i can’t even express how hot I was
This country has been my hold-up. This anti-climactic blog post is what has delayed my writing.
I was impressed. Moved. Anything I typed to convey how touched I was (am) by Myanmar’s outpouring of generosity and humble infrastructure seemed overemphasized, making a divine simplification of a profound experience.
I’m sharing my pictures, starting with Mandalay on a Tuesday:
Umbrella. Ella. Ella. Eh?
Riding in style. BYOLawnChair
The monks:
Giving food and money to monks will bring you health, prayers, luck, and a happy afterlife. These ones are lining up for donated lunch.
at school: Every boy in Myanmar has to be a monk before the age of 18. The commitment can be as short as several days.
The nuns!
these clothes did not go through the wash with a red sock
On Wednesdays we wear pink.
making clothes. Apparently real nuns do that too, not just Julie Andrews
Little Bagan:
I spent 70 hours on the train in my first 10 days. Here are some views:
creepin’ on the nuns
creepin’ in general
Close the windows! The water festival. So fun! So joyous! Not ideal when you’re on the train.
painful wooden seats
attempting to find comfort
de-training for a respite. The trains were often 5 hours late. Why? Unclear. Maybe a military officer asked for the delay so he could board?
An upper class train. Duya wanna take a nap?
buying corn out the window
In the end, I credit my 150 Myanmar words (more than any other country) to time on the train. My least favourite being “I am sick.”
the medicine I licked off my filty, germy, nasty hands. It may have made me feel worse but it did endear this very loyal and kind man towards me.
The loo: No running water and that’s the ground through that hole. I spent about 17 hours back and forth, getting to know this tiny space.
Asia sick. The door wouldn’t latch and’d periodically fall open. humiliating.
what I tenderly referred to as my ‘window’
We arrived in the middle of the night, dark, in the rain, with a power outage. Typical. That kind man from the train helped me find a guest house to sleep in and a soaking wet bicycle ride to take me there. I collapsed and woke up 40 hours later feeling much, much better. If you happen to learn English and stumble upon this, good sir, I am still sending gratitude your way!
The food:
pretty sure they just reuse that plate of raw vegetables in the middle
Some parts were better than others.
Gravy in the middle.
you don’t even have to choose, they serve everything
those white flowers stood around with their petals and smells hanging lasciviously awaiting use for prayers, protection and for me, perfume
twee ya dah – one tha bah day. It means no worries for the rest of your days
With lighters hanging from the rafters, you’ll never need to ask yourself “Is this a smoking bar?”
drinking water on the road side
Indawgyi Lake was a highlight — I spent a week. But Inle Lake is where these photos are from. I had a 10 hour boat trip with the locals, reinforcing my Myanmar, traveling from the southern tip (Loikaw Likeoh aye eh) to the northern tip, and ending with a trek in Kalaw.
she’s wearing sunscreen. We all did.
Bridge. (You get it.)
The Boat House
I wasn’t going to go to Bagan, but I met a very charming set of Swedes. Bagan. Bagoff.
Swede dreams are made of these.
Casual pose with an elegant one shoulder top. 
Beautiful Myanmar:
playing games that i don’t understand
the wa(r)sh
Naypyitaw, the capital. A lucky albino elephant.
Las Vegas Buddah
sleepy puppy
a delightful life makes time travel unnecessary
In an unrelated note, see the modern-day, cinematic masterpiece Cinderella! My bootleg copy is in Spanish o tu puedes emprestarla.
Snake pagoda:
one of the three revered pythons. They bathe and feed them eggs everyday. Namaste.
super illegal, taking selfies with buddah
I recommend you go. In what I’m going to loosely call paraphrasing, Alise, make it Your ‘n Mar.
A whole life, just like that one
‘mi
Adventuresam 
Photos worthy of National Geographic. How beautiful and spiritual! Love you…
Aw, yay!! love you too!
Can’t believe mom beat me to the punch. I, too, loved the photos. Great blog episode.
I love taking that little trip with you Thanks !
Thanks you two!!
dont know why it took so long for me to see these – great pics!!! I almost feel like I don’t have to travel 40 hours by train and use that wonderful toilet!
yeah! Skip that part!! Stick with planes!