Trisha Ray - Log of a Travel Artist

The Vanishing Sea Gypsies - Myeik (Mergui) Archipelago

Sea gypsies!

What a great name.

Myanmar sea gypsies, who call themselves "Moken", live on boats.

They're easy to spot - they travel with one bigger boat, called Moken Kabang.

And a bunch of little boats, called Moken Sabang.

The harbor of Ma Kyone Galet, with Moken boats. One of the few places on land where they come.

The Myanmar government is trying to get the Moken to settle on land.
Send their kids to school, probably pay taxes, be counted.

But the sea around the Mergui Archipelago is still host to dozens of wooden "Moken" boats.

They live their own lifestyle, on the water, in their own handmade boats.

Speak their own languages.

Some of the last sea gypsies in the world.

Moken Sabang - the little boats.

When the Moken saw our boat...

this woman and her son paddled over to trade fish for rice and fruit.

She had the fish, we gave them rice and fruit.

There aren't many boats out here.
Only Moken - and the squid fishermen.

Myanmar squid fishing boats have a very definite look. A bit strange to us.

- Squid fishing!

The lights on the "arms" light up at night to attract the squid.

However, the strings of electric wiring look VERY sketchy.

The blue tubs are to separate the different types of fish.

Then they're transferred to a larger boat, which takes the catch to the port town.

So these boats might not return to port for a long while.

This is a BIG archipelago, and we only traveled the southern part.

Fishing traps - handmade on one of the beaches.

Several times, we traded beers for squid.

4 cold beers for a whole BUCKET of fresh squid and fish!

Erik with a variety of crabs, fish, and squid. For 4 beers.

The Myeik Archipelago is off the coast of Myanmar.

There are about 800 islands.

Only a handful are inhabited.

You can't visit the islands.

Not unless you're on a liveaboard boat.

There are no hotels, no guesthouses, no ferries.

No stores, no place to buy provisions.

We brought everything we needed with us.

However, we fished - successfully - and enjoyed fresh wahoo sushi 30 minutes later!

Irish Captain Brian and a tasty wahoo.

Erik making wahoo sushi.

At night, the Moken link their boats together.

They hang out, eat, tell stories.

Things people do when they live on boats.

We could hear the sounds of their voices from our boat.

Sometimes music.

They were curious about us, and very friendly.

When they took off in the mornings, they'd circle our boat for a closer look and wave.

-Guess we look as strange to them as they do to us.

Wonder what the Moken thought of this mode of transport-?

We visited the Moken village of Ma Kyone Galet, and the kids were pretty excited to see us.

They're learning Burmese (not their native language) and English.

We were definitely a "happening" at this school!

Erik - with tanaka - tries to include the shy kids in the photo, too.

These girls are Myanmar, not Moken.

They were temporarily in Ma Kyone Galet for an exchange program.

They were genuinely surprised to find we didn't know what "tanaka" is.

It's a paste made from a tree bark they all use for protection against the sun.

They had fun putting it on Erik.

We were introduced to everyone.

This old woman, they told us, is 120 years old!

And her friend, a sprightly 90 year old.

The young girl is wearing tanaka.

When you're 120, you can wear what you please.

We took paddle boards and kayaks up a mangrove-filled river at dusk.

Saw sting rays and hornbills.

It was about sunset, and very loud.

Sounded like monkeys.

Luckily - the sound came from birds and a cicada-like insect.

Good.

I'd hate to run into monkeys with nothing but a paddleboard.

If you look closely, there's a fresh waterfall on the beach.

While snorkeling, we discovered a large sea snake, violet and black vertical stripes.

As the snake became interested in us - a speedy getaway was in order.

That night, I read that Myanmar is home to more types of venomous snakes - than anywhere else in the world.

Stan, Trish and Erik, who joined us from his home in Bangkok.

The feeling of being so far away from civilization was overwhelming.

We showered under fresh waterfalls on deserted islands.

Snorkeled, swam, read, watched stars.

No one around but fishing boats and sea gypsies.

Sea gypsies!

Indeed.

Beach BBQ with fresh fish. And wine. Our catamaran in the distance.

Zoe III - "home" for us in Myeik.

It is hopelessly beautiful and impossibly romantic.

Thank you to all who made it possible....!

Of Monks and Monasteries in Myanmar

Myanmar is filled with monks.

There are monks in trucks, monks on buses.
Tall monks, small monks, fat monks.

Monks everywhere.

Every man in Myanmar is a monk at some point.
Sometimes only for a few weeks.

Sometimes for years.

Myanmar monks wear maroon. This one in orange is from Laos. The tiger too, I suppose.

Monks have 227 rules to follow.

They aren't allowed to cook.
Not allowed to handle money.

Women are not allowed to touch the monks.
Or even sit next to them on a bus.

Posters in temples show the 13 levels of hell.

Believing is key.

