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John Bonnot, aka All-Terrain Monkey, has been painting minis since April of 2004 when, after moving to Texas, his friend Anne asked him if he would help her paint a couple of minis for a brand-new convention named ReaperCon. After she taught him everything she knew (strangely leaving him still not knowing anything) he squeezed the heads of any painter around him in a desperate attempt to obtain the knowledge of How Not To Suck. John used to paint directly for Reaper, putting out a lot of painted models for Warlord and Dark Heaven, but currently freelances for Reaper and teaches a weekend or two a month at the Asylum Paint Club. read more
Always a fan favorite, Bobby has been sculpting for Reaper since the late 90's. Today, Bobby's figures are synonymous with quality and excellence. Bobby's work is notable for its incredibly clean finish, crisp details, and amazing clothwork. read more


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Weird, Wild & Wonderful
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
This event repeats every day between 4/19/2014 and 9/21/2014.
Please note: This event has already taken place. Please use the Search options on the right to find upcoming events.
In homage to the beauty of the botanical world's most bizarre flora, the New York Botanical Garden invited members of the American Society of Botanical Artists to participate in a study of the eccentric, creating works of art based on visually unusual plants chosen by the artists themselves.
View the results of their efforts, 46 captivating paintings and illustrations of exotic specimens, on display in the Ross Gallery.
Adults: $20; Students/Seniors: $18; Children 2-12: $10; Children under 2: Free; Members: Free


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U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder, is leading an effort to let states decide whether marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use and decriminalizing the drug at the federal level -- saying tax dollars are being wasted on the "failed drug war."
Polis and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., introduced two pieces of legislation Tuesday involving marijuana regulation and taxation.
Polis' "Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act" would remove the Drug Enforcement Administration's authority over marijuana and allow each state to choose whether cannabis should be legal. Blumenauer's "Marijuana Tax Equity Act" would create a federal excise tax on the drug.
Combined, the two bills would create a regulation and taxation system for marijuana in states where it's legal.
Colorado voters in November passed Amendment 64, which allows for the recreational use of marijuana.
Polis said his proposed legislation doesn't force any state to legalize marijuana. But, he said, Colorado and the 18 other jurisdictions that have chosen to allow marijuana for medical or recreational use deserve the certainty of knowing federal agents won't raid their state-legal businesses.
"Congress should simply allow states to regulate marijuana as they see fit and stop wasting federal tax dollars on a failed drug war," he said.
Polis said he expects his measure could draw bipartisan support from fellow Democrats and from Republicans, especially those with Libertarian leanings.
"The more states lead the way, the more pressure it puts on Congress to recognize that the drug war has failed policies," Polis said.
Polis' act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act; transfer the DEA's authority over marijuana to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana and Firearms, which would be tasked with regulating marijuana like it does alcohol; and require marijuana producers to purchase a permit.
States could choose to continue to outlaw marijuana production or use of the drug in their states, and it would be illegal to transport marijuana to a state where it's not legal.
Boulder attorney Jeff Gard, who has represented several medical marijuana businesses, said he will be traveling to Washington, D.C., in coming weeks to advocate for Polis' legislation.
Now, Gard said, city councils and local governments across the state are seeking to defy voters' will by enacting ordinances and rules to prevent retail sales of marijuana.
"It will eliminate their arguments of fear that the federal government is going to take a dim view of marijuana," he said.
Separately, the tax act would impose a 50 percent excise tax on the first sale of marijuana, from the producer to the processor.
Similar to the rules within the alcohol and tobacco tax provisions, an occupational tax would be in place for those who work in the industry.
For example, producers, importers and manufacturers would face an occupation tax of $1,000 a year, and others in the business could be taxed $500 a year. The tax bill would require the IRS to publish a study of the industry after two years, and every five years after that, and to make recommendations to Congress on how to improve the tax.
"Public attitude, state law and established practices are all creating irreconcilable difficulties for public officials at every level of government," Blumenauer said in a statement. "We want the federal government to be a responsible partner with the rest of the universe of marijuana interests while we address what federal policy should be regarding drug taxation, classification, and legality."
Contact Camera Staff Writer Brittany Anas at 303-473-1132 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Earth : Asia : Southeast Asia : Myanmar
Myanmar, or Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia. It lies on the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea coast with Bangladesh and India to the west, China to the north, and Laos and Thailand to the east.
Like most of Southeast Asia's countries, Myanmar's people and history is a glorious mishmash of settlers and invaders from all fronts. The Mon and the Pyu are thought to have come from India, while the now dominant Bamar (Burmese) migrated through Tibet and, by 849, had founded a powerful kingdom centred on Bagan. For the next millennium, the Burmese empire grew through conquests of Thailand (Ayutthaya) and India (Manipur), and shrank under attacks from China and internal rebellions.
Eventually, Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. It was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate self-governing colony. During the Second World War, Burma was a major battleground as the Allies fought the Japanese for dominance over Asia. The Burma Road was built to get supplies to China. The Thailand-Burma railroad (the so-called "Death Railway") from Kanchanaburi in Thailand over the River Kwai to Burma was built by the Japanese using forced labour — Allied prisoners-of-war, indentured Thai labourers, and Burmese people. They had to work in appalling conditions and a great number of them died (estimated at 80,000) during construction of the railway. Large parts of Western Burma, particularly the hilly areas bordering India and the city of Mandalay were severely damaged during the war.
While the Burmese independence fighters led by Aung San initially cooperated with the Japanese to oust the British, with the Japanese promising to grant independence to Burma in exchange, it soon became apparent that the Japanese promises of independence were empty. The Japanese occupation was more brutal than the British colonisation, and many Burmese were killed, such as in the Kalagong massacre. Aung San subsequently switched alliegance and helped the British win Burma back from the Japanese. Aung San subsequently led negotiations with the British for Burmese independence after the end of World War II, and the British agreed in 1947 to grant independence to Burma the following year, though Aung San himself was assassinated later in the year and never lived to see his dream come true. Independence from the British under the name Union of Burma was finally attained in 1948, and till this day, Aung San is regarded by most Burmese people to be the father of independence.
The new union brought together various states defined by ethnic identity, many of whom had centuries-long histories of autonomy from and struggles against each other. In the interest of securing their collective independence from Britain, the tribes reached an agreement to submit to collective governance -- with power sharing among the ethnicities and states -- for ten years, after which each tribe would be afforded the right to secede from the union. The terms of this "Panglong Agreement" were enshrined in the 1947/1948 constitution of the new Union of Burma. The new central government of the nation quickly worked to consolidate its power, marginalizing and angering tribal leaders and setting off more than a decade of armed conflict. In 1961, more than 200 ethnic leaders from the Shan people, Kachin people, Red Karen, Karen people, Chin peoples, Mon people and Rakhine people met with ethnic Bamar (Burmese) central government authorities to draft a new form of government which would ensure the tribes both autonomy and self-determination within a federal system.
The new government was never formed. Military leader General Ne Win led a coup d'etat which ousted the democratically elected government in 1962, and subsequently installed himself as leader. General Ne Win dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. Pro-democracy demonstrations in 1988 were violently crushed, with general Saw Maung taking over in a coup and installing the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to rule the country, now renamed Myanmar.
Multiparty legislative elections were held in 1990, with the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory (392 of 489 seats). But SLORC refused to hand over power, instead placing NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest, which she has endured for 14 of the last 20 years.
