Myanmar and Cambodia

December 19 and 20, 2018

One Flight, Two Flight, Three Flight…Four?

It’s with extreme excitement and honestly, some nerves, that we set off on another family adventure together.

None of us have been to Asia before, and of course we all have said we would love to go. It seems to be the recommendation that first timers to SE Asia, go to Thailand, and while I looked into it, it wasn’t what we were looking for. This was Jenny’s trip to decide on and she really wanted to see Vietnam, especially the rice paddies and Halong Bay, as well as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. But the timing in winter for Vietnam wasn’t right to see those sights and really from day one her first choice was Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. Why Myanmar you ask? Well, when we were in Patagonia a few years back and we ended up spending the day hiking with a guy named Christopher, he had told us about Myanmar and how incredible it is. He had said it is off the beaten path but is more rapidly becoming a destination. His thoughts and stories put a bug in Jenny’s head that never left. When she saw images of Bagan, that sealed the deal; Myanmar was her pick, along with Cambodia.

So with that, my research began, and I came up with the travel plan-one focused on cultural immersion through interaction with locals, visiting both ancient and religious sights, and provide us an opportunity to give back by volunteering.

We had a hefty travel itinerary just to get here: a two hour train ride to Boston, a six hour wait there (our original departure time was 1:30 AM from Boston but it was delayed until 3:40 AM) then Boston to Hong Kong, a 15 hour flight, then a three hour layover there with a 2 1/2 hour flight continuing on to Bangkok, Thailand. Another four hour layover and then our last leg was an hour flight into Yangon, Myanmar. We left our house at 7:30 PM on Dec 18 and arrived in Yangon at 7:00 PM on Dec 20. We have been in four different time zones and door to door was 35 hours-yowzer!

Our flight was on a 777 that had us chasing darkness the entire 7,964 mile trip from Boston, over the North Pole, down through eastern Russia, Mongolia and on into China. It was not until we were an hour from Hong Kong that the first rays of light rose from the horizon.

I managed to score three business class seats using miles so we were lucky that we could stretch out, sleep, wake, eat, and sleep some more, all in good comfort. It certainly helps to make 15 hours on an airplane manageable!

Unfortunately, our approach into Hong Kong was cloudy so we couldn’t see much. We were two hours late but we still had about 3 hours until our next flight, but we had to clear immigration, collect our bags, check back in for our next flight, and clear security. We managed all of that with some time to spare so we grabbed some water and snacks and enjoyed looking at all of the shops and the extensive Christmas decorations!

Our flight on low cost carrier Air Asia was unexciting but boy was the Bangkok domestic airport an incredible sight-some really great people watching there. Wild thing is that there is a golf course that acts as a divider between the runways, with no nets or anything to catch any shanked balls!

We relaxed in the Priority Pass Lounge for an hour or so which was a very nice reprieve from the chaos of the terminal. The slight decompression provided us the opportunity to realize that the jet lag was catching up to us!

Our flight to Yangon was also on Air Asia. We watched as they brought a woman aboard who must have been 100 years old, carrying her like you would if you were moving a dead body! Unreal!

The final leg of our trip was to hire a taxi to take us to our hotel for the next two nights. Walking out of the terminal we were greeted with lots of taxi drivers all asking if we needed a ride. I did all the research on this ahead of time and knew to go to the official taxi stand to hire a cab for a fixed rate. Once in, we headed to the Savoy Hotel-a relic from the British Colonial Days. The drive in was a nightmare with the traffic but as soon as we arrived…ahhhh….we were greeted with cool towels and some fresh fruit drinks. The GM came out to say hello, a super nice guy from…wouldn’t you know-the Netherlands! We are very happy to have finally arrived-35 hours after we pulled out of our driveway!

Our schedule in Myanmar is two nights Yangon, two nights Bagan, three nights Samkar Lake, and three nights Loikaw. Followed by five nights in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I have lined up local guides at most places-all found through word of mouth on the internet, no large tour companies. It was a priority this trip to travel responsibly and stay as locally as possible (though there are a few exceptions), but most importantly to make sure our money makes a positive impact on those who are trying to better their lives.

This will be a trip that I am sure will take us outside our comfort zone at times. Of course there will be a language barrier, but I am feeling fairly confident that we will find enough English spoken to get by. I am also expecting it will be an assault on our senses-in many, many ways-some great, some probably not so good. But most importantly I am hoping this will be an education like none we have received before in our travels. I’d like to think every trip changes us to some degree, for the better of course, and I am hopeful this one will be no different. What we will take away from it remains to be seen; how it will shape our thinking and our future travels is the real question.

December 21, 2018

Cultural Immersion is an Understatement

Our first impression of Myanmar is that it is not as stuck in time or as much of a third world country as we had expected.

Our plan for the day was to head out and see some of the highlights of Yangon.

Yangon was founded as Dagon in the early 11th century by the Mon, who dominated Lower Burma at that time. Dagon was a small fishing village centred about the Shwedagon Pagoda. The British seized Yangon and all of Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852, and subsequently transformed Yangon into the commercial and political hub of British Burma, being known then as Rangoon. It was only after their independence from Britain that it was referred back to Yangon.

Our driver, Zaw, picked us up promptly at our arranged time of 10:00. Our first stop was the train station where we were going to ride the circle train for an hour or so-this was something that was actually Billy’s idea!

From the moment we stepped out of the car, we realized immediately that this was going to be cultural immersion in the strictest sense. The circle train is exactly as it sounds, a train that starts and ends at the same station taking three hours to complete the circuit. It is ridden strictly by the locals of Yangon and is by far the best way to immerse oneself in the daily life of the Yagonites.

The entire ride was beyond eye opening. It was a fascinating hour and an experience like no other we have had, so much so we could hardly take our eyes off of the images passing by to capture a picture.

The train slowly made its way through areas where amazingly every little open air stand selling food being cooked in large pots was being patronized. There were hawkers that would come through selling peanuts, fresh sliced fruit, tangerines, bottles of water, etc. They were mostly young kids who should have seen in school but were obviously trying to earn a few kyats.

With all of the visible poverty we were never approached once for money; we never saw any beggars. We never once felt uncomfortable or the least bit nervous. The people were all so friendly-smiling and even giving up their seats insisting we sit down. The one thing that was clearly evident though, was that everybody was fascinated by Jenny- boys and women alike. Zaw was shocked to learn Jenny’s hair color is real and that she had only just turned 16. People were staring and watching her but never making her uncomfortable.

After an hour or so, we hopped off the train and grabbed a taxi to take us back to the station where we had left the car. I paid the taxi driver and then handed him a dollar bill. He stared intently at it, running his fingers over the front and then turning it over and looking at the back-it was obviously a foreign object to him. I said, “OK?” And he turned around to me grinning ear to ear. He obviously spoke no English, but just shook his head up and down beaming with delight. Jenny said how awesome the exchange was; she was right.

From there we headed into the historical area of Yangon, which boasts the largest number of colonial-era buildings in Southeast Asia. Many of the buildings are faded from what must have been at one time, very colorful but almost all are covered in dark mold. When you walk past ones with the door open, the distinct smell of mildew radiates from them.

We went inside the original telegraph building that is still in use as a post office and checked out some of the old typewriters, etc that they have on display.

We walked into the memorial park and enjoyed the views of the buildings that encircled it. We were quickly approached by a group of young boys, aged 5 to 10 I would guess. They quickly asked us where we were from, how long we were staying, where we were going, etc. The one boy’s English was exceptionally good and we had fun talking and laughing with them.

We continued on walking around Sule Pagoda, a large gold leafed stupa that acts as a traffic circle in the maddening Yagon traffic.

From there we headed to Ragoon Tea House to seek relief from the heat and humidity and have a bit to eat. Zaw joined us for lunch where we stayed for about two hours, discussing the differences in our cultures and traditions (which are numerous), sharing photographs, and answering questions each other had about life in our respective countries.

After lunch we headed to Kan Daw Gil Lake to see the large floating dragon pagoda. Yagon has many parks and lakes and was at one time referred

to by the British as the Garden City of the East. After a brief stop there, we went to see the enormous sitting Buddha-a rather new monument. It was housed in a massive pagoda like building where you could only enter barefoot. There was an area in front of him, where many people were sitting in the ground praying and chatting.

Next stop reclining Buddha. An even bigger Buddha than sitting Buddha. That was quite a sight, and while it was under construction, with the craziest bamboo scaffolding I have ever seen, it actually made for a cool photo. This was an enormous building that has been maintained by a very wealthy Myanmar man.

There were hundreds of much smaller sitting and standing Buddhas lining the length of his body, alters burning incense and candles and views out over Yangon.

On the outside there were a few small souvenir shops where we stopped to buy a souvenir to take home. We also were treated to a Myanmar tradition of having Thanaka pasted on our faces. Thanaka is traditional for women and children to wear. It is made from the wood of the Thanaka tree by grinding the roots and bark of the tree into a fine powder and mixing it with water forming a paste that is then applied to the cheeks, predominantly, to help protect their skin from the sun.

One of the things Zaw said, was how traditional the country still is. He said most people have not lost their desire for tradition-yet that is, even though outside influences are filtering in. I would say 90% of the men, including Zaw, we saw were wearing longhis (large pieces of fabric whose two corners are tied into a knot and worn like an ankle length skirt).

Our final stop was the crown jewel of Yagon’s sights-the Shwedagon Pagoda.

