Category: Myanmar (Burma)
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Halloween, Burmese Style
Happy Halloween! I’ve gotten a few comments recently on my Halloween 2005 which reminded me of the reader requests for costume updates. This year I decided to once again utilize some of my travel souvenirs for my Halloween costume. One of the things that I most enjoy when traveling is observing the local costume, so…
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Rediscovered Videos From Myanmar
While looking for some files the other day I stumbled upon fifteen videos from Myanmar (Burma) that I neglected to upload to Vimeo with the last batch. Visit my Vimeo page directly and look a the “newest” videos to see them all. Sweeping the Shwedagon from Megan Kearney on Vimeo.
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Phase I Videos Online
Now that everyone has had time to look at my Phase II videos I’ve added Phase I. The majority of these videos are from Myanmar, although I do have a fondness for the one video I took in Thailand. Possibly my favorite video from both of my trips is this mob scene when I was…
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Myanmar: The Golden Rock
Another entry from Myanmar is up. Read about my adventure getting to the golden rock at Kyaiktiyo here.
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Yangon #3
The third Yangon post is up… check it out here. The next post will be about The Golden Rock!
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Shwedagon
A second Myanmar post is up! This one is about my time at The Shwedagon Paya, Myanmar’s most important Buddhist temple. Check it out here.
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New Myanmar Post
My first post about Yangon is up! Because I post-dated the entry it won’t show up on the first page here. To find it you can search, look by date (February), by country or just follow this link. This post has a few little videos. Enjoy!
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Myanmar Creates New Capital
The government of Myanmar (Burma) moved the capital of the country from Yangon (Rangoon) to Pyinmana, 200 miles North. Some speculate that the move was suggested by an astrologer (this is not uncommon in Myanmar) and others say the move was to make the country less vulnerable to possible attack by sea from U.S. forces.…
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One Big Golden Rock
I had to see it. The gold leaf-covered rock balancing on a mountaintop Southeast of Yangon attracts pilgrims and tourists alike. It would be much more popular with tourists if it wasn’t so painful to get to. Even the most luxurious traveler with a private car will only get as far as the mountain’s base…
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Embassy Traffic, Military Hands Out & One Good Ice Cream Cone
The main attraction in Yangon is the Shwedagon Paya, but my favorite thing to do in any city is walk around, get lost and watch everyday people doing everyday things. The day after The Shwedagon I decided to head out to another paya described in the Lonely Planet guidebook as having a “mirrored maze”–sounded right…
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The Infamous Shwedagon
Day two in Myanmar and I was finally being stared at again! Even though I complained every day in China when the locals stared at me, I missed it when I left. There are so many tourists in Thailand that I wasn’t looked twice at. The most attention I could hope to get was from…
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Yangon: Day 1
The area I was staying in Bangkok was a backpacker’s haven. The streets were littered with internet cafes, CD sellers, tailors and restaurants serving “American Breakfast.” Because of this, I was able to book a spot on a bus to the airport for a lot cheaper than a taxi. After checking out of my hotel…
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Back To Burma
I’ve been very busy here in Bangkok, I hope everyone’s keeping warm in the Northern hemisphere. Tomorrow morning I leave for Myanmar again, this time via Rangoon. The internet situation there sounds a bit iffy so sit tight!
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Red Tape, Road Blocks and a Handful of Christians
Ideally I would have taken the 6 am bus from Chiang Rai to the border town of Mae Sai to enter Myanmar. Instead, I got on the bus around 8 am and didn’t arrive at the border until midday. Both sides were teaming with stalls selling everything from souvenirs to spices.
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My Long Weekend in Myanmar
I was sitting very comfortably in Chiang Mai, Thailand eating ice cream and pizza when I looked at a map. I suddenly realized that Myanmar was only 1.5 hours away! The next day I was on standing in immigration wondering if it might be possible to get a 5-day visa. After four offices, three photos…