Today Myanmar, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. What was once one of the richest and most developed countries in Asia has since slumped into poverty due to widespread corruption. The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize price controls after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism," but had to reinstate subsidized prices on staples in the face of food riots, upon which the democracy movement grafted its agenda. The government called out troops and the rioters were defiant until the monks intervened: standing between both sides, they told everyone to go home and they did. The riots caused overseas development assistance to cease and the government subsequently nullified the results of the 1990 legislative elections.
In response to the government's attack in May 2003 on Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy, the USA imposed new economic sanctions against Myanmar, including bans on imports of products from Myanmar and on provision of financial services by US citizens.
The summer of 2007 was marked by demonstrations against the military government which were again brutally suppressed. The demonstrations started in August, apparently in an uncoordinated manner, as a protest against a stiff hike in the price of petrol, but morphed into a more serious challenge to the government after three monks were beaten at a protest march in the town of Pakokku. The monks demanded an apology but none was forthcoming and soon processions of monks with begging bowls held upside down filled many cities (including Sittwe, Mandalay, and Yangon). Yangon, particularly the area around Sule Pagoda in the downtown area, became the centre of these protests. While the monks marched, and many ordinary citizens came out in support of the monks, the world watched as pictures, videos, and blogs flooded the Internet. However, the government soon suppressed the protests by firing on crowds, arresting monks and closing monasteries, and temporarily shut down Internet communications with the rest of the world. This led the USA, Australia, Canada and the European Union to impose additional sanctions, some targeting the families and finances of the military leaders. Dialogue between the UN and the military government has stalled.
Despite international condemnation, Aung San Suu Kyi was back under house arrest after being charged of breaching the conditions of her house arrest. She was released from house arrest on 13 November 2010. As of November 2011 Aung San Suu Kyi is participating in politics and the prospects for democracy look better than ever.
Get your latest updates from the Myanmar embassies.
Myanmar's culture is largely a result of heavy Indian influences intertwined with local traditions and some Chinese influences. This can be seen in the various stupas and temples throughout the country, which bear a distinct resemblance to those in northern India. Like neighbouring Thailand, Theravada Buddhism is the single largest religion, and even some of the most remote villages will have a village temple for people to pray at. Other religions which exist in smaller numbers include Christianity, Islam and Hinduism.
The dominant ethnic group in Myanmar is known as the Bamar, from which the original English name of the country, Burma, was derived. Besides the Bamar, Myanmar is also home to many minority ethnic groups and nationalities which have their own distinct cultures and languages. In addition to the native ethnic minorities, Myanmar is also home to ethnic Chinese and Indians whose ancestors migrated to Myanmar during the colonial period, most visible in the cities of Yangon and Mandalay. Generally speaking, the divisions in Myanmar are Bamar-dominated, while the states are dominated by the respective ethnic minorities.
Generally speaking, most Burmese people are incredibly friendly and polite, and will do their best to make you feel welcome in their country.
Myanmar is considered to have 3 seasons. The hot season is usually from March-April, and temperatures then cool off during the rainy season from May-October. The peak tourism season is the cool season from November-February. Temperatures can climb as high as 36°C in Yangon in the hot season while in the cool season, noontime temperatures are usually a more bearable 32°C, with night temperatures falling to around 19°C. Mandalay is slightly cooler in the cool season, with temperatures falling as low as 13°C, while temperatures in the hot season can go as high as 37°C. Generally, Lower Myanmar, the area around Yangon, receives more rainfall than the drier Upper Myanmar (around Mandalay).
In the highlands such as Inle Lake and Pyin U Lwin, winter temperatures can fall below 10°C at night, while daytime temperatures tend to be very pleasant. Even in the summer, temperatures rarely climb above 32°C. Near the Indian border in Kachin State, there are mountains which are permanently snow capped throughout the year.
Suggested reading
Other destinations
Get in
Since February 2011 a same-day visa can be issued at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok. To get the visa the same day you must tell the visa window that you are leaving tomorrow and bring a photocopy of your airline ticket or emailed itinerary. They will issue your visa later that same day by 3:30PM and it is valid starting the day it was issued.
Next-day & 2 day Visas are issued without proof of travel plans. The relative costs are: 1260THB for same-day; 1035THB for next day; 860THB for 2 day (as of 1 April 2013). Note that the Myanmar embassy is closed for all Thai and Myanmar official holidays.
While ASEAN and PRC nationals may have had visa-free access in the past, the Myanmar Embassy in Singapore declares that "all nationalities" must obtain visas before travel (9 April 2008). Some additional restrictions, requirements or conditions may be applied to applications - reports have included a need for a detailed itinerary, a detailed job history, etc. be prepared for some unusual questions (either on the forms, or from the Consulate staff) when applying for your visa. Though not explicitly stated, it has been reported that the authorities only allow one trip to the country every 6 months.
Myanmar has announced the resumption of Visa On Arrival (VOA) starting in June 2012 for several countries including all ASEAN member states, the EU and the USA. The following categories of VOA are available: BUSINESS VISA, valid up to 70 days upon entry; ENTRY VISA (Meetings/Workshops/Events) valid up to 28 days upon entry; TRANSIT VISA valid up to 24 hours upon entry. Ensure you check the embassy website for the specific details. Note, that according to the Myanmar government website there is no VOA for tourists, however Myanmar Airways claim that VOA is now available for tourists of all nationalities for $30 (as of February 2013), but only on flights with their airline from Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Guangzhou.
The easiest way to get the visa is to apply through a travel agency in your home country. The form is simple and requires an ID photo or two.
In Bangkok, it takes one or two business days. It's easy and fast. A standard application for a tourist visa requires: a completed visa form (available from the Embassy), a completed arrival form (again, from the Embassy), a photocopy of the photo page from your passport, two passport sized photos, the applicable fee (see above).
Myanmar embassy in Bangkok is open 09:00-12:00 and 15:30-16:30. If you apply for a visa there, you'd better go early. If you come there at 09:00 expect to see 60-80 people in line outside the embassy. 60 metres further is a small copy service (well marked, you can't miss it), where you can buy visa application form for just 5THB (April 2013) or/and make a copy of your passport, which is required. If you fill-in form before enter the embassy, you will go out quicker. Everybody does it, so if you have any doubts just ask others. Officials are helpful and friendly. Queue goes fast, but you will have to spend there around one hour though. If applying for tourist visa fill-in your application (you can also get it for free from embassy at counter 4). Paste one photo. Attach one extra photo and copy of photo page from your passport. Submit completed application at counter 4 and take token number (you will get it from official). Wait until they call you. The next step is payment. Official will tell you which day you can collect your passport and give you receipt.
Collecting passport looks almost the same. Be careful for people who don't want to stay in line and jump into queue while opening the embassy. There is no real point in coming very early (before 15.30), because embassy is completely closed, so you will not be allowed to wait inside. Queue goes fast, but mind the counter you are waiting for (stamp on your receipt).
In Hong Kong, you can get the visa by applying between 9am and 12pm, and picking it up after 3pm on the following business day(your passport, 3 passport-size photos, business card / leave letter from your employer or student ID if you're a student, and application fee of HK$150 - US$19).
Note: The Embassy in Washington D.C. is swamped with visa applications. Myanmar is now going through a lot of growth in which they might not meet their 10 business day processing time. Travellers have reported that it has taken over 3 weeks to get their visa returned to them. Make sure you send your passport to the embassy at least 1 month before travel
Tourist Visa is valid for (3) months from the date of issue. The duration of your stay in Myanmar is 28 days from the date of arrival. It is not extendable. Successful applicants will also be issued an "Arrival Form", which will be stapled into your passport and must be presented on arrival in Myanmar, along with your passport containing the visa sticker. Ensure that the visa sticker, and arrival form have both been signed by the immigration officer before leaving the Embassy. Note that you will still have to fill in the usual customs and immigration forms on your flight into the country.
