The Loneliest Planet

On Wednesday night (December 10), I finally landed in Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon, which is the name I will use since that is the name my father has used with me all my life). Lonely Planet is the only company that makes a current English language guide for Burma, and I think everyone who visits has it; you see nearly every foreigner (they are soooo easy to spot) clutching one as they fumble about.

I was surprised to find myself in a new international airport, a sleek modern facility that belies the state of most of the country. While in Rangoon, I also noticed many modern luxury hotels – places that provide all the comforts a traveler could want, something I didn’t notice before. So while I tend to describe Burma as very basic, I may have been wrong, at least with regard to what is available in Rangoon. Unfortunately, with such places more money gets funneled to the government, indirectly supporting the oppressive regime. And the prices, while affordable for Westerners, are out of reach for most who live there.

While in Rangoon I stayed at a guesthouse on a quiet street not far from the city center. Quiet… until the power grid went down. Then everyone would fire up their diesel generators, which sit out in front of the buildings, and the quiet street would be transformed into truck yard with a background dull roar. Add to that the many vendors walking the streets, calling out their wares, ringing bells and otherwise calling attention to what they were selling, and the quiet would be gone.
In Rangoon, pedestrians must yield to cars, and crossing the street is like playing a game of Frogger. At any one time, there are pedestrians straddling every lane, waiting for a car to go by, and then jumping to the next lane, and so forth until they make it safely across the street. Cross walks mean nothing, and cars (mostly run down taxis) zoom within inches of helpless looking pedestrians as they fruitlessly wait in the yellow striping.

On Thursday, after a breakfast of mohinga (fish soup with rice noodles and crunchy fried onions), fresh pineapple and papaya, and sesame pancakes, I was picked up by Dr. Htwe Lay to spend the day touring projects in the area supported by the Burma-America Christian Association (BACA). I have given money to BACA for years and after Cyclone Nargis in May, helped raised additional funds for disaster relief in the hard hit delta region. BACA is a small 501 (c)(3) started by my father and aunt, and 100% of the funds go directly to worthy projects in Burma, including medical and economic aid to cyclone victims. These were the projects I wanted to see. Unfortunately, it was not possible to visit the delta region.

First stop was the Adventist School, to which BACA sponsors 5 students. Even though the school is supported heavily by the church, students of all religions are welcome and do attend, including Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. Four of the BACA-sponsored students shyly agreed to pose for me.

After the school Dr. Htwe Lay took me for lunch to the home of Ba Hla Thein, a schoolmate of my father’s from his childhood. I met Ba Hla Thein and his wife on the last trip and remembered well his cooking prowess, as he made several memorable meals for us. Lunch did not disappoint. In addition to fish ball curry (my favorite dish from the entire trip last time), he made Burmese style vermicelli noodles, sautéed vegetables, and a fresh salad. Before I left Burma, Ba Hla Thein and his family hosted me for many meals, their way of saying thank you to my father for all of his support (through BACA) over the years.