The other world

In the beginning I didn't think much of going to Myanmar. It is perhaps because of this that I shall never be able to forget it. I am not the one for dramatics but Myanmar truly is a whole different world. We got in from Thailand, Bangkok to be precise and the stark difference betwen the two countries hits you the minute you set foot on Myanmar. Bangkok with its garish wealth, flashy cars and liberated views..then sweet, sweet Myanmar, a world of its own tucked away in a mesh of time. Even though I write this blog a few months after returning from Mynamar I distinctly remember every minute that I spent there.
The first thing that hit me was the airport, deathly quiet, it was almot eerie when I got there. We got there at noon and a person from the hotel where we had booked a room was there to receive us. Our 'man' like everybody else, was dressed in a blue and black striped lungi and was carrying a blue canvas bag over his shoulder. Everybody around us although shy, seemed ready with a smile. We got into a white contessa- kind of car, which in Myanmar seemed to be a luxury car. I tried picking up a conversation with our driver but language barriers limited our interaction to just exchanging nods and smiles. We were staying at the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel which overlooked the beautiful Shwedagon pagoda and the lake. since ATMs are scarce in Myanmar, we had made our reservations much in advance wiring the money across. The capital Yangon seemed to me like India in the early 80s untouched by commercialisation, old Cibacca-like hoardings, clean and pollution-free which for a capital seemed almost impossible. Although the atmosphere was so quiet and peaceful one could sense the poignant tension which by now has turned into civil issues. But I am not going to venture into much - partly because I do not want to spoil my romantic picture of the beautiful country and partly because I want to avoid a foreigner's perspective on a much deep-rooted problem.
The places 'Lonely Planet' suggests you to vist in Myanmar are: Yangon, Inle lake, Mandalay and Bagan. Since most of our trip was already planned out and we did have a few days, we decided to venture out and do some exploring on our own. Speaking to the locals, we got to know of a small beach close by called Nwesaung beach. It was 5-6 hours from Yangon by road so we hired a car and took off. We stayed in this resort that was called 'Sunny beach resort'. WOrds would never do justice to this quaint, little place so I am not even going to bother trying to encapsulate it. It would suffice if I were to tell that if ther eis one place I think of that would bring me (or anyone for that matter) peace when I close my eyes, it has to be Nwe Saung beach. The resort was made all of wood and had the old-world charm about it. After doing nothing but basking in the warm Myanmar sun and lazing around the pool, we ventured into the Nwesaung village. The village was a modest one, the people in the village seemed honest and inquisitive about us we were the only foreigners. What caught my attention the most was the house that were on stilts and seemed so basic yet warm. As we were walking, an old man called out to me. I had no idea what he was saying but I figured he wanted to us to join him. We went along and sat on his door step. His house seemed smaller than the others. A small, battered hand rickshaw was parked in the yard. The house was just a corridor with two doors, one at the front and the other that opened to the beach at the back. His wife sat behind him grounding beetle nuts. It was an interesting interaction because we never really talked just poinetd to things, noodded and smiled a lot. The man showed us a picture of himself in younger days with his arms around a white man. Then he pointed to a purple blanket of Thai Airlines and motioned it had been a gift from the man in the picture. The reason why I mention this is because even though we didn't understand we each other, we sat there like we were visiting friends and talking when we didn't speak the same language and yet it seemed so normal. That is what Myanmar makes you do - forget superficaility, it urges you to get in touch with just your true self.
Our next halt was Bagan. Getting off the plane, we had to pay $20 each at the airport as entry to a historical site. Neat and convinient. Atleast I do not have to whisk out my purse every single time at each and every monument. Our driver was waiting for us again and we sat in the car and drove off. I rememebr the exact sentiments as soon as we left the airport and I set my eyes on the first pagoda. WOW! The driver who spoke a little english smiled at my awe and said to me "Madam, you haven't even seen anything yet". That was probably the understaement of the century because the whole town is filled with over 450 pagodas in all shapes, colours and sizes. Bagan is located on the Ayeyarwady river and was once the capital to several ancient Burmese kingdoms. What exactly is a pagoda and why did people build so many of them? My understanding was it is a buddhist temple which it is but my true understanding of its significance was revealed when I picked up the book "Bumese days" by George Orwell. Apparently people build pagodas to redeem themselves of their sins and to attain salvation. Once again I marvelled at the fear and man's obsession with life after death. Think about it that is the universal truth no matter where you go - The pyramids of Egypt, the tombs of Delhi, the pagodas of Burma.. man is constantly worried about his next life in everypart of the world and in every century. The pagodas were little temple-like structures mostly made from mud and bricks. Some them even had fresco ppaintings in them that dated back to 10th century I was told. We stayed at the Riveside resort which again had an old world charm about it with dark wooden floors and the smell of an ancient world. The popular mode of transportation and one that is highly recommended is the horse carriage ride. When we stepped out of our hotel a burmese man approcahed us and introduced himself as "Mr.Tim" not just Tim but "Mr.Tim" he said he would take us around the ruins for the equivalent of Rs.400 for the whole day! If you think it is expensive, compare it to the autorickshaw rides in Bangalore. I took an instant liking to Mr.Tim, there was this sense of dignity and honesty about him. This is true for the people in Myanmar even. This was the only country which Lonely planet described as "Forget you wallet and chances are you will have localites coming up and reminding you of it". The place is a heaven for single-women travellers as well. Even though I wasn't alone, the few times that I did venture out by myself I found people almost sheilding me from no apparent danger. What stands out from my trip to Bagan though is having dinner near the ruins of a pagoda, under the starry night. You see the place leaves no chance but to turn into a hopeless romantic. This is my feeble attempt to make this blog entry an informative one: If you are interested in shopping one must try out the laquer work and the sand paintings. Perhaps the only disappointment was food that seemed mostly fried but that could just be my lack of adaptability.
All said and done Myanmar is truly a place one should visit in their lifetime. It is of little wonder that Kipling was enamored by the beauty of Mandalay. Go there and you will experience it for yourself.