Memories of Myanmar with Myths and Mountains
Some expected-many unexpected but all wonderful.
My husband and I entered Myanmar with trepidation knowing that only a month ago the government brutally cracked down on a demonstration by monks. We considered canceling or going elsewhere but wanted the experience of going to a country rich in culture and history without the excessive commercialization of the western world. We found it.
The largest city, Yangon is a bustling metropolitan area dotted with golden pagodas, the largest being Shwedagon Pagoda. Our guide gave us a background of the history of the country as well as an introductory lesson in Buddhism. The National Museum showcased relics from past civilizations through modern times and contemporary painters. Our guide's grandfather had paintings hanging in the museum which personalized the experience and added another memory.
Bagan is the city of 4,000 pagodas. We saw the oldest, the biggest and the "finest" along with many, many more. We climbed to the top of one pagoda for a "birds eye view" and the panorama was incredible - views in every direction. Our guide took us to the local market where we looked at (but did not taste!) various food products and even saw a basket full of live baby ducks. We concluded the day with a visit to the local lacquer factory and saw girls weaving bowls using horse hair and artisans carving figures freehand onto a wood surface, later to be used as a screen. What craftsmanship!
Our arrival at the hotel in Inle Lake was by boat - what an entrance! The scenery is spectacular and the culture surrounding the lake people is remarkable. They actually have complete villages and grow crops (tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, etc.) right on the water. Fishing is a mainstay and going to the local fish monger now has new meaning to me. The fish market is on the water and we watched the weighing, selling, and distribution of live fish right from our boat. We also observed the men fishing as they stood on one leg at the stern of the boat while working the nets with their hands and rowing with their other leg. That is balance that I can only dream of!
We visited other artisans; weaving by the "long neck" women of the Padaung Tribe, boat carvers, young boys refining raw silver into beautiful jewelry, but the most fascinating was a group of girls making cheroots, the local cigar. With quick, nimble fingers their hand were in constant motion as they rolled the tobacco (root and leaves, along with charcoal) and formed it into blunt-end cigars.
The "long neck" women of Padaung Tribe
There were many "firsts" for us on this trip, a walk through a bamboo forest, climbing ancient pagodas, observing a culture shaped by its environment and frozen in time. But the most memorable, was the ever-smiling faces and warmth of the local people.
