Monday, December 22, 2008

Intro

At the beginning of the year, I was thinking and planning for my Europe Trip.
However, in view of the current economic situation, I changed my plan and decided to go to somewhere nearer and cheaper.
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I never thought of visiting Myanmar, but i was surprised to hear great remarks about Myanmar from people who had visited it.
In fact, Myanmar is not the kind of place where most tourist visit.
Myanmar don't have the grand monuments like those in Siem Reap, however, their Bagan is equally impressive in their own rights (at least the sunset is definitely better). Compared to its neighbouring countries, it is a hassle to go to Myanmar - getting visa, limited flights, bad infrastructure etc...
And its current political situation and recent turmoils like Cyclone Nargis on May'08 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclone_Nargis) and Myanmar Monk's March'07 ain't helping its tourism industry. It is very very unfortunate, as the living conditions under the military regime is already very difficult.
Not surprisingly, I read a report that the no. of tourist visiting the country is at the record low. And putting things into perspective, there ain't alot of tourists visiting Myanmar previously.
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Another issue that any conscientious traveller would face is
"Should I go to Myanmar?"
Read the article: Should tourists go to Burma?
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I never know that traveling could pose such an ethical dilemma.
After spending 10 brief days in Myanmar, I recommend CONSCIENTIOUS travelers to visit Myanmar. During the trip, I had to ask myself this question constantly - Can I avoid contributing to the government?
For instance: Train would be much more comfortable than bus, but we choose the latter as it was privately operated. Hence, I had NEVER considered taking the train. Yes, I am aware that the bus operator might be taxed by the govt, but that's the best way to avoid benefitting the militant govt.
Fortunately, my travelmate, Jonathan, is a conscientious traveler who don't mind the additional hassle. And I knew that he really wanted to experience the train ride in Myanmar. May be next time when it is not operated by the govt.
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Due to the "barrier to entry", Myanmar is relatively unspoilt, and I find that very attractive. The Burmese people are generally more simple and friendlier. There is a sense of genuity in their kindness. Well, there are definitely some crooks out there, but the generally, I find the people simple and friendly, like Tibetans. =)
To me, this is the beauty of Myanmar.
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Another interesting surprise was the interactions with other travellers. These travellers are interesting and they have their reasons for traveling to Myanmar.
Example: A young french lady who had never visited Asia, and she decided to visit Myanmar only for 3 weeks, as she was frustrated that there was not enough news coverage about Myanmar despite its difficult situation. Hence, she decided to visit Myanmar and see it for herself alone.
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We stayed in the same guesthouse in Bagan. Out of convenience, I rented the bicycle (1,500 kyats - around US$1.50 per day) from the guesthouse. Interestingly, she would walk an additional 200m out of the guesthouse to rent bicycle at the same price and she had to return the bicycle to the kiosk before 9pm (I don't need to). And the reason for doing that???
So that she could distribute her spending in the community.
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That's is SO COOL!!!
I should have done it the same way also.
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Anyway, I hope you are not bored after reading so much. =)
Below is the map:



View Larger Map

Yangon

Yangon was the former Capital of Myanmar. It had been a capital since 1885 during the British Colonial time. In 2006, the militant govt decided to relocate its capital to Naypyidaw (north of Yangon). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naypyidaw
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I felt so rich!!!
I had never traveled with such a huge stack of notes...
US$100 = 117,000 Kyats
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Foreign Exchange is illegal in Myanmar, hence, tourists like me gotta exchange my money in the black market. When i touched down, my cabby brought me to this shop selling candy to exchange the money. The exchange rate was not good - 1 USD to 1,100 kyats. I decided to exchange 100USD first, then the shop lady gave me 2 stacks of 500 kyats-notes (around 200+ notes) and asked me to leave immediately. I didn't even have the time to count my notes.
Fortunately, she was honest.
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Extremely Cool School Uniform.

The traditional longyi (aka Sarong in Malay terms)

The Burmese is retaining its traditional outfit, normally, the guys would be wearing either T-shirts or shirts with Longyi. It is not weird at all, and it is quite nice. Got character!!!

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Street Vendor

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Boy with a basket "hat". =)
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Downtown of Yangon
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Story of an ordinary person in Yangon
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I was walking alone on the street of Yangon, and a tour guide trainee approached me. I conveyed to him that I did not need a tour guide, but would be happy to talk.
He was brought up in a remote village, where he was be working in the Padi field. His family do not own the farmland, and they were just merely offering their labour for meagre salary. The normal working hours on the field was 8-6pm under the hot sun. He decided to come to Yangon to look for job, learn english and attend tour guide course.
Without much money, he is living in a monastery.
Unfortunately, there is not much work available in Yangon and he would normally hangout outside the hostel that I was living, hoping to meet some tourists who would engage his service.
He asked me if there were alot of tourists on my flight.
Sadly, I told him that most people on my flight were either Burmese or Businessman.
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I saw him hanging around outside the hostel for the 2 days when I was in Yangon.
Life is hard.
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Colourful Toys
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Sexy Eyes...
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Another perculiar thing in Yangon - the absence of motorcycle.
"Yangon, formally known as Rangoon, was a "forbidden area" for motorcycles. That meant no motorcycles could be ridden in the area except by some military or government official or a police officer. The city had been a former capital of Myanmar and the government had outlawed motorcycles because of their use by gun guys for assassinations, one person driving, the other the shooter on the back. To go a step further, the government outlawed all bicycles in the same area, except for bicycles used for postal delivery. When the government built a new capital further inland they left the laws intact for Yangon."
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Motorcycle is one of the cheapest form of transportation.
Normally, you see seas of motorcycles in Asia cities, esp Vietnam.
Yangon is unique, as usual.
This is Oppression!!!
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Glittering Shwedagon Paya
It was built between the 6th and 10th centuries, however, due to earthquake, the last restoration was back in 1769.
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Interesting-looking character
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Young Monk Praying
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Shwedagon Paya
It is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Myanmar.
As usual, only tourists need to pay money for entry.
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Shwedagon Paya

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Sunset at Shwedagon Paya

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Silhouettes of the Payas

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Nightfall @ Shwedagon Paya
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Nightfall @ Shwedagon Paya

There were still quite alot of devotees praying.
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Myanmar Beer in Tiger Glass

We met a Burmese guy at Shwedagon Paya, and he used to work as a general work in Singapore. We went for dinner and drink @ a popular restaurant.

