What happened was the forward thinking military rulers
decided to eviscerate all foreign languages from the already sparse education
system, wanting no outside influence whatsoever. Today, both the people and the
tourist pay the price.
My new friend has been working at the wine company for 15
years, and describes his product as “passable.” His salary, in excess of
$1,000 a month, makes him a well above average earner in this impoverished
nation. He tells me that people are hoping the new government continues to
enact positive change that will create better opportunities for them, and everyone
is very excited the U.S. recently lifted economic sanctions. “Pepsi, Coca-Cola,
McDonald’s, Phillip Morris will offer people opportunities and jobs,” he tells
me, “they will help us.”
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bicycle rickshaw in Mandalay |
Of course, McDonald’s will come in here and likely change
what was largely sustainable agriculture into a factory farm system described
in “Fast Food Nation” (an excellent read by the way,) Phillip Morris will sell
poison and add further strain on the world’s worst health care system, and
Pepsi and Coke will be selling their acid to a people whose teeth could not get
any more rotten without outside help. Way to lend a helping hand corporate
America.
Thirty minutes later we’re inside Mandalay, a typical South East Asian city with the ubiquitous motor bikes running to and fro. What
cars do exist, leave thick plumes of black smoke in their wake, the free-for-all
that is commuting here punctuated by traffic lights being almost non-existent.
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light traffic close to the train station |
Mandalay sits in the dry belt of Myanmar, but now is the rainy
season, and the droplets cascading down from the heavens are a welcome relief
from the oppressive heat and humidity which sits on you like a heavy, sweaty
blanket much of the day.
Having traveled fairly extensively around SE Asia, and
other tropical regions of the world, I completely understand why technology,
and civilization as we know it now, developed in the more temperate climates. Firstly,
they had to prepare and plan for winter, store food, develop ways of doing so.
In the tropics, you merely need reach over head to pick a mango or a coconut. Most
of your basic needs are easily met.
Necessity being the mother of invention is literal, the
aforementioned heat and humidity makes an individual want to do exactly nothing. It takes great
determination to keep moving around in the sweaty, dusty, super-heated atmosphere
of Myanmar.
this video contains some clips and scenes you'll find in Mandalay
Most buildings here are old and worn down though some of the
hotels catering to tourists have new facades on them. I’m somewhat of a novelty
here, several times girls ask if they can take their picture with me. Unlike
Thailand, they aren’t trying to sell their bodies, but prostitution, like
everywhere, also exists.
There are almost as many mosquitoes here as motor bikes, some
as big as birds. Encountering a large one triggers your fight or flight
instinct, 50/50 to attack or run away. I’m a largely easy going, peaceful
person (except when I play basketball) but I take some perverse pleasure with
each mosquito I swat- I feel like I’m doing the world a service. I guess it’s a
two way street though. My legs are itchy, red, and raw from being bit. No soldier
emerges from war unscathed.
And speaking of two way streets, most of the side streets
are one way, but that doesn’t prevent some crazy motorbike riders from heading
in the opposite direction, nearly crashing into me on my rented bicycle, we’re
talking inches here. He smiles, and peels
away, leaving me, adrenaline pumping, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.
When you’re in this alternate reality, you have to learn to accept where you
are, and not try fight against it, otherwise you won’t enjoy a moment of your
travels. God is it fucking hot. I laugh
and continue on my way.
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tanaka logs for sale- ground up, and used for beauty purposes |
Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteThe picture "fire wood for sale" is not firewood.
These are Tanaka logs that are eventually cut into small sections, bark ground up on a grinding stone and used as organic sunscreen that the Burmese women apply on their cheeks :)
Thank you Bijoy, I have updated the caption on the photo to reflect your information! Cheers man
DeleteGreat writing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carrie, that means a lot!
DeleteSound.......um, interesting? Not especially comfortable
ReplyDeleteYeah, you're right Joanna, not especially comfortable there, but interesting, oh for sure!
Delete