Myanmar (Burma) Photos

Burma was renamed to its pre-colonial name, Myanmar, in 1998 by the military junta that has been in control of the country since 1962. Despite winning a democratic election held in 1990 by 82% of the vote, Aung San Suu Kyi has spent much of her time since, under house arrest with the military regime refusing to relinquish power.
There is an ongoing controversy regarding whether travel to the country perpetuates & condones the regime or helps to illuminate the plight of a beautiful land and people who have been cut off from the rest of the world for far too long. I thought about it seriously before deciding to go. I didn't meet any Burmese people that weren't delighted to have foreign travelers coming to see their country. Myanmar is truly one of the most enjoyable countries that I have ever photographed.
The following images are just a small sample of the many that I have available.

	Worshipers at Shwedagon Paya. Yangon
		Novice monk at Shwedagon Yangon
	Monks at Shwedagon Paya. Yangon
		White temple at Shwedagon Paya Yangon
	Monks studying at old wooden monastery near Nyaungshwe at Inle Lake	Novice monks in windows at wooden monastery Nyaungshwe

	Sunrise on Inle Lake	Sunset & boatman at Inle lake


	Inle Lake (Golden Island Cottages)	Guest bungalows on stilts at Inle lake (Golden Island Cottages)
	Flower lady at floating market Inle lake
		Novice monks with kitten Nyaungshwe
	Long necked Paduang woman	Old woman smoking a cheroot


	Souvenir stall Buddha heads	Horsecart & government billboard in Burmese script
	Evening silhouette at U Bein bridge Amurapura	Sunset at U Bein bridge Amurapura
	Bicycle silhouette at U Bein bridge	Colourful group in afternoon light on U Bein bridge
	Old monk at Mingun Paya, upriver from Mandalay	Oxcart at Mingun Paya
	A gust of time Mingun	Monks on rooftop of pickup truck Mandalay
	Htilomilo Pahto temple & bicycles. Bagan	Htilomilo Pahto temple & bicycles 2. Bagan
	Balloons over Bagan. The ultimate way to see Bagan	Balloons over Bagan # 2
	Balloons over Bagan # 3	Novice monks at break from studies
	Bagan temples at sunrise	Bagan temples in the mist
	Pretty girl with decorative thanakha make up	Kids in oxcart Ngapali beach
Government Billboard near Bagan airport.

I sincerely hope that considering recent events, the rest of the civilized world can find some way to help liberate this beautiful land from the brutal military regime holding the Burmese people hostage.

Also see the slideshow from my 2006 trip.