Praying

[The_Traveler]

Schwedagon Temple complex (in Yangon, Myanmar) is a very large compound on top of a sizable hill. For those unaccustomed, as I usually am coming from winter, the heat can be very enervating, particularly since all of the floors are marble.

If people are interested I can post a series taken around the temple grounds.

 

[Olivier]

Hello,

I don't feel the heat in this shot, but it still works well, probably because of the contrast of a small an unassuming woman praying in front of this huge and golden temple.
And definitely, please post your series of shots!

[Frank Fremerey]

Surreal color contrast. Great light. Good lines. The women sits there as if thrown into the scene. The fun part.

[The_Traveler]

The size, extent and beauty is almost surreal.
Because of the excellent maintenance and gilding it outshines the Temples at Angkor (no punintended.)

[armando_m]

What an impressive place !


I like the relaxed attitude of the woman praying in image #1

[The_Traveler]

Thanks, it is a grand place to visit, especially early in morning or very late afternoon.
During the day, the marble gets too hot for farang feet (no foot coverings allowed.)

[chris dees]

It's already 4 years ago we visited Myanmar.
The things I remember most were the friendly people and the temple complexes (Schwedagon Temple, Bagan).
It's one of the nicest places I've seen and there's no mass tourism (yet).

[The_Traveler]

Unfortunately Chris, Myanmar has changed dramatically since the opening up the country a bit.
I was there in 2007, 2010 and February, 2013 and the change in the major cities was enormous.
Huge numbers of cars, many more businesses, terrific traffic in large cities and an overflow of tourists straining the resources.
The roads and telephone network are still well below any standard - even though everyone has a mobile phone.
One can't go to a town like Mandalay, Yangon or Bagan and expect to find a room easily.
In 2013 I took 3 friends and we had to make reservations everywhere and, in Bagan and Nyaung Schwe, we saw people sleeping on floors of guest houses and in monasteries.
I'm certain this crush will level off as facilities grow to meet the need but the infrastructure has a long way to go.

If you are interested in returning to SE Asia, Laos is still fairly 'fresh' and, while it doesn't have the number of things to see or places to go, it is very much fun - and the people of Laos are wonderful.

http://lewlortonphoto.com/p707187839

 

[Gary]

A very interesting and grand location. Thank you for sharing.

[chris dees]

Unfortunately Chris, Myanmar has changed dramatically since the opening up the country a bit.
I was there in 2007, 2010 and February, 2013 and the change in the major cities was enormous.
Huge numbers of cars, many more businesses, terrific traffic in large cities and an overflow of tourists straining the resources.
The roads and telephone network are still well below any standard - even though everyone has a mobile phone.
One can't go to a town like Mandalay, Yangon or Bagan and expect to find a room easily.
In 2013 I took 3 friends and we had to make reservations everywhere and, in Bagan and Nyaung Schwe, we saw people sleeping on floors of guest houses and in monasteries.
I'm certain this crush will level off as facilities grow to meet the need but the infrastructure has a long way to go.

If you are interested in returning to SE Asia, Laos is still fairly 'fresh' and, while it doesn't have the number of things to see or places to go, it is very much fun - and the people of Laos are wonderful.

http://lewlortonphoto.com/p707187839

It wasn't that bad in 2011 (except for Yangon).
In September we're going to Indonesia (Sulawesi) for a roundtrip of 3,5 weeks.
From what I'm told it's still not crowded with tourists (except for Manado).
Loas and Cambodja is high on my list (at least within top 5), so we will get there in the coming years.

[The_Traveler]

Loas and Cambodja is high on my list (at least within top 5), so we will get there in the coming years.

Although I very much enjoyed the temples at Angkor, they are a huge tourist draw and that distorts the area. I have mixed feeling about Phnomh Penh and Cambodia seemed like a gritty, not so much fun country.

If you are up for some hard travel entering Laos by way of Chiang Rai, Thailand then a curvy route down to Luang Prabang is terrific.
I am in the process of writing a travel article about this trip that may interest you.


 

[chris dees]

Loas and Cambodja is high on my list (at least within top 5), so we will get there in the coming years.

Although I very much enjoyed the temples at Angkor, they are a huge tourist draw and that distorts the area. I have mixed feeling about Phnomh Penh and Cambodia seemed like a gritty, not so much fun country.

If you are up for some hard travel entering Laos by way of Chiang Rai, Thailand then a curvy route down to Luang Prabang is terrific.
I am in the process of writing a travel article about this trip that may interest you.

I'm definitely interested.

From what I've read about Laos, you can do this by boat on the Mekong.
Angkor is a main tourist attraction, but it is something I want to see myself (I know it's no where near to Bagan )
On a 3 weeks trip we would stay 2 weeks in Laos and one week in Cambodia

I hope you don't mind I put an image of the Schwedagon Temple by night (B&W and extra noise added).