Pink Plankton

Myanmar only opened its doors to tourism in the past 5-10 years. Prior to this, the country was essentially shut off from the rest of the world, under military rule.  Many come to Myanmar expecting an untouched version of Thailand, or any other country in South East Asia. However, Myanmar is nothing like any of them.  Geographically, it lies in between China and India.  Influences from these two cultures are most apparent, however it is uniquely different at the same time.

Myanmar was an absolute pleasure to travel.  The Burmese are very friendly, hospitable, and curious people.  It was a very refreshing experience to be in a country so different than the rest of South East Asia.  And never have I ever seen so many Buddhas and pagodas in my life!  Here are some of my favorite shots:

Bagan

view of temples in Bagan, Myanmar

Bagan is an ancient city that once had over 10 000 temples and pagodas. Today about 2000 remain.

hot air balloons over Bagan, Myanmar

Every morning hot air balloons carry tourists over the city for a unique view of the ruins.

view of temples in Bagan, Myanmar

The entire city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

sunrise over temples in Bagan, Myanmar

Each pagoda houses one or more Buddha images.

Buddha in temple in Bagan

Walking into each temple not knowing what you might find is the best part about exploring Bagan.

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Some of the ruins are locked, but if you are lucky the key master will be nearby to let you in.

Burmese lady praying in temple in Bagan

A Burmese lady praying in one of the temples.

monks standing outside ruins in Bagan

Two child monks hanging out in the ruins.

gold temple in Bagan

Shwezigon Pagoda, a beautiful golden pagoda.

ruins temple in Bagan lit by candle light

Monks sometimes offer candles and incense in the ruins at night.

Mandalay

Burmese monk

A friendly monk at one of the temples.  We exchanged photos of each other.

‪Mahamuni Buddha Temple‬ in Mandalay, Myanmar

Umin Thounzeh temple‬ houses 45 Buddhas.

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The outside of Umin Thounzeh temple.

Buddhist monks lined up in Myanmar

A tour we did brought us to Mahagandayon Monastery, where tourists come to watch hundreds of monks line up for lunch.  I thought this was rather rude to the monks, although I did snap this one shot.

Burmese girl with thanaka

The Burmese commonly use thanaka as a skin care product.

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A fisherman in the lake at sunset.

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Our boat driver.

way to Nirvana sign in temple in Myanmar

The way to Nirvana, or enlightenment.

Inle Lake

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The beautiful floating villages of Inle Lake.

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fisherman in Inle Lake

The fisherman have a very unique style of paddling, using their foot and their ore.

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Burmese ladies rolling tobacco.

weaver in Inle Lake, Myanmar

A weaving shop.

lotus flower weaving in Myanmar

The thread they use comes from the sap of the lotus flower stem!

long neck lady weaving in Inle Lake, Myanmar

Long neck tribe woman weaving.

old Burmese Buddhist scripts

Tourists shops sold these very old Buddhist scripts. I felt like they should have been in a museum instead.

fisherman posing at sunset on Inle Lake

Fisherman pose at sunset for a few extra kyat from tourists.

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Yangon

street vendor in Yangon, Myanmar

Yangon, Myanmar's capital, is a bustling city full of markets and street vendors.

street food in Yangon, Myanmar

This meat dipping barbecue-type street vendor seemed to be a very popular choice amongst the locals.

jelly street vendor in Myanmar

A lady sells a variety of colorful beverages.

jelly drink in Asia

Another interesting jelly beverage being sold on the street.

street vendor in Yangon, Myanmar

A lady happily shows off her fresh fish.

dead chickens in market

Raw meat out in the open is a standard sight in any South East Asian market.

durian shop in Asia

A vendor putting his many durian out on display.

betel nut in Myanmar

Many locals chew paan for its stimulant properties.

coconut carving souvineers

Very cute coconut carving souvenirs.

bird seller in Yangon, Myanmar

A bird selling lady taking an afternoon snooze.

view of Myanmar from plane

Bye Myanmar!