With the military siezing control in Myanmar again, ousting and detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, Burma is sadly an unsafe place to travel right now, let alone COVID making it hard for us to go anywhere. Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader, has declared a state of emergency, and has received international criticism and sanctions for his part in attacks on the Rohingya (ethnic minorities). Protests continue and the country's democratic dream is in chaos. I imagine it'll be a while before I return. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to go at all, especially in the circumstances that got me there. My best friend and her husband are vipassana meditators - this style of insight meditation came out of Myanmar from India, and there are many monastries dedicated to it, including Ingyinbin north of Mandalay. We travelled there with a Burmese nun who lived in Sydney - travelling with someone who speaks the language and knows the area offers you insights that you just don't get otherwise..

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The temples at Bagan have to be seen to be believed - I'd argue it's more beautiful than Cambodia's temples, and less busy - or so I've been told! Despite a huge earthquake there years before, it's still a magnificent UNESCO site. You hire an electric bike to see the temples and watching sunrise or sunset from the top of one is extraordinary, hearing the prayers echo across the scorched land. Faith is everywhere in Burma - I've never been to a country where faith is so strong in everything people do, far more than India or any other country. ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/AKRCiwmXPS8uDYmnwyBciPCj2KyPrf4UyDxqQVQrbqbHvrHsfx6bxFkNg9zfY6g.png) ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23ywsBb48ygypi8xuyeuiHfSnQtq8F694VdbQPsV7gNMFh7WAijMQNEdRMaLqyvD5kW3e.png) ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/2432BAM9QKDjFHhBtW8n5bzpygePL1EGzuCgHT5qbuJujJJGEzJL1U8sLUfnp7cUriy2t.png) We had travelled to Bagan from Mandalay down the Ayerwaddy river on a boat - it takes an entire day but it's incredible to watch the river and the people on it. ![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/EpviTVzZMJxsgBrUaAwzZBCJCSR97xfU2TZsdFhKYHPwuzbFESGTEzTeodVMH75ymeL.png) From Bagan, though, we took a train through the countryside to Lake Inle, which is in the Shan Hills of Myanmar. Again, the train trip is a must - if you ever have the luck to go, don't fly and make room for both boat and train rides. It's a much better way to immerse yourself in the landscape. Lake Inle's gorgeous, and relatively quiet for an upcoming tourist destination. There's a lot of accomodation right on the lake, and you can cycle right around it or hike up into the hills or visit local markets. It's also famous for the oleg-rowing of the Inthas who live on the lake in houses on stilts that go right over the water.

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We adored Burma - it truly is a golden country. I loved the green tea, the fermented green tea salad, and even the food - which can be a bit hit and miss as you need to be careful. I love trying new foods but in some places you need to be more careful than others so you don't get sick! https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/Eq5DVC35rzFcKCFDf5gYySDDAqgqBSe26Vdu9kTS1J2Si296yvH4vVcg7hZ1m18HEag.png Would I go back again? In a heartbeat. From viewing enlightened monks, mummified in forest temples in Saigan, to rivercruises and eleventh century temples, to golden temples and buddhas, Burma has so much to see. I only hope the country finds itself in more peaceful times again so one day you can enjoy it too. We did create a little video whilst we were there - we are hardly media gurus and this was designed to entertain my sister in law, who, like many people who've seen this comedy show, is a Fast Show fan. One of the characters is a Manchester teenager who walks around saying everything is brilliant. As we were so gobsmacked with everything we had to offer, we'd daily say 'wow - that's so brilliant', resulting in this short video which makes me laugh every time I see it. Enjoy. https://youtu.be/_R8EofFhkfY # Have you been to Burma?