Insights from Myanmar, a country where every day is wow
- ludekjirous
- May 6, 2015
- 5 min read
Eyes jump out of their sockets, jaw drops down and skin pores work on 100% trying to absorb all the mystical atmosphere, these are symtomps of the wow efect that experience not only one traveller in Myanmar, a country of golden pagodas, peaceful monks and romantic sun sets.
morning in Mandalay
Days start there very early in the mornig, often before the first cockcrow, so when one gets out of bed, streets are already very lively. Kids dressed in green-white uniforms walk to school, elder males sit in bars puffing cigars, women stir their pots and right on the sidewalk in some kind of public spa people take showers and do a loundry.
In small towns there is a lack of street lights, so when it gets dark, it is dark and everything turns silent. There are almost any parties going on, just some chatting and beer drinking in the last opened restaurant that close at 10 pm. So it is very usuall when one find themself in bed straight after a dinner.
one beer and of to bed
hop on hop off
Quite fascinating are here the traffic rules, because it seems like there are any. Crowds of motorbikes rushes in all directions back and forth, engines rattle and horn honk. To make matters worse there are as well rikshaws, bicycles, trucks and every now and then somebody pushes a cart with wood, food or a lumber. Nobody looks angry, nobody disputes and everything works out well. Honking a horn louder than the others gives one a priority of way and so tuu, tuuu, taaa, tyy echoes from all corners like some kind of horn serenade.
hey ho lets go
On roads of Bagan horse carts trottle to and fro, carrying tourist from one temple to another. Everybody alerts already before down, becuase nobody wants to miss the spectacle when hundret of scatered temples emerge from the dark with first sun-beams. The atmosphere of this place gets you under skin. These feelings even double when the sun sets and the temples are suffused with an orange flare. If Angelina Jolie would have acted here as Lara Croft, it would definitely become another wonder world, like its brother Angkor Watt. Sunrises and sunset are here realy breathtaking.
sunrise in Bagan
Shwedagon pagoda
Monasteries and pagodas are usually built on the very tops of hills and mountains. It is for spiritual reasons when a journey to sanctuaries should turn once' s mind away from the distractions of the outer world and focus it on discovering the secrets of the inner world.
Climbing up hundret of stairs is usually realy purgative proces which is always rewarded with amazing views. Undergo the journey is required barefoot which is an unforgerable experience. One shouldn't worry about the red stains on the ground, they are not blood, just spits of chuwing tabacco.
Everybody in Myanmar chuws betel which leaves a red track on teeth so when somobody smiles and bares its teeth it can be sort of scary for the first time.
barefoot is awsome
chuwing bettel
spitting betel
Tourism pushes construction forward, and so there are many new hotels rising up. However most of the population live still in old brick houses or bamboo huts.
Most of young people learn to speak english and they offten aproach tourist to practise their language skills. They are very friendly and curious. Interviews are usually hold on basic questiones, what is your name, where are you from or how many kids do you have?
sir, sir: photo, photo
Mandalay is a lovely city where traveller's eye doesn't have time rest. There are so many things to see, beside the Royal palace, Mandalay hill and anciant monasteries one should visit the suburbs, where probably got inspiration the creators of the game Age of empires. It is like time had stopped there: houses made from bamboo are scatterd along a river shore or floating straight on water, ground is covered with trash and kids run around playing with empty cans tighted on a rope. Wow, wow, wow. (And my mum complains that there is nothing on TV)
village by a harbor in Mandalay
a boy in checked pants
Legs are for walking aren't they? In Inle lake people use their limbs for rowing, a true pinnacle of laziness, isn't it? Fisherman row with this unique style, which is a rarity of this region. One can see them joining one of the boat tours. Don't worry about missing them because there is always some dummy which rows a bit to make the tourist happy.
fisherman on Inle lake
hygiene on Inle lake
In Myanmar there are heaps of pagodas and the most famous is the Shwedagon in Yangoon, and it's all made from gold. Wow. All these shining objects painted with a golden color make once's head turns around.
not everything what shines is a pagoda
far south
The region on the south from Yangoon is out off beaten path, tourism is there still in diapers. So one can see nice old unpolished monasteries, buddas and pagodas, walk on rocky stairs instead of concrete and meeting people that are honestly happy to see a foreigner. Motorbike comes very handy to explore this area of rivers, islands, caves, mountains and ricefields. Climbing all the peaks decorated with yellow spires can be tiring but the views - the views are definitelly worth some sweat.
sunset on Mt. Zwegabin
one more sunset from Mt. Zwegabin
,,aquapark'' in Hpa an
Relax on a beach where sand is white and smooth as flower and water is cristal blue, it's Ngapali. To get there one must undergo one-day bus ride but once you are won't regret the horrible bumby ride. It is a paradise which is not even as expensive as Lonely planet warns. So one can enjoy the great service of restaurants and eat like a king for prices like elsewhere. It is a place full of contrasts, where five stars hotels stand just a couple of meters away from bamboo huts where people live together with their chickens. It is quite sad view and therefore one should try to spend some money in the surrounding villages too.
Lobster for 20$ why not?
spear fishing
Please note that all land where the hotels are is in possesion of generals and their families of military junta so staying in these hotels one indirectly support the goverment which rules with a firm hand.
sunset in Ngapali
Money from Myanmar can conjure a smile not on one traveller's face. The kyats are very nice coloured small bills with big digits and cute pictures of elephants and temples. It is almost unbelieveable that's really possible to pay with this money that looks like from Monopaly.
One should spend money wisely in Myanmar if wants to contribute to improve the situation of Myanmar people.
Myanmar is a spiritual country full of monks and novices
Myanmar is changing rapidly, so if you want to experience real, authentic atmosphere of Souteast Asia, you should hurry up, because yesterday was already too late.
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