Burmese cuisine gets a bad rap among many travelers. I think it’s not so much that the food is unremarkable but rather it is often compared to the world-renowned gastronomy found among its three closest neighbors, China, India and Thailand. It’s a tough crowd in which to compete, but the good news is that Burmese […]
Myanmar (Burma)
Wine Tasting in Myanmar
One evening, on our recent trip to Myanmar, Erik looked at me doubtfully and asked, “Shall we try it?” I shrugged my shoulders in response, which he understood – correctly – to mean, “Why not?” After all, we were at Inle Lake, a stone’s throw from the country’s only two wineries. Our plan was to […]
Mingun: Myanmar’s village capital
Another favorite spot in Myanmar was Mingun, located about an hour’s boat ride up the Irawaddy River from Mandalay. Once a royal capital for former King Bodawpaya, Mingun today is a small village. As we approached, we could see an enormous, partially-completed pagoda begun by the king during the area’s heyday. One hundred thousand of his subjects […]