We can’t help but react to the death and destruction in the wake of Saturday’s cyclone in Myanmar with a sense of personal loss; the journals and photos of travelers who have visited the isolated country are some of IgoUgo’s most indelible. As we keep our eyes on the relief progress there and our thoughts with Myanmar’s people, we remember these impressions that members shared after their trips.
“The highlight of my three-week tour of Burma was the people. Every street that I walked down, every teahouse that I entered, every hotel that I stayed in, and even most strangers offered me kindness and openness to their culture. I attended a cultural dance in the capital, sat eating dinner with families, and celebrated the full moon with them. The land has not been touched by Western hands, so you will not come upon a 7-Eleven on the corner or see a giant billboard for Pepsi. Tourists are rare and my white skin and blond hair separated me from the locals. The hard decision for me was whether or not to visit this country. I feel blessed by the people that I met and the travels that I have seen, but I carry my memories with a heavy heart.”
From To Go or Not To Go by romaunt
“Pam and I are veteran travelers and we rank this trip in our top-five all-time holidays. It was that wonderful.”
From Myanmar – Come In, Rangoon, Come In! by Ed Hahn
“Yangon is rich with beautiful people who are ever ready to smile, and golden pagodas of temples peak in between colonial buildings and tree-lined boulevards. I will try to give an account of what I saw, but I run into the danger of romanticizing things, as Myanmar is, after all, a very special place for me.”
From Yangon, Myanmar by seethesun
“Myanmar is a kind of magical place in our collective memory, maybe due to the excellent novel by Orwell, or maybe due to the postcard nature of blue and gold pagodas half-hidden in the exuberant greenery. If you have decided to enter despite the themes to be considered, Myanmar has many rewards to offer, mainly around its colourful culture, a wonderful mix of Burmese, Indian, and British themes.”
From Green Pagodas, Golden People by SeenThat
”My road to Mandalay was actually a railroad. We began in Yangon, formerly Rangoon, famous for the temple complex known as Shwedagon: “The Golden Pagoda.” The stupa at its center is gilded with more than 60 tons of the precious metal. The train ride? A cold, uncomfortable, near-sleepless night. But worth it for three fascinating days in Mandalay.”
From Myanmar: A Rough Ride on the Road to Mandalay by jemery
“This little-visited country is the cultural bridge between Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Ethnic diversity, outrageously friendly people, and a rural countryside almost lost in the past make Myanmar a fascinating place to visit.”
From Myanmar by markiemark
“Going to Yangon is rather like stepping back in time, a time before the hustle and bustle of Asian metropolises, when there was space for cars on the roads, people had time to go about their business, and the buildings were less than 20 stories high. The most interesting aspect of Yangon is the style of architecture, which represents the way that buildings were made in colonial times. There are some wonderful Art Deco buildings still around and plenty of colonial-style houses to be seen. The other thing you notice coming from other parts of Southeast Asia is that the government has left the trees intact.”
From Myanmar Time Warp by jabela
“There are very few foreigners and we were the subject of a great deal of friendly interest, with many smiles and greetings. Many people wanted to have their photo taken and enjoyed seeing the result on the display of my camera. We were able to greet people in their own language with min-gala-ba, and saying thank you (ce-zu-beh) also helps.”
From Yangon, Myanmar by alan_nesbit
“I have met many travelers who did not like Mandalay; I guess they were just disappointed that the city does not live up to the exotic and romantic image the name Mandalay evokes. Nevertheless, Mandalay is an interesting, fascinating city; it is dirty, dusty, and poor, with lively markets, pagodas, quaint neighborhoods with teak houses under coconut palms, and very diverse sights. We took a pick-up to Amanapura, where we spent the afternoon. The highlight of this former royal city is U-Bein bridge, the longest teak construction in the world. On the other side of the 1.2-km-long bridge is a traditional Burmese village, a very friendly and quaint place with adorable locals. We took our time and explored the back streets—most tourists don't bother and turn around after reaching the village. A big mistake! Crossing U-Bein bridge during sunset was the most magical moment of the entire trip.”
From The Road to Mandalay by AndreSTGT
Whether or not you’ve been lucky enough to visit Myanmar, those of you looking for a way to help should check out Charity Navigator’s list of approved charities participating in the relief effort.