My favorite stop

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Of the six countries we have visited so far, I found Myanmar to be the most fascinating.  

The people are genuine, friendly and content. There is much poverty, but Myanmar's people seemed resigned to that fact. Education is lacking, unemployment is high, healthcare non-existent, but there is serenity and harmony in people's faces. They are devout in their religious beliefs and determined to do good on this Earth. They believe in Nirvana. You can sense their pride in their ancient past and their optimism and hope for a glorious future.

There were 32 in our group, including several children, half a dozen lifelong learners and two dozen students. Our guide, whose "international" name is Martin. spoke good but hesitant English, often apologizing for its limitations. He spoke Burmese and also the dialect from his region. A family man, he was a perfect example of a professional guide: calm, patient, soft-spoken, accommodating and very respectful. He did not hesitate to answer questions -- even personal ones -- and thanked us for coming to Myanmar, not only because he got a job out of it but that the people of Myanmar benefited from our visit, monetarily as well as through personal contact.

This visit was one with a lot of variety, appealing to all of our senses.We visited pagodas, temples, shrines; we visited a school and gave out books and supplies; we had a pony ride; we took a sunset cruise and climbed a magnificent shrine for breathtaking views; we ate a catered dinner under the stars; we saw puppet theater and shopped in local markets. We saw the sun setting and the full moon rising.

Martin arranged for special dishes for us and always explained in detail what we were seeing, smelling, eating and experiencing. White wine is not commonly found so I tried Myanmar beer. It comes in big bottles and is 6 percent alcohol but tastes like a  light beer. I really liked it, it was as good as any beer I have tried. 

Now that this wonderful country has opened itself up to the outside world, I hope it keeps its uniqueness and does not turn into a Vietnam or China. 

Strong and quick

“It is not power that corrupts but fear.”  ― Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar is a country the size of Texas in Southeast Aisa bordered by Bangladesh, China, Laos, India and Thailand. It has a proud and rich history reflected by its abundant natural resources, diverse ethnic mix and the meaning of the country's name: strong and quick.

The name of the country was changed from Burma to Myanmar in 1989 to be more inclusive of the country's 135 ethnic groups, even though the Burmese are the majority of the 60 million population.

Myanmar’s capital has been Naypyidaw since 2005. The former capital Yangon, previously called Rangoon, is the largest city and the country’s commercial center. Its houses 10% of the population,

Myanmar is rich in precious stones, oil and natural gas. China imports natural gas, agricultural goods and textiles, even labeling some of the textiles as "Made in China." 

The archaeological record shows that homo sapiens first inhabited the region in the late Stone Age around 11,000 B.C. 

Imperial Burma was ruled by three dynasties from the 8th to the 18th Centuries, with Portuguese interference in the 17th century. The British colonized Burma in 1885, and then Japanese took control from 1942-1945 during World War Two. Burma became independent in 1948, and its democracy lasted 10 years. Following two years of civil unrest, the military took over in 1962 and aligned the country with the Soviet Union. The situation worsened in 1988 when a students' rebellion was crushed by the military, resulting in university closings that set the country's education, healthcare system and economy back several decades.

Suu Kyi at her Nobel acceptance speech in Oslo in June 2012,
two decades after it was awarded. AFP photo.

There is now hope for the beautiful people of Myanmar. Following protests by the country’s monks and human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi, the military have very slowly began to relinquish control. 

Elections were held in 2010, and "The Lady," as the Burmese call the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Suu Kyi, was released from house arrest in 2011. The National League for Democracy won many parliamentary seats, though the military is still in control. Many are looking forward to the election of 2015, hoping that "The Lady" will run for president. Her highly revered father,  Aung San, is considered the father of Burma's independence, and his assassination in the 1960s is still very present in the minds of many citizens.

