Myanmar (Burma), the review

What a place! 

Burma was always meant to be one of the highlights of our trip- we pictured it as this fascinating, complicated and particularly beautiful country and we couldn’t wait to explore it...and explore it we did. 

Walking around the streets of Yangon is like traveling back in time. The feeling you get is similar to that you get when visiting La Habana, both having been frozen in time mid 20th century. Yet Yangon is bigger, dirtier and more chaotic. The old colonial houses are easily missed under stained walls, the paint having surrendered to the annual torrential showers. The streets are covered in red stains, fresh and dry, from the constant spitting of local men chewing betel nut incessantly, and just a short walk around the city is sure to procure a bazaar of smells, colours, sounds and people more diverse than that you might find in a whole country somewhere else. 

Few people know much about this country, mostly because it gets confusing: Myanmar, known as Burma until 1989, was an English colony for a short while; it was also a place ruled by many small kingdoms once, and it has been an international pariah since 1962. It’s complicated. 

Once you’re there, the complexity of the country becomes apparent. A long history of ongoing ethnic conflicts, bureaucratic chaos, systematic corruption, and military repression have created a country that is as knotty as it gets. 

Sadly, Burma continually ended up becoming a victim of history. Bad luck (bad timing) again and again got on the way of Burma’s attempts to progress: the decline of the English empire, Japan’s imperialism, World War II, China’s Cultural Revolution, the Vietnam War, the Cold War…

Extremely diverse, constantly unstable, always vulnerable: Burma’s story is that of a beautiful place imprisoned by incompatible aspirations, both internal and external.

Today, after over 50 years of isolation (partly self imposed and partly because international sanctions) it is awakening as a fascinating and naturally magnificent place. In 2011 the repressive military junta that held power since 1962 was dissolved and even though it retains great power over the government, democratic reforms are taking place as the country continues to open up to the rest of the world. 

Because tourism is still quite limited, the experience is very authentic. Local people are very curious about foreigners (to some of them we were the first foreigners they ever saw or talked to) and they smile shyly but easily. The younger generations read and write good English but don’t get to practice it, so they appreciate a chance to. Most of them hope for a professional future in the (thriving) tourism industry or a job abroad. Singapore seems to be a popular destination. 

           

Buddhist monasteries have a strong presence all over the country, but we came across many churches, temples and synagogues as well. 

Rice is a big part of the local culture: a central element to their meals it is not uncommon to see young buddhist nuns singing along the streets and collecting rice from believers in the afternoon hours. I remember thinking that rice even shaped Burma’s landscape, with never ending green rice paddies dominating the horizon. 

Traditional wear, the longyi, is widely used in urban and rural areas by men and women. Trousers are pretty uncommon. 

Electricity, sewage systems, roads…infrastructure in general is scarce. This is one area where the government’s incompetence is beyond apparent- and a major factor holding the country’s economy back. I read somewhere that Myanmar people like “new” things and I don’t know if that is true but the military junta certainly did: with the country’s main cities lacking proper roads to connect them, they built a “new capital” in Naypayidaw.

While in Yangon, the country's largest city, we visited the Shwedagon Pagoda: Burma’s pride and glory, and one of the most impressive buildings we have ever seen. Its golden structure shines beautifully under the sky and its central stupa is made of genuine gold plates. Burmese people donate gold to the pagoda to maintain it, a practice that started when the pagoda was first built in the 15th century. I found the Sule Pagoda quite impressive as well- built 2,500 years ago, it’s a symbolic place in the country’s history and that is something you can feel and see as you walk around it looking for your corresponding shrine. 

