Burma on the Brink

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Part 1

Travel by its very nature transports us to a different place. However there are fewer and fewer places that have the power to transport us to a different time and in doing so, give us a glimpse of a very different way of life. Burma (aka Myanmar) is one of those rare remaining countries that makes the visitor feel as if they have not just left their home, but also the present time. In fact all the guidebooks and articles I've read, inevitably use the phrase "time warp" to describe this place. And while the 21st century is banging at the door, it is still very easy to imagine that you are in British colonial times or even earlier.

My visit here has left me with images that I will remember forever. Dry plains doted with thousands of thousand year old temples, fishermen who row using their legs, men in skirts, women with face paint, golden pagodas where worshippers fervently pray as much now as they have for hundreds of years. These are just some of the visions that swim in my head when I think of my ten days in the "golden land".

This being a last minute, unplanned trip, I was not able to do as much research as I normally do before I travel. Besides, the only updated guide I could find is the Lonely Planet. Even that seems out of date considering the rapid and recent political changes that are sweeping the country. To say that I felt under prepared would be an understatement. I left the States without a Burmese visa and was not sure I could make the scheduled flight to the major city, Yangon where the tour was to start. Luckily it is very easy and straightforward to get a same day visa at the Burmese embassy in Bangkok. Actually at about $40 it's cheaper than a visa from the States. So after all that anxiety we were Burma bound. First stop Yangon (or Rangoon).

A little note on all the name changes: Myanmar/Burma, Yangon/Rangoon, Irrewady/Ayeyarwady. The military goverment, which has ruled the country since 1989 changed the names of many places from the colonial names that the rest of the world used. A prime example is the country's official name to Myanmar. They felt that this is more inclusive since there are other ethnic groups other than just the majority Burmese. On the other hand the opposition/democracy movement including Aung San Suu Kyi (and many countries who are not sympathetic to the regime) prefer Burma as they see that the government did not represent the people's mandate when they changed the name. For me it's not such a big deal as this issue will likely be resolved as political reforms progress. I just use Burma, as it is more popular and convenient.

Speaking of political reforms, it seems Burma has been on the front page, every week. From Hillary Clinton's visit, to the largest ever release of political prisoners, to the planned normalization of diplomatic relations with the US, to the elections in April, the current regime is definitely on track for more reforms. The guy I sat next to on the plane to Yangon told me never in his life had he imagined the changes that have transpired in the past 5 months. Everyone is hoping it will lead to a more democratic and eventually better life for the average citizen. In my conversations with the locals there is certainly optimism albeit very guarded. I guess in this part of the world, in this country with everything it has been through, hope is best accompanied by caution and not euphoria

Yangon

While no longer the capital is still Burma's link to the rest of the world. It's the biggest city and the center of commerce and transportation. Just an hour flight from bustling Bangkok but it might as well be a world away. Instead of the glass towers of skyscrapers, gleaming golden pagodas rule the skyline here. Instead of women wearing miniskirts, here both men and women wear ankle length skirts. Instead of gigantic shopping malls full of the latest fashion and modern convenience, there are markets that sell mostly Chinese made goods (thanks to the trade sanctions) along with local crafts. This city with its crumbling British colonial buildings and taxi fleets of 1980's Toyotas is a perfect introduction to the rest of Burma. I thought to myself, "If this big city feels like a throwback to 50 years ago, what would the countryside look like?" Completing the British colonial experience was our hotel, the Strand. On the main drag facing the river, this is the grand dame of hotels in Yangon. High tea, high ceilings, palatial rooms, lots of teak and marble. What it lacks in state of the art amenities it makes up for in vintage charm and elegance. It's easy to imagine running into the likes of Rudyard Kipling and Graham Greene at the bar.


It's a bit weird being in such a comfy posh place when just down the street are buildings that are just as historic but so poorly maintained. Walking around the hotel it's hard not to imagine what this part of the city will be like once (not if) tourism takes off. All these grand old buildings with their water stained crumbling facades will probably be transformed into smart shops and elegant hotels. I could picture a Starbucks here, a Peninsula there and a LV flagship store there. Just like Dong Khoi in Saigon or the Bund in Shanghai. Who knows? Ten, twenty years? It is fun to speculate and in this part of the world (between emerging powers China and India) there is so much potential anything seems possible.