How old the Schwedagon Pagoda is not really known as no documents exist telling of its construction. Historians and archaeologists maintain that the pagoda was built by the Mon people between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. But local lore says it is about 2,600 years old-making it the oldest Buddhist pagoda in the world. It is 326 feet tall. The main gold-plated dome is topped by a stupa containing over 7,000 diamonds (the largest of which is a whopping 76 carats), rubies, topaz and sapphires, the whole giddy concoction offset by a massive emerald positioned to reflect the last rays of the setting sun. Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, as it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa.

We arrived at dusk, apparently one of the best times to be there as the floor is cooler to walk on in your bare feet and there is not such a glare from the gold. The main stupa was under construction which was a bit of a bummer but there is so much to see that it was OK. This complex is a real treat for the eyes-everywhere you looked there was something that caught your attention -truly remarkable.

We took our time walking around while Zaw explained the different meanings of the various shrines, etc we were seeing. Jenny tried her hand at ringing the gong and Billy even got in on the action by bathing a Buddha with water. We sat down for a few minutes to just rest and take it all in when a monk approached Zaw and they began to chat. He quickly turned his attention to us and what followed was an hour exchange that delved deep into tradition, culture and religion. It was all quite remarkable and there is no doubt, we are all the richer for it.

Our day turned out to be one of the most real, fascinating and rewarding days we have spent in our travels.

December 22, 2018

The Jewels of Bagan

Our morning began at 4:30 this morning in order to catch a 6:30 AM flight to Bagan. The streets of Yangon are far different at this time a day-that’s for sure, but what amazed us was all of the people that were out at Inyo Lake Park-walking and jogging and just hanging out- in the dark.

Our flight was on a 76 passenger prop plane-they apparently are the work horses of Myanmar air travel!

The views from the window showed a rapidly changing landscape from a waterlogged delta, to a more lush land to a much drier, flatter terrain with mountains off in the distance. The views coming into the arid terrain of Bagan were incredible. All of the famous towers from the thousands of stupas and temples spread out over 16 square miles came into view; a few remaining hot air balloons lingered above them.

We got a kick out of the off-loading process as a shuttle bus picked us up and drove us to the terminal-that was a couple hundred feet away. We grabbed a taxi and headed off to our hotel for breakfast and to relax before meeting up with our guide at 11:00.

The hotel grounds are lovely and our room perfect.

We met up with Ei and headed out to visit some of the most famous temples and stupas. As we entered the archaeologiacal zone, we were immediately struck by the scene of hundreds of pagodas, spread out in every direction. They were all of various sizes and architecture, some built as stupas some as temples. They are not fenced off or inaccessible-they are available to everyone to walk around and into, to enjoy.

Our first stop was Gunyaukgyi temple that is famous for its 11th century frescoes with over 500 images of Buddha. This was a nice introductory one as it was not very crowded. We removed our flip flops, as is mandatory, and proceeded inside where we were immediately met by a large sitting buddha and the incredible frescoes. No pictures allowed in here and frankly it was a nice change just to take in the stories that Ei shared.

It was here that I quickly realized that we were really something of an attraction to the locals. Immediately the school groups that had come from the distant villages were looking and smiling at us, they actually reached out and touched me as they passed by. We waved and said, “Hi!” to which they rapidly responded with immense grins. They would nudge each other when one saw us and the other didn’t, clearly whispering to them to turn and look. It was fun how incredibly responsive they were to a simple gesture of smiling, waving or a warm greeting.

Ei said that to the children, a foreigner is something many have only heard of and never ever seen. They were beyond fascinated!

Our next stop was Ananda Temple, the most revered of the temples. It is also one of the largest with four enormous standing buddha’s at each cardinal entrance. The story behind it is long and detailed but one of the coolest things was that one of the buddhas’ faces changes as you approach it. From far away it is a smiling buddha but as you get closer, it looks to be more neutral and when you stand underneath him, his eyes cast down upon you and his mouth turns more into a frown-it feels as though he is judging you. Apparently this was done to help keep the King in check as he would pray at the Buddha’s feet and the citizens would be further out in the corridor where Buddha seemed happy.

It was an absolutely incredible edifice, remarkable to realize it too was from the 11th century, and though it had sustained substantial damage in the 1975 earthquake it had been restored.

Myanmar is in an earthquake zone and in the last 45 years, there have been two major ones-1975 and 2016. It is believed that there were originally 4,000 pagodas in Bagan that were built over a 300 year span between the 11th and 14th centuries. The 1975 earthquake wiped out 2,000 of them so around that same number stand today. Some are undergoing renovations, others are left to crumble.

All of the temples have vendors out front selling their goods. It was shocking to us how polite they all were. A simple “No thank you” was either recognized as such or replied with a “Maybe Later?” Everybody is basically selling the same things but Jenny eyes a few things and then had fun in her exchanges with the sellers.

It was here at Ananda Temple that an almost strange phenomena began. It started off with one small group of girls, who asked our guide if they could have a picture taken with us. Of course we thought it a bit strange but they were so polite, about it that we obliged. Within minutes, some parents asked us to take pictures with their children, and then a group of older ethnic hill tribe ladies asked, and then a group of boys and then some more girls and so it went as we walked around the inside of the temple, following the corridors, we were approached. Our cheeks hurt from smiling and we got an unwanted taste of what celebrity life is like-even Billy too-a few groups pulled him into the shots as well. We didn’t mind, we actually found the whole thing entertaining but it was just as foreign to us as we were to them.

Our next stop was for lunch and since we were traveling in an area with a rather high risk of getting ill from food or water, I had done a lot of research ahead of time (we needed no repeats of Peru for Billy). So when I made it clear to our guide we needed to eat someplace reputable to Westerners, her suggestion hit the mark and was one of the places on my list-a vegetarian restaurant called Be Nice to Animals. We grabbed a table in the shade under a giant bougevvilla vine and enjoyed a cold beer, some delicious food and a great conversation with Ei.

Following lunch, we made our way to a clustered complex of Pagodas that was far quieter than the previous one and where we encountered some adorable children hawking their goods, including some hand drawn cards with a few of the symbols of the days of the week that are so important in the Buddhist religion. It was nice just to wander this complex in a bit more solitude.

Another quick ride and we found ourselves at Manuha Temple home to an enormous reclining buddha. The name “Manuha” was given after the Mon king from Thaton who was held captive in Bagan by King Anawrahta. Legend says that Manuha was allowed to build this temple in 1059, and that he constructed it to represent his displeasure at captivity.

We also happened upon a group of monks that were receiving alms in the form of money in the pavilion of the temple. Myanmar is 90% Buddhist and everywhere we stopped we saw monks of varying ages. There are even female monks, though we saw far fewer of them and only in Yangon so far.

At this point, Jenny was starting to fade quickly, as I think Billy was too, but Ei had suggested we could stop at one more temple, the largest in Bagan, and then watch the sunset from atop one of the pagodas that you are still allowed to climb and since that is an iconic activity in Bagan, Jenny insisted she wanted to do it.

Dhammayangyi Temple was built in 1170, and is the largest temple in Bagan.

Our final stop was for sunset. The main temple in this complex was under renovation but the smaller one was available to climb.

We made our way up the very narrow, very steep stairs and were greeted with a view out towards the Irrawaddy River and mountains beyond.

We took a seat on the edge and enjoyed our conversation with Ei as well as the silence that occurred between topics.

As the sun lowered in the sky, the color of the pagodas really began to take on the ochre glow they are famous for. The sunset was brilliant bright orange and yellow as it slipped behind the mountains.

While the sun was disappearing in the west, the full moon was rising in the east-truly spectacular!

 

December 23, 2018

Myanmar Memories…How Could It Possibly Get Any Better?

So I think by now everyone knows I’m afraid of heights-as a matter of fact last night I had to come down the pagoda’s stairs on my butt-going up is always so much easier! And perhaps you know I am not a great lover of flying-ironic right? And I think you all also know that Jenny has a way of, thankfully, getting me to do things I would otherwise not do (ie walking on glaciers, zip lining etc). Well, this trip proved no different.

When we decided on Myanmar, Bagan was the one destination that was of the utmost importance to her-check, no problem. But along with that came the request to go hot air ballooning over the archaeological zone. This was met by me with a quick and firm, “Are you kidding me? Ballooning in Myanmar? That is the last place I would let us do that-sorry no way.” End of story, right? Wrong!

As I began my research for Bagan everything I kept reading said you must take the hot air balloon ride-MUST! So, I figured reading up on it wouldn’t harm me and in my thorough research I would find the excuse I needed to prove my position. There must have been horrible accidents. They use shoddy equipment with poorly trained pilots. There must be no oversight or licensing or regulations. There must be something to justify my firm “No!”

Nope…nothing of the sort. They are licensed by the government under strict safety standards. All the pilots are from the UK, Australia, US or Spain with years of flying experience in not only their countries but in Africa and Turkey as well. There has never been one accident in all of the years of flying, and so it went….I came up empty handed.

OK. Next step-Trip Advisor reviews-surely someone has reported questionable safety practices or protocol. And wouldn’t you know there were some one star reviews but not for the reasons I was hoping for. The one star reviews were clearly written by fools who were mad that the company had canceled their flights the morning of when they deemed the flying conditions unsafe AND they gave them full refunds. Wait, what? People are mad about that? That is exactly what I would want to hear. I was losing hope I would have a leg to stand on.

But never one to take defeat easily, I came up with another solution to my dilemma, although in the back of my mind I was having a hard time not agreeing with how spectacular it looked-the images on my computer screen were swaying me.

