I've had just enough time to... see the beginning of Myanmar's transformation.
Taken in a Chinese shop in Yangon's Chinatown, Myanmar.
I found myself in the Chinatown of Yangon, Myanmar recently. While my colleagues were buying casual nuts, I took this shot from inside the shop, through hanging lanterns at the street outside. Chinese New Year was just round the corner. Though this is my first trip to Yangon, I could feel the change in the air. Myanmar is changing and it will never be the same again.
This is the watershed year for the country. After decades of being trapped in its own time zone, Myanmar is finally opening up to the rest of the world. Democracy will follow soon. Business men already smelling profits are descending into the capital by the plane load.
With the change, more freedom and progress will follow. But not all will be good. Some will find it hard to adjust to the change. The oppressors of the country will probably be the greatest beneficiaries. It must be hard for Aung San Suu kyi. Going after the perpetrator will plunged the country into a crisis, compromising for the sake of the people will let them get away scot free. Because she cared more for the living than the dead, she has only one option really. So the past must be buried for the future to have a chance. But the injustice of it all is quite difficult to swallow. The alternative is worse.
If you can, visit Myanmar now. In ten years, it will change beyond recognition. Though it is all for progress and a brighter future, it is still kind of sad to see some old ways of Life changed and the country losing some of its charm and unique personality. Happy New Year Myanmar. May this be a happy new beginning for you.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷDƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
ReplyDeleteAwesome Capture
A 1000 Reasons
I was in Myanmar recently and can feel the quickening pace of change in the country. The feeling was so palpable that you could almost touch it. The only other time I felt it was in a small fishing village called Sekou in China in the early 80s. Today it has become part of the giant metropolitan city of Shenzhen.
_ ♪ Claudio Lara
This brilliant photo
★ΞSSΞ®®Ξ added this photo to his favorites.
good news! Happy for you! great shot
henrhyde
Beautiful image.
Changes can be good and bad.
I only hope the heritage and ways of the country will stay.
★henrhyde added this photo to her favorites.
oOo Bev oOo
o0o I hope the prosperity grows and brings happiness,and wishing you health and happiness in the year of the water dragon ..thanks for your friendship and kind words ... in my fourth year on flickr ... remember how we met ...?
shadows on the wall ...! may your shadow always follow you and protect you ...:))) a gallery(s) for my flickr friends to say thanks for sharing my journey ... and thanks for being part of it ... :) oOo
★i_still_believe_in_u added this photo to their favorites.
brdonovan
it will be a delicate path going forward; let us hope for minimal intervention by corrupt outside forces.
i should be more optimistic
★brdonovan added this photo to his favorites.
hope to see myanmar now and 10 years later,a place to explore before its fully developed and more commercialised.
ReplyDelete