Visiting Myanmar's Golden Rock

Mingalabar is how we say “hello” in Myanmar. Myanmar was once

called Burma.  It is nicknamed the “Golden Country” because it has so many beautiful golden temples.  One of the most amazing golden holy sites we have seen is the Golden Rock.  Myanmar people try to visit this holy Buddhist site at least

once a year.  The Golden Rock is a very large rock covered with gold leaf and balanced on a flat rock on a mountain that is 3600 feet high.  Getting there was fun.  At the bottom of the mountain there were trucks lined up to take people up the twisty nine-mile mountain road. We climbed into the back of a

truck with rows of narrow, padded benches - six to a bench and ten rows. Some people walk up the mountain but it takes hours. The ride up the mountain takes about 30 minutes.  After we climbed out of the truck it was still about a 30-minute uphill walk to the

Golden Rock. Most people walk but some hire a sedan chair with four porters to take them the rest of the way. It is said that 2,500 years ago Buddha gave one hair to a hermit who carried it until he found a boulder that looked like a head.  The hermit built a pagoda on top of the rock to hold the sacred hair. The rock and pagoda has survived several violent earthquakes.  It is amazing. 

Another amazing place is a hotel on the Bay of Bengal (get your

map out and see if you can find it and Myanmar). The hotel is

called Amazing Ngapali Beach which is the perfect name.  The people at the hotel are wonderful and very kind to us.  We love the beach. Each day a lady comes along with fresh fish and prawns asking us to eat at her restaurant. They told us about a school nearby started

by an English lady, Susan Ozturk (Mama Sue), where the students learn English. The school is called the Vera Thomson English School. It was named after Mama Sue’s mother who was a very kind lady. Calling older people “mama” and “papa” is a way to show respect but does not mean that they are their parents.  

We did a program at the school.  They had a lot of computers but

many of them didn’t work.  It is very hot in Myanmar and there is a long rainy season which is not good for the computers.  Also, they do not have electricity 24-hours a day so that causes a problem, too. The school is free and has about 300 students.  We were impressed. In one classroom the boys sat on one side and the girls on the other.  When the teacher, Chaw Su

Khaing, asked a question the students eagerly raised their hands to answer.  When the teacher called on them they stood up to answer. The children spoke excellent English. When we asked the students what they wanted to be, most said tour guides but one young man who spoke excellent English said he wanted to be an English teacher.  Without Mama Sue’s school they would not have the chance. 

Notice some of the people have cream-colored powder on their

face.  It is called thanaka and protects the skin from the sun. It is very popular in Myanmar but things are changing. At one time all the people (men and women) wore long wraparound skirts called longyis.  Many people still do but now some people are wearing more Western-style clothing.  One day we were on the beach and the students from Mama Sue’s rode by on their bikes and yelled “Mingalabar.”  It is easy to make friends in Myanmar!

We love Myanmar

Mingalabar, or “hello” from Myanmar. We have visited Myanmar many times because we love to stay at Amazing Hotel on Ngapali Beach on the Bay of Bengal.  The beach is long with soft sand perfect for walking and the water is warm. We like to use the hotel’s inner tubes to ride the waves.  Every time we visit there is always something “amazing.”  This time we were so happy when one of our waitresses, Khin Khin Phyu, invited us to her wedding and reception.  She is Catholic and he is Buddhist.  In the morning we went to the Buddhist Monastery with Khin Khin and her husband, Zar Ni.  They brought the monk gifts of food as is traditional and received his blessing recognizing their marriage.  Buddhist monks do not perform ceremonies. Khin Khin wore a beautiful yellow Myanmar-style dress. In the evening we went to her house for the reception which had been going on all day long. In the evening she had on another beautiful dress. This time is was white more like our wedding dresses. The neighbors do all the cooking but the food was provided by Khin Khin’s family.  Zar Ni is from another village so after a few days they went to his village for a similar celebration and his family will provide the food.  Khin Khin and Zar Ni will live with his family.