This monk was halfway up a rock pinnacle. His silver bowl is ready to receive offerings.

Small boys dressed up for their first day as a novice at the monastery.
Novice monks only have 27 rules to follow. They might even be home by dinnertime.

Trucks are filled with money trees. And of course a Buddha statue.

It's the end of the Buddhist equivalent of Lent.

Everyone is out celebrating.

This means a MASSIVE sound system, cranked up full volume, full distortion.

The offerings go to the monasteries.

The first truck has the money tree. The second truck has the massive "Wall of Sound".

Trucks are equipped with enormous speakers, and a group of young guys dancing.

It's a holiday, full moon, fireworks.

Everyone is excited.

Gardens FILLED with thousands of Buddhas. Buddha is BIG here.

Monasteries, monks, golden pagodas.

Statues of Buddha, offering bowls.

Bells, gongs, and blessings.

There's a golden pagoda on top of every mountain.

They're in caves, on rocks, in villages.

In gardens and at the river's edge.

Barefoot in Buddha-land. A cave filled with yet more Buddhas!

But more on Buddhas later.

It's time to explore.

Spirit Houses of Thailand - and a Ghost-Filled Building in Bangkok

Every building in Thailand has a spirit house.

It has to be in a special location.
Preferably where the shadow doesn't fall on it.

It's usually on a pedestal.

Even commercial buildings can have a spirit house.

In this miniature house, there are all sorts of offerings.

It provides a home for the protective spirits of the property.

If these spirits aren't appeased, they can cause trouble.

And no one - likes angry spirits.

Erik adjusts a spirit house offering near a cave outside Hua Hin.

From my balcony in high-rise Bangkok, I can look down from the 28th floor and see a number of spirit houses - in gardens, at street corners, on tiny platforms in the corner of a lot.

Even trees can have spirit houses.

Boats have spirits, too.

Every day, offerings have to be made to these spirits -

Strings of flowers.

A bunch of bananas.

Any fruit will do.

Food, even sodas (they're partial to red sodas, with a straw!)

Incense, candles.

All to keep the spirits happy.

Or - there could be consequences.

In Bangkok, there's a large unfinished high rise building.

49 stories tall. About 80% complete.

They say it will never be finished.
No one will work there.

No Thai feels at ease entering the building.

It's abandoned.

It has ghosts.

Those spirits are not happy.

This spirit tree even gets a soda 6 pack!

Perhaps - for the price of a few mangos and a string of jasmine.
Things could have been different.

Who can tell how spirits work?

Cheers! From Bangkok, Trish, Ray, Erik and Stan.

Golden Rock Perched on a Hair of the Buddha - Myanmar

Down south in Myanmar is a rock.

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda - perched on the top of a mountain. (Beautiful sunsets, too!)

A large one.

At the edge of a precipice.

Held in place by one hair of the Buddha.

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda.

(Yes, there's a golden pagoda on top-)

Pilgrims press squares of gold leaf onto the rock, light candles, and pray.

(But only men. Women are not allowed to touch the golden rock.)

It's an 8 mile walk up.

But now they take pilgrims up in large metal trucks.

They took us, too.

The mountain is VERY steep.

At night, it's a festive atmosphere.

Disco lights, candle offerings.

Families camping out. Excited kids running around.

Gold and glass and statues and candles everywhere.

Quite the party.

Guys selling horns and noisemakers.

Groups up from the country sleeping out at the top of the mountain.

The inns are full.

There are not many foreigners.

People do a wonderful double take when they see us.

Everyone has a cell phone, so they try to take a photo of us - without our noticing it.

Plenty of melons, limes, pomelos, huge avocados, fish, rice, noodles, fresh veggies, fruits, chilies, nuts and spices. Myanmar has some of the finest fruits and vegetables I've ever seen.

A Burmese full moon Thanksgiving.

All thanks to the Golden Rock.

And the hair of the Buddha that holds it in place.

On the Road! Next: 5 Months in Southeast Asia.

I know it's not for everyone.

A number of people have told me so recently.

I understand.

It would be a difficult world if everyone wanted the same things.

But I'm (still) compelled to go exploring.

There is so much that I know nothing about!

So many places to investigate.

This is my pack. With folding umbrella in the side pocket. About 8 kg.

We're heading to Asia for 5 months.

The first month, we'll be in Myanmar (Burma).

It's been on my "list" since I was a kid.

They just had their first election in 25 years.

The results are looking good, but - anything's possible.

It's always a delicate balance, our world.

No credit cards, and ATMs are rare - if they exist at all.

We're supposed to bring unfolded, new, pristine US dollar notes.

Nothing older than 2006, and preferably without the letters AB or BC (I think).

My local Wells Fargo bank branch had a lot of fun searching for bills that fit that description! They have NO idea where I'm going, and I didn't try to explain. Everyone had their cash drawers open - "Is this one okay?" "How about this one?"

It was great.