If you can not find a embassy near you, you can still apply for an approval letter. No trip to embassy is required. Simply upload your photo and a scanned copy of your passport to get the approval letter [1]. The Ministry of Hotels and Tourism has made a special arrangement with Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow the approval letter to be applied online. The process may take up to two weeks. You must enter Myanmar through international airports and not through the border. Visa sticker will be stamped on your passport on arrival.
By plane
Due to economic sanctions from most western countries, international flights into Myanmar are limited. The usual way to get into Myanmar would be to fly into Yangon from either Bangkok or Singapore, both which have good connections from around the world and have several flights into Yangon daily. As from the 4th of October 2012 Qatar Airways flies direct from Doha to Yangon and return three a week. The only other international point of entry to Myanmar is Mandalay, which is served by a weekly flight to/from Kunming.
By land
Hopping across the Thai border into Myanmar's border towns is easy, but crossing into or out of Myanmar proper by land varies between difficult and impossible. Visa-free entry is possible at some border crossings, but you must then exit Myanmar via the same border crossing, usually (but not always) on the same day that you enter, and fees apply (normally US$10). All land border crossings into Myanmar give only restricted access to the border areas. The only way to visit locations throughout the country, is to enter and exit Myanmar by air.
China - foreigners can enter Myanmar at Lashio via Ruili (in Yunnan), although a permit (as well as a visa) and a guide are needed. You will most likely need to join an organized tour, costing 1450 RMB as of January 2009. As of April 2009, it is impossible for foriegners to cross over from Ruili, even for the day, without first getting a visa in Kunming, ie a tour group. Crossing in the opposite direction is more difficult to arrange and details are uncertain; however, it's possible to fly from Mandalay to Kunming, and there's even a Chinese consulate that issues visas in Mandalay.
India - a land border crossing exists between India and Myanmar at Moreh/Tamu. While there have been confirmed reports of some travellers crossing into Myanmar from India, with their own transport as well as with permits arranged in advance, the general consensus is that obtaining all the necessary permits is very hard. At the least, a foreign (a person who is neither a citizen of India nor a citizen of Myanmar) will need to get an Indian permit to visit the state of Manipur, and an MTT permit to enter or leave Myanmar at Tamu. Travellers may also need a permit to travel from Tamu to Kalewa, although there are unconfirmed reports that this is no longer required.
Bangladesh / Laos - it is not currently feasible to independently cross the borders between Myanmar and Bangladesh or Laos.
Get around
Myanmar's infrastructure is in poor shape. As a result of the political situation, Myanmar is subject to trade sanctions from much of the western world, and this can cause problems for unwary travellers. Travel to certain regions is prohibited; for others, special permits must be obtained, and a guide/interpreter/minder may be mandatory - although whether these "guides" accompany you to look after you, or to keep you from going to places the government doesn't want you to see, is moot.
Restricted areas
Much of Myanmar is closed to foreign travellers, and many land routes to far-flung areas are also closed (for example, to Mrauk U, Kalewa, Putao, Kengtung). Thus, while travellers can travel freely in the Bamar majority Burmese heartland, travel tends to be restricted or circumscribed in other places. In theory, any tourist can apply for a permit to visit any restricted area or to travel on any restricted land route. In practice, it is unlikely that any such permit will be issued in a reasonable amount of time, or at all. Permit requests can be made locally in some cases (for example, requests for the land route to Kalewa can be made in Shwebo) but, in most cases, the request has to be made in Yangon. Requests to visit restricted areas must be made at the MTT (Myanmar Travel and Tours) office in Yangon (Number 77-91, Sule Pagoda Road, Yangon, [14]). Applications for local permits can often be made at a local MTT office or at a police station. As of writing this, local permits are available only for the following places & routes:
All other permits must be obtained in Yangon.
Myanmar is not North Korea, and you are free to walk around, go to shops and interact with the locals. That being said with many of the more far flung places, and places restricted to foreigners it is better to arrange your internal visa in advance. Companies that can help with internal visas.
1) Real Burma Travel [15] 2) Burma Travel Packages [16] 3) Travel Myanmar [17] 4) Asia Tours [18] 5) Mr Myanmar Travel [19] 6) Remote Asia Travel [20] 7) All Points East [21]
By plane
The poor state of Myanmar's roads and railways make flying by far the least uncomfortable option of travelling long distances.
State owned and appallingly run Myanma Airways (UB) - not to be confused with Myanmar Airways International (8M) "MAI" - is known for its poor safety record. Even locals prefer to avoid it whenever possible.
There are also four privately owned airlines serving the main domestic routes in Myanmar. They are Air Bagan (W9), Asian Wings, Air Mandalay (6T) and Yangon Airways (YH). While more expensive, they are a safer option and would get you to all the main tourist destinations from Yangon or Mandalay. If you want to plan domestic travel ahead, you can buy Asian Wings tickets on-line.
The private airline companies are usually on time, and even depart early (10-20 min), so be on time and reconfirm your flight and flight time 1-2 days before departure. Sometimes the itinerary might be altered some days before departure (meaning that you will still fly to your final destination on the scheduled time, but with an added or removed in between stop, e.g. Yangon-Bagan becomes Yangon-Mandalay-Bagan). This usually only affects your arrival time. En route stops have only 10-20 min ground time, and if it is not your final destination, you can stay inside the plane during the stop.
Important for Yangon: Yangon international airport serves all domestic flights from the old terminal building. This building is located about 200 m further on the road than the main (new) Yangon International Airport building. When taking a taxi from downtown to the airport, mention to the driver that you are on a domestic flight so you'll not end up in the wrong terminal.
The table below gives some example rates for Air Bagan and Air Mandalay (January 2011) between most visited places in Myanmar (note: these are high season prices, and usually the fare in the opposite direction is the same price. Check for more up to date rates!)
By train
Myanmar has an extensive but ancient rail network. Trains are slow, noisy, often delayed, have frequent electrical blackouts, and toilets are in abysmal sanitary condition. Never assume that air-conditioners, fans, or the electrical supply itself will be operational, even if the train authorities promise so. Train stations also charge exorbitant prices from foreign travellers making buses a cheaper and faster alternative. Still, a journey on a train is a great way to see the country and meet people. The rail journey from Mandalay, up switchbacks and hairpin bends to Pyin U Lwin, and then across the mountains and the famous bridge at Gokteik, is one of the great railway journeys of the world. Trains in lower Mandalay (Yangon - Pathein and Yangon - Mawlymaing) are little communities of their own with hawkers selling everything imaginable. Sleepers are available on many overnight express trains, although, in the high season, you may want to reserve a few days in advance (the Yangon-Mandalay trains now run in the daytime only, apparently because the government does not want trains passing Naypyidaw at night). Food service is available on the express up and the express down between Yangon and Mandalay as well as on the Yangon - Mawlymaing run.
Except for the new bridge and rail line that connects Mawlymaing to points on the western side of the Salween River, the rail network is exactly the way it was in British times. The most used line is the 325km line from Yangon to Mandalay with several trains a day (this is also the only double line in Myanmar), and the only one that is competitive in time with buses (note that the fastest trains take 15 hours for the 385km run, an effective rate of 25km/hour!). A second line connects Yangon with Pyay (9 hours for the 175km journey!) with a branch heading off into the delta region town of Pathein. These tracks, the earliest constructed are in poor shape. With the construction of the bridge across the Salween, it is now possible to go by train from Yangon to Mawlymaing (8 hours for the 200km journey) and on to Ye (Ye is closed to foreign travellers). From Mandalay, trains continue on to Myitkyina in Kachin State (350km in 24hours) and to Lashio. There are also rail connections between Yangon-Bagan and Mandalay-Bagan, but bus or ferry are better alternatives (The 175km from Mandalay to Bagan takes 10hrs).