In my last ditch effort to make sure my feet were going to stay planted on terra firma in Myanmar, I decided we would give Jenny the option between hot air ballooning or … I was certain she would go with Option B…of course she would, right? Nope! No such luck. There was no hesitation in her answer, “Ballooning in Bagan.” Defeat…

So why the long introduction? Because words can not describe how fantastic our flight was, so instead of a long description on that, I will let the pictures try to convey just how breathtaking it was. I loved every second of it but mostly I loved looking over at Jenny, eyes gazed downward, filled with wonderment and amazement! Thank you again Cheech for your spirit of adventure and always giving me the confidence that I can do it!

Back on terra firma, Billy turned to Jenny and I and thanked us. He said that it had probably been the most amazing thing he has ever done. Yessss! That that could become addicting-Uh Oh!!!!

I could end the day here. But the rest of our morning and afternoon was nothing short of memorable in different ways as well.

Our hotel offered a spa, that looked so lovely and zen like so Jenny and I decided to get massages. Our bodies were already hurting from sleeping on the rock hard beds that they have here in Myanmar and with the constant going going going and crazy waking hours, I thought an hour of relaxation and pampering, at the dirt cheap price of $23 was worth it. I even bet Jenny that she would fall asleep!

Wait, did I just say pampering? Ha!

Jenny and I were basically assaulted by two Myanmar women who could probably rip a 2×4 in half with their bare hands. They yanked us, pushed and pulled us, twisted us into pretzels, bent our extremities, used their feet as weapons of torture-pushing way too near places they shouldn’t have been. Holy crap, I thought as I lay there. What did we sign up for? This certainly didn’t imitate the picture advertising the “traditional” massage! At one point I had to bite my lip-partly because of the pain but mostly to stop myself from cracking up as I thought about asking Jenny, “Are you asleep yet?”

I suppose the upside is that Jenny and I got an ab workout afterwards laughing our a**es off at the “massage” we just suffered through. Note well taken, never to be forgotten- pay attention to your global location when you sign up for a traditional massage-in Sweden I think they are a good thing, in Southeast Asia-not so much. I think perhaps we should have opted for the aromatherapy. Whenever you have to take an Aleve immediately following your massage, well, that’s not a good sign!

For the afternoon, we decided to rent a tuk-tuk and drive to some of the other pagodas we missed yesterday that Ei had recommended we see. It was a different experience, zipping through the streets of Bagan in a turk-tuk with our friendly driver Phyu Phyu. The first stop was Bu Paya that sits high up on a bluff overlooking the Irrawaddy River.

By Paya was packed with locals when we got there and once again we became the main attraction. Mother’s literally pushed their kids in front of us, shy girls held their phones up and pointed to us, others positioned their children near us to get us in their shot.

The view over the Irrawaddy was beautiful. The scene below us was what I would envision for a major waterway in Southeast Asia. A flotilla of colorful river cruisers lined the shore. Cargo barges being pushed up river and long tail boats buzzing in all directions.

It’s amazing how beautifully dressed almost all the Myanmar women and girls are. They wear either ankle-length longhis or tailored dress suits in all of the brilliant bright jewel tones, all hand stitched with various designs-so elegant!

Deciding it was hot and too crowded, our faithful driver pulled up and we hopped in and headed out to one he said would not be so crowded-and he was right! We found solitude and shade and with only two people wanting Jenny’s photo. This temple had beautiful frescoes inside as well, some looking more heavily influenced by China. We lingered in the shade, under the pavilion, enjoying the cooling breeze and reliving our incredible morning flight.

As we got ready to leave, a lady selling some longhis approached Jenny and offered to thanaka her face. She was a friend of Phyu Phyu’s so Jenny took her up on the offer and was delighted to see that she had done it in the shape of leaves. Of course she offered to show us some longhis and traditional blouses which we actually were interested in and of course we walked away with some things. She was so sweet I couldn’t resist!

Lunch was at the same vegetarian restaurant as yesterday-when you can be pretty sure you didn’t get sick from some place-it’s always a smart idea to not tempt fate!

We asked Phyu Phyu, who had been born in Bagan, to take us to one of the temples he likes-that wouldn’t be crowded. Turned out Abeyandana Temple was next to the one we had climbed last night but was quiet and serene and it too had frescoes inside. Built in the 11th century by King Kyansittha for his queen the murals depict scenes from both Buddhism and Hinduism.

Outside the temple there was a lovely lady sitting selling items made from jade. Myanmar is famous for its jade reserves and Billy saw some things he liked. We sat on the step and chatted with her and her brother for over an hour, about life in general. She said she had only completed eighth grade but her son was attending the university to become an engineer. By the time we left we had purchased quite a few items. She said she felt blessed by us and so she asked Jenny to choose a bracelet to have as a gift for the good fortune we had brought her. It was a very kind gesture and when we tried to politely decline, she insisted.

Our last stop was at the Bagan House lacquerware shop. I had read about it and knew they had a huge workshop where you could see the items being made from start to finish. Phyu Phyu said it was a must so off we went.

We walked in through the gates to a beautiful courtyard where two adorable young girls approached us and asked if they could give us a presentation on the 6 week process it takes to produce one piece. The one girl was in training and was so cute how she presented the information.

There was a man sitting up on a table next to her who demonstrated the first steps to it peeling the bamboo into long super thin strands with help from his bare feet and then coiling them into the object they will permanently become. The man was cute, smiling with his bright red Bittle stained teeth and his black horn rimmed glasses. A master at what he does, I can only imagine the years of hard work he has put into it.

We enjoyed walking around, stopping at each station watching the various artisans at work. The gift shop was ridiculously enormous and we enjoyed picking out a few things for keepsakes and s few to take home as gifts.

By this time, we had stayed over our four hour rental and headed back to the hotel where we showered and collapsed.

We have been going nonstop since we left home, with a lot of early mornings and are a bit sleep deprived. Jenny couldn’t fathom going out for dinner and frankly, neither could Billy nor I. We decided to snack on foods we had and go to the restaurant for some drinks snd a slice of cake to go.

But…as we neared the pool we could hear Christmas carols being sung by children. A stage had been set up where local kids where rehearsing for the Christmas Eve party the hotel was hosting the following night. I texted Jenny it was taking place and wouldn’t you know, she dragged herself out of bed and joined us.

Her sheer delight in her face as she watched them intently singing to us, could not have been a more perfect way to end one of the most memorable days we have ever have.

Merry Christmas Eve!

 

December 24, 2018

How in the World Did You Find This Place?

Another early wake up this morning to get to the airport for our flight to our next destination-Samkar Lake. We arrived an hour before flight time only to be delayed two.

Our 30 minute flight was great and on our descent into Heho, the landscape changed quickly. Jenny and I both said it reminded us of Peru-the patchwork quilt of orange, red, brown and green fields.

We had a small glitch at the airport, our hotel was supposed to have someone there to meet us holding a sign with my name. We saw no one. I asked the tourist office if they could call, and we spent the next hour trying to figure out who we were supposed to ride with. When I thought we had it straightened out, Billy, always the one to think people have ulterior motives, was not comfortable with the situation-back to the office again, more phone calls, and yes-the man that had said he was our ride was indeed, even though his sign said he was picking up a Luigi something or another.

I had prearranged to stop for lunch at a restaurant I had read about from TA, as I knew we would be hungry and indeed we were. The restaurant turned out to be off the beaten path, up a long driveway in the hills with a distant view over Inle Lake. We were the only ones there which made me a bit worried, as right before we left I had read one review of people getting ill. Turned out it was not a restaurant per se, but just someone’s house with a large beautiful second story veranda, overlooking their organic vegetable and fruit gardens. I was a bit cautious what we ordered-everything cooked and it was all delicious, including the ice cold Myanmar beer.

Our driver then took us into the village of Nyaung Shwe where we met with our boat driver- a young guy with Betel stained teeth and his son of maybe 10 years on board with us. No English spoken here, but he quickly got our bags on board and we were off. (Betel is a nut that the locals chew, similar to chewing coca leaves in South America. It stains the teeth a bright red color).

The scene at the boat jetty was one of any stereotypical Asian river scene. Long-tail boats everywhere, moving cargo and passengers along the chocolate milk colored river. This boat was probably 30 feet long and 5 feet wide-gunwale to gunwale. It had four adirondack style chairs lined up one behind the other with the driver in the rear operating the incredibly loud air-cooled engine.

Our 3 1/2 hour boat ride from Inle Lake to Samkar Lake was spectacular. We passed by fisherman who row the boats with one foot wrapped around their oar, while standing and balancing on the tip of their shallow long-tail boat. They use either cone shaped hard wire nets or a hand held spindle (an early model of the modern day reel) to catch fish.

We went through the floating g gardens-a large village laid out in a grid in the middle of the lake where all of the vegetables, tomatoes especially, are grown hydroponically-absolutions remarkable!

We passed pagodas and temples, some solo out in the lake similar to a lighthouse, some lining the distant shores.

From Inle Lake we followed the small water outlet south. And I mean small-sometimes the width was no more than two feet, a few times it disappeared completely having been swallowed up by the ever shifting water hyacinth. Thank goodness our trusty driver knew his way.

There were times that there were small grass berms across the narrow waterway and our driver would just gun the bow right over them and lift his engine using the long handle of the tiller to clear the boat-wild!

