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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • THE FAMILY ALBUM
  • ONCE UPON A TIME IN ROMANIA
    • ▸Bucharest, 1989: The days of Revolution
    • ▸I’ve also lived under communism
    • ▸Portraits of transition
    • ▸”Cabernet cu pepsi”
    • ▸Romania, 1990: Beyond the headlines
    • ▸“Mineriada” – My story
    • ▸Memorial of pain
  • WORK IN PROGRESS
    • ▸Barbershop
    • ▸Melancholic Identities
    • ▸Faces
    • ▸Fragmentary world
    • ▸Two
    • ▸Buddhist monks
    • ▸About windows and walls
    • ▸Mediterraneo
  • STORIES
    • ▸Alone, together
    • ▸Life and death in Varanasi
    • ▸Trans-Siberian – An experience of becoming
    • ▸Boxing in Havana
    • ▸Moving out of Escobar shadow
    • ▸One night at Htee Thein monastery
    • ▸Easter in Sicily – I misteri
    • ▸Easter in Sicily – La pasquetta
    • ▸Stalin’s Museum in Gori
    • ▸Havana: Between magic and decay
    • ▸Muay Thai for a day
    • ▸Cuban billboards
    • ▸Seeking a geisha
    • ▸Belfast’s murals: Behind and beyond
    • ▸Riding the Yangon’s ring train
    • ▸Bazar-Barakholka-Vernisazh
    • ▸An unexpected trip to Dhobi Ghat
    • ▸A different way to look at death
    • ▸Cannes under siege
    • ▸Inside the Guru’s kitchen
    • ▸Tibetan refugees
    • ▸The Golden Triangle: A Mecca of tribal diversity
    • ▸Bullfighting: Barbaric or art ?
    • ▸Crafts and traditions in Morroco
    • ▸Glastonbury with God
  • TRAVEL
    • Cuba
      • ▸The show must go on (part 1)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 2)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 3)
      • ▸The show must go on (part 4)
    • France
      • ▸Paris
      • ▸Paris. Again
    • Greece
      • ▸Mount Athos
      • ▸Postcards from Santorini
      • ▸Athens
      • ▸Mykonos – The picture-perfect Island
    • Germany
      • ▸Berlin
    • Vietnam
      • ▸Four days in Hanoi
      • ▸Cruising through the misty Halong Bay
    • India
      • ▸Portraits of Kashmir
      • ▸Rishikesh – Spiritual marketplace
      • ▸Life on the Sidewalk
    • Ireland
      • ▸The capital of pubs
      • ▸Ireland in ten days
    • Israel
      • ▸Israel in black & white
    • Colombia
      • ▸Colombia
      • ▸Paisas, coffee and much more
      • ▸Streets of Bogota – From Dystopia to Hope
      • ▸Life along the magical Magdalena River
      • ▸A non-touristy guide to Cartagena’s Caribbean paradise
    • Myanmar
      • ▸Min-ga-la-ba Myanmar
      • ▸Up and down on the hills of Shan State
    • Japan
      • ▸Tokyo
      • ▸Springtime in Kyoto
    • Portugal
      • ▸Life at the edge of Europe
    • Russian Federation
      • ▸The unexpected Moscow
      • ▸White Nights in St. Petersburg
    • Italy
      • ▸Rome
      • ▸Random Sicily
      • ▸Vedi Napoli e poi mori
      • ▸Venice
      • ▸Vanishing Venice
    • Morocco
      • ▸Sunset, camel rides and tea in Erg Chebi
      • ▸Medinas: Morocco’s hidden cities
      • ▸Morocco outskirts
      • ▸Djemaa El Fna encounters
      • ▸Surf and hippies
      • ▸The road of the One thousand kasbahs
      • ▸Amazigh – Berber – Free men
    • Georgia
      • ▸Postcards from Georgia
      • ▸The Many Faces of Tbilisi
    • Nepal
      • ▸Kathmandu Valley
    • Romania
      • ▸Romania to go
      • ▸Maramures
      • ▸Tara Motilor
    • Jordan
      • ▸Bedouin Trails
    • Turkey
      • ▸From Turkey with love
      • ▸Ballooning Cappadocia
      • ▸Where East meets West
      • ▸Street life, Istanbul-style
    • Mexico
      • ▸Finding Mexico City
    • Malaysia
      • ▸Transit KL
    • UK
      • ▸London
      • ▸Grab your kilt and bring your pipes
    • Sweden
      • ▸Stockholm
    • Spain
      • ▸Off-season Andalusia
    • Thailand
      • ▸Bangkok, year 2555
      • ▸Life in Pai
      • ▸Thailand
    • Laos
      • ▸Luang Prabang – The City of ultimate Zen
    • Poland
      • ▸Why I love Poland
    • Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
      • ▸Neighbors, but not relatives
      • ▸Patarei – A little slice of Hell
    • Findland
      • ▸A sunny day in Helsinki
    • Denmark
      • ▸Copenhagen
  • SINGLES
  • CONTACT
  • MY BOOKS
  • MY VIDEOS
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Min-ga-la-ba Myanmar