There is a new (as from March 2010) railway service between Yangon-Bagan (16 hours, first class US$30, upper class US$40, sleeper US$50).
The following table summarizes travel time and prices between most visitable places in Myanmar (note: prices are approximate, check with more up to date and reliable sources!):
By boat
There is also a large river ferry network. Both are to a large extent run by the government, although there are now some private ferry services. The trip from Mandalay to Bagan takes the better part of a day, from Bagan to Yangon is several days.
By bus
Buses of all types ply the roads of Myanmar. Luxury (relatively speaking) buses do the Mandalay-Yangon run while lesser vehicles can get travellers to other places. Fares are reasonable and in Kyat and, for the budget traveller, there is no other option because of the high price of train tickets for foreign nationals. Many long distance buses assign seats so it is best to book seats at least a day in advance. Because the roads are bad, avoid the rear of the bus and try to sit as far up front as you can get. Long distance buses also have an extra jump seat that blocks the aisle and, because it is not well secured to the chassis, can be uncomfortable (which also means that there is no such thing as a side seat where taller travellers can thrust their legs). A window near the front of the bus is always the best option.
A scam about bus tickets seems to be popular in Yangon currently. While many travellers make a stopover in Bago, they are told at their guesthouse or at the bus station it's not possible to buy tickets up there in the direction to Mandalay. In a country where everything might be possible when it comes to transport, some people tend to believe is. Actually, this is not the case and tracking back to Yangon for a bus ticket up north is not necessary at all. Bago has a bus terminal with several bus offices. Buying your ticket at Bago might be slightly cheaper (of course depending upon your bargaining skills) and gives you more freedom for the rest of your journey.
The following table summarises travel times and approximate fares between important tourist destinations in Myanmar (Note: most bus fares have gone up with the recent fuel price rises, the fares listed here are rough estimates):
By pickup
Old Toyota pickup trucks run everywhere in Myanmar, inexpensively ferrying men, women, children, and monks from one place to another. The rear of the truck is converted into a canvas covered sitting area with three benches, one on each side and one running along the centre of the truck (some smaller trucks have only two rows), and the running board is lowered and fixed into place providing room for six or more people to stand on (holding on to the truck frame). Pickups are ubiquitous in Myanmar and every town has a central point somewhere from where they depart to places both near and far. Tourists who go off the beaten track will find them indispensable because often the only alternative is an expensive taxi or private car.
The basics of pickups are fairly straightforward, wait till it is reasonably full before heading out. On well traveled routes (Mandalay - Pyin U Lwin, for example), they fill up quickly and the journey is quick. On less well-traveled routes (Bhamo-Katha, for example), passengers arrive (early, usually around 6AM), mark their place, and then hang around drinking tea and chatting until the truck fills up. When the pickup does get moving, it may linger or go out of its way in the hope of picking up more passengers. The inside of a pickup can be hot and uncomfortable - passengers, packed in like sardines, face away from the windows (which are tiny) and into the truck - and standing on the running board can be tiring and tough on the arms! On the other hand, the window side seat next to the driver is very comfortable and well worth the little extra that you have to pay, so it is best to go early and reserve that seat.
By car
You can hire a private car and driver at reasonable rates to tour independently. The licenced guides at Schwedagon Paya in Yangon can arrange to have a driver with a car meet you at your hotel. Another way is to arrange for a car through a travel agency, though it can be quite expensive. You can "test" the driver and the car by driving around the city for 10 or 15 minutes. If you are satisfied, a departure date and time and per diem rates (inclusive of petrol) can be negotiated. Some guides are willing to travel with you to serve as interpreters.
Road travel to tourist destinations is generally safe, although some roads may be rough. Highways are often 2-lane, and cars often pass one another recklessly. That being said, driving habits are not quite as aggressive as say, Vietnam. Allow two days to drive from Yangon to Bagan in fair weather. Pyay provides a good midway stopover point. Allow a day to drive from Bagan to Inle Lake.
In cities, it is also considered illegal to cross an amber light without stopping. Despite having crossed 3/4 of the way, you will be required to stop in the middle of the road and make your way back in reverse!
Accidents and fatalities are common. Night-time road travel is not recommended, and medical facilities are extraordinarily limited in rural areas. At government hospitals, bribes may be required for expedient services. Make sure needles are new or carry your own. HIV is a major problem in Myanmar.
All taxis (and by extension all vehicles for transport of people and goods) have red/white licence plates, while private vehicles have a black/white one. Tourist agency owned cars have a blue/white licence plate.
By bike
In Yangon, riding motorcycles and bicycles is illegal. Mandalay's streets, on the other hand, are filled with both.
On foot
Cars and pedestrians may not follow the established rules, and crossing the road can be difficult. Drivers will almost never yield to pedestrians, even on striped pedestrian crossings.
The official language of Myanmar is Burmese (known by the government as Myanmar). A few percent of Burmese pronunciation is derived from the ancient language of Pali (at the time of the Buddha), however the language is a Sino-Tibetan language related to Chinese and hence tonal (word pitch matters) and analytic (most words are one syllable long). It is written using the Burmese script, based on the ancient Pali script. Bilingual signs (English and Burmese) are available in most tourist spots. Numbers often are also written in Burmese script.
There are also many other ethnic groups in Myanmar such as the Mon, Shan, Pa-O and many others who continue to speak their own languages. There is also a sizeable ethnic Chinese community mostly of Yunnan descent, most visible in the city of Mandalay, and many of whom speak Mandarin. Some areas are also home to various ethnic Indian communities who continue to speak various Indian languages. However, with the exception of the elderly, it is rare to find any locals who do not speak Burmese.
Myanmar is a former British colony, and as a result - and because English is still compulsory in kindergartens and primary schools - many Burmese understand at least some rudimentary English. Most well-educated upper class Burmese are fluent in English, while in the main cities like Yangon and Mandalay, many locals will know enough English for basic communication. Hotel and airline staff, as well as people working in the tourism industry generally speak an acceptable level of English. You may find more English spoken in Myanmar than in Thailand.
Myanmar's attractions lie largely in the area of the spiritual. Temples, pagodas and historical sites abound with some areas such as Bagan boasting so many attractions that it would be impossible to take them in during a single visit. With landscapes, a tropical climate, beaches, cheap transportation and truly awesome sights, Myanmar is a fascinating and bewitching destination.
Kyat officially cannot be exchanged abroad, though money changers in places with large overseas Burmese populations such as Singapore will often exchange anyway. Bring very clean, unfolded US dollars (or they will not be accepted by hotels, restaurants and money changers), and dispose of remaining kyat before leaving.
Due to the low dollar (September 2010), an increasing preference for paying in kyat is noticeable, especially when paying for food, private transport (car/taxi), and tours/activities.
Foreign currencies
As of writing (January 2013), Visa and Mastercard are now accepted at ATM's throughout the country, especially in all the major tourist areas. As a result, you may now need only bring sufficient USD to pay for major expenses that the government may have a hand in (hotels, planes, tourist tickets, boats, etc.)[22] Note: Myanmar is still classified as a high-risk country by many banks, so bring extra cash just in case.
The currency of choice in Myanmar is the US$ nationwide, though you can readily also exchange euros in Yangon and Mandalay but perhaps not beyond. Other options are the Chinese Yuan (CNY) and Thai baht (THB). The best rates are in Yangon and Mandalay.