About three hours into the ride we came to an area of hundreds of stupas built one right next to the other. Our driver pulled the boat over and we followed the sound of chanting and found a monk leading a group of children in prayer. Not wanting to be obstrusive, we moved on. Tarkaung was a mystical maze of wonderment!

We continued on and came into Samkar Lake, a large lake surrounded by verdant mountains on both sides. Our hotel, Inle Sanctuary Phayartaung, lies on the very south end. We approached through a channel marked by 12 foot high bamboo poles that have equally as long poles tied to them horizontally holding along the water line to keep the hyacinth from choking off the channel.

Pulling up to the dock, motor shut off, we stand up and the first thing Billy says is, “How in the world did you ever find this place? WOW! “

Our host for the next three days, Aung Min, greeted us warmly and with sincere apologies for the mix up at the airport, with which we had laughs and decided that hence forth I would be known as Luigi!

We sat and had a cup of his tea with him and his darling wife, Gaw. We soaked in the incredible beauty that surrounded us as well as the fantastic accommodations that were to be our home for the next three days.

We had a fantastic dinner prepared by Gaw of curry pork, sweet and sour chicken, smashed potatoes, sticky rice and bean soup-all delicious!

We have no plans while we are at Samkar, except to experience the local village life and relax in the natural beauty. Jenny had concerns there wouldn’t be enough nature on this trip-I think that today has put her mind at ease. She is in her element here, frankly we all are.

 

December 25, 2018

Mingalabar and A Very Merry Christmas

This morning we slept in and enjoyed a few hours extra sleep, even with the Myanmar roosters that like to get a very early start!

We had a delicious breakfast before heading out to walk around the village with our ultimate destination being the monastery.

As we walked the streets of Lwe Nwe Phayartaung Yay Seit village, it was clear we were the only foreigners around. People were looking at us intently but were all too happy to return our greeting of, “Mingalabar” with warm smiles and waves. Children would come running up waving and calling out to us. It was so cute!

We turned up a steep hill, passing the government run schools where we could hear classrooms full of students reciting their lessons in unison.

We reached the top where there was a beautiful octagonal temple with statues of Buddha at each of the cardinal direction entrances.

We continued on until we came to a large field with a huge covered pavilion with tables and benches set up. We saw groups of children starting to make their way across the field towards us, followed by more and then more and more. Around this time a girl of maybe 18 years approached us and began speaking with us. She was a volunteer here at the monastery, she explained. She told us that the monastery takes care of close to 1,000 children-feeding them three meals a day and housing them. They attend the government school for education but get their meals and housing provided for by the monastery. The monastery also takes care of about 40 orphans, mostly aged 3-5 years.

The young lady asked if we would like to take a look around, to which we happily agreed. She took us to the outdoor kitchen first where she showed us the rice steamers-these were incredible, each steamer held eight 24” round pans of rice stacked one on top of another like a tower, and they had at least ten of these steamers. We watched the women and men working preparing the curry for the lunch meal. As soon as one meal is finished, preparation on the next meal begins, breakfast prep begins at 1:00 AM.

We walked past a large building that we were told is the computer building of HPs and Lenovos, donated by a wealthy American. We walked on to the water purifying building that a weatlthy Englishman had donated. When he came here ten years ago, he watched the kids drinking from the lake and noticed that many had skin issues and the such. He decided that that could not continue so he built a purification system for them, bringing the water in from underground springs in the hills. It is now the main money maker to help underwrite the cost for the meals for the monastery-selling bottled water.

Our guide also explained to us that the monastery has electricity thanks to the brother of the wealthy businessman who brought in the computers. The entire village is without formal electricity. A charitable organization brought in some solar power for the village but there is no electricity. The businessman paid to have lines run from the hydroelectric dam down from Samkar Lake.

From there we returned to the pavilion where the children had gathered for lunch. The head monk, who founded the monastery 46 years ago, was also enjoying his lunch. He invited us to sit down and they immediately brought us tea, avocados, and bananas to eat. He asked us to stay for lunch but we had to decline him (not an easy thing to do) as we had told the hotel we would be back for lunch and they were preparing it for us already.

After seeing the selfless work this monk and all of the volunteers do, we told them we would like to make a gift to them. We were taken into the monk’s office where he joined us and we made a donation of all the US cash we had on us at the time. It was placed onto a silver platter where the three of us then kneeled, and with all of our hands on the platter handed it to the monk who said a prayer wishing us health, wealth and good fortune for the future. What an incredibly moving experience it was for us and how perfect to spend our Christmas giving to something that does so much good for so many children-truly inspiring. We hope to figure a way to make an annual gift to them; it is so deserved!

We headed back to the hotel where we enjoyed a scrumptious lunch of Shan noodles-something this area is known for.

We relaxed on the verandah for a bit before Jenny and I became restless to go back out and mingle with the people. This time though, Jenny brought her instant camera to offer photos to the villagers. Needless to say, it was a huge hit with young and old alike. The older people especially giggled and laughed at themselves-while one older gentleman in particular, who spoke some English, likened himself to “James Bond.”

Because Myanmar had at one time been under British colonial rule, and by the way, known then as Burma, there is a small percentage of the much older generation who can speak English. The next two generations speak little to none, and the youngest generation are again being taught it in school.

All told Jenny gave out over fifty photographs. It was such a rewarding experience to give pictures to the villagers, most who had never seen ones of themselves. Two ladies even asked for an instant picture of Jenny and I, which we obliged.

Back again at the hotel we relaxed some more, only to get the itch to return to the village but this time without the instant camera. We just wanted to wander along. Now that it was later in the day, many of the children were out and about. Everyone of them waved at us. Kids and adults alike were running out of their houses or calling from their upstairs windows, “Mingalabar!” Kids would say, “Hello, where you come from?” “Where you go?” Literally every household waved at us-it was really a moving experience and though I had my phone with me, I could not bring myself to take one picture. It was just too special.

Our interaction with the locals has been like no other. Coming into this trip we weren’t too sure what to expect except from those who had been here and said how fabulous it is. We couldn’t agree more-it is beyond our wildest imagination!

 

December 26, 2018

Life in Perspective

This morning I woke up with the roosters crowing and the sound of what reminded me of a pit car rally with a dozen or more long-tail boats arriving for the five day market that takes place right next door to the hotel. I peered out the window to see what had the makings to be a glorious sunrise, so I hightailed it out of the room. Indeed the sunrise was glorious with Venus still sitting high in the sky.

I walked over the elevated boardwalk to the market and could not believe how bustling it already was at 6:15 AM. Many of the stalls that were empty last night had been filled to capacity now. Every good imaginable, from foods to consumer goods to prepared meals was available.

The streets were lined with women wearing their brightly colored head wraps, who had come from neighboring villages or from high in the hills. They sat on the ground with their fresh produce laid out in front of them.

A few had clearly never seen a westerner before as their eyes about popped out of their heads. They giggled and laughed at me and then with me as I laughed along.

When I squatted down to take a closer look at what one of the ladies was selling, something wrapped in a banana leaf, she offered me a handful of peanuts that she was selling. I tried to decline them but she insisted, miming that they were from her to me and that I was supposed to eat them.

Once peeled, they were a bit strange, slightly slimy but sweet. It was a kind gesture from someone who had so little and was selling them to just give them to me for free.

I ran into James Bond, he asked me where I was from. He said America is a “good country” and gave me a big thumbs up.

I returned from my walkabout and waited for Billy and Jenny to join me for breakfast. After another delicious breakfast, we headed out for the day’s small adventure. Billy wanted to hike up to the hot springs that were about an hour’s walk through the adjacent village. It was hot as the sun was high in the sky and there was little shade but we wanted to get out into the countryside. Unfortunately, we forgot to apply sunscreen for which we are paying for now!

The walk along the country roads was peaceful, and we enjoyed admiring the various colorful flowers and butterflies.

The hot springs basically bubbled up from the ground and formed small pools. Nothing really to see but I suppose a bit different.

The walk back was great though, as we figured out a shortcut through a farmer’s field and straight through the main street of the village. If people in the village our hotel is in were not used to westerners then I can assure you the neighboring village of Yay Pu were even more shocked by our presence. As a matter of fact, we did not cross paths with one other westerner on any of our walkabouts-not one!

Yay Pu village was quite a bit different then ours. The houses seemed more traditional-elevated and made out of bamboo and fronds. The walk back was a bit cooler, with some more shade and by the time we made it to the hotel we were famished and thirsty.

We had a delicious lunch of stir fried Shan Noodles with chicken and vegetables, and a chicken and taro root soup.

Following lunch, it was time to relax a bit-in the shade of our back deck overlooking the hyacinth and grasses looking on to Samkar Lake in the distance.

Of course, Jenny and I got the itch to walk into the village again-we just can’t resist! Once again, we were warmly greeted by all of the villagers. We were invited to join a group of boys having an absolute ball playing volleyball, we declined. Our hearts were melted when two little girls followed us down the road a ways and then handed Jenny a flower. A bit later two little boys came running out of their houses at both of us-full force and threw their arms around our legs.

Jenny said that this is really the way life should be-kids running around, laughing and playing-no fences and no worries. Playing sports for fun-not for competition, imagine that? Innocence allowed and encouraged.

We decided that these villagers were far richer than we were in so many ways. Being in this village, has certainly put life into perspective…

 

December 27, 2018

Today We All Hate Goodbye

Another early wake up for me to watch the sun rise over this magical place. The fog rising from the lake along with the long rays of golden light gave a mystical feel.

