Comments on: Travels in Myanmar, with Buddha Behind the Wheel

By: Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 16:11:05 +0000

Hey Cindy, thanks for checking it out!

By: Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 16:10:43 +0000

Dave, there is a Red Mountain Estates winery near Inle Lake, and we were offered a tour as one of the side trips, but it was at the end of the day, when I was bleary-eyed, so I didn’t go. A couple of our group went, and said it was fun, though their thoughts on the wine were indifferent. Now I wish I had gone—it’s a great side story for an article.

By: Cindy May

Cindy May — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 17:07:23 +0000

Fabulous article, Tom; and equally fabulous photos! You paint a vivid and compelling picture of a fascinating culture. Nice job!

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 15:17:25 +0000

In reply to Tom Bentley.

Tom – I’ve heard there are vineyards and some wines being produced in Mynamar. Did you have a chance to try some?

By: Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 00:53:05 +0000

Hey Nancy, glad you liked it. Even knowing I was there (and sweating), it still seems like a fantasy.

By: Nancy|PullThatCork

Nancy|PullThatCork — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 00:19:20 +0000

Enjoyable to read, Tom, and your pictures are lovely.

By: Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 00:20:31 +0000

Dave, my pleasure! Always good to write for you. And golden—dazzlingly so—much of that country is.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 18:04:09 +0000

Tom – thanks for this nice post – I hope to visit Myanmar again later this year when we are in Thailand, this time for a longer stretch 🙂 I remember the gleaming gold temples well.

By: Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:57:27 +0000

Michael, I felt (and appreciated) the warmth of the people as well. We were treated and greeted all over the country, in places high and low, with kindness. I hope the best for the coming elections as well—the regular people have had some true misery befall them courtesy of the military government; deep change would be welcome, according to all of the Burmese we talked to.

By: Tom Bentley

Tom Bentley — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:55:25 +0000

Joel, I was truly fascinated (and occasionally riveted in terror) to drive on the teeming streets of Yangon, where I wasn’t able to explain how multiple lanes from multiple directions flowed in and out of one another, and street vendors selling all kinds of things moved in and out of the traffic alongside the cars, as well as pedestrians and bicyclists (and occasional animals too). It makes LA traffic look calm. But it all seemed to work.

Of course, out in the villages, it was much easier to cut in front of a bullock pulling a cart.

By: Michael Zullo

Michael Zullo — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 23:40:59 +0000

Very good article, Tom. We enjoyed it very much along with the pictures. We had a fantastic trip to Myanmar from our home base in Penang, Malaysia when we lived there in 2013. Our guides for the 3-weeks we traveled the nation were great. We love the culture, food and especially the friendly people. Maybe, ‘The Lady,’ will make a huge turn-around for Myanmar if she’s allowed to compete for the top job held by a former military guy and his cohorts who took off their uniform and put on a suit. If that happens – we’ll be back.
Michael and Gina
NYC

By: Joel D Canfield

Joel D Canfield — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 18:16:07 +0000

“In an area of arresting sights, this one handcuffs you.”

Delightful turn of phrase, Tom.

As a peacemaking kind of guy, I find the idea of calm, relaxed drivers enticing. Nicely done, sir.