Afterthoughts:  I have a Burmese student who told me that Myanmar is hosting the Southeast Asian games (SEA) next December (2013) and has just eliminated Ping Pong and Gymnastics as events. Why? Because these events will easily be won by the Chinese. (Is China a SE Asian country?) True? Not Read More

The Kayan Women of Kayeh State (bordering Thailand) have traditionally worn brass neck coils to elongate their necks (actually shortening the rib cage by pressing down on the clavicle starting at around age 8).  The practice is largely abandoned and discouraged, but it remains a part of Kayan culture and a Read More

  The Buddha Burma is a very Buddhist country. There are monks everywhere with shaved heads, sienna brown robes and mustard shoulder wraps. There are nuns everywhere as well – looking exactly like monks except in pink robes.  Basically, if you want an education, you have to spend years in Read More

We arrive in Bagan, site of 4,000 crumbling pagodas, stupas, pavilions and temples mid-morning after a 6:00 AM flight from Rangoon.   The weather is still winter and gorgeous – mid 80’s — but the locals are bundled and wrapped in blankets.  Bagan is dusty red earth with a high desert feel Read More

Fact or fiction:  The story of eel’s blood (sounds like a Shakespearean curse). A generation ago on Inle Lake, the fishermen grew eels in coffins.  Eels are, evidently, not only a delicious source of protein but their blood, mixed with alcohol, is a particularly hearty aperitif.  The fatter the eel, Read More

Flying on the ATR 72-500 French made 70 seater from Mandalay to HeHo (pronounced something like Hellhole)  there are no seat assignments and we are told that we will have to fight the Chinese for seats.  Our response – they are no match for us Jews). In fact, there are Read More

The Mandalay (International) airport was recently built by a Burmese general to be near his hometown rather than the large commercial centre and former royal capital of Mandalay. During the airport’s construction the general stole half the concrete intended for the runway and hence it can’t land heavy international jets, so Read More