I wandered over the bridge, through the now deserted market and on to the main road, where there was hardly a soul in sight. Yesterday at this same time, the village was buzzing with the market; today all was quiet. I sat down on the bare floor of one of the market’s stalls to wait and watch for village life.

Houses here have no heat and with Samkar Lake being in the hill country, at an elevation of just shy of 3,000’, it gets really chilly in the winter-like 50°. I watched as villagers emerged from their homes to collect whatever they could find-dried leaves, cardboard, old rice sacks- to burn for warmth. Ladies would go to the lake with a bucket to bring back water, I would assume to use for cooking rice.

I watched a man and his baby leaving by ox cart and as I sat there quietly he caught sight of me, even with the glaring sun and greeted me with a big wave and, “Mingalabar!”

As I sat in otherwise silence, I heard singing coming from the lake. I made my way down through the heavily rutted alleyways of the market to find a fisherman laying his line out, singing to himself. I squatted down behind a wall and listened for some time-the scene was mesmerizing. So simple yet so incredibly beautiful. He too saw me and waved and greeted me.

Back at the hotel, Billy was already out on the verandah so we sat down for coffee and I shared my pictures and videos from earlier.

We enjoyed a final delicious breakfast of Gaw’s wonderful cooking. I have broken all my rules here-we have eaten eggs, chicken, and raw tomatoes-all with zero issues under Gaw’s stringent hygiene regime.

For the last few hours, I had wanted to walk around the other side of the village to a goldsmith workshop and then on to a weaving workshop. We hadn’t gotten far when we watched a farmer herding a group of water buffalos-so cool watching them go right into the flooded fields!

We wound our way through the small streets, greeting everyone. It is so funny how at first the villagers stare at you completely stone faced with no expression except an intense stare. As soon as you greet them, their face softens and they get a big smile-flashing pearly whites or ruby reds, and then greet you with enthusiasm and sincerity.

After stopping to show half a dozen people the words Aung had written down for me, and then having four cute girls actually lead us there, we made it to the goldsmith’s house only to find an elderly lady tell them he wasn’t there. With the huge language barrier, the young girl told us we should come back but she didn’t understand when we said we couldn’t because we were leaving in a few hours. It made Jenny sad that the old lady was probably excited we were there and might buy something only to be disappointed when we never return.

We couldn’t find the weavers shop and when we showed the words to someone they took us to a store that only had three weaved items for sale.

We returned to the hotel and told Aung we had struck out. He asked if we wanted to go to the weaver’s workshop and since Jenny and I both did, he offered to have one of the guys take us up by “canoe.” We jumped at the chance to not only ride local style but see the workshop.

It was funny that even far off in the lake the kids would holler greetings and wave-our oarsman laughing at it. He brought us ashore perfectly and lead us up to the workshop. It was a small building with two weavers on looms and two little girls, presumably the ladies’ daughters, having fun spinning.

The selection was slim but we bought three shoulder sacks-the traditional bags they carry cross shoulder. They had a small one perfect for my phone that I got because when I wear my skirt-I have no pockets.

We walked back to the hotel-greeting everybody again-even though we had just greeted them 20 minutes prior and declining another offer to join in a volleyball game. The adorable young girls who have Jenny a flower yesterday, came running up and gave both of us flowers today.

After our final scrumptious meal of this leg of our journey, stir fried Shan noodles and a mustard green soup, we made our very sad goodbyes to the people of Inle Sanctuary Pharyataung-Aung, Gaw, San and Myu who had taken such good care of us and insisted we make ourselves at home-we felt like we were. We were going to miss all the homemade food and delicious fresh juices, the breathtaking views, our cozy bungalow, the incredibly friendly people of the village, the way we felt when we were there. Everyone knows Jenny hates goodbyes; today we all did.

This place, these people have touched us in ways unknown. Jenny asked if she didn’t get accepted into the NISL-Y program, could she come back here and volunteer at the monastery for a few weeks. What a wonderful idea!

We hopped in our long tail boat and made the one hour journey south through narrow water ways until we entered the very large Pekon Lake.

The ride was spectacular looking off to the rugged mountains that wear a mysterious veil of blue haze caused by the omnipresent smoke from burning fires. Every small village or high above it in the hills had a golden topped pagoda. I saw the first cross atop a steeple I had seen since we passed by the cathedral in Yangon.

Our drop off and pick up was flawless and before we knew it we were zipping along down what was apparently supposed to be a two way road, except it was only wide enough for one car. The bigger you were or the braver you were seemed to determine who got to keep all four tires on the smooth asphalt versus who ran two tires off the road all the while holding your speed steady. The consolation was that this was the first car we had traveled in that actually had working seatbelts-and my mom was worried about us traveling by boat!

Our home for the next three nights, Loikaw Lodge appears to be a winner. We have a beautiful room overlooking a small lake with the most glorious sunsets I have been lucky enough to witness in some time.

December 28, 2018

We started our morning with no plans but Jenny began to wonder if maybe we should do something in the afternoon. We decided on a tour to the Lisu Village, one of 135 ethnic tribes that live in Myanmar.

Not one to sit still, I decided I would walk to the market to buy some new flip flops as I broke my favorite ones yesterday crossing back over the elevated walkway. I also figured I could check out some of Loikaw town. Billy offered to join and so we left Jenny to chillax in bed and we headed out.

Truth be told, there is not much to write about on this front so I’ll just post a few pictures from our walkabout.

The afternoon, on the other hand, was beyond memorable.

Our guide, Jalieuw picked us up at 1:30 to make the hour and fifteen minute trip to the Lisu village in the hills of Kayah State. Every drive in Myanmar takes one past sights that are always foreign to us-take for example a flat bed truck carrying loads of people-crammed in so tightly that some are sitting on the edge with their backs facing out-on Myanmar ‘s bumpy roads-that’s a dangerous proposition. Or better yet, how about 5 people and a dog all on a motorbike zipping through town while the driver is talking on his cell phone!

 

We turned off the highway onto a small one lane dirt road, passing fields of dried up corn and rice. Arriving in the small village of traditional style homes we were met with silence, save for the occasional crowing rooster or snorting pig. We followed Jolieuw through the streets until we reached a home that he said we should come into. We took our shoes off and made our way upstairs to the open air veranda where a village elder was sitting on the floor.

She got up and spit the bettle out of her mouth over the railing and then sat back down, inviting us to have a seat on a very low lying bench-knees to chin style.

The woman’s jet black hair was pulled tightly back, her dark skin creased with time and her mouth and what few remaining teeth she had were stained ruby red. She looked to me to be older than the 72 years she said she was. She wore her traditional dress of woven red cloth decorated with colorful stitching at the cuffs. Under her black skirt, she had on what we might call leg warmers that coordinated with the top. She had small tattoos along her cheekbone and wrist, apparently that would protect her from anyone who wanted to “bewitch” her.

She told us about her family, her life here and that she was happy we were there visiting with her. Not long after, three boys showed up, intrigued by the foreigners who had come, and clearly a bit mischievous as confirmed by Jolieuw’s nickname for the one, “Naughty Boy.”

We asked the lady if she would like a picture of herself and she said yes. She would like it to pass down after she is gone she said. She sat stoic as Jenny took her photo but as she watched the image slowly appear her eyes widened and she giggled with delight saying how happy she was. She said she wasn’t so pretty with her brown skin and wrinkles, that our fair skin was much more attractive, but she delighted with the image she held in her hands.

The young boys now crowded around her and were awed by what they saw.

Jenny offered to take their pictures, along with two more boys who showed up, and they all happily agreed-some with very serious faces, others, especially Naughty Boy, smiling big.

After 25 minutes or so, we gave the elder the gifts we had stopped and picked up at a roadside market-cooking oil and dried rice noodles. She was appreciative and wished us well for a long life and safe journey. What a truly wonderful experience.

We walked through the village, Jolieuw pointing out various aspects of village life, all the while being tailed by the group of frolicking boys.

At one point we came to a ravine that had a few logs laying across it that we were to cross. I made the boys cross ahead of me because I did not want them pushing quickly behind me. They basically ran across as though they were in a field. They got a good laugh at how very slowly I crossed and were equally amused by Billy.

We stopped to admire pumpkin seeds drying in the sun, along with beans, corn and chilies.

An older lady approached us and immediately took a liking to Jenny. We offered her a photograph and when she saw it, she disappeared quickly returning with a beautiful smock. Before we knew it, she was dressing Jenny in it, adorning it with a beautiful belt, similar to a western concho. Jolieuw told us that the belt was very special and held great meaning to her. She told us we should take a photograph of Jenny wearing it. She also said she would like to have a photograph of she and Jenny together-which of course we were all to happy to do. She gave Jolieuw a pumpkin to take home, thanking him for bringing us to the village-a kind gesture.

Our last stop was at another elders home except this woman lived in a truly traditional style home-a one story, one room house with a dirt floor. One corner had the “kitchen” while an elevated bamboo bed lined the knee wall. The ceiling of the entire room was pitch black from the smoke that now burned our eyes and lungs. Except for a door on one end and the unintentional openings between the bamboo walls, there was no ventilation.

She was also dressed in traditional clothing in lovely shades of purple but she wore a head wrap, that looked similar to a terry cloth towel. She sat on a low bench and chatted with us about her life-she had been married and divorced three times. She had one child with each husband of which one was living.