Did you know ... Burma

• Myanmar ranks 172 out of 176 on the corruption scale
• Three years ago, only 100,000 tourists visited Myanmar; that number grew to 1 million in 2012.
• UNESCO has declared Mandalay, Yangon and Bagan World Heritage sites.
• Burma used to be the second-richest country in Asia 1,000 years ago; now it is among the poorest.
• U.S. dollars are welcome as long as they are of small denominations and crisp bills.
• Showing the soles of your shoes or feet is considered disrespectful.
• Patting a child on the head signals bad luck.
• In addition to Burmese, there are four written languages and hundreds of dialects.
• Life expectancy is 65 for women, 60 for men.
• Polygamy is legal, and the last king had 54 wives.
• This is the year 1274 on their lunar calendar. The calendar also has days in a week, and each is named after an animal: Monday (tiger); Tuesday (lion); Wednesday morning (elephant); Wednesday afternoon (elephant without tusks); Thursday (rat); Friday (guinea pig); Saturday (dragon); Sunday (Garuda).
• Buddhism arrived in the 11th Century. Today Theravada Buddhism plays a big role in the lives of most Myanmar citizens who support 460,000 monks. The Burmese believe have been four Buddhas in the past; the fifth is to arrive by the lunar year 2400. Buddhism is based on four principles: 1) life is suffering, 2) detachment is necessary, 3) end of life is a blessing 4) reincarnation is a given fact.
• Those who choose to become monks are revered. Older citizens can become monks later in life if their wives give them permission to do so.
• Pagodas and temples, many with golden domes built during the last 1,000 years, are everywhere. Those damaged in the 1975 earthquake are being renovated by architects from India under UNESCO supervision. Building of pagodas by newly married couples and other citizens is encouraged.
• Every child, in his or her 7th year, spends a week in a monastery and does so again before the age of 20.

Above: A parade, led by mothers in fancy dress, head to the pagodas, causing a traffic jam in this remote village. Oxen pull colorful displays and a band played music as young children.on horseback, protected from the sun by colorful parasols, went to the monastery to become monks. 

Where in the world am I?

For those interested in tracking my route around the globe, below is a map and detailed itinerary of our trip, courtesy of Semester at Sea.

ARRIVE/DEPART	DATE	TIME
SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES 1
Port of San Diego 1000 North Harbor Drive 1Participants will be transported by bus from San Diego, Calif. to Ensenada, Mexico to board the ship on January 9. Boarding will take place from 0700-1200.	Depart	January 9	17:00
HILO, HAWAII, UNITED STATES
Hilo Harbor, Hawaii 55 Kahanu Street Berth: Pier 3	Arrive	January 15	08:00
	Depart	January 16	20:00
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN [*]
Port of Yokohama 1-1-4 Kaigandori, Naka-ku Berth: Ohsanbashi Terminal	Arrive	January 27	08:00
	Depart	January 28	23:00
KOBE, JAPAN [*]
Port of Kobe Kobe C.I.T. Bldg,16F, 1-14,Hamabe-Dori 5-chome, Chuo-ku Berth: Shinko Pier No. 4, Q-1/2	Arrive	January 30	08:00
	Depart	January 31	20:00
SHANGHAI, CHINA 2 [*]
Shanghai International Port 500 Dongdaming Road Berth: International Cruise Terminal Centre 2*Actual arrival time may vary due to tides.	Arrive	February 3	09:00
	Depart	February 4	20:00
HONG KONG, CHINA [*]
Port of Hong Kong Harbour City, Canton Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon Berth: Ocean Terminal – South Outer Pier	Arrive	February 7	08:00
	Depart	February 8	20:00
HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM
Port of Ho Chi Minh City End of Dien Bien Phu street, ward 22, Binh Thanh district Berth: Nha Rang Port (K.1 Khanhhoi)	Arrive	February 12	12:30
	Depart	February 18	06:00
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Port of Singapore 61 Marina Coastal Drive	Arrive	February 20	08:00
	Depart	February 21	20:00
RANGOON, BURMA
Port of Yangon 83-91 Bo Aung Kyaw Street	Arrive	February 25	08:00
	Depart	March 1	20:00
COCHIN, INDIA
Cochin Port Trust  Willingdon Island	Arrive	March 6	08:00
	Depart	March 11	20:00
PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
Port Louis Harbour H.Ramnarain Building	Arrive	March 18	08:00
	Depart	March 18	20:00
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Port of Cape Town Duncan Road	Arrive	March 25	08:00
	Depart	March 30	20:00
TAKORADI, GHANA [*]
Port of Takoradi	Arrive	April 6	08:00
	Depart	April 7	20:00
TEMA (ACCRA), GHANA [*]
Port of Tema Eastgate Road	Arrive	April 8	08:00
	Depart	April 10	20:00
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Port of Casablanca Downtown Gate no 1	Arrive	April 18	08:00
	Depart	April 21	20:00
BARCELONA, SPAIN
Port of Barcelona Portal de la Pau	Arrive	April 25	08:00

