Just Back From: Burma - temples, nice people

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/13/TRDH165NIU.DTL

Sunday, March 15, 2009

I went because: You hear horrible things about some places and wonder what is really true, but when I get to North Korea, Iran, etc., I always find nice people.


Don't miss: Bagan. You must go - 2,800 temples and stupas! At sunset? Wow! The main temple in Rangoon was nice, too.

Don't bother: Going anywhere else. Burma is amazing. The junta stays in its jungle capital and leaves the rest of Burma to its wonderful people.

Coolest souvenir: Hard to choose. I went on an Overseas Adventure Travel tour and we went to lots of crafts factories. The marionettes, maybe?

Worth a splurge: The Hotel Red Canal in Mandalay. It's all teakwood - and the Internet is free.

I wish I'd packed: More memory cards for my camera. I took 650 photos - not nearly enough.

Other comments: Burma is truly safe, not a failed state. The people are all Buddhists who practice what they preach. They watch out for one another - and for you, too.