After we left Ngapali Beach we went to the capital of Myanmar, Nay Pyi Taw.  It is a new city. They started building it in 2002 and until recently people needed special permission to visit. We hired a car and driver to take us from Yangon, the old capital, 200 miles to the new capital.  We were told there were no flights.  The road is also new, four lines divided by newly planted trees and flowers.  We saw very few vehicles because the toll is $30.  We found the city very interesting with lots of lights and very, very wide roads – and virtually empty of traffic. I think they have built a city that will meet their needs in the future.  There is building going on everywhere.

We visited the Gem Museum. Myanmar is famous for rubies and jade. At the new Buddhist pagoda we were happy to see that there were four elevators to get to the temple because it is hot in Nay Pyi Taw – very hot.  The golden pagoda is beautiful outside and inside.  Inside the pagoda there are statues of Buddha and along the walls stone tablets that tell the story of Buddha’s life. The only place we could not go was where the new governmental buildings are located. From a distance they look beautiful – maybe some day. The city is huge even though it is basically empty of people and cars. From the center of the city to the National Landmark Garden it was a 30 minute ride and it was still in the city. We were happy to have a golf cart tour and guide because the Landmark Garden is huge. It is divided into the many ethnic groups of Myanmar and had replicas of each area’s famous landmark. It was like a tour of the whole country of Myanmar in one hour.  One place we want to visit is the Golden Rock especially after we saw the replica on our ride.  There were also amusement rides and a hotel. 

 

One evening we went to the Water Fountain Garden with many ponds, fountains, and gardens all colorfully displayed.  One large water fountain had music videos projected on it and there was an undulating suspension bridge that was a bit shaky to walk on.  We enjoyed both.  We think Nay Pyi Taw will be a beautiful capital when it is completed.  

Minglabar from Myanmar

Minglarbar is how we greet people in Myanmar. When Myanmar was a colony of the English it was called Burma. People often ask us, “How many languages do you speak?” We are very lucky that we speak English because it is the most common second language in the world. In Myanmar some people speak English very well while others only know enough words to do their jobs. Many signs and products in Myanmar are in English.

At night we love to watch the sun set on the Bay of Bengal. When it gets dark, on the horizon where the sea and sky meet, there are nearly 100 twinkling lights. Ms. Nilar, our waitress at Amazing Resorts, explained that the lights are from fishing boats. The fishermen from the many nearby villages fish at night because the lights attract the fish. Then one night there were no lights. We asked Ms. Nilar what happened and she said that it was full moon. The moon light is so bright on the water that the fish are all spread out so the fishing is not good. Full Moon Days are important in the Buddhist religion because many important events in the life of Buddha happened on Full Moon Days. On Full Moon Day there is no school.

One day we went to visit the fishing village. It was in the middle of the day so it was quiet. The fishermen were sleeping waiting for night when it was time to go fishing. In the morning they bring in the fish and then some of the fish are packed in ice and sent to the cities but local people also come to the dock to buy fresh fish.

One day we heard music and cymbals so we rushed out onto the street to see what was going on. It was a funeral procession for the head monk from the Buddhist monastery that was across from our hotel. The procession was impressive. A few days before we went to visit one of their Buddhist temples that was nearby. Buddhist temples are very beautiful. There are many temples in Myanmar because most of the people belong to the Buddhist religion.

We were in Myanmar in January. The sea was warm and during the day it was 75 to 85. However, the local people think it is cold. Foreigners are in bathing suits while the local people have coats on. We told them “If you think 80 is cold then you will not like snow.” “Oh, no,” they say, “We dream that one day we can see snow.” Another interesting thing is the foreigners try to get a tan while the local people cover up because they don’t want their skin to get darker. We like to say, “As a rule man’s a fool. When it’s hot he likes it cool. When it is cool he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not!”

Walking on the beach is interesting. The beach is about two miles long with a little pagoda on a rock at one end and a mermaid statue on a rock at the other end. Sometimes we stop to talk to a Buddhist monk other times we watch people fixing their boats. People are very friendly.

There are many interesting things to see. Myanmar does not trade with many countries so most things are made in Myanmar. Imagine a country with no fast food chains. Most of the vehicles are very old. The hotel van started out as a Chevrolet during World War II and today it is a mix of parts from many vehicles and is still running. The world is very interesting.

