Morgan Hill Today 2014 03 Spring | Page 59

If you want to see Asia
preserved as it was 50 years ago –
men and women in longyi skirts with
faces streaked in yellow paste –
visit Burma very soon .

The U . S . and other countries lifted travel sanctions after the country ’ s military junta was officially dissolved in 2011 and reforms began . Now tourists flood to this mystical destination , and one can only hope that it won ’ t become a 100-year flood .

Currently , T-shirts and the Internet are fairly inaccessible . The Burmese people are warm , full of smiles , and curious about Western visitors . They are amazed to see a flotilla of tiny tourist boats admiring the sunset over a 200-year-old footbridge . Five years from now , one wonders how these people will react to mega boats and tourist throngs . Burma ’ s strangeness is irresistible . Earlier this year , we headed off with Laura ’ s husband , Jeff , and Sherry ’ s husband , John , for a travel adventure to Burma / Myanmar . We came home with stories .
Myanmar or Burma ?
The name change revisited : Burma was a country generally known for exotic civilizations , golden temples , British colonialism , Rudyard Kipling , and The Jungle Book . Then in 1989 , the military junta changed the name to Myanmar . Recently , with the world barely adjusted to the new designation , the name “ Burma ” is making a comeback – starting with the local people . It is their subtle expression of disapproval for the ruling military government .
Before departure , we were advised that all of our materials , except our government -issued visa application , would say Burma . It was true throughout our trip . Once there , the name Myanmar appeared to be reserved for government signs and a brand of local beer ( quite good , actually ).
Burma ’ s fate is not settled . An astounding number of major reforms have included releasing hundreds of political prisoners , liberal investment laws , legalizing protests and lifting media censorship . Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi is free and may be allowed to run for president .
Unfortunately , as dollars pour in , leaders are moving toward a new order – crony capitalism . A select few are getting filthy rich in a country where the average worker earns $ 1,700 a year and laborers make $ 3-4 a day .
It took us two travel-trudging days to get to Burma flying via San Francisco , Tokyo , Bangkok , and finally Yangon ( formerly Rangoon ). Within the country , our circular route was Yangon , Bagan , Mandalay , Kalaw , Inle Lake and back to Yangon .
Temples and Pagodas
Among the staggeringly beautiful sites in Burma are 10,000 temples , pagodas and stupas , mostly built between the 11th and 13th century .
Our first temple was Shwedagon , the
Golden Pagoda , which dominates the Yangon skyline . The 326-foot high , goldplated ( not gold leaf ) dome sits on a 114- acre hilltop covered with intricate golden structures and holy places .
We removed our shoes and socks and began moving with the Burmese in clockwise motion . We already knew the day of our birth and our animal symbol , so we each moved toward the holy area of our Day . ( Sherry is Tuesday / lion and Laura is Wednesday / elephant ). As invited , we offered a lotus flower , poured water on the Buddha , and made a wish for our friend in Gilroy battling cancer .
Shwedagon Pagoda , built between the 6th and 10th century , is enshrined with relics of four past Buddhas and is considered the most sacred temple in Burma .
Next we flew to the must-see ancient city of Bagan , once known as the “ City of Four Million Pagodas .” At dawn we ascended in a hot air balloon that provided an unforgettable aerial of the 2,200 pagodas that remain , set against the glimmer of the Irrawaddy River .
The Burmese People
The first thing you notice about the Burmese is that most of them paint a yellow tree paste on their face . “ We think it is quite beautiful ,” explains our guide .
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