Bagan is one of the most beautiful and spiritual places I have ever been to. Over 2,000 temples and pagodas beautify the horizon and take your breath away. Red brick stupas look up at the sky from a green sea of trees and hot air balloons add to the impossible beauty of sunrise and sunset in this place. The most practical and fun way to get around the temples regardless of where you stay is by bike. The heat that dominates this region most of the year allows you to ride around the temples early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

My favorite part of our trip in Burma was the 3 day track we did from Kalaw to Inle Lake. Our group of 7 (including Naing Naing our guide) walked 62 kms across the Southern Shan region, spending the night in family homes, visiting isolated little villages amongst endless (and gorgeously bright) green rice and tea fields...the scenery was astonishing and the time we spent walking (between 6 and 8 hours a day) gave us the chance to view, experience and reflect upon the country we were discovering in the best possible way. It was awesome. We met so many kids on the way (I gained the honorary title of ‘tooth fairy’ by refusing to give away candy to the children and giving tooth brushes away instead) and we were fortunate enough to meet Myanmar people of diverse ethnicities, faiths and cultures. 

We chilled in Inle Lake for a couple of days and got a chance to see its artisanal fishermen, with their elegant rowing technique, their awesome nets and boats. The lake’s water has a texture that is often described as ‘inky’; I don’t know if that’s the best word to describe it but its water certainly is particular, it’s special- I would use terms closer to mysterious and holy to describe it, partly because of its look and feel but mostly because of the amount of life that blossoms around it. 

We ended the trip back in Yangon, which by our second visit made a lot more sense. Overall Burma was an experience that aroused all of our senses, a thrilling place to visit. We were tired and ready for some Aussie hamburgers, but I felt a little nostalgic about leaving Burma. What a place! What a country!

Cambodia, the review

We decided to go last minute. We hadn't booked anything as we considered whether to visit Hanoi in Vietnam or to go to Cambodia instead. We only had a week before we were due to land in Myanmar (Burma) and even though Vietnam remains undiscovered to us, I’m happy we decided to go to Cambodia. We spent one week there and in that time we visited Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. 

A modest budget goes a long way in Cambodia, so we stayed at The Plantation in Phnom Penh and in the Bunwin Boutique Hotel in Siem Reap. These are two of best hotels we’ve ever stayed in-  first class design, a tranquil atmosphere and top level service. 

Very quickly Cambodia found its way into my heart. It’s a beautiful country with excellent people, and the food is to die for. 

Similar to my previous experience in Korea, I learned how little I knew about it while I was there; Cambodia has a grand imperial past but due to its geographical position it has been caught in regional power struggles for centuries. It became a French colony in the late 19th century, until its independence in 1953- a hot time in international politics. In the midst of the Cold War Cambodia attempted to stay neutral but it eventually got caught in the middle. It was bad. 

In Phnom Penh we saw a lot of poverty; skinny kids running around naked, filthy streets and people openly living in half done shacks that served as shops during the day and covered them from the drizzle by night. Walking or driving around town is quite challenging- there were more motorcycles than in any other city I’ve been to before (‘bikes are the car of the poor’ our taxi driver remarked), and there was no apparent logic to the traffic. It’ somehow fun though: there’s no anger in the honking, and you get this sense of pride when you manage to get your way.

Cambodians have a smile in their faces most of the time, but it is hard to miss their sorrowful past and notice its consequences. We had read about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime before, but when we visited the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (once the regime’s secret police headquarters) we got a graphic idea of the atrocities committed during this time in the attempt to create a “pure agricultural state”. From 1975 to 1979 the country was ruled by fanatics that oppressed, tortured and mass murdered its own people leaving over 2m dead (approx. a quarter of the population) and setting the country back decades. The fall of the regime was followed by a war with Vietnam that lasted over two decades, causing more suffering, famine and death. 30 years later we visited a wounded but beautiful Cambodia, finally getting back on its feet, with great spirits and with a clear intention not to forget, but to build from its past. 

In Siem Reap we were blown away by the beauty of the many temples in the Angkor region. The most renowned ones are Angkor Wat, Prasat Bayon and Ta Prohm, but there are countless more to see. We spent over nine hours walking around these testaments of grandeur and faith (buddhist or hindu, and sometimesboth). I could not believe myself then and even now, looking back, it seems unreal that places like that even exist, and that they are man made. The beauty and magnificence of the temples cannot be put into words because it’s not about their size, their detailed artisanship or age; it’s something you feel because of what they represent and what they are a proof of. 

