Morgan Hill Today 2014 03 Spring | Page 61

“ I wish I had known to bring lipstick and perfume for the young women in Bagan who asked me for mine . The prices there are unreachable for them .”
Laura Lundy
It was a huge lesson in how hardworking , multi-generational , close-knit people can achieve a thriving community .
Gems , Arts , Crafts and Shopping
The city of Mandalay is the home of the world Jade Market , where stones mined in the north go for sale . What sounds like a shop opp , is instead a serious business that draws jade dealers from China and around the globe . There are acres of downtown streets covered with tents . Sellers spread their uncut rocks and boulders on blankets on the ground . Dealers walk the aisles beaming flashlights into the rocks . Our guide demanded that we leave our wallets and purses with our driver before going in .
Throughout the country , crafts and treasures are found in open air markets where local people sell their one-of-a-kind earrings and artwork and antiques , alongside fruits and vegetables . The array is enough to stagger a veteran shopper : lacquerware , cheroot cigars , handmade paper umbrellas , marionettes , tribal wear , lotus-woven fabric , canvas art and every kind of jewelry – all bargains in the extreme . We stuff our suitcases with Christmas presents and still keep shopping . We know we need an intervention .
Author ’ s Ten Top Favorites To Enjoy While In Burma
• Temples & Pagodas
• Gold Rooftops
• Buddist Monks ( Both Young And Wizened )
• Friendly People ( Still In Traditional Dress )
• Cane Ball , The Sport
• Villages ( Self -Sustaining And Interdependent )
• Floating Houses And Gardens
• Fishermen Rowing With One Leg
• Primitive , Handmade Arts And Crafts
• Shopping ( Someone Please Stop Us )
S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 M O R G A N H I L L T O D A Y
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