While in Yangon, this scene caught my eye. A monk, who has obviously not quite managed to shake of his desire for wealth and the material world, is choosing his lottery ticket while standing next to a woman with a Mickey Mouse umbrella.

Visit the Portfolio for more images of Myanmar.

I have just returned from  Yangon where I was taking a few snaps for a book I am working about Myanmar’s many tourist attractions. It was great to be back in the country which is one of the most beautiful and photogenic in the region.

Whenever is on my schedule, I always find time to make a trip to the Shwedagon Pagoda. The shot above was taken in a shop selling Buddha images on the street leading up to the temple’s east entrance.

Right now the country is in the middle of the rainy season. It’s a time when you can capture a very special atmosphere at the temple.

The temple has a truly magical ambience and it is easy to spend two or three hours there quietly observing and photographing. It is essential to pay at least a couple visits: one in the early morning and one in the late afternoon and evening. The quality of light and the gold of the pagodas is constantly changing and patience is always rewarded.

There are some particularly beautiful Buddha images surrounding the many small zedis at the temple.

Monks at the temple can be seen meditating or preaching to visitors. They also enjoy talking to foreigners and are curious to know what we think about the country. I had to smile when one said to me ‘in the past, when I was a human being, I was a tour guide.’

 See can see more images in the Portfolio section here.

Continuing the foodie theme, here’s a couple of shots of street eats in Yangon.

Burmese food is an intruiging mix of Thai, Chinese and Indian influences, resulting in a distinctive cuisine that is still largely unknown outside the country. To be honest, eating street food in Myanmar is a risky affair as the standard of hygiene is diabolical but there are some excellent local restaurants around.

Here’re a few shots taken in the markets showing women and children with the distinctive tanaka face powder.

Burmese people are some of the most welcoming and friendly you could ever hope to meet. Wander around the vibrant markets and every glance or tentative inquiry is greeted with a capacious smile and a handful of playful words shared with neighbours.

In the early morning and late afternoon, side streets are transformed into a canvas brushed with strokes of violent colour reminiscent of Gauguin’s palette. Squatting among nests of verdant green produce traders draw customers as eager for gossip as they are for fresh produce and a good deal. The atmosphere of markets in Myanmar is intoxicating. The lips of young girls offer thick smoky smiles whilst gently holding slender green cheroots and old ladies dispense ‘cure all’ herbal remedies. 

A raucous laugh may reveal a flash of gold proving that in Yangon it really does pay to put your money where your mouth is, or  betel stained teeth from years of habitual chewing.

Each woman’s face, cheeks washed with pale yellow powder extracted from the bark of the tanaka tree, exerts a mesmerising glow – smears of light illuminating sun-blessed skin. The markets of Myanmar are a sight for sore eyes; crowded and chaotic but never claustrophobic.

Tanaka wood is sold in the markets. It is rubbed on a grinding stone with a little water to extract it and then brushed on the cheeks, neck and arms.

Tanaka is used a beauty product but also as a sunscreen and skin softener. These days blocks of pre-ground powder and soaps are also available.

I’ll post some shots of markets at a later date.

Here’re a few shots taken in Yangon last week of trains, rickshaws and people in them.  

Traffic in Yangon is light considering the population is around 4.5 million. This is due to tight restrictions on the importation of vehicles. Most cars and buses are Japanese imports from the 1980s such as Nissan Sunny Super Saloons and Toyota Corollas that have seen better days.

Even prices for a battered car are very high and can only be afforded by the well off. There are no motorcycles at all as they are said to cause too many accidents and were outlawed in the city last year.

The majority of people in Yangon use the circular line train, bus, unmetred taxi, trishaw, bicycle, or simply walk. Of course, all this makes it a very pleasant city to get around.

The train in Yangon is one my favourite travel experiences in any Southeast Asian city, taxis are dirt-cheap, trishaws are a lot of fun, and walking around Yangon with a camera, a joy. In fact, all things considered, Yangon’s traffic policy is something that most cities around the world could do with implementing…although as the owner of a Triumph Bonneville T100 I might have to take issue with the bit about banning motorcycles!

You don’t have to be in Myanmar long before it becomes apparent that the locals love chewing betel nut. Here’s a section from my book, The Traditional Ceramics of South East Asia on the topic to accompany a few recent pictures. More shots can also be viewed in the Myanmar Gallery.

The chewing of betel nut in Myanmar is still prevalent through the country and popular with men and women alike. On almost every street corner sellers stand behind their counters preparing small wraps of the mildly stimulating mixture. Mobile vendors also walk the streets with wooden trays around their necks, each well stocked with the essential ingredients.

