...It'll Always Be Burma To Me!

Asia » Burma » Yangon Region » Yangon
January 25th 2009

Published: January 25th 2009

Myanmar is not, as Cosmo Kramer mistakenly asserts, an American discount pharmacy. It is, of course, the country which is always referred to (parenthetically) as (Burma). It's coming on twenty years now since the military junta changed the name, so why does the world persist in sticking to the old label? This 'Myanmar or Burma' question continued to tax me throughout my fifteen days in the country... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 32, Displayed: 21

Comment Follow (10) Message

Tom Griffith

Ouaga

Travel happens when I can fit it in, nowadays, but it will always be my favourite hobby. Here's my list of the best bits so far, in thirteen years of hopping around the world: Asia Angkor Wat (Cambodia) Taj Mahal and Varanasi (India) Annapurna Range and Kathmandu (Nepal) Bagan (Burma) Koh Phiphi (Thailand) Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and the Forbidden City (China) Peshawar and the Chitral-Gilgit road (Pakistan) Istanbul and Butterfly Valley (Turkey) Luang Prabang (Laos) Americas Teotihuacan and Mexico City (Mexico) Lake Atitlan and Tikal (Guatem... full info

Blog Options

Top Photos Blog Map

Print Version

[blog=361976]

[blogger=31828]

Inle Market

A traditional market on the banks of Inle Lake.

Monks on the Bridge

Red-robed monks walking along the teak bridge at Amarapura.

Sand painting

An artist shades in a painting done on Irrawaddy sand, at Bagan.

Shwedagon

Worshippers file past Shwedagon as dusk arrives.

Mandalay taxi

A tiny Mazda pick-up taxi, with our friendly driver.

Another temple...

Another of Bagan's many temples...

Temple at dusk

One of the larger temples at Bagan.

Local kids

Two Burmese children wearing thanaka.

Thanbodday paya

A temple near Monywa which houses over 500,000 Buddha statues. That's a lot of Buddhas.

Kids at Thanbodday

More photogenic Burmese kids, this time at Thanbodday Paya.

Yangon building

A street scene in the Burmese capital.

25th January 2009

AnnaAdventuring
Anna Louise

A really interesting, insightful blog. Thank you for sharing your experiences... and for explaining the whole Burma/Myanmar thing. I knew the name was officially Myanmar and was confused to hear the BBC still referring to it as Burma. Thanks for clearing it up! Enjoy your travels and I look forward to reading your next blog. :)

25th January 2009

Donna and Neil
Donna and Neil

To go or not to go...
Well, we have been debating for well over a year about going to Burma (to us Burma is the right name too!). We were going to but the cyclone hit and we are still debating bout whether it is right to visit because we don't agree with the military dictatorship. Your blog and perceptions have definitely given us something more to debate! Nice pics too.

27th January 2009

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

''......it does seem childish to simply refuse to recognise the new name.'' Strange suggestion to make about a method of non violent demonstration against a tyrannical government. Great blog though! :)

27th January 2009

Ouaga
Tom Griffith

Myanmar or Burma?
I wouldn't say that simply not using the name 'Myanmar' is a very effective form of protest against the regime. The name of the country has very little to do with the way that the government misrules Burma. 'Myanmar' is just a label. The Burmese people pretty much all use 'Myanmar' to describe the nation, only occasionally using 'Burma'. They all call the national language 'Myanma'. Not calling it 'Myanmar' is a bit like still calling Iran 'Persia' because we don't like the tyrannical government there. It really does nothing to reduce the power of those who oppress their people.

28th January 2009

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

Non violent protest in various forms was a tool used in Eastern Europe for decades. The iron curtain is gone now.

29th January 2009

Ouaga
Tom Griffith

Non-violence
Hey, sorry, Mell, I think you have me a little wrong here. I didn't say that non-violent protest was ineffective...I was saying that using the name 'Burma' instead of 'Myanmar' seemed ineffective. I know that non-violent forms of protest are what will eventually bring down the military junta...along with correctly implemented sanctions, a complete turnaround in the attitude of China to the regime, plus a belief by the Burmese people that they can force a change in their country. I long for that change as much as any right-thinking person, too.

6th February 2009

Rob_n_Lorenza
Rob & Lorenza B

Thanks for such an interesting entry. Really well written and great photos. Thanks for sharing it with us

17th July 2010

Yuan Chou
non-member comment

Picture of Standing Buddha at Monywa
Dear Mr. Griffith: Hi. I was looking for pictures of the Standing Buddha of Monywa and came across your picture at: http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/3371558 I'm currently doing research for a non-profit Buddhist Art Dictionary. We would like to include an entry of this beautiful statue and were wondering if you can let us reference your picture. Please contact me if you have any quesitons. I would greatly appreciate it if you can take the time. Thank you. Best Regards, Yuan Chou

28th July 2010

krishnadas
non-member comment

good photo
wonderful photo

Tot: 0.262s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 24; qc: 107; dbt: 0.1722s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.4mb

Do not copy images or text from this page without requesting and receiving permission. All rights are reserved by the author and photographer.

Contact Tom Griffith (Ouaga) - a lack of a response does not mean that you have permission to use material from this page.

...It'll Always Be Burma To Me!

Copyright Notice: All Rights Reserved