Burma/Myanmar

December 2014

Waiting for the local train with the locals.

               Nothing was updated probably from the time of the British.

                                          All dressed up and waiting for the train.

Swedagon Pagoda, Myanmar This is a spectacular place and far more than pictures usually convey. It was helpful to have a guide along to explain the many things to be seen. The pagoda was prepared to undergo its 5 year cleaning so was encased with a bamboo scaffold and cloth but it was stunningly beautiful just the same. The umbrella crown and vane are studded with large precious gems and the very top has a 76 carat (15 gram) diamond.

Pouring water on the Buddha. President Obama did this here recently.

Statues of all sorts are everywhere

 Panorama:

December sunset on the Irrawaddy River, Burma

March 16, 2015 Monday

More from Myanmar/Burma soon but for now here is a beautiful woman, 92 from Inle Lake.

She still does all the work of keeping her village home running for herself and her son who works in the village and is a bachelor.

September 1, 2014

Taken on approach to the cliffs where thousands of birds live. 

A little "National Geographic moment"!

Just a preview of the birds living on the cliffs.

August 20, 2014

We found these bathing beauties basking in the Arctic sun like so many other sun worshippers on a sandy beach!

They moved from one spot to the other on this little floe.

July 14, 2012 Svalbard

The ice and the birds were amazing on this stunningly clear, blue sky day near the arctic circle.