She would get up every now and then to tend to the fire-a small flame that was kept going by two 3-foot long logs that she would push further in towards the center leaving them sticking out. She would then add some more water to the kettle that was on the flame as well.

She also was very excited with her picture and the gifts we had brought. She thanked us for coming and asked for us to please return to see her.

Nothing would bring us greater pleasure than to do just that.

On our way back to the hotel, we made a stop at a cave that houses over 65 Buddha statues. It has beautiful stalagmites and stalactites and we had fun trying to find all the buddha’s.

We returned to Loikaw Lodge just in time to watch another incredible sunset from the comfort of our room-wow! Myanmar stuns!

 

December 29, 2018

Laughter is its Own Language

This morning we were met by another guide, Maung, to take us to the three day market in Demawso before heading to visit two more hill tribes.

Demawso Market was certainly about as shocking a cultural immersion experience as one could ask for. The sights, and sounds and smells were a real assault to our senses. The outdoor market was at its busiest on Saturday morning and there was no shortage of things to see. We were the only westerners there and were again, something of a curiosity.

We stopped to watch a lady making a salad with beef skin mixed with coriander, lime, spices, shallots and chile’s-it looked and smelled delicious-but I didn’t dare. She asked Maung where we were from and then wanted to know my name. When I told her, she repeated it perfectly and then asked Maung if I was Catholic. Interestingly enough, though Myanmar as a whole is 90% Buddhist, Kayah State is 60% Catholic and 35% Buddhist-with the remaining 4% being Animist and 1 % Muslim.

We came across a vendor selling small song birds-swallows and sparrows, that were reportedly great eating. They were still alive, their feet tied together to bamboo so they couldn’t fly away-Jenny couldn’t look. And while I did not appreciate the sight, I recognized it as a cultural difference and make no judgement. We realized then that the children we saw back at Samkar Lake that were walking around with a slingshot were bird hunting.

The meat and chicken for sale was a source of bewilderment as well. It appeared every part of the animal was available, sitting out in the sun for everyone to touch while haggling prices. The amazing thing was there were no flies like one would expect.

After leaving the market, we headed for the hills to visit the Kayan Tribe, also known as the Long Neck Women. There are multiple theories that anthropologists have as to why the women wear the incredibly heavy brass coils that give them an elongated neck look-in fact the weight of the coils compresses the collar bones and rib cage; they do not actually elongate the neck.

It has been thought that it was protection from tiger attacks, or that it allowed the tribespeople to recognize their members if they were kidnapped by other local tribes. More common is that it shows their belief in their origination from the dragon.

The drive was incredible, passing through valleys surrounded by small, heavily treed, conical mountains characteristic of karst topography.

We arrived into the village of Panpet and were quickly struck by how commercial it felt, almost a bit too touristy for us. In fact, this was the first place we shared space, so to speak, with another Westerner. We were welcomed into the home of one family which was certainly different from our previous home visits.

We met with two well-known Kayan women, both weavers and musicians. While it was interesting, it did not feel too authentic, but that was about to change.

Back at the hotel, I had met our guide first. Waiting for Billy and Jenny to come down, we began to chat. Maung is a Kayan, and though he lived in a refugee camp for many years, he still has some connections there. He told me his great aunt lived in a village near where we were headed and when he saw my interest, he asked if I thought we would like to visit her, to which I had replied of course.

We drove further into the hills before we turned off onto a small lane, covered red with dirt. We stopped outside of a traditional style house and made our way through the yard and up the stairs where there was a group of children sitting on the landing eating sunflower seeds.

We made our way inside; the first large room was completely empty except for a rattan mat. We went through a small doorway into another room where there was a beautiful woman sitting, tending a fire. Maung warmly greeted her as she did in return. She invited us to sit down with her, so we gladly did. Again, we learned of her life and more about Maung’s. When she learned we were from America she asked if we knew her sister, Maung’s grandmother, who had fled there along with her husband many years ago.

Her own husband had died more than a decade ago as well as some of her own children. She has something like 48 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren living now.

Her home was incredibly sparse, save for the large pots of fermenting rice wine. Even the sleeping room, only had a small mattress and some colorful blankets-that was it.

Our visit here was as authentic as it gets. Maung’s lovely great aunt, both humble and welcoming, was afraid we might be hungry and offered for us to stay for lunch, which we respectfully declined.

Upon leaving there were many kids in the yard and around our car. Jenny offered them a photo and everyone except one lined up for their picture. It was such a hit and met by so many laughs.

The second village we visited was home to the Kayah tribe ( not to be confused with Kayan), which only opened to outsiders three years ago, but they have quickly figured out that they should capitalize on the public’s interest. Even though there was a fee to wander the village, it did not feel commercialized in the least bit, nor did we see any other Westerners.

Maung took us to the home of an older couple, who invited us to sit down in their outdoor space where we were treated to some traditional music and songs. When I asked what the gentleman was singing about, I was told he was thanking us for coming to his village. The woman was dressed in traditional attire with the heavy earrings and necklace made of silver coins-Indian rupees actually. Her knees were adorned with the black cotton coils that the Kayah tribe is known for wearing.

After leaving their home we made our way to another woman’s home who was as adorable as the day is long. She took such a liking to Jenny and her fair skin and kept saying how beautiful she was.

She too invited us into her home where we watched her spin cotton into long threads that she would eventually dye black and tie around her knees. She spun each one of us a thread that she then tied around oh wrists, a simple yet thoughtful gesture.

She was curious if we had only one child, who would take care of us when we got old. We laughed about the advice she offered up-Jenny needed to make sure that her future husband likes her parents-come on, how could they not? We laughed at how she called Billy out for being tired-he was. We laughed at how incredibly limber she was she could bend in half and grab the bottoms of her feet. We laughed at how incredibly rigid we were, we could barely get our hands passed our knees. It was a very sincere yet fun time that we spent in her home. She was a doll and when we walked out, Jenny said it made her miss Nana.

Our time spent with the ethnic people of Myanmar, as well as out two guides, was a truly magical experience. To see such kindness in welcoming us into their villages and homes, and sharing with us their culture and traditions, was beyond rewarding. Though the town of Loikaw left us no impression, the surrounding tribes certainly did.

December 30, 2018

Today We Have Heavy Hearts

We had an early morning again, this time to catch one of our three flights of the day to get to our next destination of Cambodia.

We arrived at Loikaw airport where the airline was using a computer to check us in, and immigration was recording everything by hand in a large ledger book. The local airports we have flown in and out of have been quite something-white boards to keep the arrivals and departures up to date, my bag got flagged for a bottle of water, but Jenny’s did not (and actually I had two but they only asked for one), metal detectors to get into the waiting area but the backdoor was open to the outside; all so funny.

Our flight to Yangon was easy, on another one of the prop planes that are actually incredibly quiet. We all remarked how elegant the flight attendants uniforms are on the various Myanmar airlines.

I can not express how sad we were to leave Myanmar. The landscape, the culture, the food, but most importantly the people struck a deep chord with us. If it were closer, we would return often-that is for sure. But even with it so far away, I can not imagine never returning. When we do, we hope to find it just as we left it, though we wold be fool-hearty to believe in would be. Until that time comes, we will hold tightly to our memories of the smiling faces of the beautiful people and allow the sounds of “Mingalabar” to reverberate in our ears and in our hearts.

Some images of Myanmar:

 

December 31, 2018

A Hero Among Us

I woke up at 3:30 this morning following a dream I had about someone who I loved dearly that passed away more than twenty years ago. I had not dreamt of her in quite some time but she came to me last night, hugging Jenny and telling her how nice it was to see her again. I tell you this because it is not so strange to have dreamt of her, I tell you this because after laying awake following the dream, I realized that today was her birthday. I tell you this because of the symbolism I found in that dream. Today we were going to do something she would have been proud of, something she felt strongly about, something she dedicated her life and legacy to.

We were met downstairs at 8:00 AM by a lady named Ponheary Ly. Ponheary was born and raised in Siem Reap and has been a licensed guide here since 1999. She was petite and attractive, with a wonderful smile and gentle demeanor. I immediately felt a connection to her and knew we would have a great day.

We jumped in the van and headed off to purchase our tickets to enter the Angkor Wat complex. The first temple we were planning on visiting was scratched when we arrived to a mass of cars, tour buses, motorcycles and tuk-tuks, as well as hordes of tourists, almost all of whom were from China. Ponheary said for us to go to another temple-we agreed without hesitation!

The second temple, appeared not much better with the above chaos but we decided to give it a whirl. Bayon was built towards the end of the 12th century and is a marvel in depicting the daily life of the Khmer people.

The reliefs were incredible in their detail, and it was amazing how intact they still were.

The temple is known for all of the smiling Buddhas (which apparently have a striking resemblance to King Jayavarman VII, who built Bayon).

The temple was visually stunning but difficult to enjoy as much as we would have otherwise without the crowds, but Ponheary did an excellent job working her way around the people to give us a good overview.

The next temple we went to was way older then Bayon. Bantea Srey was built in 967, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It was clearly different from Bayon, this one being done on a much smaller scale and reddish in color.

It was hot here and the crowds just as heavy but again Ponheary maneuvered us through with expertise-giving us just the right amount of information, not inundating us with too much, or depriving us with too little.

