Visiting Buddhist Myanmar, Before It's Too Late

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
By Ellen Hale, Associated Press

MYANMAR---Closed off for years by a repressive, corrupt military reign, much of the country seems lost in time, truly untouched by signs of globalization like fast-food chains. Women here still chalk their faces with thanaka, a paste made from tree bark. Men wear longyi, wraparound skirts knotted at the waist. Monks carry begging bowls through town in the early-morning ritual of seeking food. But now that the government is opening Myanmar to the outside world, tourists are rushing to experience the country before it changes. How the opening up of Myanmar will affect its rich, unique culture and traditions is an issue of much discussion, and a major reason for the tourist stampede. "I had to come see the real Burma before it gets spoiled," one Australian visitor said over breakfast as his fellow travelers nodded. [link]