Singapore gallery

Left: The Marina Bay Sands resort and convention center dwarfs other skyscrapers in the reclaimed areas of Singapore. 

Singapore is a country within a garden. Although it is one of the rainiest and greenest cities in the world, residents are still urged to conserve water because there is only one mountain and two rivers that provide the city-state with freshwater.

Right: My friend Lynn Baker hosted us for lunch at the famous Cricket Club, built by the British in 1926, and then showed us her apartment complex (below), which has a clubhouse and numerous amenities. The view from Lynn's balcony (below).

A true Lifelong Learner

Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu is always happy to pose for photos or chat about world affairs. Last week he had an opinion piece published in the New York Times criticising U.S. drone attacks on civilians. This photo was taken at the new Marina Cruise Center in Singapore.

The pearl of Southeast Asia

Singapore is a small island country, just three times the size of Washington, D.C., with a population of 5.2 million people. Of those, 2.2 million are foreign residents. English is the official language, while Mandarin, Malay and Tamil also widely spoken. The ethnic diversity of this young country is 75 percent Chinese, 15 percent Malaysian, 9 percent Indian and 3 percent Eurasian.

Singapore was established as a trading post in 1891 by Thomas Stamford Raffles of Britain (who abolished slavery in Southeast Asia), even though the Portuguese were using the island to trade spices as early as the 1600s. The British left during World War Two, and in 1942 Japan occupied this swampy isle. Singapore became part of the Malaysian Federations in 1945 and was kicked out in 1965, becoming the independent Republic of Singapore.

Thanks to the genius of Lee Kuan Yew, his strongarm tactics and visionary outlook,  Singapore leaped forward. Today it is the private banking center for Asia, much like Switzerland is for Europe. It has the world's third-highest per capita income, and unemployment is less than 2 percent. A stunning one in every five residents is a millionaire. Those making less than $20,000 a year do not pay taxes, while the highest income tax rate is 20 percent. Corporate taxes are 18 percent, and capital gains is 10 percent. 

Ninety-five percent of Singaporeans own their apartments; though some are subsidized by the government, most people purchase their homes from their savings. High interest savings accounts, controlled by the government, are mandatory, and companies are required to match people's savings. An account similar to the U.S. Social Security system is also mandatory. As for health, everyone must establish a medical expense trust to be used when and if they become ill. The birthrate of just 1.2 percent growth is a matter of concern for Singaporeans, whose life expectancy is 84 years of age.

This city-state spends more on its military, as a proportion of gross domestic product, than any other country after Israel. Every male citizen and permanent resident has to serve in the military when he turns 18-years-old. The Singapore Armed Forces has an active force of around 71,600 troops and is capable of mobilising another 350,000 reservists.

The government limits the number of cars on Singaporean streets with high tariffs to prevent pollution and congestion, so a simple Toyota model may cost as much as $270,000, including the price and a certificate of ownership.Taxis are plentiful, and residents walk, ride their bikes or use mass transit, which includes buses and subways. 

Speaking of transportation, Singapore is an aviation hub for the region, with eight airports hosting a network of 80 airlines that connects the city to 200 cities in 68 countries. Its maritime harbour, the Port of Singapore, is the world's second-busiest with as many 1,000 ships anchored. The government plans to build an underwater bullet train to Malaysia, which supplies Singapore with its water, agricultural goods and cheap labor.

