Letters: Readers share impressions of Myanmar

We enjoyed the article on Myanmar (“End of an Era?” by Amanda Jones, Dec. 15), and we were glad to see that the traveling was slightly off the beaten path. We recently spent two weeks there and recommend seeing this newly opened culture.

I beg to differ on not visiting the very important sights in Yangon and Mandalay. It would be like visiting Louisiana but skipping New Orleans because it is too crowded. The thousands of acres of floating crop fields at Inle Lake deserve particular note.

I also beg to differ about the lack of English skills, as we found the Burmese of all ages easy to communicate with because it was a British colony and not French, as were some parts of Southeast Asia.

Thanks for bringing back good memories with the article.

John Hoven

Manhattan Beach

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Having spent two weeks this year in Myanmar, I feel Jones’ review had a glaring omission. While she chose to avoid Mandalay and Yangon (Rangoon) because “they are noisy, crowded, and congested,” the reality is quite the opposite.

Both cities lack the typical Asian urban infrastructure — especially cars and scooters — because of past isolation and poverty. Yangon is a crucial stop because of Shwedagon Temple — the country’s most holy Buddhist shrine.

Viewed at sunset with its massive gold covered stupa and its many pagodas, the experience is equal to seeing any European cathedral.

Dennis Braun

San Diego

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Eleven years ago I visited Myanmar for a week by myself. I was a mid-50ish woman about to embark on a monthlong small group tour to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. In deference to the democracy movement, I debated about tacking on the week in Myanmar. Ultimately I followed the advice posted in the Lonely Planet guidebook: Go and try to not use government services. By and large I was able to do that. I visited Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan.

In Mandalay I was fortunate to meet a bicycle taxi driver with an interesting sidecar who spoke some English. I asked to visit local markets and textile workshops. Besides the regular tourist haunts, we visited a restaurant of sorts at a local Buddhist temple and his sister’s housing block. I took the private ferry on the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River to Bagan.

Leaving the ferry, I contracted with a horse cart driver to help me find a place to stay and to tour the temples the next day. A highlight for me was the visit to his local village nearby, where we stopped at his home to meet his wife and children.

Later I returned to the temples by myself on a loaned bicycle. I met other Western travelers, mostly Australian. On the old loop railroad around Yangon, I took photographs of children and old people. Those pictures became an icebreaker for that part of the journey.

The Burmese I met were gracious and kind to me. I never felt threatened. By and large I refrained from talking politics with almost everyone I met. It was more dangerous for them than for me.

Connie Moreno

Lynwood

No peeking at Bradley terminal

My wife and I took our son to the newly renovated international terminal at LAX for his flight on British Airways. There were no crowds, it was slow that Sunday evening (Dec. 15). Apparently the $2 billion was spent on the other side of the security point, because the check-in area has few amenities — no restaurants, shops or rest areas for the public.

A Transportation Security Administration employee suggested I ask the airline for a gate pass so we could accompany our son to the other side of the metal detectors, but we were told the airline no longer allows it. If you wish to see the new terminal and all of its shops and restaurants, you are persona non grata at LAX.

Kevin H. Park

Encino

Likes their Enterprise

Re: On the Spot of Dec. 15 (“Car Rentals and the Honor System” by Catharine Hamm): I wanted to respond to the info about Enterprise and its travel boundaries. I have nothing but praise for Enterprise. When I needed a pickup truck to deliver my son and his dirt bike to Colorado, Enterprise said it couldn’t let me go that far but did agree to let me go as far at St. George, Utah, a halfway point where I could arrange the handoff with the other parent.

It made all the difference in the world. I did this several times a year for many years with great success. Be reminded of this in all things: It never hurts to ask. I have been loyal to Enterprise ever since.

Gretchen Renata

Tujunga