Things to See in the Sea

While Ko Chang is quite a large island, there was so much to see during our snorkel trip. Small tropical islands, squid under the sea, tons of colorful fish, monkey's on islands, turquoise waters that soothed the soul and maybe even a mermaid.

Modern Day Monks

  It had been thirteen years since I had touched the soil in Southeast Asia and alot had changed in that time. The world had become much more connected via the internet, cell phone and social media. I had expected that and was looking forward to wifi to stay connected to family and friends as well as to do research for our adventures. Internet cafes were common in Thailand and worked fine back in 2005 but having instant access in hotel rooms made things much smoother. Especially in Myanmar, which did not have any internet services at all back then. What took me by surprise however, was the number of monks and nuns we saw on cell phones. I wondered how they managed to live a more remote life while staying connected to the world at large.

Here are a few photos of some of those monks and nuns navigating both worlds.

Furry Friends of Myanmar & Thailand

During our travels in both Thailand and Myanmar, we came upon many cats, kitties, dogs and puppies. Some seemed to have owners who took good care of them, while others were fated to fend for themselves. 

Havana, who we call the cat whisper, got up close and personal with quite a few of the sweet four legged souls we encountered. One in particular, a darling black kitten we named Burma, hung out with us for the four days we were in the Inle Lake region. Had it been feasible, the little guy may have made his way back with us. Because it was not feasible, the girls learned a valuable lesson. Not all animals are cared for in the same way and no matter how generous their hearts, they could not care for them all. No matter, the even exchange of love was still present with all the furry ones we met. 

                                                                     

Burma

24 hours in Yangon

Shwedagon Pagoda. The holiest site in the country, we made a stop on our way back to the airport, the morning of our departure. We had about twenty-four hours in the city. Not much time to do anything but eat, sleep and visit the holy site.

By far the most posh hotel we'd stayed in, the girls loved all the bells and whistles of the Chatrium. They were also giddy by the fact that Obama and Clinton stayed at the hotel when traveling to the country. We had to go through a car security check and then a luggage check before we were allowed access to the hotel. That was a first for us all.

Shwedagon Pagoda at night. We knew we had only the night and morning in Yangon. Seeing the pagoda was a priority. I had wanted to see it at night but it was late, hot and the girls were hungry. Not a good combination for getting in a car and going to a holy site. But the Creator has all things transpiring in divine order. The hotel put us in a room overlooking the spectacular, golden pagoda. This poor photo does not do it any real justice.

A dip in a fancy pool, after a long, hot taxi ride cooled down cranky moods real fast!

Shwedagon Pagoda, the holiest site in Myanmar. This was the morning view from our hotel room. It was quite hazy but the view was still breathtaking. The photo could not capture that.

Inya Lake. Viewed from our hotel room. This is where aung san suu kyi was held under house arrest as a political prisoner for many years.

Part of the roof heading up to the Shwedagon pagoda

The pagoda was under construction. We were crunched for time and did not have any more local currency, so after climbing the many (many) stairs, we were able to get a nice glimpse but did not go in. We were okay with that as we were grateful to get up close as we did. 

The view of the holy site from nearby.

It was a long, hot climb to see the pagoda. We didn't stay but a few minutes but I felt satisfied in our brief pilgrimage. I felt it was important to pay homage before we left Myanmar.

Inle Lake

Inle Lake, in Southern Shan State, proved to be something that our family had never seen before. A freshwater lake (the second largest in the country), Inle Lake is home to close to 70,000 people, many who lived on the lake. Literally. In places like Miami or Hawaii, we'd seen homes near the water but not entire villages on top the water. To see these simple, devout peoples, who exist primarily on fishing and their floating gardens (and tourism too), was something that would change the way we move forward. 

All four of us were taken back (in a good way) by the simple way of life we observed. We witnessed traditional weaving done by local women and were in awe of the men out in the early morning fog, rowing with their feet, catching the daily meal. We were curious about the Kayan long neck women and the boy monks who were buying candy at the market. We thought about the ease and convenience of our modern world in California compared to the labor intensive, daily lives of those we encountered. Our way may be 'easier' but their way of life felt like it held more substance and that was something that took root in use. Roots that remain with us and may for a very long time to come.

Buddhist Scenes from Southern Shan State

You can not travel in Myanmar without realizing that Buddhism is seeped in every aspect of daily life. Here are some glimpses in Southern Shan State

What looked like an important monk on Inle Lake.

Two monks discussing life!

There is always a door to go within our out.

There were some very old  statues in the monastery. I suspect some were over one hundred years old.