The food looked simple, but it was quite tasteful. =)
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Painting of a Monk

I like this picture alot. There is some rawness and retro-feeling that I can't explain.

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The Voice???

This publication is an irony and a joke!
Most probably, it is the voice of Propaganda, the voice of Oppression, the voice of the Militant Govt.
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Another perculiar thing in Myanmar.
Do you know what's so strange???
Let's see if you are observant.
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I do not know the exact terms to explain.
The road direction is like those in US (Cars moving on the right lane in a 2-way traffic road).
The car is like those in Britain (Driver seat is on the right).
In another words, there is absolutely no LOGIC in this arrangement.
1. When the car is parked by the road side, the front passenger will alight with oncoming traffic (imagine kids alighting) and the driver will alight on pavement.
2. When the car wants to overtake (via the left, as it is US-kinda road), he gotta ask the front passenger on the left, as the passenger have a better view than the driver. This is quite hazardous.
The military govt is very "smart".
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Colourful Brollies
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Modern Dental Surgery

What do you think? =)
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Little Girl with Thanakha (Myanmar Skincare)
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Telephone Station.
I was surprised that my cellphone couldn't work in Myanmar.
In fact, only the rich and those working in the govt have access to cellphones.
If you go to India, Remote parts of China, Cambodia, and Vietnam, lotsa people have cellphones. It has became a necessity (a commodity) rather than a luxury.
However, in Myanmar, it is still a luxury.
Another form of oppression.
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The internet connection was damn slow.
It took me 1 bloody hour to send 2 simple emails informing my family and company that my cellphone couldn't work. The internet firewall was amazing!!!
Yet, another form of oppression.
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Having fun =)
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Very Adorable Boy
He knew that I was taking photo of him and was posting differently for me.
haha...

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Back of a Nun...

Inle Lake

Inle Lake is 22km long, roughly 11km wide, 875m above sea level.
Its size is one-fifth the size of Singapore.
It is a very nice lake with different lake islands of villages.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inle_Lake)
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I am surprised to know that the deepest depth is around 4m only.
It looks much deeper than that!
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The bus ride to Inle Lake was quite an experience.
Burmese Karaoke MTV was played on the bus non-stop, and not surprisingly, the MTV production looks really simple and bare (like the kinda pirated english MTV you sing in KTV). More interestingly, all the Burmese tunes sounded very familiar, because they are pop songs in Chinese and English, but they sang it in Burmese.
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Despite Inle Lake is 600+ km away from Yangon, we took 20 freaking hours to reach there.
A simple math calculation shows that the bus is traveling on average 30+ km/h, as the road condition in Myanmar is bad especially Inle Lake is at a higher elevation.
This is the longest single bus ride that I ever taken.
(My India trip still hold the longest bus rideS record- around 26hours from Darjeeling to Bodhgaya)
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There was another record for this bus ride.
The bus started at 12noon, and the next toilet break was 6pm!!!
6 hours for a toilet break. Along the ride, I kept telling myself that the bus was going to stop for toilet break. And I won't want to be the inconsiderate passenger to stop the whole bus for my relief.
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Another interesting experience.
Along the way and in the middle of the night, all passenger had to get down the bus to pass through the military checkpoint. Everybody gotta provide their IDs or Passports for clearance. Sometime, foreigners would have another queue, where our passport details were recorded.
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We had a pleasant surprise on the bus.
It was a full-moon night, and we saw the rise of a PINKISH- ORANGE full-moon over the horizon. I have never seen anything like that before.
It was BEAUTIFUL.
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I am surprised that I could write so much on a simple bus ride.
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On the boat to explore Inle Lake

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Fishermen at the lake

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Fishing by the kids.

The small little boy was leg-rowing the boat. Damn Cool!

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Another group of kids

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This is what i call Multi-tasking!!

Balance your weight with one leg

Row the boat with the other leg

Fish with both hands

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Young Girl selling water-lily @ Floating Market

This floating market is definitely more authentic than the touristy one in Bangkok

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Never knew that Water-Lily is so fragrance (light & refreshing).

It is amazing that something grow out of the dirty mud can be so pure and untainted.
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Another Leg-Rower

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Another One...

As you can see, I am fascinated by their rowing ability.

I can hardly balance myself with 2 legs on the boat.
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Village on Inle Lake

The water was calm and clear.

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Reflection of Boon

(In one of the handicraft shops)

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A kinda of Lalang?

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Puppet Monks


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Ruins around Inle Lake
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Closeup

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Stupas
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Stupas
(I have never seen so many stupas in my life)
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New & Old Stupas
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Glittering Stupas
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Reflection of Stupas
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Monastery on the Lake
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Floating Garden
Yes. They grow tomatos and other vegetables on the lake.
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Sunset @ Inle Lake
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Jumping Cat Monastery

Sun-bathing
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The next day after the boat trip, we just cycled around aimlessly.
It was quite a nice experience.


Small House
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Reflection
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Boy playing alone
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