Between friends and visitors a welcome is often extended in the form of these small emerald-green packets – the ‘local chew’. Stained orange lips and teeth as well as the ubiquitous rust-coloured splats on the pavements are all signs of betel chewing. The nut itself which is responsible for the trademark orange staining is from the areca palm while the leaf in which it is wrapped comes from the piper betel vine.

The contents of the betel chews vary according to personal taste. The traditional mixture in Myanmar consists of a betel leaf smeared with slaked lime paste (calcium hydroxide), a few slithers of betel nut and some tobacco leaves. This mixture is generally the choice of men.

For those who prefer a richer taste a variety other ingredients can be added including rice liquor, cloves, cumin seeds, cardamom and the edible nut from a huge seed known locally as gon nyin. This particular mixture is enjoyed by both men and women.

In Yangon, the golden magnificence of the Shwedagon Pagoda pierces the sky with a pinprick and a prayer confirming Myanmar as the jewel in Southeast Asia’s crown. It is impossible not to be moved by the beauty of this incredible temple.

Located on a hill in the centre of Yangon, the Shwedagon Pagoda can be accessed by a stairway at one of four entrances.  For those who cannot manage the climb there is also a lift at one entrance. At least two visits are required; one at daybreak and another at night. The temple is open from 4a.m. until around 10 p.m. and the entrance fee is $6.

Once inside I prefer to wander around on my own but there are plenty of freelance guides available if you are interested in finding out the history of the temple.

Apart from seeing the stunning chedis, fine architecture and Buddhist imagery, a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda is also an opportunity to witness locals in moments of prayer.

Travel to Myanmar still remains a controversial topic in the West and it is clear that boycotts have left Myanmar’s tourist industry on its knees. During my two hour morning visit I did not see a single foreigner at the temple.

Without doubt Myanmar is run by a deeply objectionable bunch and their days are hopefully numbered, but anyone who has lived in Asia for any length of time will realize that poking them with a stick is no way to foster positive change.

I have visited Myanmar on many occasions for matters of research, as well as relaxation, travelling extensively in both urban and more remote areas. Regardless of the political climate I will continue to do so. I have yet to meet anyone within Myanmar who resented my presence or thinks I should stay away; quite the opposite in fact. The locals are delighted to meet foreigners.  If, as an individual, you were to make judgments as to where you should or should not travel due questionable government action, right now the USA and the UK would be pretty high on the list of places to avoid.

If you do visit Myanmar, and I see no reason why anybody should refrain from doing so, make the effort to engage with its people at all levels. Look beyond the politics to the individual.

It’s almost two years to the day since my last visit to Myanmar so I was delighted to make a five day trip to Yangon last week. It was a welcome break from the daily grind and a chance to explore ideas for a new book that I have been procrastinating about for far too long.

Myanmar is a country of real beauty and intrigue and has retained a strong sense of its cultural identity. Little has changed within the country for decades and as a result it offers a glimpse into lifestyles and traditions which are fast disappearing elsewhere in the region. Despite its abhorrent government, the people are as friendly and welcoming as you could wish for and it is always a pleasure to meet and talk with them.

I am slowly sorting through my snaps from the trip and will be posting more over the next few days. Although there is no shortage of subjects or inspiration in a city as colourful and vibrant as Yangon, one of the highlights for me was simply photographing a bus stop in the rain.

I was wandering back to the hotel from a restaurant one evening and stopped to photograph passengers getting on and off buses in a dimly lit street. Aided by a 50mm 1.2 lens I spent half an hour getting soaked to the skin and the shutter button on my camera is now buggered but it was worth it.

A constant flow of buses pulls up with bus boys touting for customers by shouting out the destinations. Packed with workers going home for the evening, the old Japanese and Korean buses labour through the streets of downtown Yangon then out to the suburbs. 

Setting up this website has been an interesting experience on many levels. It’s been necessary to go through a lot of images and decide what is worthy of being posted while I am in the process of shooting new work. Last night I revisited a few pictures I took in Myanmar, one of the most visually stimulating countries I have visited. Below are a few images that were taken on a train journey with gear far inferior to the stuff I use today and also with a lot less knowledge. The imperfections jump out but I like them. One thing is for sure, they have made me want to return to Myanmar again soon.

Travelling by train in Myanmar is a fabulous experience. I spent the good part of the day enjoying the trip, jumping on and off this old German train trying to get some captivating images.

The train stops every five or ten minutes at a station so there is a constant flow of passengers getting on and off. It’s a photographer’s dream journey.