 

I have long wanted to travel to Myanmar. Previously known as Burma, the country has had a troubled history and the population has spent many years under military rule.

Between the Bay of Bengal and Indochina, Myanmar is a country whose land is divided among many ethnic groups spread over territories that are all independent states. Chin, Shan, Kachin, Rakhin, Karen, Mon and others that are dissolved in the jungles of the north to the border with India and the east, between China and Thailand.

Myanmar has a proud cultural history which is very old and significant. In Myanmar, religion and culture are central to the way of life, with at least 90% of the population stating their religion as Buddhism. The soul of this nation is steeped in Buddhism that makes these people patient and persevering. Many people are very poor. Farming is the dominant way of supporting the families. Despite the poverty levels, most people seem remarkably content with their lives, willing to share what little they have. Their generous hospitality towards strangers is expressed as “Min-ga-la-ba” – which means “may auspiciousness be upon you” or “Hello” or an offer to share their meager meal with us.

Myanmar is changing rapidly. Since the West lifted its long-standing economic sanctions, investment has been pouring into Myanmar. There are signs in Yangon announcing new department stores and condos. Huge billboards advertise skin whiteners and western designer clothes. There are many expensive cars clogging the roads. It is too soon to predict what Myanmar will be like in some years. But what is already clear is that it will be different from its past and from its present.

 

 

 

 

 

Min-ga-la-ba Myanmar

 

I have long wanted to travel to Myanmar. Previously known as Burma, the country has had a troubled history and the population has spent many years under military rule.

Between the Bay of Bengal and Indochina, Myanmar is a country whose land is divided among many ethnic groups spread over territories that are all independent states. Chin, Shan, Kachin, Rakhin, Karen, Mon and others that are dissolved in the jungles of the north to the border with India and the east, between China and Thailand.

Myanmar has a proud cultural history which is very old and significant. In Myanmar, religion and culture are central to the way of life, with at least 90% of the population stating their religion as Buddhism. The soul of this nation is steeped in Buddhism that makes these people patient and persevering. Many people are very poor. Farming is the dominant way of supporting the families. Despite the poverty levels, most people seem remarkably content with their lives, willing to share what little they have. Their generous hospitality towards strangers is expressed as “Min-ga-la-ba” – which means “may auspiciousness be upon you” or “Hello” or an offer to share their meager meal with us.

Myanmar is changing rapidly. Since the West lifted its long-standing economic sanctions, investment has been pouring into Myanmar. There are signs in Yangon announcing new department stores and condos. Huge billboards advertise skin whiteners and western designer clothes. There are many expensive cars clogging the roads. It is too soon to predict what Myanmar will be like in some years. But what is already clear is that it will be different from its past and from its present.

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