Be sure to bring a mix of US$ denominations when visiting Myanmar because money changers will not give change and 20/10/5/1-dollar notes are useful for some entry fees and transportation.
Official and black market rates
Currency controls have been relaxed in recent times, and banks no longer exchange foreign currencies at the ridiculous rate they used to. These days, exchange rates at the banks do not differ from the black market rates by much. Most banks accept US dollars, Euros and Chinese yuan. Singapore dollars can also be changed at some of the larger banks.
Ensure that your dollars are the follwing:
US$100 bills give you the best exchange rate. Changing US$50 or US$20 bills gives you a slightly lower rate (10-20 kyat/dollar less)
Rate as of August 12 2012 at bank money changers at Bogyoke Market and at the Airport were 866kyat to a USD to buy kyats and 873kyat to a USD to sell back dollars. These were the rates for changing a USD100 / USD50 bill. Rates for USD20 and lower ranged between 820 - 840. Summit Hotel in Yangon offers better rates than the bank exchange counters for changing lower denomination bills if they are in mint condition. They will also change non-mint bills for a much lower rate.
Kyat banknotes
The notes of 50,100, 200 and 500 kyat are most of the time in a horrible condition but are generally accepted when making small purchases. The 1000 kyat notes are slightly better, and when exchanging dollars into kyat, check that the banknotes you receive are in a general good condition.
Exchanging money
There are a number of tricks and scams running around Myanmar trapping tourists who are carrying US Dollars. Sometimes, guesthouses or traders will try and pass you damaged or nonexchangeable bills in change. Always inspect all notes when making a purchase and request that the vendor swap any notes you think you will have trouble using down the track (this is perfectly acceptable behaviour for both vendors and customers, so don't be shy).
Some moneychangers will also attempt sleight of hand tricks to either swap your good banknotes for damaged, or lower denomination notes. Other reports suggest that the kyats may be counted and then somehow, some disappear from the table during the transaction. For example, after going through an elaborate counting process for piles of ten 1000 kyat notes, some money changers will pull some notes out as they count the piles of ten.
When changing money, be sure that, after any money is counted, it is not touched by anyone until the deal is sealed. Also do not allow your dollars to be removed from your sight until all is agreed; in fact, it is not even necessary to pull out your US dollars until your are paying for the kyats you received. It sounds extreme, but ending up in a country where you cannot access whatever savings you have, and having a good portion of your budget rendered useless (until you get to more relaxed changers in Bangkok) can really put a dampener on your plans.
Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs)
Visitors to Myanmar were previously required to change US$ 200 into FECs upon arrival, but this was abolished in August 2003. FECs are still valid tender but should be avoided at all costs as they are no longer worth their face value (although a one FEC note has good souvenir potential).
Credit cards and ATMs
After lifted EU and US sanctions, some hotel and restaurant start accepted credit cards since February 2013. Visa card is more common to use than master card. You can also take out cash from ATMs. For Visa card, you can take out from KBZ bank and for master card from CB bank.
Travellers cheques
Travellers cheques are not accepted in Myanmar. The only exception might be some especially shady money changer, but be prepared to pay an astronomical commission (30% is not uncommon).
It's not possible to be comfortable on less than US$20/day. Foreigners will likely be charged fees, including video camera, camera, entrance, parking, and zone fees. Most managed tourist sites will charge you for carrying cameras of any sort into the area.
What to buy
There is also a wide variety of beautiful silverware and jewellery as well as textiles, including gorgeous silks and handcrafts such as wooden carvings, silk paintings and stonework.
Some items may require customs permits.
Burmese food is a blend of Chinese, Indian and Mon influences. Rice is at the core of most Burmese food, and good vegetarian food is widely available. Burmese food is often extremely pungent and disappointing. Food is inexpensive at most restaurants (costing from 500 to 3000 per item at most local restaurants, but can go as high as 8000 at posh restaurants), but there are upscale restaurants in Yangon and Mandalay for upmarket food.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of low-to-middle class restaurants use a cheap oil as cooking oil. This oil may be unhealthy, and common roadside restaurants should be avoided if you are at the slightest risk for hypertension, heart disease, or other fat- or cholesterol-related conditions. Higher class restaurants may use better oil instead.
Because the Burmese cuisine is a medley of many regional influences, it has many characteristics. Seafood is more common along the coastline, while preserved meats are more common in inland areas. Many Indian, Chinese, and Shan dishes are served throughout the country. Some dishes to try are:
Tap water in Myanmar is not safe to drink, likewise ice may be contaminated. Bottled water is readily available at many tourist sites. As of 18 August 2012, the standard going rate is 300ks for a 1L bottle of mineral water.
Similar to ChineseTea Yenwejan is usually provided free at restaurant tables. While not flavourful, it is boiled water, and so safe to drink (do not drink plain water - even in restaurants - unless it is bottled water). Dried tea leaves similar to Laphet thote's tea leaves (except these are wet) are added to the boiled water to give Yenwejan Be sure to order it with Laphet thote (Customary/Good combination).
Alcohol is frowned upon by conservative Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims, but consumed widely, mostly among men. Myanmar Beer is most popular in the country. Other variants, including Mandalay Beer exist. However, many of such companies are government-owned and/or have links to the drug trade. Toddy juice (ta-YEI) is popular in central Myanmar, and is made from fermented palm sugar. An alcoholic drink popular in the Shan State is Shwe le maw, and is reportedly very strong. It is also possible to buy full strength Beer Chang imported from Thailand; exports to most countries are not nearly as strong.
Beware of alcoholic drinks served in the far northern states. The locals refer to it as alcohol which does not burn when lit, and it is widely suspected to be an opiate concoction rather than a fermented beverage.
There are a lot of nightclubs, including those attached to the five star hotels (eg Grand Plaza), and also local entertainment centres (eg JJs, Asia plaza).
Myanmar is not as inexpensive as neighbouring Thailand. The country offers mediocre hotel accommodation at prices above its neighbouring countries at the same quality, and prices have increased dramatically in the past 12 months (compare prices listed in the latest Lonely Planet to those charged now, for example). Rooms with attached bath may be available for under US$20 everywhere except in Yangon and with shared bath for anywhere from US$10 to US$15 in most places. Almost every hotel licensed for foreigners has running hot water (though, in remote areas, availability may be restricted to certain hours of the day). Hotels, with a few exceptions, are usually clean though, at the budget end, sheets and blankets may be threadbare and the rooms may be poorly ventilated. A few low-end hotels, particularly in Yangon and other large cities, specialize in cubicle rooms - small single rooms with no windows - which, while cheap and clean, are not for the claustrophobic. Rates are quoted as single/double but the rooms are usually the same whether one person or two stay in the room, making good hotels somewhat of a bargain if travelling as a couple. Except at the top-end, some type of breakfast is always included in the price of the room.
Myanmar has a problem providing enough electricity to its people and power supply is severely restricted everywhere. In many places, electricity may be available only for a few hours each evening or, in some cases, only every alternate evening. If you don't want to spend your nights without a fan or air-conditioning, ask if the hotel has a generator (most mid-priced hotels do). On generator nights, the air-conditioning in your room may not work (the price is usually lower as well). "Even if a hotel has a generator, there is no guarantee that it will be used to provide you electricity at the times you require, so be ready for blackouts at any time of day or night." Major tourist hotels in Yangon and Mandalay can have near-uninterrupted electricity supply, but can cost anywhere from 80 to 300 USD per night.