The highlight to any visit in Yangon is without a doubt the Shwedagon Pagoda. A complex of shrines and temples on top of a hill with the 300 ft. gleaming gold stupa at its center. The holiest shrine in all of Burma, legend says it was founded 2000 years ago and contains hairs of the Buddha. If you come expecting a somber austere place you'd be very disappointed. The whole complex has the feel of a religious amusement park (if there was one). There are multi colored LED lights festooned on the pagodas and some of the Buddha images have electric halos that were absolutely psychedelic. It's a great public space and was perfect for people watching: monks, families, children, teenagers, they were all here, not just worshipping but also just hanging out and chilling. While everyone was reverential there was not a lack of gaiety in the place. We were there before sunset just in time for the volunteer sweepers. Two columns of lay people with brooms sweep the pagoda complex in the hope of generating good karma for better life in the future. For me it is always humbling to see such displays of faith and belief that is so rare in the west. Sunset here is truly magical with the changing color of the sky reflected on the golden stupa and the views of Yangon as it gets dark and the city lights come on. It's one of those travel moments that pictures can never fully capture. Or maybe that's just my excuse since I forgot the camera batteries back in the hotel!

Aside from Shwedagon we also visited the Sule pagoda, the National Museum (dimly lit and in need of major reorganizing) and the Bogyoke Market. Formerly known as Scott's Market this is Yangon's major bazaar. As with other markets in Southeast Asia, it has the requisite souvenir stalls, antique (and antiquish) stores, t-shift and postcard vendors. The ground floor has many stalls selling the jade, rubies and gems that Burma is famous (infamous for). Those interested in buying should pause and read Stone of Heaven, about the conditions in the major jade mining town of Hpakant. This place also has a reputation for a good place to change money. From our experience the rates are slightly better but they still demand that your dollars be pristine. I never understood this obsession. Everywhere in Burma they will not accept/change your dollar unless it is crisp and new. No marks, no folds or no Kyats (local currency) for you!

Mandalay

Located in the dry central plains and the second major city in Burma was our second stop. By Asian cities standards, it gives the impression more of a provincial capital than the second major city in a country of 55 million. Sure there is rush hour traffic but it's miniscule compared to say Bangkok or Manila's. Another thing conspicuously absent are billboards for major western brands. For better or for worse, due to the trade sanctions, in Burma there is no Nike, no 7-Eleven, no McDonald's, no KFC, not even Coke (well the latter is available but it's shipped from Thailand).

Mandalay was also the last royal capital before the British occupied Burma as part of their empire. It occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of the Burmese. The current royal palace is by most accounts a poor copy of the one that burned down in WWII. We gave it a pass and instead focused on the more significant shrines and monasteries that make this city such a religious center. One morning we went to a monastery and witnessed monks lining up for their morning meal. It was quite a spectacle. Hundreds of monks from the senior ones to little boys, in their dark red orange robes with their black bowls queuing as tourists were busy snapping away pictures and video. Someone in our group remarked at how the whole spectacle was off putting and kind of perverse. To me it's ironic when people travel so far to see something so unique and special that at the moment they realize that there are hundreds of other people who came to see the same thing, it becomes a let down. I think it's great that people take photos, show them to as many people as they can and talk about it. This is one way to foster awareness if not understanding of a foreign culture isn't it?

Another potentially perplexing sight is the Mahamuni temple. The centerpiece is the Mahamuni Buddha image, one of the most venerated in Burma. Around 12ft tall it's supposedly 2000 years old! That's not the most outstanding thing about it. Through hundreds of years worshippers (only men) have been applying gold leaf to the image, obscuring it's original shape. There is now about an 8 inches of gold covering the body of the image. All that gold in such a poor place. How to justify spending all that money instead of spending it on say health care. Well for one, according to our guide, the price of gold leaf is subsidized. Plus, for me it's useless and dangerous to impose our western values on a culture that we are not a part of. Anyway how do you put a value on devotion? On hope?

My favorite day in Mandalay was when we took a riverboat to the town of Sagaing and Mingun. It was a sunny but comfortable day, the boat sailed on the opaque brown waters of the Irrawady. On the banks we could see people bathing, doing their laundry and in the distance pagodas and monasteries dotted the hills. We encountered river barges laden with huge timber, undoubtedly the teak that Burma is so famous for. I wondered how many years before the forests are completely gone. On the shores of Sagaing we were greeted by school kids whose smiles were so genuine it would melt any jaded traveler's heart. On top of the hill there was a temple complex with a great view of the surrounding countryside.

In Mingun there is the remains of what could have been the world's largest stupa. A crazy king's crazy idea, had it been completed it would have stood 500ft. Using force labor and tons of bricks they got as far as completing the base before and earthquake and the king's death put an end to this scheme. From the top of the ruin there is a great view of the river and surrounding hills. Of course every giant stupa needs a giant bell. Down the road from the ruins is the Mingun Bell. Lonely Planet dubs it the "worlds largest hung, uncracked bell." (If you must know there is a larger bell in Moscow but it's cracked. Such useless factoids you only learn with travel).

From here it is on to Bagan, rivaling Angkor Wat in splendour and sheer monumentality, it is renowned as the most magnificent sight in all of Burma (and some say, Southeast Asia). More on that and Inle Lake soon.....

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Comments

[Laura Reed]

Your photos are truly lovely! Thanks for sharing them and your travel log with me....

[Hung]

Great pics
I adore your pictures.