Memories of Myanmar

Many worlds coexist in Burma today but the stark disparity between rich and poor is less evident in Burma than other Southeast Asian countries. Most people have very little. This young man was taking great care of his ox – a valuable commodity in a country where animals are still a major form of transportation…

Every male is expected to be a monk at some time in his life. However, unlike disciples of other religions where monastic life is a lifetime commitment, most Buddhists only wear robes for a month or so in order to complete their obligation…

Girls are not required to be nuns, but some choose the life…

Although western style stores are creeping into the larger cities, most shopping is still done at the market where many thousands of women scratch a living…

Immediately noticeable to western eyes are the multitudes of children, working in Dickensian conditions or simply accompanying their working parents. This little girl was wandering about a temple complex while her father collected offerings…

While this little boy, (maybe 5 or 6 years old), was competently maneuvering a twenty foot canoe all by himself…

The fishermen of Inle Lake were a particularly colourful lot…

And this delightful old man was our rower and guide when we visited the world’s longest wooden bridge in Mandalay…

But old age is relative in third world countries, where life expectancy is often less than sixty, so we were frequently amazed to discover that we were considerably older than the “oldie” who was riding us around in his rickshaw or rowing us in his boat. We have no idea how old this guy was, but these pretty young girls at school in Mandalay represent the future of this beautiful, enigmatic, country…

We loved Burma – it is a fascinating place – but we especially loved the wonderfully kind people who made us feel so welcome.