In between the temples and walking along, we learned much about Ponheary’s life. She speaks French, English and Russia (having lived there for one year). She lost her father, grandfather, uncles and aunts to the Khmer Rouge. She watched as atrocities happened to her mother by the same forces. She went through what thousands of other innocent Cambodians did, but she came through it with a mission to rise above it. She became a tour guide and it is while doing this, she noticed the children hawking items to the tourists and begging for money, instead of attending school. Her father had been a teacher and even though the war prevented her from completing school beyond grade 7, she more than understood the power of education-thus the impetus of change was born. Her destiny was to alter the course that too many of Cambodia’s children were on. Ponheary has diligently followed through on that mission without fail ever since.

What you don’t know, but we already knew about our “guide” for today, is Ponheary really isn’t a tour guide any more. She has far bigger things she does with her time. What is that you may be wondering. Well, would it surprise you to learn that this extraordinary woman, humble and demure has spoken at UN conferences, UNESCO symposiums, received numerous awards, been written up by National Geographic and was one of ten finalists for CNN’s Hero of the Year, just to name a few?

Up to this point we already felt beyond lucky to have spent a few hours with Ponheary, but we were about to be blessed beyond belief by the next two hours of our afternoon.

We pulled into the driveway of a pretty stucco building where we immediately saw the children, dressed in their blue and white uniforms, milling about. Exiting the van with Ponheary, they were quick to recognize us as the foreigners they had been waiting for. We heard students reciting lessons in one of two rooms that are the school’s classrooms, while Ponheary was warmly greeted by her students and the van driver unloaded the stash of backpacks we had purchased for the 99 children that make up the grade 4-6 class here.

Ponheary gave us a tour of the current building-two classrooms-one much larger than the other, one computer lab (stocked with pcs), and an outdoor kitchen for providing the students with meals. The property the school sits on belongs to the older lady who lives next door-she actually came over and brought Ponheary a bag of freshly harvested greens from her garden; pending funding, they have plans to build a new building to include a community center (which the school has already defaulted to on weekends and in the summer) in the rear of the property.

The school operates in conjunction with the government schools providing the students that show the most capabilities and determination with extra schooling, meals, supplies, and sometimes even bikes, that the students need in order to succeed. Here they have four classes-English, Science, Music and…Chess. Chess? Yes! A brilliant addition that, as Ponheary was quick to point out, requires you to really use your mind-her students have taken numerous first and second place awards in tournaments hosted by organizations from the UK.

Besides operating this school, which provides classes in the AM to kids in grades 1-3 before rotating with grades 4-6, Ponheary provides opportunity right through high school for the highest academic achievers, and for others still provides for their years at the university in Phnom Penh, including a new laptop to take with them and helps to find sponsors for them if they want to continue on to get their masters and doctorates; as well as she provides dormitories in Siem Reap for children who go to school in Siem Reap but whose family’s live in the country. I do her and her fabulous organization no justice in my simple explanation but suffice it to say, what she does for thousands of children, is nothing short of a miracle-and did I mention how humble she is?

When the children were done with their lessons, they lined up in order, single file to await the moment they had been waiting for.

One by one their names were called and they walked up and chose a new backpack that would be theirs to keep. After each child carefully selected their new backpack, they brought their hands together similar to the hands of prayer and said “Thank you,” to us.

When all the backpacks were handed out, the kids all held them up and thanked us again.

We were then treated to something even more special than watching the excitement as they transferred their supplies from their old tattered, literally falling apart backpacks to their brand new ones.

We were treated to a mini concert of singing accompanied by some playing ukuleles. First song up, and the tears starting forming- “You are my Sunshine.”

This was followed by “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and then a beautiful Khmer song. All so touching and real.

When it was all said and done, our hearts were melted by these beautiful children who are trying so hard to overcome so much adversity-some stories, which I won’t share, to horrible to comprehend. And here is this beautiful soul, in the form of Ponheary Ly, who never asked for credit, who did not even know that a woman from Baltimore had nominated her to CNN until she watched the video clip in New York at the CNN awards ceremony. Who is so selective in who she accepts money from for fear the donors are more interested in using her organization as a bragging board than being interested in the well-being of the children.

Ponheary is a remarkably courageous, selfless woman, who is always quick to give credit to others including Lori Carson, the foundations president, who started it all by forming the 501c3 in the US, as well as the foundation staff and school’s teachers. It was a truly inspirational afternoon that proves that one person’s determination can change the course of many. You are to be commended, Ponheary!

Please read more about the Ponheary Ly Foundation and some of her accolades at the following websites. If you are going to Siem Reap, please consider volunteering with or donating to this extraordinary organization. And if you don’t have the time or aren’t going but moved by one woman’s mission to help change lives through education, consider giving-she’s even a registered 501c3 in the United States.

http://www.theplf.org/wp2/

and

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/06/18/cnnheroes.ly.cambodia/index.html

and

https://worldofchildren.org/honoree/ponheary-ly/

 

 

January 1, 2019

Could We be so Blessed…Two Days in a Row

Today was supposed to be a take it easy at the spa and the pool day but yesterday when Ponheary dropped us off, she said she was free today and if we would like, she would take us on the tour we had booked for the following day through her guesthouse, Seven Candles. We were flattered that she wanted to spend another day with us, and since we connected with her so well-we jumped at the chance.

Our plan for today was to go to Kampong Khlang fishing village on Tonlè Sap Lake, followed by visiting one of the outer temples-Beng Melea.

The traffic leaving out of Siem Reap was horrendous-Jenny likened it to the Jersey Turnpike over Thanksgiving weekend. The difference being that this road is a two lane road, well it usually is. Today the road got expanded to five lanes, all going one direction, which needless to say caused some serious issues-at one point we were in the same spot for at least fifteen minutes-people were taking photos and video of the traffic jam. Apparently, people were headed back to Phnom Penh after the long weekend and were in a hurry. It really was very amusing watching people create lanes on the sides of the road.

Because we were stuck in so much traffic, the ever flexible and resourceful Ponheary said we should switch plans and do the temple first because we could take backroads to get there. Agreed! The drive was certainly backroads but beautiful.

We reached Beng Melea about an hour and a half later and were a bit bummed to find the parking lot so crowded. The good news was that the temple grounds are fairly large and the majority of the tour groups don’t really stop-they just walk along quickly snapping pictures and keep on moving. That worked to our advantage as Ponheary is like us, she likes to soak in her surroundings.

I mentioned before that she is a perfect guide for us-not feeling the need to be talking incessantly, allowing for time of reflection for her as well as for us to enjoy. Beng Melea, she said, is her favorite temple. It is in the jungle, but not as much as it once was when Ponheary first visited it more ten years ago. Back then, Ponheary came out here and explored the ruins by hand and foot and had to be careful of undetonated land mines.

Today, the temple is completely unrestored with much of its original structure standing in heaps of immense stone. Strangler figs choke the trees and threaten the remaining walls. Similar to Ta Prohm, which we visited yesterday afternoon following the backpack distribution, Beng Melea feels more like an adventure than the other temples. An elevated walkway has been built to help negotiate through the rubble, taking a little of the Indiana Jones feeling away.

Jenny quickly decided that this too was her favorite temple/she loved the shade the jungle canopy provided, the fact that though crowded it still allowed for us to find ourselves alone now and then, and there were corners one could retreat to to find solitude.

Following Beng Melea and a stop for lunch, we made the hour drive to Kampong Khlang fishing village on Tonlè Sap Lake.

Tonlè Sap is the largest freshwater lake in SE Asia, designated a UNESCO bioreserve in 1997, its surface area fluctuates between 2,500 sq km to 16,000 sq km, depending on the season. Because Kampong Khlang is the remotest of the fishing villages located nearest to Siem Real, it is the least visited and still very authentic.

Our drive into the village was like nothing we had ever seen before. The homes are built on stilts some thirty feet above the current water level- which fluctuates between 1 meter and 10 meters-again depending on the season.

The first thing that struck me was the immense amount of plastic pollution-never, ever have I seen anything like it. After this trip to Asia, I have decided that plastic is the invention of the devil, an ecological poison-I can assure you, my consumption of plastic, though already minimal, will be even more so.

This entire village depends on the waters of the lake and the fish that live there. We stopped the car to get out and see how the fish is dried and smoked to prepare it for selling. Unfortunately for us, the spot we stopped was also where they prepare the other fish parts that are used to make fish paste and fish sauce. When the van door slid open, we all about died from the putrid stench, but we held our breaths and emerged to take a look at what drives the economy of this village.

Continuing on down the road, we reached the boat launch where we picked up a boat to take us out onto the water to get a different perspective and to see the magnificent Tonlè Sap. Riding through one of the inlets, looking up at the structures now sitting high above us, one got the feeling for how hard this community works.

We passed the permanent stilted structures and came upon wide open fields, hundreds of acres in size, that were in the process of being planted. In the rainy season, these fields are fifteen feet under water; ten years ago, these fields were dense jungle. Hard to imagine but the dense jungle here floods six months out of the year, to within ten feet or so of its treetops, resulting in an image that is reminiscent of the mangroves of the tropical flats.

We continued on past the floating homes of the fisherman who move further and further out into the lake as the water depth drops. These people live on floating homes, making themselves gardens, raiding chickens, caring for pets, etc. The children attend a floating school-so wild!

By the time we made it to the mouth of the inlet and the lake, the wind had picked up and waves were rolling in. We did not venture far but were able to determine that we could not even see the other side of the lake-it was that big. We did watch as a young boy was braver than us, “sailing” his bucket through the choppy murky waters.

We returned to the dock, after tying the boat up for a bit of a geographical history lesson on the water system from Ponheary.

