In Mrauk U, the tiny agrarian town in Western Burma, villages and temples and ancient ruins intermingle amidst the encroaching jungle. Animal and pedal-power continues to propel trade and commerce despite the steady introduction of cars and motorized vehicles. … Continued
A while back I posted photos from the Burmese city George Orwell – the famous and infamous author – grew up in. About 300km from Yangon, Mawlamyine is Burma’s 3rd largest city and a lazy town with a meandering boardwalk reminiscent of … Continued
In Southern Burma, a gilded rock hangs precariously on the edge of a mountaintop, suspended by a single hair of the Buddha. The sun shimmers on its glowing face while pilgrims meditate and paste gold leaf at its foot. According … Continued
George Orwell gets a bad wrap in Myanmar. His book: Burmese Days is banned by the government due to its unapologetically candid descriptions of the Burmese bureaucracy under British rule (can you say sloth?). Before Myanmar’s political thaw began, possession of the book … Continued
Days start early in Myanmar and on this one I was heading south, to the fabled Golden Rock, a gilded boulder perched precariously on the edge of a mountain top. Shortly after starting, the driver pulled over the bus to … Continued
Burmese history is a rocky affair. From political instability to the earthquakes that shake the country’s foundation, many of its temples have been rebuilt over the tremulous years. Bago, a city a few hour drive or train ride south from … Continued
There wasn’t much to do in Thaunggok besides wander around and by 9pm everything was shut down and the streets hauntingly dark. On my first day there I rented a motorbike but ended up returning it after about 5 minutes … Continued
Many areas of western Myanmar are off-limits to tourists/foreigners due to pockets of insurgency as well as the government’s inability to establish regional authority. It is possible to secure government permits to explore these areas but the onerous and time-consuming, … Continued
Yangon, which means “End of Strife,” was founded in the early 11th century. Nearly 4.5 million people call this sprawling city home that was the country’s capital until 2005, when the military government decamped 200 miles north to the newly … Continued
Walking the streets of Yangon, the past clashes with the present and you feel like everything’s evolving around you. Many travelers who’d visited only 6 months before couldn’t believe the changes that took place in prices, number of tourists, etc. … Continued