Yangon previously known as Rangoon, literally: “End of Strife” is a former capital of Myanmar and is the country’s largest city with a population of over six million. The official capital was moved to Naypyidaw in 2006 for reasons that the local people find difficult to understand (or explain.) I arrived by midday and put the balance to good use covering some 12 miles on foot returning to my hotel late in the evening. My street food dinner did not include the grasshoppers pictured below.
A monk is allowed to collect, receive and consume food between dawn and noon. He is not allowed to consume food outside of this time and he is not allowed to store food overnight. A monk must have all eatables and drinkables, except plain water, formally offered into his hands or placed on something in direct contact with his hands. Every morning the monks of Bagan walk through the town accepting gifts of food from the local people. They return to their monastery were they eat together.
Food of every kind can be found in the street markets where presentation is always utilitarian but beautiful.
The local people are extremely friendly and were happy to be photographed. Oddly, the boys seemed to be more into hair fashion than the girls.
My guide may have been the friendliest of all. He took me to his home and introduced me to his lovely family. I have asked him to visit us should he ever find himself in the Boston area.
While on our cruise in Halong Bay, Jeanine and I met a fellow passenger who worked as a guide in Myanmar. At the request of the passengers on the boat, he shared photos and stories of Bagan, his home town. When I decided to travel there, I contacted him and made arrangements for him to be my guide. It was a great decision because he was very attuned to my photographic goals and consistently made excellent choices for where we would find the best opportunities. Pictured above are the same temple, one shot before sunrise and the other just after.
Bagan is the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar. During the kingdom’s height between the 11th and 13th centuries, over 10,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plains, of which the remains of over 2200 still survive to the present day.
Ballooning over the plains is a popular tourist activity. I opted to use them as photographic element rather than as a platform from which to shoot.
There are as many great photographic opportunities within the temples as there are from the outside.
It is essential to alway check overhead in stairways for bees nests. Bumping your head into one of these frequently found hives could make for a really bad day.
My guide, Kyaw, was an excellent photographer in his own right and he was kind enough to share some of the photos he took of me while I was shooting.
The country’s largest and most important commercial waterway, the Irrawaddy River flows from north to south through Myanmar. Traveling with the current, a ferry can reach Bagan from Mandalay in 9 hours. I decided this would be a far more interesting way to make the journey than a 30 minute flight.
The river is used as a transportation highway, source of drinking and irrigation water, bathtub, washing machine and garbage dump.
All manner of boat, usually loaded to capacity or of questionable seaworthiness can be seen on the water.
The shores are populated with small villages and tiny family enclaves.
Occasionally a large city pops up complete with a liberal collection of temples and stupas.
Everywhere the locals are hard at work, loading goods, harvesting crops, and tending livestock.
The one thing that I was not prepared to see on the Irrawaddy was the body of a dead child floating in the water. At a distance, I assumed it was a discarded doll and snapped a photo with my telephoto lens. As it floated closer to the boat it became unmistakably clear that this was the body of an infant boy. I immediately notified a member of the crew and asked him to summon the captain. By the time the captain arrived a minute later the body was out of sight. Even after showing him the picture on my camera he simply shrugged his shoulders and returned to his post. I don’t know what I was expecting him to do. I was deeply unsatisfied with his response but had to remind myself that I was making that judgement from my own cultural perspective. I imagine that this was not the first corpse he had encountered on the river and that interrupting the journey of 50 passengers to search for and retrieve a dead child was not something that he would have remotely considered nor did he have the option to call someone that would come to investigate. I could not stop thinking about the parents of this boy. Were they sick with worry about his disappearance, unaware of his fate or had they been the cause of his death and responsible for discarding his corpse into the river. The answer to these questions will never be known. In either case, I will pray for them and will keep the memory of this child in my heart. May his soul rest in peace.
When I was in high school I had to write a report about Burma and have ever since wondered what it would be like to visit. Now called Myanmar, I flew into Mandalay for the beginning of five day visit this morning. I spent the entire day on foot and there was much to photograph with much of my attention captured by the fascinating people of the city.
I paused for a 30 minutes to watch as a human “bucket brigade” passed what looked like large deep metal serving plates filled with concrete from the mixer to the new foundation being “poured” below. It appeared to be back breaking work made even worse by the 100 degree plus temperatures.
I covered more than 12 miles in all making the trek from my hotel near the train station to Mandalay Hill and back taking in all the sights along the way.
The Royal Palace is a walled city built in 1861 by King Mindon, to fulfil a prophecy. Access to the interior is only available at the East gate and photography is strictly limited to the actual palace which is a distant 2/3 of a mile from the gate.