For me personally, Cambodia hit a nerve; the character of its people reminded me of my own: Guatemalans are generally docile and submissive, they keep their opinions to themselves, try to avoid painful memories and smile constantly. While I was in Cambodia, I read Haing Ngor's book Survival in the Killing Fields and I cried many times upon the constant realisation that even the kindest of us are capable of the worst barbarities. The brave and indispensable efforts not to let people forget now on display in many ways across Cambodia filled me with hope, and perhaps a little fear; for Guatemala has a disturbing past of its own, and we are yet to honour it, recognize it and learn from it as a nation. 

Inspiring and fascinating, Cambodia is a place to experience. 

Japan, the review

Two weeks in Japan are certainly not enough time, but as I leave I find myself feeling pretty happy (and exhausted) about all that we managed to experience during our stay. In 12 days we visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Naoshima and Osaka.

My impression is that Japanese people are incredibly polite, curious and pragmatic. I was very impressed by Japan overall; the size and harmony of its cities, its simple yet impeccable sense of style, the practical way of thinking of its people, which is reflected in everything everywhere; but most of all, I was wowed by their modern traditionalism, something I have never seen anywhere else. Japanese people have embraced ‘globalized ways’ (for lack of better words) while still practicing their traditional customs. This is reflected on their many shrines and temples (always filled with worshipers), their social rituals, and their respect for the elderly, to name a few.

Tokyo is a very big city that surprises you by its calm and feasibility. Some tips for when you visit Tokyo:

1. Approach the city by neighborhood rather than by specific attractions. Some of the places we visited:

• Harajuku: expect to find crowds of young people wearing all sorts of fashion styles. Great for people watching and also a good place to shop or get your hair cut. Lots of cute little boutique shops hide behind Omotesando Hills where you find all the big designer brands. It is also right next to Jojogi Park and the Meiji Shrine which are beautiful and also fantastic spots to discover the Japanese modern yet traditional way of living. I especially liked the woods around the Meiji Shrine - a full grown forest right at the heart of the city, you can get lost there for hours and just listen to the cicadas and the trees.
• Akihabara 'Electric Town': this is very cool. Chuodori Street especially, which hosts an endless number stores and buildings filled with electronics, gadgets and accessories. There biggest store there is called Yodobashi and it has 6 floors filled with electronic products that range from cameras and computers to watches and beauty electrics. Hanging out in this area is fun even if you're not allowed to shop (like me!) because of all the video game consoles, manga and anime. We even got blisters from playing so much!
• Shibuya: worth a visit as well. Great for shopping and home to the famous 'Shibuya crossing' which is the Tokyo version of Times Square with a scramble pedestrian crossing that was made famous  by 'Lost in Translation' (the movie) and is just incredible because of the amount of people that cross it every couple of minutes. This is were you find xxx the dog also.

2. Do what the locals do, the way to locals do it. We didn't have much time, but I can think of a couple of good examples:

• Go to the Tsukiji Fish Market before 7am and have fresh sushi for breakfast. Tsukiji Market is a wholesale fish market, probably one of the biggest ones in Asia. Known and visited by few curious tourists, it hosts a Tuna Auction early in the morning and it offers a very diverse and interesting variety of sea creatures. It's busy since early in the morning but visitors are no longer allowed inside before 9am. However, if you're discreet you'll manage to explore a bit before you are politely asked to leave- and then that's breakfast time! There's a growing number of small sushi places right by the market, but the most famous one is called 'Sushi Dai'. For about 25 quid get a sushi plate of the highest quality and freshness, hot miso soup and green tea. Some of the fish you'll be handed won't look or taste familiar, like Uni (Sea Urchin) for example; but it's worth trying, even if only once.
• Watch Sumo. If you're lucky enough to be in town during one of the Sumo Tournaments, definitely get tickets. Sumo is surprisingly nice to watch- the matches are brief, but you get lost in the stadium, the audience, the rituals around the wrestling ring or dohyo, the styles and techniques of each of the wrestlers...it's worth it.
• Go to a baseball game. Baseball is huge in Japan and so are the stadiums. People go crazy with the cheering, the team memorabilia and balloons. Really fun.

