Burma:
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Boy monk at Shwedagon Paya, Myanmar's most sacred Buddhist site. Old monk at Shwedagon Paya in Yangon. Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Dusk at Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Food seller, Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay. A zedi near Bagan. Large stone Buddha head, Bago. Monk, Bago. He used to be a trishaw driver before he was blinded in one eye and then decided to become a monk. Shwemawdaw Paya, Bago. Originally built over 1000 years ago to enshrine two hairs and a tooth of the Buddha. It stands at 114m. Young boy carrying a coal delivery at the dockside in Yangon. Pao tribeswoman, with a stare that would stop Clint Eastwood in his tracks. Young monk at Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. View over the countryside surrounding Bagan. There are around 4500 pagodas most of which were built around 1000 years ago. Photographs can't do it justice as the scene below is only a fraction of the full 360 degree sweep, simply breathtaking. Baby with the remains of thanakha on his face. Thanaka is a combination of makeup and sunscreen and is worn by most children and women and occasionally men. Chinthe, half-lion, half-dragon guardian deity, Schwezigon Paya, Bagan. Girl with thanakha makeup, Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Smoking a large roll-up. Boy monks at the Golden Rock, Kyaiktiyo. Dawn over Bagan. Palm reader's room in an alley near Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay. Boy with a necklace made from George V era coins, Kalaw. Cool monk, Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Old lady, Schwezigon Paya, Bagan. Temples dotted around the Bagan landscape. Monk in front of a giant ceremonial gong, Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay. The Golden Rock, Kyaiktiyo. One of the main pilgrimmage site for Buddhists. The precariously balanced rock is not being pushed over (as it might look) but is being decorated with small squares of gold leaf by pilgrims. There was an almighty thunderstorm that night which accompanied me on my 3hr walk home (missed the last bus back down the mountain). Head monk of the Pao Monastery in Hti Tain where I spent the night during a trek. Sister and brother at a small village near Kalaw. Dawn over Bagan. Monk with a carved cane over his shoulder, Golden Rock. Monk's tattoo, Golden Rock. Nearly every man in Myanmar has tattoos; they usually have a religious significance. Monk at Pao Monastery, Hti Tain. Apprentice monk at Shwedagon Paya. Mr Manni, my excellent guide in Bago wearing a traditional Burmese hat. His family is originally from India, his father worked as a cook for the British army and was posted to Burma in the 1920s. The ancient village of Indein with its impressive concentration of weather-beaten stupas. Monk deep in prayer at Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay. Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. The original stupa was built over 1,000 years ago, but due to the prevalence of earthquakes in Myanmar has been rebuilt many times. There are tons of gold sitting here and the top is decorated with nearly 6000 diamonds weighing 3000 carats with a 76 carat diamond at the very tip. It enshrines 8 hairs of the Buddha. Nun reading from a Buddhist prayer book, Shwedagon Paya. Young monk, Shwedagon Paya. Most families send their children to a monastery or nunnery for a short while during their childhood. Many then decide to become a full-time monk or nun when they are older. Mid-morning amongst the temples in Bagan. Unfortunately I never witnessed one the famous Bagan sunsets or sunrises as it was the start of the monsoon and too cloudy, at least there were no other tourists though so I had the place to myself. Baby, Pao tribe, Inle Lake. Enormous reclining Buddha, Bago. About 5 minutes after I took this the heavens opened and the first rains of the year arrived, much to everyone's delight. Monk ringing a ceremonial bell, Golden Rock. Night falling at Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. 100s of people come after work to sit and pray or meditate. Night has fallen. Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Weather-beaten ruins at Indein, Lake Inle. Porter carrying coal at the docks in Yangon. Nun carrying head-basket and parasol, Bago. Prayer at Mahamuni Paya, Mandalay. Laughing nun (wearing my glasses), Sagaing, near Mandalay. Little girl at Shwemawdaw Paya, Bago. There are always loads of kids running around the temples as their mothers run stalls there. Cheeky face, Pao monastery, Hti Tain. Kaunghmudaw Paya, Sagaing. Built in 1636 the domed stupa rises 46m and was built to celebrate the town becoming the royal capital. Cracked Buddha statue in an unnamed pagoda in Bagan. Decorative thanakha worn by a young girl on U Bein bridge, near Mandalay. She is holding one of the 1060 teak posts used to build the 1.2km bridge. Returning home from work after sunset along U Bein bridge near Mandalay. The bridge is constructed entirely of teak, one of Myanmar's most precious resources, and is 1.2kms long. Marionette show, Mandalay. Puppeteers depict tales from the Buddhist Jataka and the Indian Ramayana. Puppeteers and their puppets at a marionette show, Mandalay. Girl from Pao tribe working in a field near Lake Inle. Sweeping view over Bagan countryside. Kids at Shwemawdaw Paya, Bago. Ruins at Indein, Lake Inle. Meditating at Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Old lady on Mandalay Hill. Playing at Pao Monastery, Hti Tain. Boy monks relaxing at Shwedagon Paya, Yangon. Young boy Shwemawdaw Paya, Bago. You get so used to seeing people with thanakha that when I left it was strange not to see it. I think it looks fun on kids, like they've just come out of the kitchen after baking with Mum. Lady smoking at Schwezigon Paya, Bagan. Young girl laughing, Shwemawdaw Paya, Bago. Bagan scene with pyramid style pagoda. Burmese script and cracks that look like a marionette (I thought so...) on a wall in Mandalay. Hauling sacks of coal from ship to truck, Yangon. Gypsy woman, near Amarapura. Girl with thanakha makeup, Bago. Young monk, Golden Rock. Young girl from the Pao tribe, Pao monastery, Hti Tain. Monk sleeping at Shwedagon Paya, Yangon.

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