At the top-end, Myanmar has some excellent hotels including one or two great ones (The Strand in Yangon and Kandawgyi Palace Hotel in Yangon). The Myanmar government runs many hotels, including some beautiful colonial era ones (though not the two listed in the previous sentence). A percentage of all accommodation payments goes to the government, no matter where you choose to stay, and it is not possible to run a successful business in Myanmar without some relationship or payment arrangement with the military. Socially conscious travellers wanting to make the best accommodation choices may prefer to focus on using local transport and food options rather than spending a lot of time researching who owns each hotel and trying to minimise contributing to government coffers!
Work in Myanmar for foreigners is hard to come by. NGOs and other aid groups operate in the capital and remote rural areas but may require specific skill sets to hire you. Another option is European and Asian companies, mostly operating on a small scale. Teaching English is feasible in private schools but many foreigners have reported unreasonable contracts, such as withholding pay and refusing to pay those who resign early. Skip entirely the education ministry, which only hires citizens with teaching certification. If you would like to work and assist Burmese refugees certain NGOs [23] work in neighbouring Thailand
Stay safe
The government punishes crime, particularly against tourists, severely; it has a hard enough time convincing tourists to go there due to its international reputation. In addition, many locals, being devout Buddhists, are wary of retribution in their next life should they commit any crimes against others. As a result, as far as crime and personal safety go, Myanmar is extremely safe for tourists, and it is generally safe to walk on the streets alone at night. In fact, you are less likely to be a victim of crime in Myanmar than in Thailand or Malaysia. However, as with anywhere else, little crime does not mean no crime and it is still no excuse to ditch your common sense. As a foreigner, the most common crime you should be worried about is petty theft, so keep your belongings secured. Physical and verbal harassment towards foreigners is uncommon, even on urban walks near bars.
Since 2005, Yangon and Mandalay have seen a barely perceptible rise in the very low level of street robberies. Several years ago, there were isolated bombings: 26 April 2005 in Mandalay; 7 May, 21 October and 5 December 2005 in Yangon; 2 January 2006 in Bago.
Despite traditional taboos against it, begging has become a major problem in the main tourist areas such as Bago and Bagan. Children and "mothers" carrying babies are often the ones who beg as they are more effective at soliciting pity. Note that most beggars are part of larger begging syndicates or just after easy money, as tourists are usually seen to be rich. In addition, the poor can always obtain food for free from the nearest monastery if they can't afford to pay for it, so begging is not necessary for their survival. If you really must give, note that most Burmese earn only US$40 a month doing manual labour; giving US$1 to a beggar is very generous.
Myanmar is one of the world's most corrupt countries. Officials and other civil servants may discreetly ask you for a bribe, or invent issues (missing forms, closed offices, etc) in order to get you to suggest one. Pretending not to understand or asking to speak to a superior may work. However, visitors of Caucasian descent are rarely targeted, while those of Asian descent (including South Asians and East Asians) may be forced to give bribes, but the brunt of the problem hits normal Burmese.
Again, Westerners are very rarely asked for bribes. Then too, most bribes are in the order of a US dollar or less and requested by people earning as little as US$30/month.
Driving Conditions
The poor road infrastructure, and a mixture of extremely ancient vehicles on the country's roads are all what best describe the road conditions. However, driving habits are not very aggressive compared to say, Vietnam, which does make the safety of the roads comfortable for almost everyone. Although rare, youths sometimes compete against each other on the roads, which has lead to some causalities over the past few years. Bus drivers are among the worst dangers, although this is somewhat less of an issue since 2010 due to new, very harsh penalties imposed on bus drivers involved in accidents.
Surprisingly, Burma has a mixture of both right-hand and left-hand drive vehicles, with the majority being right-hand drive but driving is generally done on the right side of the roads.
Unless you have experience driving in countries with poorly disciplined drivers and very shabby vehicles, avoid driving in Burma.
Civil conflict
Various insurgent groups continue to operate in the Shan, Mon, Chin (Zomi), and Karen States of Myanmar, along the Thai and Chinese borders. Travel to these regions generally requires a government permit. The government also restricts travel to Kayah State, Rakhine State and Kachin state due to insurgent activity. However travel is entirely unrestricted to the districts of Yangon, Bago, Ayeyarwady, Sagaing, Taninthayi, Mandalay and Magwe.
Myanmar has been under strong military rule for the past 40 years, with a reputation for repressing dissent, as in the case of the frequent house arrests of democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi, and currently has more than 1,500 political prisoners (sentences of 65 years and hard labor in remote camps were given to leaders of the Saffron Revolution). When in Myanmar, abstain from political activities and don't insult the government.
Discuss politics, if you must, with people who have had time to get a feel for you. The danger, however, is primarily posed to those you speak with, and thus you should take care with their safety. Let them lead the conversation. Also, realize that many phone lines are tapped. And if you absolutely must wave a democracy banner in front of a police station, you'll simply find yourself on the next outbound flight.
However, in recent months, liberty in general has increased by a small but perceptible amount under the new government. A few politically critical articles have been published in government newspapers and a satirical film deriding the government's film censorship policy has been released, neither of which would have been possible in 2010. Returning visitors to Myanmar may find that locals have become ever so slightly more open to discussions regarding politics.
However, under any circumstances avoid doing things that might make the military or police feel uncomfortable, such as taking pictures of police and police buildings or vehicles.
Stay healthy
Hygiene in Myanmar may seem terrible to the average Western traveller but it is possible to stay healthy with some basic precautions such as prophylactic medication, care choosing food and water, and antibacterial ointment. Never drink tap water. Restaurants are legally required to use ice made and sold by bottled water companies, so ordering ice is usually safe in major places. Always drink bottled water and check that the cap is sealed on, not simply screwed on. Diseases such as dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis and malaria are endemic. Drug-resistant strains of malaria and tuberculosis are common in many areas. Hepatitis vaccinations are highly recommended and cholera oral vaccine is worthwhile. At the dinner table, Burmese use a spoon and fork, or their fingers when this is more convenient. You might feel better rinsing all of them before meals. Antibacterial wipes or alcohol hand-rub is a good idea at regular intervals.
As in any other developing country: "if you can't fry, roast, peel or boil it - then forget it".
Myanmar's healthcare system is poorly funded. If you should fall sick in Myanmar, you can visit the doctor in major cities for minor ailments such as coughs and colds. However, for more serious medical care, hospital conditions tend to be unsanitary and there is often a shortage of medical supplies due to economic sanctions. The only hospital that comes close to modern developed standards is Pun Hlaing Hospital, a privately owned hospital which is in a remote township of Yangon called Hlaing Thar Yar, and one should expect very high expenses there. Most of the hospitals are government owned, which means poorly funded. Most of the government officials and rich locals head to Thailand or Singapore for more serious medical treatment and hospitalisation and you will be better off doing so too. Just ensure your insurance is in order as arranging to be airlifted in an emergency can be rather costly.
Modest clothing is highly appreciated everywhere except nightclubs, and practically required in religious places such as pagodas, temples and monasteries (of which there are thousands). Miniskirts, shorts and sleeveless shirts are not allowed in consecrated areas, where you also have to remove your footwear, so prefer loafers and flip-flops that can slip on & off at the entrance--Myanmar has some of the most stunning temples in Asia and you will be tempted to visit more than you think.
Both men and women wear a longyi, a sort of sarong sold everywhere, and it is not unusual to see Caucasian foreigners walking around in them. They are wrapped in different ways for men and women, so find out how to tie yours. If you turn up at a temple in inappropriate dress, you can always rent a longyi for a pittance.
Also avoid t-shirts with images of Buddhas or Buddhist imagery, which is considered highly disrespectful. Folks are forgiving about it, but one should not look like a bigger fool than is necessary.
