Blogs from Burma, Asia - page 138

We had managed to come to Lake Inle for the Phaung Daw U festival going on for 18 days until its 2005 grand finale on October 21st. Its beauty, harmony and originality make this aquatic spectacle superior to all other traditional festivals in Myanmar, and some even call it one of the best of its kind in South East Asia. Well, we would be present to witness, and agree to or contradict this opinion. Its tradition goes back to the 12th century, when a very pious king was zealous to spread Buddhism in his country. Wherever he travelled on the lake, he always used a royal barge, on the top of which five little Buddha statues were set. By and large the statues were more and more venerated and the Phaung Daw U festival was born. ... read more

The end of our stay in Mandalay was coming closer and we tried to organise our trip to Lake Inlay although we would really have wanted to visit another place around Mandalay, Monywa. But the taxi was very expensive for only two people and somehow we had not managed to find others who wanted to see the place. We were sitting in the hotel lobby when a French couple (Huguette and Jean-Marc) entered, they had just come back from another trip. As a conversation quickly evolved, they agreed to join us on the trip, which all of a sudden made it feasible. This trip would be very long and tedious but the staff at the guesthouse assured us that we could make it in one day, contrary to what was written in all the guidebooks. We ... read more

From the geographical point of view, we were already quite close to southern Myanmar on Kho Phi Phi, but we could not find out whether it was possible to cross the border there, since information on Myanmar is very difficult to come by. For this reason, Myanmar has been a stumbling block of our travel itinerary since the very beginning. We originally planned to start there and cross over to India, but most of Myanmar’s land borders are closed, and furthermore this changes very quickly. So we ended up in Bangkok, considering Thailand’s capital the only gateway to Myanmar. But even in the city where everything can normally be organised for you, they knew painfully little and told us that the only way to enter Myanmar was from Bangkok by plane and that you were obliged ... read more

Our eyes met and the clouds parted. Like a choreographed dance, she moved towards me and I took a step back, our bodies in perfect unison. She reached for my breast but I turned away, not tonight. This one wasn't going to have me easily this night. A cry from the crowd and my gaze was averted. She stepped in and pinned the paper butterfly to my shirt "for good luck." "I give you present, now you give me present", she cried triumphantly, "500 kyat". Sighing, I picked up the soccerball and returned to the game... This is life in Myanmar, where people are still Beckham crazy. BAGAN is incredible. After Mandalay, I instantly felt calm and at home here, it's really pleasurable cycling around. It's hard to comprehend - over 2000 temples and stupas and ... read more

1. Enter on a schmick-looking Bangkok Airways flight carrying only 16 people. Look miffed given that one only has six rows to oneself. 2. Make disapproving tutt tutt noises at fellow travellers having visa issues and holding up the queue of two. 3. When accosted by touts and money changers, confound them by acting as an ambassador of goodwill, smiling and replying "yes, thank you, I've packed my white bikini". 4. In the process, fail to notice worried-looking Burmese driver holding up sign with one's name on it. 5. Walk daintily past sweating taxi drivers gesticulating in rusting Datsun taxis and step into waiting 4WD whilst one's (friend's) driver struggles with one's backpack and tripod. 6. Driven to friend's three story house where one is given a room the size of shipping container (complete with ensuite ... read more