Feb 6th to 13th Feburary…..Myanmar

Feb 6th to 13^th  Feburary…..Myanmar

My list of places to visit is long. Hovering at the top are Turkey and Greece, followed closely by Australia, Borneo..and I guess on the “To Do List “..there is “watch the US Open”..August I believe.

I cannot pinpoint when Myanmar( Burma)..pronounce ME..AN..MAR and not MY…AN..MAR crept in.

 Actually, for sometime, in the background, there had been a Burma buzz …. Mr. Manmohan Singh went to visit; the US and Europe lifted sanctions and then when two gentleman from the Condo that I live in took up jobs in that country, I found myself reading A History of Burma and  studying quotes from the Theravada form of Buddhism

‘No enemy can harm one so much as one’s own thoughts of craving, hate and jealousy’

Two other powerful influencers were my friend Ms. Tessa Stewart…who sporadically inspires me to step out of my comfort zone..she sent me some wonderful pictures, … and my maid Sujon who pushed off on maternity leave to help her daughter deliver.

The itinerary took shape: Two days each in Yangon , a port on the tributary of the Irrawady river (AKA Rangoon) Bagan..the ancient capital  of the country, and Inle Lake.. and where the oarsmen use a pole and a leg to row.

                   Inle Lake..

                    a city that is on stilts in the water

                     the oarsmen use a pole and a leg to row.

Travel Agents, plan your itinerary around Historical Sites..with ‘cut copy paste ‘ phrases, a Dos and Don’t’s list… names of eating places, bars and I do not know why a visit to the fruit and vegetable market.

 Thrown in also are a factory or two..with local  craftsman at work, a showroom for souvenirs. To this I always add a visit to a garment factory..so that the trip can be labeled STUDY TOUR. The itinerary can in no way give you the flavor of the country..it is something that you sense and feel ; the picture and sound impressions that register.

Several airlines fly from Delhi to Yangon. Thai via Bangkok,  Malaysian via K.L. AND Air India via Kolkotta. I chose Malaysian…they had the best fare, good timing and an adequate transit interval in  K.L… long enough to visit an on the ground washroom ,rest, and check around the duty free. I refused to believe that they were on the “hit list “of some GROUP..my horoscope did not show my end in the air!

Yangon airport is modern and manned by efficient women, with the correct amount of sternness  in their expressions.

Outside .. the arrival Hall was a sea ( India would be a mob) of men with placards. All of them dresses in Lunghis regular shirts and flip flops. I found one ..with KAPUR..which is the correct spelling of my name. Usually I am the impoverished KA  POOR.

The placard was held by my guide, a slim man in his forty’s pleasant looking , with perfect accent less English.

Our Car was not newish..and not oldish..The A/C worked , the seats were well cushioned , the upholstery was not worn or faded and most important the computerized voice alerts “ Slow Down,..Seat Belts please, You are too close to the vehicle ahead..were bang on..except it was all said in Japanese .The car was a reconditioned import from Japan and the alerts I presume could not be redone..which I find strange..because the Japanese are Technical Whizzes and very meticulous. Any how I would not have understood even if the alerts had been in Burmese.

Yangon city..a total contrast to Bagan.. is a city of traffic jams. It has  several lakes 

       It has  several lakes 

         the statue of a 60ft. lying down Buddha

                       beautiful gardens

                    and the famous Shwedagon Monastery.

It is a city on the cusp of consumerism..ready to be overtaken by the Macdonalds and the Reeboks.

The tourist season is from November to early March…and my guide was apologetic about the rush ..but then any one that is from India defines ‘rush’  differently

Inspite of all my reading I was not expecting anything from my visit other than Monastery Marvels

           Monastery Marvels …in stone and  in wood

interesting sculptures and architecture all with their own stories

                   

               interesting sculptures and architecture

               all with their own stories

 The add ons were:

 The smiling gentle people..warm sincere with a quiet diginity. No one puts their hand out. No one followed you trying to sell.

 The Burmese Cat however is not ….gentle… just magnificent

The clear skies …. in Bagan  and Inle Lake.. that provided great  visuals of  the sun rising and setting.

                    Sun set  at Irrawaddy river

In Bagan

Places of Sanctity that insisted on ‘no shoes, no socks, decorum of dress..but  were clean..just a little dust which  you wiped off with a scented paper towel provided by your guide.

                                  Tourists and locals

We ..the tourists.. were the camera toters consulting guide books..out numbering us were the locals..believers..donars.

Hotels and Service : As good ..actually in service better than anywhere in the world.

                               The Hotel in Bagan

                            The bath room at Inle Lake villa

 The Service I feel stems from the nature of the people..a happy people..who want to please…there is a warmth that takes them beyond the trained professional.

                      My guide and I in Yangon

Thank you  Tessa,  Thank you  Sujan,