[Cutonce]

Burma or Mayanmar, which ever you prefer was a fantastic experience. Still quite new on the tourist trail, but very popular now, and a scramble to get accommodations in the few guest houses. Probably the most friendly people in Asia. The military government is still a little jumpy and shy, so tourists are limited in someways to what they can see and do. I went to take a few pictures of government buildings and was immediately jumped on and questioned. I thought I was going to get shot when I tried to take a picture of the Israeli embassy! I still managed to sneak a few off of interesting buildings around the capital Yangon.

There are still many surviving British colonial buildings around Yangon.

This is one of the buildings that got me in trouble when I tried to take some closer pictures.

The old main railway station of Yangon, (formally Rangoon)

While I was poking around the building I came across a Singaporean engineering firm that were doing stability tests for a Chinese company that had bought the station to convert into a hotel.

You can see the use of the same coral stone we found in India and Sri Lanka.

 

[Cutonce]

More of Yangon.

Bamboo is still the king of construction here. Can you imagine the work involved lashing all these pieces together!?

I loved the markets here. Even in this capital city the market sellers left you alone and never hassled you. In fact it was left for you to show an interest if you wanted to buy something.

whoops, how'd they get in here?

Usual chaos in the streets, and look at those satellite dishes!

 

[Cutonce]

Last ones from Yangon. Then we are off to the country.

I'll include this one from the market, just cause the girls are hot! There are a lot of good looking girls in Burma!

Some stunning temples here too.

 

[donerightwyo]

Thanks, awesome pics.:thumbup:

 

[cleveman]

Food & menus are missing.

 

[Dirtywhiteboy]

Thanks for the pics:thumbsupo the people of there call it Burma? What bout that Myanmar thing:blink: Is it safe there?

 

[VinylHanger]

Thanks for the pics. Me likes me some exotic lookin' chicks. :thumbup:

 

[Rio]

Nice photos, what an interesting place.

 

[Cutonce]

Food & menus are missing.

Yes well it is supposed to be a building forum. I thought I was pushing my luck with the pictures of the ladies! But the food in Burma is mostly a mix of Chinese and Indian. I don't remember anything particularly remarkable about it, although the fish soup for breakfast was interesting!

 

[Cutonce]

Thanks for the pics:thumbsupo the people of there call it Burma? What bout that Myanmar thing:blink: Is it safe there?

The military government re named it Myanmar after the British left who called it Burma. Both are variations on the name of the Burmese people, I believe and so both are correct. The local people mostly call it Myanmar in Myanmar because it's not a good idea to go against what the government wants!

Interestingly when the government took over they wanted to distance themselves as much as possible from the forma British colonials. So they changed the name of the country, they changed the name of cities, Rangoon to Yangon, and they even changed from driving on the left like in England, to driving on the right, like America.

Unfortunately this backfired on them when sanctions were brought against them for human rights issues, so they could no longer get left hand drive vehicles. The only country that supplied them secretly on the black market was Japan, who drive on the left like England! So now they still drive on the right, but almost all vehicles have the steering wheel on left!

You can see it here.

As far as being safe. Like most Asian countries there is very little stealing from one person from another. Tourists a understood as a good thing for the country and still a novelty so treated with respect, interest and lots of friendliness.

 

[Dirtywhiteboy]

Thanks for the info:thumbsup: I love your travels and wish I could do the same. I too really dig these exotic chicks:jester: And I see the worlds hottest hair cutter, she is from Thailand:whistling I likey the ones on the right and left because the one in the middle looks too young:blink: