I was walking along a crowded Bangkok plaza when my eyes locked onto the sign: “Burma for Cheap.” Normally, I wouldn’t be lured into Thai places that advertise anything “for cheap,” but Burma seemed to be an interesting place to go during a break from my summer internship in Thailand. After about thirty minutes of strained discourse with the travel agent and lots of hand motions, I decided to go.
I went to a book store to find a book that would help me to learn a little about Burma before I left. Lo and behold, there was only one book, which of course was in Thai. Thank God, I am a visual learner. I managed to memorize all the pictures and what looked like a map of Yangon.
When I arrived in Burma I set out with the hopes of finding some of the landmarks I had memorized. I hailed a cab and the door was locked. I motioned to the driver, who stretched back, lowered the window manually and said “come in window.” He said that he would drive all day with me for only 20,000 Kyats, which is equivalent to about $4. I agreed and entered the cab through the window. I learned that my cab driver, Bob, was a student in Burma and his English was pretty good. He almost crashed when I told him I was an American, and was from North Hollywood. “OHHHH HOLLYWOOD Clark Gable you like?” I nervously nodded my head and decided not to tell him that he passed away over forty years ago.
Bob drove me to the Shwedagon Paya, which he said was the most revered monument in Burma. It looked like a huge golden-wrapped Hershey’s kiss, but much more impressive. The next leg of our journey led me to the Kandawgyi Lake, where I had lunch. At first, I thought Burmese food was going to be disappointing, but I was totally wrong. It was an amazing blend of Thai and Indian cuisines and had very aromatic spices and curries. From the lake, Bob recommended that I go to the Yangon Zoo, which was a surprise since I saw no animals in the Thai book. Walking in to the zoo, I was immediately greeted by a baby bear that was on a leash. The bear was there for people to take pictures with. Instead of paying for rides like in a carnival, you could pay to exploit animals in the zoo.
The next day Bob picked me up and dropped me off at the city center near Sule Paya, another breathtaking pagoda. I walked down narrow alleys and crowded street markets, trying to figure out what the various vendors were selling. The signs of economic stagnation were obvious: the sidewalks’ wretched large gaping holes and cracks made me stare down at my feet for most of the walk. Despite the dilapidated structures and sketchy taxis, the people of Burma made my trip truly memorable. Although these people are brutally suppressed and controlled, they have a sense of resiliency and warmth, which I had never seen before. The Burmese took a genuine interest in me and really wanted me to have a wonderful time, both things I really appreciated.
When I came back to Thailand, I began to miss Burma. What impressed me the most was the Burmese’s optimism. Even though they are stripped of many freedoms and luxuries, they are still filled with hope. Watching the Burmese protests, I became immensely hopeful. Maybe the Burmese can enjoy the freedoms that we too often take for granted. Maybe sometime in the future, I can take Bob to see Clark Gable. In a wax museum, of course.
