Macaque

This rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) monkey was kept as a pet at the military post up the hill from Mile 7 camp (see Myanmar 2005) on the Ledo Road in Kachin, Myanmar. He was, apparently, always ready to eat, and I never saw him without the spoon. 

Yangon Taxi

Theravadan still life shot from the back seat of a Yangon taxi. One of the numerous local pagodas is shown in the background; the foreground is dominated by the rear view mirror with its garland of Plumeria flowers, mala, and strip of saffron cloth. About 90% of the population of Myanmar is Buddhist.

Evening at Shwedagon

The sun starts to go down in Yangon, and the temperature drops, and the lights come on - and everything takes on a whole new aura. The monk seated in the corner continues to chant and count his mala (see Sunday at Shwedagon).

Market Fruit

Durians (see Fresh Fruit), and mangos, and mangosteens (see Mangosteen), oh my. One of the many fruit stalls tucked away along the side streets of Yangon, Myanmar. 

Under the Watchful Eye of the Buddha

Young monks at Shwedagon Pagoda find a shady spot to escape the Yangon sun. [NOTE: The plastic bag was filled with little bean cakes.  I know, because they offered me some after I took their picture. May all beings be happy.]

Rattan Landing

Rattan landing in the forest at Mile 20 on the Ledo Road in Kachin State, Myanmar. The collectors are tying together bundles of 20 rattan canes for transport. Further information about what is going on in this image can be found here or here or here (scroll down to Economic Botany 61(1).pdf). 

Shwedagon Buddha

I keep coming across lovely images from my Sunday walks through Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon (see Sunday at Shwedagon). [NOTE: Never noticed that Buddha's hands are depicted with pink fingernails in some representations.]

Sweeping Shwedagon

Female lay practitioners form a line with their brooms and slowly move through the Shwedagon Pagoda sweeping the marble floor.  They do this once a week. [NOTE: The pagoda complex extends over 6.0 hectares; there's a lot to sweep.]

Rattan Truck II

I've always really liked this image.  I had paused to catch my breath near 7 mile camp on the Ledo Road (see Myanmar 2005 and Hukaung Valley Rattan Survey) when this old green trunk loaded with people, fuel, and rattan came barreling by. You can see where my interest was. Everything in the image is slightly out of focus because of the speed of the truck - except the rattan cane next to the passenger's window.  

Silver Blings

The package label off the Kachin longyi that I received as a gift last December (thx, Saw Htun). "Classic Quality Better Than You Think" is pretty fantastic advertising copy. "Always be shine like silver blings", however, has to win a prize for charming inscrutability. I keep reading it over and over like a koan. [NOTE: The longyi is beautiful with simple green lines on a dark blue background].