Mandalay Hill is a 754 foot high hill overlooking the city. Along the path taken to reach the top are several monasteries, temples and pagodas.
Wat Rong Khun, also known to foreigners as the White Temple, is a contemporary, unconventional, privately owned, art exhibit in the style of a Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai Province, a three hour drive from Chiang Mai. It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, a local artist, who designed, constructed, and opened it to visitors in 1997. Kositpipat considers the temple to be an offering to Lord Buddha and believes the project will give him immortal life.
The gold colored building below is not to be confused with a temple. It contains the restrooms for the compound. It is said to be the most beautiful restroom building in the world.
It is remarkable that every element of design and art has been conceived of by one man. While I found much to admire, I will admit to feeling that some of his work was simply over the top for my tastes especially in the context of an essentially religious site.
Most people know of the Karen people from television documentaries, magazines and encyclopedias as the “long-neck” or “giraffe” tribe. But the women who wear these brass rings on their neck belong to a sub-group of the Karen known as the Padaung. The weight of the rings pushes down the collar bone, as well as the upper ribs, to such an angle that the collar bone actually appears to be a part of the neck. There are many different accounts of why the Padaung practice this bizarre custom but the most common explanation — that an extra-long neck is considered a sign of great beauty and wealth and that it will attract a better husband.
Whatever the origin of the custom, one of the more common reasons it continues today, particularly in Thailand, is tourism. Some have suggested that these women are being exploited by tour operators. Other would argue that the entrance fees to these “villages” provides income that help sustain a cultural heritage. Having now visited myself, I would say this is not a black or white issue but believe the truth lies closer to the former premise.
Created by Thailand national artist Thawan Duchanee, the grounds of the Baan dam Museum (AKA “The Black Temple”) include nearly 40 small black houses made of wood, glass, concrete, bricks, or terracotta in various unique styles and design scattered around the temple area. The cluster of houses accommodates Thawan’s collections of paintings, sculptures, animal bones, skins, horns, and silver and gold items from around the world. Several of the houses exhibit Balinese and Burmese architecture and art dating back to the Ayutthaya Period. The artist uses bones as a source of inspiration to paint. It is very interesting photographically but not a place for animal lovers.
I am ashamed to say that while in Nepal I rode an elephant while on safari (to track and safely photograph rhinoceros). I did not know then what it took to train an elephant to do such work. I know now and will never ride an elephant again and would ask the same of anyone reading this blog. Today I visited an elephant sanctuary located in the mountains where these noble and extremely bright creatures live without shackles and only participate in natural behaviors (eating, rolling in the mud, bathing). Elephants eat a lot of food and they particularly like bananas. After breakfast which also includes a more voluminous amount of vegetation the elephants pause for a long drink at the river before indulging in a mud bath. Once they are fully caked in mud it is back to the river for a bath. They particularly liked using the small waterfall there as a shower. The family of five that I visited included three generations (baby, mother, grandmother) and all are happy to befriend anyone with a supply of bananas.
After returning from the mountains I enjoyed a simple dinner before doing a little night photography of the temples. A most satisfying day from start to finish.
My train arrived in Chiang Mai just before noon. Compelled to get something of a workout, I walked from the train station to my hotel some 5 miles away with my fully loaded backpack in the 100 degree heat. I quickly came to appreciate that Thailand’s northern capital is an escape from the whirlwind pace of its southern rival, a place to relax after the chaos of Bangkok. After settling into my hotel. I ventured out for a tour of the Old City which contains no less than 36 temples. Quite certainly my favorite was Wat Chedi Luang. It was originally built in 1411 reaching a height of over 278 feet before it was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1545. It now stands at 196 feet.
Later I visited Wat Phrasing, Wat Mengrai and the Three Kings Monument. I wrapped up the day with a stroll, sans cameras, to and through the Night Bazzar where I purchased a pair of sandals to be used on my adventures tomorrow.
Jeanine returned to the US today per our original plan. I have decided to extend my travels in Asia for another two weeks. Given the time and expense to get here, the completed day-for-night recalibration of my body clock, and the fact that I have no pressing need to return, it was an easy decision. I spent the better part of the day at my hotel applying for online visas to Myanmar and India and making new travel bookings. I then headed into Bangkok where I purchased additional memory cards for my camera before catching the overnight train to Chiang Mai. For whatever reason, I had pictured this train as being a bit more glamorous than it actually was. The beds were formed by folding down the regular day seats and were significantly less than comfortable. The toilet left me convinced never to stroll along the train tracks of Thailand. A slow and tedious ride, it was none the less an exciting way to start the second half of my adventure.
