind of utopia where their dreams will all come true. They think everyone is wealthy, happy & gets along. Hard as their existence is, these students are largely happy & live in a world where their devotion to Buddhism leads to people at least being good to each
Sule Pagoda
from Mahabandoola Guest House, Yangon other, however poor they are. When talking about differences between our countries, theirs & those inbetween, it can be like fighting a losing battle in diplomacy - it's as if there's a small duty to try & explain that although they are poor here they are also lucky in that they have strong family ties & low crime rates, whilst abroad there's people that are poor & unhappy too.
A couple of the students - including one who ineviatably wanted to become a tourist guide, became our guides & friends for the day. There's plenty to see in Yangon - numerous more pagodas & markets. Along the riverfront are the biggest colonial buildings - The Strand Hotel is still there, with rooms that cost more for one night than what ten Burmese familes would earn in a year. Nearby is the British Embassy, perhaps the cleanest, whitest, most outstanding building in the country. Ironic that it is surrounded by poverty & decay when you consider how different things may have been if the Brits hadn't barged in & taken over in the first place.
For centuries the Burma was awash with war, ruthless kings, and struggles for power.
Worshippers at dusk
Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon It's a union of provinces of entirely different people - over 70 ethnic minorities, the Burmese being the largest group. When the Brits marched in they split the country in two - upper and lower Burma. Lower Burma was made part of British India and ruled from there. Upper Burma, although officially British, was left for the minorities to run autonomously. Look at the tactics of the hated military government today & you'll see that they learnt a lot from the British who took the country by force and & who undertook a ruthless military campaign in 1885 in which any opposition was literally wiped out.
Perhaps what is most sadly ironic is that the what makes the kind, generous, untouched & undeveloped Burma so special & so unique is probably a product of the brutal leaders. Had things been different & the country been opened up to outside influence development then change would be inevitable like the rest of Asia.
If the regime ever does change then it's hard to predict what will happen next. Although everyone despises the government most people we spoke to hate them because they are kept so poor. Sadly this isn't something
that will change in a hurry - just look at their neighbours, Burma is surrounded by countries full of poor people.
After a hard day of sights came another English lesson, followed by a board meeting with the most dedicated students. After class they gather on the street at an outdoor teashop to talk yet more English & put the world to rights. If they talk to each other in Burmese they have to pay a fine. Accompaniment is a supply of pickled tea leaf - nicer than it sounds. Friends tonight ranged from mid teens to early twenties, but topics covered were way over my head when I was their age.
I asked what they thought it would take to change the government. They have no idea. I asked if people these days ever talk of protests (the last major protests were on 8-8-1988), but they don't. Universities, once the hotbed for activism were all shut down years ago, then finally reopened - but rebuiltway out of towns & cities so they could pose no threat. Students in Yangon have to travel around two hours there & two hours back each day. There are occasional outbursts, but
Lose Weight!
You just wrap this tape around you & the weight falls off. Apparently. the university is shutdown until it blows over & all that happens is students lose highly prized study time.
Even after so much study it's normal for students to have to pay a bribe to even pass exams. And after that there's still little chance of finding work. The only ones secure in work are those who go to military universities - much as the military is hated, many young people join purely because it's the only way to secure a free education & a guarantee of work.
Most surreal sight in Yangon has to be a shopping centre - a place utterly lacking in customers. We were only there by mistake, looking for an airline office. Full of top end boutiques that would be more at home in London or New York, the strangest sight in there was the Marks & Spencers franchise - if you want to boycott people who do business in Burma as Tony Blair suggests then start your boycott at M & S.
Most surreal activity in Yangon must be using the internet. This is where the contradiction that is Burma today really comes to the fore. The media is heavily censored
Malaria Cure!
Creams that sting, pills that make you go mad. Worry no more, this rum will save you from catching malaria! Yangon - although there's many newspapers, they are largely full of nonsense; Burmese tv is full of stories about generals donating to temples & although satellite tv is available in some places, this too can be censored & is only available to a few people. You could be thrown in jail for talking about the government to the wrong person, yet the internet is surprisingly widely available & although many sites are blocked almost every internet place can override it. There's something very strange about sitting in Burma, using the internet & reading stories on the BBC about what's going on around you. Quite a contrast to China where the internet truly was censored & where we normally had to at least show our passports before using it. Perhaps this is a small step towards the key to change...? After all, knowledge is power.
Burma or Myanmar, Yangon or Rangoon... Confused? According to the government of Burma, known as the State Peace And Development Council (previously the delightful State Law & Order Resoration Council or SLORC), the official name of the country is Union of Myanmar. Myanmar (or Myanma, pronounced ME-anma) has actually been what the people of Burma have called their country since the thirteenth century - it wasn't until the British arrived that the name was changed to Burma. Although the government made the change back to Myanmar in 1989, the name Burma is widely used by almost all pro democracy & human rights groups, as well as the nation's imprisoned leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. These days many young people in Burma use the name Myanmar as that's what they have grown up with, whilst most older people use Burma. In Yangon, which used to be Rangoon, most people use the new name, whereas around the country the older name is common. Today ethnic Burmese people are officially called Myanmar People & the language is Myanmar Language rather than Burmese... Confused?
Thinking of heading to Burma? Not sure about the tourist boycott? Feel free to contact me for more info about the country or whether you should go or not As always, a few more pages of photos below.... Wellington - Sydney - Bangkok - Khao Lak - Chaweng (Koh Samui) - Lamai (Koh Samui) - Bangkok - Macau - Guangzhou - Yangshuo - Guangzhou - Zhengzhou - Guangzhou -Shanghai - Huang Shan - Shao Lin - Beijing - Xi'an - Chengdu - Leshan - Kanding - Tagong - Litang - Xiang Cheng - Zhongdian - Lijiang - Kunming - Hekou/Lao Cai - Hanoi - Cat Ba Island - Ninh Binh - Hanoi - Hue - Hoi An - Hue - Hanoi - Sapa - La Chau - Son La - Mai Chau -Hanoi - China Beach - Hoi An - China Beach - Quy Nhon - Kon Tum - Saigon - Phnom Penh - Pursat - Battambang - Siem Reap - Anlong Veng - Siem Reap - Kompong Cham - Kratie - Ban lung (Ratanakiri) - Kratie - Phnom Penh - Kampot - Sihanoukville - Bangkok - Kanchanaburi - Bangkok - Rangoon
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Laura Kemp
non-member comment
hiya tim and kylie, amazing blog as ever, i cannot get over the friendliness of these people, i was wondering from looking at the destination list, is this your final port of call? life here same as ever, work, eat, sleep, thank god there are people like you reporting back to the rest of us tied to our desks xxxxxxxxxxxxx