The only place we visited in Myanmar was Myawadi, due to pockets of war deeper inside the country. Over coffee and noodles, other travellers had told me that Myawadi was a sort of fake town, put on display by the authorities to reassure the Western world that all is fine within Myanmar’s borders. Still..we’d get a little insight into another culture. And safely.
We were conned (further proof I’m not as savvy as I imagine) by a young guy who joined us on the Friendship Bridge crossing the border river from Thailand to Myanmar. He said he didn’t want any money, he just wanted to practice English. ‘Honest’, he said. He would not lie to me.
Being off the tourist track, Myawadi ended up being a very special place for us. Most the people there had never seen a Western child before which created an openness and instant connection. I felt more like a novelty than a tourist wandering around the market. It was nice feeling the curiosity was a two way thing.
Bicycles are a major route of transport. I was fascinated by the trucks – creative feats of engineering unlike anything I’ve seen before! The locals thought I was weird to say the least by photographing the vehicles.
Our ‘student’ took us to what I realised was a refugee camp. I felt uncomfortably voyeuristic and wanted to leave. Our guide insisted it was OK and it was. We ended up staying there for the day, with all the kids playing together. Here they were, with no worldly possessions and they insisted on feeding Lucas and I the food they were cooking for the markets! No way would they let me pay.
I often go to touristy places where other tourists show the locals photos of themselves when the locals have seen camera’s 100’s of times. This time however, these people had never seen photos of themselves let alone videos. We returned the next day to give them hard copies of their family photos. They were so moved and happy. I worry they were affected by the civil war the following year. My experience here has made me want to get involved in Refugee Programs in the future.
Our student demanded a crazy amount of money at the end of the day. I’d been conned and manipulated yet I was the one feeling guilty. I gave him some but not all that he asked for. In the middle of trying to get more out of me, he disappeared mid sentence. I looked up to see the border police striding over. My conman was waiting on the Thai side of the Friendship bridge to continue trying to get more money from me, so I threatened him with the police and he went without another word.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The markets-lots of colours and activities. I was a bit grossed out to see the chickens that hadn’t been slaughtered yet, picking at the entails of those who had.
Myikyaungon-a Buddhist temple in the shape of a crocodile. Women aren’t allowed in which Lucas thought was really unfair found hard to understand!
The vehicles and bicycles
The amazing people
Just sitting and watching daily life