Minglabar from Myanmar

Minglarbar is how we greet people in Myanmar. When Myanmar was a colony of the English it was called Burma. People often ask us, “How many languages do you speak?” We are very lucky that we speak English because it is the most common second language in the world. In Myanmar some people speak English very well while others only know enough words to do their jobs. Many signs and products in Myanmar are in English. Each day at Amazing Resorts in Ngapali we got a free bag of potato chips made in Myanmar. They are called Texan Barbecue Style and everything was written in English. The European guests at the hotel have to know some English so they can order their meals and make other arrangements. With English it is possible to go anywhere in the world.

Another question people frequently ask us is about the food. Most hotels in Asia serve food that appeals to all nationalities. At Amazing Resort we can order spaghetti, steak, and chicken, along with some Myanmar food. We think it is easier to find American food in most places in the world than it is for people from Myanmar, Indian, Malaysia and other countries to find their favorite food while traveling in the United States.

At night we love to watch the sun set on the Bay of Bengal. When it gets dark, on the horizon where the sea and sky meet, there are nearly 100 twinkling lights. Ms. Nilar, our waitress, explained that they are the lights from fishing boats. The fishermen from the many nearby villages fish at night because the lights from the boats attract the fish. Then one night there were no lights. We asked Ms. Nilar what happened and she said that it was full moon. The moon light is so bright on the water that the fish are all spread out so the fishing is not good. Full Moon Days are important in the Buddhist religion because many important events in the life of Buddha happened on Full Moon Days. On Full Moon Day there is no school.

We were in Myanmar in January. The sea was warm and during the day it was 75 to 85. However, the local people think it is cold. Foreigners are in bathing suits while the local people have coats on. We told them “If you think 80 is cold then you will not like snow.” “Oh, no,” they say, “We dream that one day we can see snow.” Another interesting thing is the foreigners try to get a tan while the local people cover up because they don’t want their skin to get darker. In fact, they even sell “skin-whitening” cream. We like to say, “As a rule man’s a fool. When it’s hot he likes it cool. When it is cool he wants it hot. Always wanting what is not!”

One day we went to visit a small Buddhist monastery across from our hotel. There were two boys studying with the teachers. The boys, Ein Da Thor Mi and Jei Wa Ta were learning Buddhist prayers. Buddhists live a very simple life spending most of their time praying and studying. They did not know many words in English but they had an English-Myanmar dictionary so we could communicate a little.

There are many interesting things to see. Myanmar does not trade with many countries so most things are made in Myanmar. Imagine a country with no fast food chains. Most of the vehicles are very old. The hotel van started out as a Chevrolet during World War II and today it is a mix of parts from many vehicles and is still running. The world is very interesting.

Minglabar from Myanmar.

Minglarbar is how we greet people in Myanmar. When Myanmar was a colony of the English it was called Burma. Myanmar has many interesting sites and some beautiful beaches. We love Amazing Resort Ngapali Beach where there is a long wide sandy beach on the Bay of Bengal. Can you find the Bay of Bengal on a map? We liked walking along the beach. As we were walking tiny crabs – we could hardly see them – would scurry into a hole. We noticed that they would throw the sand out of the hole making beautiful patterns in the sand. The closer we looked the more crabs and designs we could see. We wondered what else lives in the sand. As the tide went out more designs were formed on the sand. Some looked like tunnels under the sand. As the tide went out the sand would dry out so we think the critters were trying to go deeper where the sand was wet. It was interesting to watch them.

While we were relaxing on the beach we saw children going to school. Some were walking and others rode their bikes on the beach. Many carried their books in backpacks. We told Ms. Win Win, the hotel’s receptionist, we would like to visit a school. Along with Ms. Mi Mi, the hotel manager, they arranged for us to visit the Government High School of Ngapali which was not far from our hotel. The principal, U Tun Oo Khine, told us, “We have 800 students in grades 5 to 12. The government schools are free and compulsory.” There were several one-story buildings on the hillside where there was a nice breeze which is important in a country like Myanmar where it is very hot most of the time. Each building had several classrooms that opened out onto a covered porch which is also perfect for the hot climate. Some students brought their lunch to school but there was also food they could buy. It looked very healthy with plenty of veggies and fruit.