KYOTO is a beautiful city and it was probably our favourite place in Japan. With a couple thousand temples, both Zen (Buddhist) and Shinto, Kyoto also has a wonderful culinary offer and it's a fun place overall. A couple of tips:

• Rent a bike while you're there. Kyoto is enjoyable and safe even for first-time-urban-bikers. The city is bigger than you'd expect, although pretty chilled and with a lot less people than Tokyo. You will find a lot of fellow bikers around, who enjoy priority over pedestrians. It's fun, plus with the amount of temples and shrines to see it's an easy, fast and cheap way to get around!
• Enjoy the shrines and temples, but don't rush it. Kyoto has so many temples to visit that you might feel like you need to hurry in order to see as many as possible; I would recommend that you visit at least the Golden Pavillion, the Fushimi Inari Shrine and Sanjusangendo Temple. Those were the ones that I found most impressive. I was also taken by the smaller, less known and crowded ones we visited spontaneously and would recommend you see a couple of these too, because you’ll find it easier to feel the energy and spirituality of these places away from the crowds, the cameras and the souvenir shops.
• Visit HAFUU for the best beef. Ever. Small and isolated, this place is run by a veteran Kyoto butcher and though it can be pricey, there are some budget yummy choices. HAFUU will make non-meat lovers crave meat later.

NARA is and feels a lot smaller than Tokyo or Kyoto. Famous for its friendly deer, which are actually everywhere, Nara is small and amicable. We even made a couple of local friends that showed us how kind and generous Japanese people can be. One of them, an artist called Tomoko, has even created a couple of sketches based on our meeting and is gifting them to us! Definite highlight of our time in Japan. A couple of tips for Nara:

• Stay at a Ryokan or traditional Japanese hotel. There seem to be many around Nara and they are surprisingly comfortable and beautiful.
• Play with the deer. You can see them all over, especially around Nara Park and around the Todai-ji Temple and the Kasuga Shrine, around Deer Park. They let you pet them and you can get pretty cute pictures taken with them, as long as you feed them yummy deer cookies available on sale in every corner.
• Visit the Todai-ji Temple and the Kasuga-taisha Temple. The first one is the world’s largest wooden building and has a great wooden Buddha inside, and the second is filled with lanterns and deer, and if you walk to the left once you climb back down from the main shrine, you’ll get to a high wooden building one has a fantastic view over the city, particularly magical in the late afternoon. The smell of the incense along with the light over the city is pretty special. There's a good view of the city from the Mount Wakakusa as well, but you must drive there. Recommended at night.

NAOSHIMA is a little island of 3.5K inhabitants that is pretty hard to get to, but it’s definitely worth the trip. It’s renowned for its contemporary art museums, which host many site-specific installations and pretty special pieces by a variety of artists. I found the island to be creative in itself and especially liked the Lee Ufan and the Benesse House Museums.They are both by the same architect, Tadao Ando and they allow you to enjoy the space along with the pieces. I found their ongoing House Art Project brilliant as well- they take empty houses scattered about residential areas and turn the spaces into works of art; there's 7 of them so far, and you can make a fun day out of walking around to visit each of them, with coffee stops along the way. Genius way of attracting tourism.

OSAKA is the third biggest city in Japan (after Tokyo and Yokohama) and it has a young feel to it. Lots of students, fashion and food. We didn't have enough time to properly see it, but a good friend of ours grew up there and she told us that the musts are Okonmiyaki, Udon and Ramen eating, Karaoke and a taste of the nightlife.

We loved Japan, will most certainly go back whenever we get a chance!

P.S. Best tip for Japan: carry cash around. Surprisingly, cards are rarely accepted.