Most tourists who visit Phuket are here to enjoy Patong Beach and the infamous party scene which surrounds it. Not so much our thing but worth a quick visit before heading back to Bangkok this afternoon.
Formed by the same geological processes as Halong Bay, Pfang Gna Bay is similar in appearance but much warmer than its northern cousin. We joined a speedboat tour for the day and made stops on several islands. Many of the eerily eroded karsts are populated by monkeys which are all too happy to supplement their normal diets with treats from passing tourists.
The most famous attraction in the National Park is the islet of Khao Phing Kan, now more commonly known as “James Bond Island.” The island and adjacent beach were featured is scenes from the Man with the Golden Gun and Tomorrow Never Dies.
Our next stop was for lunch at the Muslim fishing village on the island of Koh Panyee. The houses and impressive mosque are built on stilts. A floating soccer pitch can also be found here. Inspired by the 1986 FIFA World Cup, children built the pitch from old scraps of wood and fishing rafts. The genesis for a successful soccer program on the island, a newer floating field has since been constructed. I was left to wondering how often the ball had to be retrieved from the bay during the course of play.
Next we did a bit of kayaking. More accurately, we were passengers on a two person kayak being propelled by a guide. We explored several nooks, crannies and sea tunnels in an area rich with these features. The tide was just low enough to allow us passage through the small opening pictured in the second photo below. All three of us had to recline fully in order to clear the barnacle encrusted passageway.
We concluded our tour on Naka Island which features a beautiful white sand beach and safety net enclosed area for swimming. The jellyfish and sharks pose real threats to swimmers.
Returning to Bangkok this morning we bid farewell to Kyle at the airport before continuing on another flight to Phuket, located in southern Thailand. The old quarter is quite charming both during the day and at night when much of it is beautifully illuminated.
Morning light on Halong Bay was sublime. The ever present fog and mist had briefly dissipated. Nothing but beauty to be found in every direction.
Our first stop of the morning was on an island which from exterior appearances looked like every other one in the bay. After climbing up its side, however, we passed through a small opening which revealed a massive cave. It seemed to consume the entire interior of the karst. I didn’t have a flash but made use of my flashlight to illuminate the fascinating features of this underground world.
After exploring the cave, we enjoyed a brief walk on the island’s small beach while the tender from our ship was sent to retrieve us.
Small boats, occupied primarily with fishing, were to be found around every karst. Occasionally, we spotted cigarette smugglers bound for China seeking to avoid import taxes. Little doubt that other contraband also passes this way.
As the captain navigated back to port we concluded our cruise with another wonderful lunch during which Kyle made this nice portrait of his parents. The three-hour drive back to Hanoi was mostly stressful as our maniacal driver seemed intent on running anyone who failed to move aside at the sound of his horn off the road. Amazingly no one was killed and I managed to get a photo from the speeding vehicle of a farmer planting rice, a scene I associate with Vietnam and one I had hoped to capture while here.
We arrived in the Hoan Kiem Lake District with ample time to tour the area with Kyle who had yet to see any parts of Hanoi. He proved to be a popular attraction with the young ladies who were keen on having their picture taken with him. Kyle did not seem to mind the attention. After dinner we went searching for dessert. Jeanine, using her exotic food locating super powers, sniffed out a fantastic little ice cream parlor where we suspended our otherwise healthy eating regime for a moment of bliss. The remainder of the evening was spent walking off the caloric damage while enjoying the illuminated night scene surrounding the lake.
This morning Kyle joined us in Hanoi for the weekend. We had already booked an overnight small ship cruise of Halong Bay which has been on my list of must see places for many years now. Unfortunately, Kyle’s flight was delayed enough that we would miss the ship’s departure by the time we made the three hour trip by private car to the dock. Rather than miss this opportunity, we arranged for a speedboat to chase down the cruise ship and deposit us onboard. The 20 minute high-speed ride was worth the price of admission alone. When we rendezvoused with the cruise ship we realized that our speedboat driver was also the captain. He had the crew prepare a second lunch service for our benefit and things could not have worked out more wonderfully.
At this time of year it is more likely than not that the bay will be shrouded in mist. Although it diminished the photographic possibilities, it added an aura of mystery as we glided between the thousands of limestone karsts and isles of every imaginable size and shape. We visited a pearl farm where we learned about the art of raising pearls and gained an appreciation as to why they can be so expensive.
We passed several floating villages and fisherman in all manner of boats.
Dinner was a splendid multi-course affair which we enjoyed with the other 7 passengers on board as we continued to slip through the bay. A more intimate and relaxing cruise I cannot imagine.