The principal sent someone up the hill to the topmost building and asked them to have the students in Grades 5 and 6 to come down to meet us. They ran down the hill like they were excited to meet us but very quickly formed a long orderly line. The school colors are green and white. Some of the students were wearing longyis, the traditional wraparound “skirt” worn by both males and females. It is perfect for the hot weather because it creates a cooling breeze on one’s legs while walking. Also, like many people in Myanmar, some students had yellowish power on their face called thanaka. It comes from the bark of the thanaka tree common in Myanmar. It protects their face from the hot sun.

There are so many interesting things to learn in every country. In Myanmar people do not have family names or last names. Traditionally people are given a name according to the day of the week they were born and then a name with a special meaning. It is often repeated. Most have four words to their name but are normally called by their double name. Ms. Htay Htay’s name means rich rich. We met Ms. Thien Thien, Mr. Ko Ko, and Ms. Phu Phu. Think about the names of some of the people you know. How do you think the names Johnson, Thomson, Smith, Woods, and French came about? The world is very interesting. Don’t you think so?

Mingalabar from Myanmar

We are in Myanmar and Mingalabar is how we say "hello." Myanmar was once a British colony just like the United States. We have 50 states and Myanmar has 14. We visited the western state of Rakhine to learn about Mrauk U, one of Myanmar’s oldest Buddhist historical sites. Most people in Myanmar are Buddhist. We had to fly one hour from Yangon, the largest city, and then take a boat up the river for six hours. We visited a temple with over 80,000 statues of Buddha but saw many other interesting things.

We were surprised to see many American Willys Jeeps. They are left over from WW II. We thought it was amazing that vehicles more the 60 years old were still in use. Myanmar has many interesting things to see and do. We liked driving along the streets of the village in the Jeep. The children would rush out to meet us and shout, "Bye Bye." We stopped to watch people making hats and fans out of bamboo. There is always something interesting to see.

One day we took a boat up another river to Chin State. We love boat rides because the scenes along the river are so interesting. There were ladies washing their clothes in the river because they don’t have running water in their houses. Many people were fishing. Everyone stopped to wave to us. We visited two Chin villages. It is very hot in Chin State so most people live in bamboo houses built on stilts. It allows the air to flow all around making it cooler. Also it keeps the animals out. The older ladies have beautiful designs tattooed on their face. We asked, "Why do you have tattoos and the younger women do not?" They explained, "Many years ago there was a king who would take the prettiest girls to his palace so we tattooed our face so we would not look pretty. We did not want to leave our families." We wanted to know if it hurt to have the tattoos. One lady explained, "Yes, it hurt a lot and I was sick in bed for one week."

We visited a Chin school. We saw hopscotch squares drawn in the dirt. It is a game that children all over the world play. There was only one room in the school but five grades. That was all they needed because there were only 23 students. Each grade had their own table and benches plus a blackboard with their assignments on it. Notice some of them have light yellow powder on their face. It is very common and called thanaka. Men, women, and children wear it to protect them from the sun. We were surprised to see they were learning English. The children sang "Frere Jacques" in English. The French lady in our tour group, said, "It is a French song, not an English song." She tried to teach them the French words. We explained that in America children know the song in French and English. Then the students stood at attention and sang a song in their own language. It was a very nice song about how important it is to study hard and do good work in school. Notice some of them are wearing long wrap around skirts. It isw called a longyi and worn by men and women. It is perfect for the hot climate in Myanmar.

When we returned to Yangon we visited the International School of Yangon. It is like the schools in the United States. Cars were lined up outside with parents dropping off their children. The teachers are from Australia, England, and the United States. The students use all the same books as in the United States. The halls were decorated for Valentine’s Day and there were posters on the walls. One poster said "Don’t Run in the Hall." We did a power point presentation about schools around the world. When the teacher wanted everyone to be quiet she clapped her hands once then all the children joined in and together they clapped their hands in rhythm five times. All was quiet. We liked that. It seems that students in Myanmar have many things in common with students in the United States.

Many people from all over the world come to visit Myanmar. They like to see the historical sites, meet the people and to enjoy the beautiful beached. We spent five days relaxing at Amazing Resort in Ngapali Beach. Just like all it Myanmar it was amazing.