In my last post, I spoke about my upcoming trip to Southeast Asia and promised to share the experience with whatever followers I had. Good intentions do not always guarantee good results. In this case, the best intentions were high jacked by equipment failure. My trusty iPad, which had been the only vehicle for blogging I had, began acting erratically on the evening of my first day in Yangon. As I was beginning my first post, the devise suddenly shut off and, after a short rest (?) began to reboot. I was relieved to be back in control, until two minutes later when the same thing happened. Even more distressing was the realization that with each shut-down and re-boot, all previous work disappeared, hence, blogging became impossible, and for the duration of the trip, only the briefest and most quickly composed or read emails were possible. I am truly sorry that none of this adventure got recorded, because it was a trip full of beauty, meaningful cultural engagement and personal fulfillment.
The iPad debacle was not the only mechanical failure I experienced. On the third day in Began, my trusty Cannon camera which I have used on all previous trips, suddenly refused to turn on. The tour wrangler and I spent a very informative afternoon searching the streets of Bagan for a replacement, and ultimately found one with the aid of a knowledgeable taxi driver. Three days later, my old camera suddenly began working again! So, I now have a backup to take on future adventures.
The fifth day, in Mandalay, I got locked in the bathroom while doing morning clean-up. Since I was traveling as a single, I hadn't bothered to close the door of the bathroom before, and had not noticed that the lock was on the outside of the door, set to lock. (Who installs a lock on the outside of a bathroom door?) I had to break open a sealed window and shout to the street for rescue. Eventually, of course, the hotel staff came to the rescue, and the worst that happened was that I was a little late for breakfast.
That is the end of the mishaps! The rest of the trip was without incident of note. There were a number of surprises, though. I was sincerely moved by the depth and breadth of Buddhist influences. The Myanmar experience proved the most revealing, in that visits in the innumerable temples, shrines and stupes do make up what is visible of the cultural history of a people long established in the region. Evidence of the English colonial period are everywhere in the major cities, and Queen Victoria's presence is still palpable. In the countryside, life regulated by the seasons of dry and monsoon are clearly discernible, and I'm sure that, except for the ubiquitous satellite dishes and cell phones, life has not changed a great deal for centuries. I still find it jarring when I think of how many Buddhist monks I saw walking down the street, chatting away on smart phones, and/texting (?).
The high point of the Burma leg was the balloon ride over the temple complex in Bagan. At one time there were over 10,000 active temples and shrines in the historic district and the ruins of many of them are still quite visible, today. Several hundreds are still active and thriving, today, and many, which have been damaged by neglect or natural disasters, most notably earthquakes, are being lovingly and carefully restored, many with substantial international assistance. Once again, I was awed by the extent and penetration of the influence of Buddhism on the region and the people.
A river trip down the Mekong provided a couple of days of lighter travel demands. We were there in the dry season, so the mighty Mekong was at a low ebb. Only smaller boats can navigate the river in the dry season, and we were nicely accommodated in a shallow draft passenger boat during the day, and lavishly accommodated in excellent hotels and hostels at night. There were several stops, each day to visit "local" villages peopled by various ethnic groups, but in actuality, these were barely disguised tourist stops, as every village had its wares on full display as we arrived. Differences in house construction and cultural dress were noted. But, it was the desire for the tourist dollar that motivated the warm welcomes we received. One unexpected complication for me was that when the Mekong is low, the banks are very high and steep, meaning that each stop at a village or hotel, meant an arduous climb for an old guy who doesn't really do too well at climbing steep inclines. I'm better on steps, but none appeared! It was always dirt and sand, with an occasional bamboo handrail.
We stopped in the Golden Triangle, where three major rivers converge and which was at the heart of the Opium trade. Today, there is an excellent museum in Thailand commemorating the opium industry and its troublesome history. Due to intensive government efforts, most farmers have been directed to other cash crops, and the opium trade in this region is now mostly a matter of history. We stayed overnight in a wonderful "tropical" hotel in Chang Rai, and we took a fascinating tour of a local market and had enough down time to relax and get a massage before the rest of the tour began in earnest.
Another border crossing and a bus trip took us to Luang Prabang, the old capitol city of Laos. I admit to never having heard of this beautiful city and its beautiful people before, but I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to have my world expanded. In addition to a great night market and excellent restaurants and hotels, Luang Prabang provides a contrast to the heavy handed British presence in Burma. The French colonial hand was much lighter and far more charming. Lovely well laid-out streets and modest buildings create a feeling of peace and security. While there we were treated to a traditional storyteller, traditional dancing, a tour of a weaving cooperative where traditional Lao and upland fabrics are produced in time-honored fashion, and several trips to the night market which offered many opportunities to purchase these beautiful textiles. One jarring note was the frequent reminders of the American bombing that took place in Laos, a non-combatant in the Vietnam war, and the immense task of locating and removing unexploded ordinance and shrapnel from large areas of the country which have been rendered unusable and unsafe. This is an enormous task, and the United States who is exclusively responsible has been slow to respond to the call for help.
The last stop on the tour was Cambodia. It promised to be the high point of the trip, and it certainly lived up to expectations. Engaging with the ancient Khmer Empire proved to be fascinating and eye-opening. The cities were pictures of modern prosperity in South East Asia, but the countryside demonstrated ecological indifference, with trash and refuse of all types stacking up everywhere. The tours of Angkor Wat, and Angkor Thom as well as the other sites, some restored and some not, will resonate with me for years to come.
The trip home was uneventful but miserable as all long distance plane travel has come to be. It took several weeks before I was fully back in Central Standard Time, but I remain determined to see more of this culturally rich part of the world as health and finances allow. On the future list: Tibet, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand. India will have to wait for another lifetime.
No comments:
Post a Comment