Give generously at temples and monasteries but women are not allowed into some sacred areas--actually the restriction should cover only women in menstruation, but since it would be rude to ask and unthinkable to verify, they keep all ladies out. You will often see monks begging for alms in the streets in the morning (they are not allowed to eat after noon). Note that monks are not allowed to come into physical contact with the opposite sex, so be careful not to touch hands if offering a donation. In addition, you should only donate food to the monks, as they are not allowed to accept money under any circumstances and giving money to a monk is considered a sign of disrespect - those that accept money are almost always fakes.
You can also purchase little squares of gold leaf to apply to consecrated statues.
When praying or paying respects, it is important to ensure that the *soles* of your feet do not point towards the Buddha or anyone else. However, statues are arranged so that won't happen unless you get acrobatic about it. Tuck your feet underneath you when kneeling at shrines and temples.
When receiving business cards, use your left hand to support your right elbow, and receive it with your right hand.
Tourists of Caucasian descent are commonly referred to as bo, which translates "leader", as a sign of respect. Address elders with U (pronounced "oo", as in soon) or "Uncle" for men, and Daw or "Auntie" for women.
Generally speaking, despite the common negative perception of the government, most ordinary Burmese people are incredibly friendly and polite as long as you repect their local customs. Customer service is in general very good (some say better than in Thailand) but customer service staff are invariably poorly paid, so you might wish to tip service staff generously to ensure your money goes into the right hands.
International phone calls can be arranged at the Central Telephone & Telegraph Office at the corner of Ponsodan and Mahabandoola Streets in Yangon. International Direct Dial calls are also available at most hotels and at many public call offices (often a phone in a shop), but they are expensive, e.g. a call to the US costs US$6-7 per min. As of 2010, the only mobile telephone network is the MPTGSM network provided by the Myanmar Government's Post and Telecommunication agency. This works on the GSM900 band, so is visible to multi-band GSM phones. However, MPT has no international roaming arrangements, so manual attempts to connect to the network are refused. If your own mobile telephone can detect the MPTGSM network, then you may be able to buy a US$20 SIM card which will work for 28 days.
International mail out of Myanmar is reportedly quite efficient. As elsewhere, there is always a risk if you send valuables as ordinary parcels.
A hotel in Yangon has claimed postcards mailed in the country had less than a 1 % chance of being delivered abroad, though this is contradicted by the experiences of many visitors.
Internet is now widely and cheaply available in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan, but more limited elsewhere. However access is very slow and many sites are inaccessible. Rates are around 300 kyat/hour in Yangon and 1000-3000 kyat/hour elsewhere. Some hotels, although rare, allow free access to the internet.
mmRev.com Myanmar Reviews for Travellers http://www.mmrev.com/
A list of proxys to circumvent blocks can be found at proxy.org [24].
Webmail: most free webmail providers are blocked, however many Internet cafés circumvent this - jot down the workaround in case it's still unknown in the next café you visit. If one Internet café can't connect you, the next one probably will the next day. As of January 2012, Hotmail , Yahoo Gmail are available now.
As of May 2006, the following workarounds worked:
Myanmar has two ISPs, MPT and Bagan. Proxy sites are blocked by MPT, but may work with the Bagan ISP.
As of 2011, mobile data services are available.


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NOW IN GERMANY! HARDCORE ZEN ÜBER ALLES! and MY IMPRESSIONS OF POLAND
I arrived in Germany yesterday. Here's the schedule of talks I'm doing:
•May 26, 2010 7:30pm - Frankfurt, Zendo - Verein für Zenmeditation Frankfurt e.V. Galgenstr. 18 Weitere Infos:firstname.lastname@example.com Fon: 06101 813 383
•May 27, 2010 7:30pm - Bielefeld, J.Kamphausen Verlag & Distribution GmbH Buddestr. 9 - 15 Weitere Infos:firstname.lastname@example.com Fon: 0521 560 52 12
•May 28, 2010 7:30 pm - Berlin, Dharma Buchladen, Akazienstr. 17 Weitere Infos:firstname.lastname@example.com Fon: 030 - 784 50 80
In mid-June I'll be returning briefly to Germany to do another talk in Wuppetal. I'll get that info up in a couple days. As usual all info for the European tour is at http://web.me.com/doubtboy/Site/BookTour_2010.html.
How about a run-down of some of the stuff I did while I was in Warsaw...
Lemme see. Yesterday I visited several of the record stores of Warsaw guided by my Brad-sitter, Kaja. That was her designation by the folks at ELAY, my Polish publishers. Luckily she is as big a record store fanatic as me and was eager to take on the task.
First we went to Megadisc. In spite of a name that conjures up images of a Amoeba Records style superstore, Megadisc is actually a tiny little shop situated in a courtyard between some big buildings. You go through an entrance way, look around, get confused, go back to the entrance way to make sure you did see a little sign that said Megadisc on the wall, go back into the courtyard, look around some more and then you spot the store owner putting a little sign out in front of a ramp leading into the little basement room that is the store.
It's tiny, but well stocked with psychedelic and prog rock reissues. You can sorta tell what kind of store you're in by seeing what they do with The Beatles section. This place did not even have one. Which shows that they are far too hip to carry anything as passe as The Beatles.
I purchased a copy of The Moving Sidewalks' "Flash" album on CD with 5 bonus tracks from their early singles. The bonus tracks are essential. This is a fantastic LP, but you must have the early singles to complete the picture. Some CD reissues don't include these.
For those who do not know, The Moving Sidewalks were a Texas psych band fronted by Billy Gibbons who later became the bearded guitarist of ZZ Top. They toured with Jimi Hendrix who, it is said, was highly impressed by Gibbons' guitar style. And you can tell from the album that he was equally impressed by Hendrix. Fave track: Reclipse, a psychedelic sound FX collage in the manner of Revolution 9.
I also spotted Time to Suck by Suck an early 70s hard rock band from South Africa. As I went to pay for this, Kaja snatched it from my hands and purchased it for herself. Darn her to heck!
Next we visited Muzant. This one was also impossibly hard to find. It was in the basement of what appeared to be one building of a large apartment complex. There was no way in Heck you'd ever spot it from the street. The stock was all used. They seemed mainly focused on jazz and blues, though the rock section was pretty good. The prices were great. I got the double disc reissue of Motorhead's Rock'n'Roll for 30 zlotys, which is like $10.
We also visited a place called Hey Joe, which looked very cool from outside, but the organization was really bizarre. The CDs were displayed in these weird bins with metal cages on top. So you could flip thru and see what was in there. But you couldn't pick them up and look on the back at the track listings. Annoying. Plus I couldn't work out any sort of order. Was it alphabetical? By genre? Completely random? I could not guess.
Last we visited a chain book and CD shop called Traffic. As we walked in I thought there wouldn't be anything much in the place. It looked like a Barnes and Nobles or something. I was very surprised to see they had a selection of psych and prog rock reissues to rival even Megadisc. Plus you could listen to anything in the store by scanning its bar code on one of the conveniently located listening stations throughout the store. I played The Jody Grind, The Legendary Pink Dots, Blue Cheer, Road (with Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience) and a Hawkwind compilation before they came to take me away.
And where did they take me away to? To a rehearsal by the band Kryzys, Poland's very first punk rock act. Their drummer Magura came to the Zen retreat I led in Warsaw and asked me to jam with him and one of their two (!) sax players after the rehearsal was done. Groovy!
The rehearsal was held in the basement of a big ugly industrial building in central Warsaw. There were people inside washing massive mountains of dishes, but there didn't seem to be any restaurant nearby. Could it be that restaurants sent their dishes to this place to be washed? I don't know. Outside the place were flags for Solidarity '80, who, I was told, aren't actually the "real" Solidarity but a more radical offshoot group. Like all punk rock rehearsal places it was dank and dark, filled with musical equipment, junk food wrappers and discarded furniture with egg cartons nailed to the walls in the usual futile attempt to provide some kind of sound-proofing. Just like back in Akron!