Our cruise ship terminal, the Marina Bay Cruise Center, was built in 2012 on reclaimed land, which makes up 40 percent of Singapore. It also includes hotels, convention centers and botanical gardens. It is also the site of  the Marina Barrage, which creates a catchment to prevent seawater from entering a freshwater reservoir, and a water-recycling facility that turns even sewage into potable water. 

Lee Kuan Yew, whose grandson is the new prime minister, established Singapore on five basic priorities:

1. Education 
2. Housing 
3. Racial Harmony 
4. Economic Development
5. National Service  

Many attribute the stability of this 50-year-old republic to the rule of law. Singapore is  a "guided" democracy with a parliamentary system that values law and order above everything else. Punishments for littering, smoking in public, jay walking, vandalism or public disturbance is punishable by caning. In 1994, American teenager Michael Fay was caned after a conviction for vandalism.

More serious crimes like drug trafficking and armed offenses or treason are punishable by death (hanging). There is no trial by jury. Judges assess the crime and hand out the sentence within weeks of the offense.

Gambling is legal in and generates a lot of income for the government. American business tycoon Sheldon Adelson of Las Vegas built the three-tower Marine Bay Sands Resort for $7 billion -- and got his investment back in less than three years. Singapore's convention centers are teeming with businessmen, and the hotels have high occupancy rates. Some 7,000 U.S companies are represented in Singapore.

Sailing with us for a few days were Mike and Shelly Dee from Texas who first came to Singapore with the investment bank JP Morgan in the early 1990s. Following work in other parts of the world, they chose to return to Singapore where they are raising five children and are involved in dozens of philanthropic causes. They have given 10 scholarships to Semeaster at Sea students. Shelly serves on the board of Institute for Shipboard Education, the umbrella organization for SAS. 

Cambodia gallery

This is the world's largest religious complex, Angkor Wat, at sunrise. Thousands 

of people come to the Angkor area to visit the Hindu/Buddhist shrines, built 
between the 9th and 13th centuries when the Khmer kingdom was at its peak. I especially like the reflection in the man-made moat makes a beautiful composition. 
See this National Geographic video for more.

From top: This market is located in an impoverished remote village near Sap Lake, one of Southeast Asia's biggest freshwater lakes. Middle: Children with bare feet walked through unpaved, muddy streets. They still had fun and posed for the cameras while their parents (bottom) sold vegetables, rice and home-cooked meals.

Susan Kahn, my roommate during the Cambodia excursion, and I took a tut tut from our hotel in Siem Reap. A tut tut, which is a trishaw pulled by a motorbike, is the main form of public transportation in Siem Reap. This trip cost us $1 each.

In Siem Reap, dinner and a performance of the traditional Apsara dance 

followed a busy day of touring the provincial capital in northwestern Cambodia. 

Strange trees with giant roots wrap themselves around the walls of 
Angkor Thom, impeding restoration of the temples but also contributing to 
the site's atmosphere in their "fantastic over-scale." The two main species, 
the silk-cotton tree and the strangler fig, are native to Cambodia. 

Did you know ... Cambodia

A live tarantula climbs towards Matthew's neck. Matt, a

student from the University of Michigan, tasted the tarantula and said it was like eating crab legs.

 
Cambodia facts:

A young woman selling fried 

tarantulas tries to convince our 

students they're harmless.

• 15 million people live in an area as big as Washington state. 
• The capital city, Phnom Penh, is in the south and has a population of 2.2 million.
• In rural areas, only 40 percent of the population has access to electricity.
• 85 percent of people work on the land, mostly harvesting rice and raising water buffalo cattle, chicken and pigs. These animals usually live under people’s homes, which are built on stilts.
• The staple diet is rice and fish. The latter are caught during the fishing season between October and May and are cured to last throughout the year.
• Fried tarantulas and crickets and can be bought at open markets as snacks.
• 29 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.
• Many workers earn $2-3 per day.
• The literacy rate is 60 percent but in rural areas 75% of children have no access to school.
• The country’s main exports are rice (especially jasmine) and textiles.
• Mineral resources include rubies, sapphires and gold.
• The No. One industry is tourism, with 3 million visitors per year.
• $1 is worth 4,000 riel (twice as much as the Vietnamese dong).