Back at the hotel, we made our goodbyes to our new friend. Ponheary said she wanted to keep Jenny here; hard to say that we blame her.

And some photos from Ta Prohm Yesterday Afternoon. Ta Prohm was the sight for a scene in Tomb Raider.

January 2, 2019

Now We Are Talking

Today we actually made it a take it easy day. Jenny slept in until after ten and met us downstairs for breakfast. I had scheduled us spa appointments for what I had hoped would be a far more relaxing experience than our previous spa. It’s hard to not take advantage of the very low prices for spa appointments in Asia; we normally wouldn’t pamper ourselves like this!

Following our appointments, which were indeed relaxing and exactly what we were hoping for, we met Billy by the pool for a snack and hang out time.

We had delicious dinners the two previous evenings at Genevieve’s which is run by an ex-pat from Australia. He gives a percentage of all his profits to his employees, trains them in proper hygiene and service in hopes that they will develop the skills to one day start their own business. Tonight, we had dinner at Marum, which also helps train Cambodians and supports local artisans. Our favorite dessert of sticky rice with mango was delicious at both places-but top prizes go to Genevieve’s.

A tuk-tuk ride through Siem Reap is really quite an experience. Our awesome driver Dan #9 told us, “There are no rules here. Well, actually there are, but no one follows them and no one enforces them.” Nice! Right?

The roads are all two way-some with dividers but that doesn’t appear to mean anything. You can have traffic going both ways on each side of the road-but it is almost like controlled chaos-even at the intersections with no lights or stop signs.

People ride with their infants strapped to them, or if there is more than one person on the motorbike, the passenger holds them. The young kids are either sandwiched between or if they are too young to sit behind and hold on to their parent, they ride standing up in front of the parent, holding onto the handlebars. Women passengers ride side saddle, not even holding on to the driver. It is difficult to comprehend it all but it is how they do it. And in the two weeks we drove all around, we never saw an accident, once.

Notice the traffic coming at us-we are on the wrong side of the road

 

See the kids at the end of this video

Intersection Chaos

Riding Side Saddle

We are enjoying Cambodia, though Siem Reap is a bit too large for our taste and way too touristed. It’s funny how the city is overly decorated for Christmas-almost to the point of being gaudy.

The friendliness of the locals is hit or miss-many of our smiles and waves go unreturned. The good news is we have not seen the begging we read of or the scams we heard about. It feels like most of the people are just out, going about their day, paying little attention to us.

Just some scenes from around Siem Reap

 

January 3, 2019

Ta-ta

Our last full day in Asia so we decided to start it off by waking up at 4:30 AM to meet our trusty driver Vy, to take us to Angkor Wat for sunrise. I had read conflicting reports whether it was worth it or not but Billy liked the idea of getting there early before the crowds so we thought why not!

Vy was right on time and off we went through the already bustling streets of Siem Reap. As we turned towards Angkor Wat, we laughed that it was like a tuk-tuk brigade with everyone headed to do the same thing. The only difference was it was couples and families, not huge tour groups of rude people who push in front of you to get their photo before moving on.

Back at Beng Melea the other day, Jenny found a large strangler fig vine off in the corner that she sat on and swung from, relaxing in the shade. She looked so cute, I took a picture and before we knew it, a couple from a large Chinese tour group came over and stood there staring at Jenny. When she didn’t really respond to his stares, he gruffly motioned to her to move so he could pose his wife there on the vine. I kid you not, five minutes later she was still sitting there posing for his camera-so unbelievable!

Since we had not been to Angkor Wat before, we didn’t know exactly where to go, and since it was pitch black dark, we followed along with everybody else and then split off where a few others were going. We found ourselves on the shore of one of the reflecting pools and camped there. As the first rays of light began to show on the horizon, the outline of Angkor came into view. The sunrise itself was a bit lackluster but seeing Angkor Wat for the first time, slowly emerging from the dark, was as exciting for us as it must have been for the children to slowly watch their images appear on the photos we had taken.

From first impressions, Jenny thought it looked smaller than she had imagined-like Mount Rushmore, she said. We walked along the outer galleries which was almost devoid of tourists, allowing for a peaceful experience and enabling us to shoot some photos with the morning sunlight, free of obstacles.

As we got to the far corner of the grounds, I saw something moving on the dirt road that runs to the side of the complex. Trying to figure if it was a dog, I watched as another one moved and then another. Oh my goodness, they were monkeys-macaques really and it was a very large troop of them, including some with tiny babies clinging to their mama’s backs and bellies.

Jenny was beside herself with excitement. She had wanted to see monkeys on this trip but I hadn’t thought we would be anywhere where they were. A few of the sights I had read about that had monkeys, we were not going to and somehow I never read about the macaques here.

We sat and watched them for a while moving about and swinging in the trees, little ones wrestling on the ground.

At one point, some foolish American tourists took out bananas and fed them to them-why do people think that is OK? It was not but a few minutes later that an unsuspecting couple walked along the street with a plastic bag and before they knew what hit them, a macaque had run up and ripped the bag away from them. When the man tried to take the bag back, the macaque flashed his ridiculously sharp set of teeth and growled at the man, who wisely backed down and settled on defeat. We then heard another group of tourists turn to them and say, “Don’t you know not to carry a plastic bag with you?” Apparently the macaques have been conditioned by tourists who buy bananas from the market and carry them there in a plastic bag, that all plastic bags contain food.

After watching the monkeys for 20 minutes or so, we continued to walk a round and eventually entered inside to what had by this time become the maddening scene of tour groups. We quickly made our way through until we reached one of the back areas and pulled a “Ponheary,” perching ourselves on a spot and taking the grandeur of this place in.

It is hard to believe that Angkor Wat and environs were the largest pre-industrial settlement complex in world history. At its height, there was over a million people living there, today Siem Reap is home to just shy of 200,000. The intricacy and detail here left us in a state of wonderment-everywhere we turned we saw something that caught our eye. I can only imagine what it was like for the first set of western eyes to view it.

Jenny asked if we could go back and watch the macaques for a bit longer so we headed over to where we had last saw them. We watched as they groomed one another, and climbed the towers, chased each other and just hung out watching what was going on around them.

About this time, a couple walked up and were also watching them, taking pictures, when one of the macaques leaped from his perch and made a beeline towards the woman. She quickly became nervous when I noticed she was carrying a plastic bag. I warned her it was the bag they were after and so she dropped it as she was backing up. The monkey had it in seconds and again the man tried to take it from him to which he received the same response as the man before.

We watched with great enjoyment as the monkeys ate their bananas-the dexterity of their hands is incredible. The couple laughed about it and said it was worth the loss of the bananas (which they were actually planning on wasting themselves) to watch the monkeys but they were waiting for them to move on so they could get their bottle of water back.

Billy made a crack that wouldn’t it be funny if the monkey opened the bottle and drank it. Well, no sooner had he said that then the monkey did just that. He cracked the lid off in two seconds flat, bent over and drank the water as it flowed from the bottle. He then used the lid to scoop some water up and drink it like he was drinking from a cup-unbelievable!

After watching the macaques for another twenty minutes or so, we made our way out of the complex to find Vy, exactly where he said he would be waiting for us. We made our way to New Leaf Eatery for breakfast-avocado toast specifically. About this time, Billy said he wasn’t feeling very well. We decided to have Vy drive him back to the hotel and Jenny and I would walk around the old market area to do some shopping. We arranged a pick up time with Vy for an hour and a half later.

Back at the hotel, we had some lunch and then all crashed out for a bit-something I rarely do. We had arranged for tuk-tuk driver Dan #9 to pick us up at 4:20 to take us to the Phare Circus but unfortunately after our naps, Billy was feeling even more lousy. He decided to skip our final evening out. Jenny and I were bummed, but understood.

After picking up the tickets at the window, I mentioned to Jenny that I could ask Dan if he would like to take Billy’s ticket and join us. She thought it a great idea and so Jenny, Dan and I watched the circus. But, this is not a circus of animals, this is more like a cirque du soleil performance, but on a much more modest scale.

The show lasted just over an hour and it held our attention the entire time. The acrobats and dancing performed were incredible, if not a bit shocking that there was no safety net. The music was great and with our front row seats, we could literally reach out and touch the performers.

 

 

 

The second half of our final night was dinner at Cuisine Wat Damnak-considered to be one of the finest restaurants in Cambodia. We had discussed cancelling as it is a set menu of tasting courses and I wasn’t too sure Jenny would appreciate it all, but she insisted she wanted to go.

Dan drove us there and waited for us to finish. Our dinner lasted about 2 hours and we ate every bite of every single courses-12 different meals actually as they offer two different set menus and we ordered one of each so we could try everything. There was not one thing that wasn’t delicious, and there were a lot of interesting ingredients! At the end of the evening, the chef, who is French, came out and chatted for a few minutes and wished for Billy to feel better!

Our time here has been beyond memorable-thanks so much in part to Ponheary. We think about these people and all that they have suffered through over the years. Many of the Cambodians that we hired, or worked at the restaurants, etc, thanked us for coming to their country.

It is funny, none of us have been homesick or feeling like we are ready to get home, that’s not to say we have not missed people or won’t be excited to see our dogs again, we just have not been antsy to return.

Our first trip to Asia exceeded any expectations we had, surpassed all our desires, laid to rest our fears, brought sunshine into our lives, blessed us with new friends, and renewed our belief that there is kindness and goodness still left in this world.

As they say in Myanmar, “Ta-ta…Asia…ta-ta!”