Earlier in the week, as I mentioned in a previous entry, I had been the guest on a radio show hosted by Tomek Lipinski, who had been a member of Brygada Kryzis, which was an offshoot of the original Kryzis. Though Lipinski is better known for his band Tilt.
After the rehearsal we went and saw Men Who Stare At Goats, which I thoroughly enjoyed. But the drive back to the Bodhidharma Zen Center was the real entertainment for the evening.
I don't know if they're reporting this outside of Europe -- when I searched on CNN I couldn't find a word about it -- but Poland is getting flooded like crazy. The water under the main bridges throughout Warsaw was almost up to the tops of the pylons. We had to drive back along a whole bunch of detours since several main roads were closed. Eventually we were driving on a dirt road through the forest. But we made it back alive.
Oh and the Zen? Philip Kapleau visited in the 80s and established the center where we camped out for the last 5 days of my stay. We held a 3-day retreat there, which was attended by 10 people. Pretty much par for the course Zen-retreat-wise. A lovely time was had by all.
The folks from the center who attended were more used to the Rinzai style of shorter sitting periods but more of them and koans. But they did fine.
This little traveling Zen circus I'm putting on all over the globe these days is kind of fun. Hope to see a few of you at the talks!


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How to find a pro bono attorney
10/02/2013 6:58amIf you're in legal trouble and can't afford an attorney, the court will appoint you one. But if it's a civil matter you're on your own.
New rule aims to curb predatory towing
10/02/2013 8:34amCity officials in Provo adopted a major rule change Tuesday night which they hope will help end the practice of predatory towing.
Athletes with inspiring stories make up U.S. sled hockey team
10/02/2013 9:19am"You're in a bucket and you're on blades." That's how one member of Team USA describes the paralympic sport of sled hockey.
Idaho man killed, Utahn injured in truck crash
10/02/2013 10:00amAn Idaho man has died in a crash of a pickup truck driven by a Utah man near Fairbanks, Alaska.
Man to serve up to 15 years for stabbing death at party
10/02/2013 10:34amKeenan Thompson was sentenced to serve up to 15 years in prison for stabbing a man to death because the man had kicked his girlfriend's 15-year-old cousin out of the party for being underage.
Unique water-treatment plant opens in South Jordan
10/02/2013 10:55amAn ambitious water-treatment project two decades in the making becomes operational Tuesday, with officials celebrating the completion of a unique process that will amplify area water supplies.
Cache Co. deputies to sport beards for good cause
10/02/2013 11:22amCache County deputies may be looking a bit scruffier this month, but it's for a good cause.
Utah House bill seeks to save lives by raising legal smoking age
10/02/2013 11:58amThe Utah legislature will consider a bill next session to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes from 19 to 21. The sponsor says it should save lives and taxpayer money.
Woman reconnects with teacher who changed her life
10/02/2013 1:31pmIn 1978, Shannon Shuman received a life-changing lesson from her fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Kaye Johnson. Decades later, Shuman found the teacher who was the first person in a chain of helping hands to a happy and healthy life.
Man pleads not guilty in fight over pew space
10/02/2013 3:04pmA 51-year-old man accused of punching another man in a dispute over pew space in Plain City has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Neighbors wake up to Rocky Mountain Power cutting down decades-old trees
10/02/2013 3:17pmSome West Jordan residents aren't happy they woke up to the sounds of chainsaws Wednesday morning. Rocky Mountain power is cutting down vegetation for what they say are safety reasons.
Provo police searching for jewelry thieves
10/02/2013 4:36pmProvo police are on the hunt for three people who they say robbed a jewelry courier Tuesday at Provo Towne Center.
Shutdown impacting businesses that rely on national park visitors
10/02/2013 5:40pmIt's day two of the partial government shutdown, and businesses that rely on visitors to the nation's national parks are already feeling the effects of the closures.
'I will not go quietly into the night,' says military family affected by furlough
10/02/2013 6:58pmSince the beginning of June, Eric Skog has been taking the paid leave he's saved for the past two years to build his and his wife's dream home. On Wednesday afternoon, he had to stop by the Army Aviation Support Facility to sign his furlough papers.
Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver service medals to Navy veteran
10/02/2013 7:44pmEvery day at noon a volunteer from Meals on Wheels brings 91-year- old Gene Mock lunch.
Smart recalls kidnapping 'nightmare' in new interview
10/02/2013 7:47pmElizabeth Smart is opening up again about being kidnapped 11 years ago. She said it was the worst thing anyone could do to a child.
FTC seeks stay in Jeremy Johnson fraud case due to shutdown
10/02/2013 7:52pmThe Federal Trade Commission wants a judge to postpone its fraud case against St. George businessman Jeremy Johnson due to the government shutdown.
Testimony reveals manner of death undetermined for doctor's ex-wife
10/02/2013 7:59pmTestimony in the case of Johnny Brickman Wall, charged with killing his ex-wife, focused Wednesday on how she died, and how high levels of Xanax got into her system.
Romney opposes gov't shutdown, won't run for president again
10/02/2013 8:04pmFormer GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney said before giving a speech at the University of Utah Wednesday that shutting down the government is the wrong way to oppose the nation's new health care law.
'Pear Lady' plans donation drive in response to WIC closure
10/02/2013 8:10pmIt all started with a pear tree in Cristen Smith's backyard.
'Miraculous' baby born 39 days after mother's water breaks
10/02/2013 8:18pmA baby born to a Lehi woman managed to stay in the womb 39 days after the mother's amniotic sack ruptured.
Over 190K call to sign up for Obamacare on opening day
10/02/2013 8:35pmMore than 4.7 million Americans accessed the federal health insurance marketplace on the first day of open enrollment Tuesday.
Wednesday's Child: Kobey
10/02/2013 9:07pm150 children in Utah are waiting for something many of us take for granted — a family. Kobey is one of those children.
Cool temperatures cause problems for UDOT crews, commuters
10/02/2013 9:20pmCooler weather led to an unusual safety concern Wednesday along sections of I-15 in Davis and Weber counties when a micro-surface did not take properly.
2 injured during drive-by shooting in West Valley City
10/02/2013 9:25pmWest Valley Police are searching for a gunman after two people were wounded Wednesday afternoon.
Man busted with drugs, guns after neighbor smells marijuana
10/02/2013 9:27pmA concerned Cottonwood Heights neighbor called police Tuesday night when she thought she smelled marijuana, leading police to a drugs and weapons bust.
Students live under totalitarian regime for 2 weeks, learn about democracy
10/02/2013 9:43pmTo learn about how totalitarian governments work, one brave group of high school seniors "lived" under a totalitarian regime.
'Miscommunication' causes panic, confusion between WVC Police, DEA
10/02/2013 10:25pmA few minutes of confusion surrounding a drug search had one law enforcement agency responding against another Wednesday.
Layton firefighters demonstrate grease fire prevention
10/02/2013 10:41pmSeven people die in home fires in the U.S. every day on average, and cooking is the leading cause. The disasters prompted "prevent kitchen fires" as the focus of fire prevention week nationwide, and the Kendall O. Bryant Fire Prevention Awareness Day in Layton.
Unlikely friendship emerges between LDS man and heckling 'street preacher'
10/02/2013 11:05pmA new documentary, "Us and Them: Religious Rivalry in America," tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a practicing LDS man and a street preacher.
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