Balloons float over the ancient city of Bagan, which in the 9th to 13th centuries was the capital of a kingdom from which Burma, now called Myanmar, evolved. Buddhist pagodas and shrines are prevalent throughout the country. Photo by Zzvet@Dreamstime.com

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In the crowded city of Mandalay, Myanmar’s traditional marketplaces juxtapose with motor scooters, cell phones and other 21st century technology. Photo by Victor Block

I was 3,000 feet high, floating in a hot air balloon with 11 other passengers, including my wife Fyllis, and — thank goodness — a pilot.

Since this was my first balloon flight, my attention during the ascent was focused on the gigantic orb overhead that was keeping us aloft, into which our aviator was directing occasional bursts of flame. Flame!

Once I was convinced that we would stay afloat and not catch on fire, I was able to focus my attention on the reason why we had clambered into the airborne basket in the first place. We were gently passing over a vast plain that is home to a massive and magnificent collection of Buddhist pagodas, temples, monasteries and dome-shaped monuments called stupas (stoo-puhs).

Our balloon ride sailed us over the ancient city of Bagan, which was the capital of a kingdom spanning the 9th to 13th centuries from which Burma later evolved. At one time, more than 10,000 Buddhist structures dotted the landscape there, and the remains of over 2,200 survive today.

We spotted both crumbling red brick shrines and whitewashed, gilded edifices that have been spruced up and returned to their former glory. This assortment of centuries-old Buddhist monuments is part of the reason that Myanmar (ME-un-mahr) is referred to as “The land of pagodas.”

Pervasive pagodas

While no one knows how many pagodas and other Buddhist holy places there are throughout the country, the visitor soon learns that if there isn’t one in sight at any given time, there probably will be very soon.

Whether exploring a sprawling religious site or coming upon a tiny roadside memorial, the pervasiveness of the religion that the great majority of people practice is everywhere.

For non-Buddhists, an itinerary that includes a seemingly endless array of holy places may threaten to cause a bit of pagoda overload. Even so, sites like Bagan belong on any “must-see” list. Others have their own special appeals.

According to legend, a stupa has stood for 2,600 years where the Shwedagon in Yangon does today. The existing building is believed to enshrine strands of Buddha’s hair, and is encrusted with more than 4,500 diamonds.

The seated Buddha statue in the Mahamuni Pagoda in Mandalay is one of the most venerated in the country. So many worshippers have applied gold leaf to the image as a sign of their devotion that it’s shape has become somewhat distorted.

Fyllis and I were struck by the reverence of the people when we attended the daily washing ritual of that effigy which, to our dismay, begins at about 4:30 a.m. A senior monk of the temple carefully rinses the statue’s face as people who fill every available space from which to observe the ceremony bow, pray and chant.

A surprise to me was the extent to which the deep devotion evident at ancient religious places often coexists with touches of modernity and commercialism.

For example, some pagoda complexes have installed elevators and escalators for worshippers and visitors who can’t, or won’t, climb long flights of stairs. And in addition to incense, flowers, candles and other items to leave as offerings, vendors lining entrances into holy sites also sell all manner of religio-tourist trinkets.

Breaking free of Britain

If the pervasiveness of religion in everyday life leads to an assumption that Myanmar is only about Buddhist temples, think again. In fact, it’s a multi-racial country with interesting cities, intriguing villages, stunning nature, and attractions sure to excite and delight even the most intrepid traveler.

Britain controlled Burma from 1824 until the country gained its independence in 1948. An oppressive military junta that took control in 1962 left a lasting stain on the nation’s history. The generals suppressed dissent, were accused of serious civil rights abuses, and allowed the economy to stagnate, largely isolated from the rest of the world.

In an effort to erase reminders of British domination, the name of the country was changed from Burma to Myanmar, although both are still used. Names of cities, rivers, mountains and other places also were altered to avoid memories of the colonial days.

When free elections were permitted to take place in 2015, the political party of Aung San Suu Kyi won a resounding victory. She is an activist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, but whose advocacy for democracy resulted in her being held under house arrest for 15 years until her release in 2010.

Aung San now serves as the State Counselor, a position similar to prime minister, and she has managed to institute some new freedoms, economic reforms and other advancements. However, the constitution still gives the military a strong voice in governing the country.

Myanmar’s major cities

In recent years, tourism to Myanmar has slowly increased, and those who go there find variety enough to satisfy a myriad of interests. The major cities alone would make the trip worthwhile.

Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is the biggest city and commercial center. It boasts the largest number of colonial-era buildings in southeast Asia, along with a proliferation of new shops and restaurants that have sprung up since the country reopened to the world.

A good way to get a sense of the city is to board the Circular Train that transports workers, students and shoppers to their destinations. A ride costs only 30 cents, and while we didn’t stay on the run-down coach car for the entire three-hour round-trip, we observed a colorful slice of local life.

The tracks lead past upscale homes, ramshackle wooden huts and tent cities. Passengers see apartment buildings with porches festooned by a colorful array of drying laundry. Vendors walk the aisles, selling goods ranging from fresh fruit and cooked corn on the cob, to bottled water and astrology charts.

Mandalay is the second-largest city in the country, and before the British colonization it was the last seat of Burma’s kings. In addition to the de rigueur religious relics, it is renowned as a center of arts and crafts, with different neighborhoods dedicated to various trades.

The streets are clogged by motor scooters and trucks laden with unbelievably large loads, and pedestrians avoiding sidewalks that are badly in need of repair.

More special to me than the cities were the villages scattered about the countryside, where in many ways people live much as their forebears did. Simple houses made of intertwined bamboo line narrow dusty lanes. Domesticated animals often wander along the streets.

Yet even in the tiniest and most isolated hamlets, there are hints of transformation. Cell phones are as ubiquitous as in the U.S. Children of all ages use a smartphone to play games, and I saw more than one monk fish a cell phone from his saffron robe to make or take a call.

Where time stands still

But one place where life has changed little is Inle (In-lay) Lake, and a fascinating way of life it is. That large, shallow body of water is home to the Intha people, one of 135 nationalities — each with their distinctive dialects, clothing and traditions — that comprise Myanmar’s population.

Small villages consist of rustic two-story houses elevated above the water by bamboo stilts. Here and there is a store, post office, barber shop and other establishment of similar construction.

All transportation is by boat, primarily long, narrow teakwood dinghies propelled by whining outboard motors.

Fishermen, however, move their motorless boats in a kind of over-water ballet, with a paddle held in one leg, leaving their hands free to cast a net.

Farmers plant crops in floating gardens made of hyacinths, weeds and mud, bound together and anchored to the lake bottom by long bamboo poles.

Not surprisingly, even in this dreamlike setting, pagodas dotted around the lake serve as reminders that you are, in fact, in Myanmar. It’s just another experience, along with countless others, that make a visit to that country so intriguing.

If you go

Accommodations included in the Myths and Mountains itinerary range from five-star city hotels to more casual, very comfortable bungalow complexes.

The Bagan Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort originally was established as the government’s guesthouse for “elite visitors,” and is located within the archaeological zone. It sprawls over 24 acres of landscaped gardens, and many rooms are in separate cottages. Rates begin at $110 a night. For more information, visit www.thiripyitsaya-resort.com.

Equally inviting is the Inle Princess Resort, perched at the edge of the lake. The architecture of the teak and bamboo huts echoes that of minority people who live in the area, and guests who stroll through the small village adjacent to the property get a good picture of rural life. Rates begin at $217. For more information, see www.inleprincess.com.

For those considering a trip to Myanmar, the company Myths and Mountains operates tours and individual custom travel there and to a number of other destinations in Asia and Southeast Asia. One two-week trip next January called “Myanmar: Cruising the Chindwin River” starts at $5,960 per person, excluding airfare. The least expensive airfare from Washington airports currently offered at that time is $1,188 on Singapore Airlines.

For more information, call (800) 670-6984 or see mythsandmountains.com.

Human rights issues in Myanmar

Since August 2017, there have been continuous news reports about atrocities by Myanmar’s military forces against Rohingya Muslims who lived in Rakhine Province and have been attacked or chased across the border.

The Rohingyas originally came from neighboring Bangladesh, and have been viewed by natives as interlopers since they arrived. Both the United Nations and the United States government have described the campaign against the Rohingyas as “ethnic cleansing.”

Because the unrest is confined to a narrow strip of land along the border with Bangladesh, it’s safe for tourists to travel throughout most of the country. However, some people believe that to travel to Myanmar at this time could be construed as supporting, or at least turning a blind eye to, the violence.

Others conclude that tourism supports Burmese civilians because the money that visitors spend helps to provide a livelihood for people who work in that industry.

According to Voices for Burma, a pro-democracy advocacy group, tourists assist by “bringing money to local communities and small businesses, and by raising awareness of the situation worldwide.”