Perhaps unsurprisingly Myanmar, as a majority Buddhist nation, does not really pay much attention to Easter. The Australian Embassy, on the other hand, pays a more attention, and gives its staff a four day weekend. So we celebrated in the traditional manner – entertaining international guests, brunching, and buying glassware.*
Month: March 2016
I already used my only Bangkok joke on facebook.
But I will take the opportunity to post this video:
Which always make me think of Jeremy – we did see you in a performance of Chess at ADFA, right? Continue reading I already used my only Bangkok joke on facebook.
A new era of democracy.
Or “when is a president not a president?”
As previously mentioned, on Tuesday 15 March, I and a large number of my fellow Yangon/Myanmar residents, watched with a considerable level on interest some actually pretty boring proceedings in the Pyithu Hluttaw (Myanmar House of Reps). Continue reading A new era of democracy.
One hundred thousand diamonds.
One of the nice things about learning Burmese is discovering that words you have known for a long time* have other meanings. In this case, the (as of last week**) former president U Thein Sein’s name, which literally translates as Mr One Hundred Thousand Diamonds. Which is a pretty strong leader-of-the-country type name. Also probably a good rap name. Continue reading One hundred thousand diamonds.
Important holidays.
On Monday we celebrated Canberra Day, and with us celebrated Myanmar entire. Although they celebrated by working and generally going about their lives uninterrupted, and we by having a day off (well Esther had a day off, I have all the days off).
So we observed it in the traditional manner of our people, by going to Bateman’s Bay for the weekend shopping for furniture and plants. Continue reading Important holidays.
Thematically unconnected photo post.
Blog notes.
I have a document in my phone titled ‘blog notes’, where I write down interesting observations and weird things I have seen/had happen to me, with the intent that I will expand and relay them to you, my adoring public, in a proper blog post/s.
But much like the taking-but-not-sharing photo situation, mainly they stay in my phone. Then later when I do remember them I often have no idea what I was talking about.
So today I will treat you to a series of short vignettes on some of the notes I can make sense of. Continue reading Blog notes.
A random assortment of photos.
I take a lot of photos, and then I forget about them, and then eventually I realise I should share some of them with people. You are people, consider these shared.
Out of order photos – Ngwe Saung edition
I have a whole bunch of photos waiting to sort through and post, but in the meantime, here are some shots of last weekend, much of which we spent swimming in the Bay of Bengal (because that’s just how we roll).
Roads. Don’t take them for granted.