My theme this year is Burma AKA Myanmar. I used to live in Laos, so this was a return to Southeast Asia that I looked forward to. I spent a little over three weeks exploring this country, learning a bit about its culture: its history, religion, and language. I thought others might enjoy some of what I learned and see some of what I saw.
The poem Mandalay was written by Rudyard Kipling in 1890. The road he refers to in one line was really the Irrawaddy River. It hummed with trade from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Burma and India. In WWII the government sank many of the old British cargo ships that still were on the river to keep them out of the hands of the Japanese. Now Burma’s bringing those ship up from the river bottom and restoring them.
Leaving Mandalay |
The Muddy Irrawaddy |
Arriving at Mingun |
Answers to H: What do you know about the horse carriages of Burma?
F 1. Hackney Carriages have been subject to government licensing at least as far back as 1950. (I found laws regulating them as far back as 1812, under what was titled The Burma Code.)
F 2. Hackney-carriage means small vehicle in Burma. (Hackney refers to the type of light-stepping horse used to draw the carriage.)
NOW what do you know about the Irrawaddy River?
T/F 1. The Irrawaddy is the largest river in the world.
T/F 2. The river has been used as a main trade route since the sixth century.
Answers tomorrow.