I miss travelling! Lately, I’ve taken to longingly browse through old travel photos, whilst letting my mind wander to remote and exotic destinations. That reminded me of an idea I’ve had for a while about combining my love of travelling via the literature with my love of travelling in the real world.
This is by no means a new idea. Early in my blogging career I went for a walk along South Bank with my camera which resulted in the post Literary London. I loved putting it together, but never did more posts like that. Later I came across The Wanderlust book tag, which also combines locations and books.
These ideas led to Literary Locations, in which I will feature a destination (country, city or scenery) together with a representative book.
For my first post, I have chosen Myanmar, which is one of the most photogenic countries I’ve ever been to. Beautiful colours, beautiful scenery. Most travellers connect Myanmar with the numerous temples and pagodas, but the country has so much more to offer.
I visited in 2015, which seemed an interesting time. It was the year of their first democratic election in a long time and people were cautiously optimistic. As it turned out later, the election didn’t result in a true democracy. Myanmar is still struggling to find its feet and serious ethnic conflicts are very much a reality.
However, I had an amazing time there and the political situation aside, nobody can dispute the beauty and charm of the country.
Taungthaman Lake is located close to Mandalay, the main city in Upper Myanmar. The lake can be crossed via U Bein Bridge, a 1.2 km long foot bridge, which was built around 1850. The teakwood bridge has become a landmark, which many travellers, including myself, go to see.
I went early in the morning, before sunrise, and decided to take a walk on the bridge. It was quiet, oh so quiet. The only sound was my trainers on the wooden bridge, occasionally accompanied by the locals crossing the bridge in the opposite direction to get to work.
The sun hadn’t started to come up, but I could sense the darkness becoming less dense, slowly making way for a new day, holding the enticing promise of new adventures.
When I walk in the mountains my mind tends to go into a state of transcendence. Trivialities, such as work, bills, and the boiler needing replacement disappear to become an abstract, irrelevant concept and I am able to live in the moment to an extent I rarely experience in my daily life at home.
Just for a brief moment, whilst walking on the bridge, I reached that state of mind. I suspect, I might have had a big smile on my face.
The area around U Bein Bridge is a lovely spot to watch sunrise or sunset and it provides an excellent photo opportunity. But the short walk on the bridge marks one of these small moments in time, which I will remember, even without a photo.
The best known novel set in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is probably George Orwell’s Burmese Days. Orwell worked in Burma 1920 -1927 as an officer of the Imperial Police Force. Burmese Days [1934] is Orwell’s first novel and it draws on his experiences from that period.
When the British gained full control of Burma in 1886, they made it a province of India and Indians were brought in to fill civil-service jobs. In Burmese days, which takes place in 1926, we therefore meet a mix of British business men, Indians and locals.
My first impression was that Orwell can’t have had a pleasant time in Burma. All the characters are unsympathetic in various degrees. The Brits are exceedingly arrogant and racist and have no interest whatsoever in the country they live in. Besides from making money of course.
The local Indian doctor sees his highest goal in life to become part of the British club even if the members are despicable and wouldn’t dream of being seen in his company. The local Burmese judge is a master in deceit, corruption and sculduggery and has ruined a fair amount of lives. To compensate he plans to finance a number of pagodas. Apparently, that is the way to avoid being reborn as a rat or – God forbid it – a woman (I wonder if this explains the numerous pagodas in Burma?!)
The main character is Flory, a British timber merchant. Flory is different. He wants to learn about the local traditions and he is friends with the Indian doctor. But he is weak and can’t stand up for his principles.
The contrast between the attitude of Flory and the other Brits is emphasised when young Elizabeth turns up. Flory enthusiastically shows her the local market and a performance of a special Burmese dance. And Elizabeth absolutely hates it and just wants to get back the British club as quickly as possible.
I was devastated. I’ve always seen it as such a huge privilege to get an insight into other cultures. On the other hand, I do realise that a local market with huge crowds of people (most of them staring at you), foreign smells and ridiculous levels of heat and humidity can be overwhelming if you have never travelled before. That doesn’t change the fact that Elizabeth wasn’t a nice person either.
If you don’t mind the characters being horrible (it helped that Orwell portrayed them with a sharp satirical pen) Burmese Days is a great story about imperialism, injustice, narrow-mindedness and abuse of power and it also provides some insight into Burmese culture. I sincerely hope the novel is exaggerated relative to Orwell’s own experience in the country, but to be honest I suspect there is some truth in it.
Title: Burmese Days [1934] Author: George Orwell Format: Audiobook, narrated by Allan Corduner Genre: Fiction
Gorgeous pictures! I love the idea for this series and look forward to more! π
Glad you liked it! I found it a great way to combine two of my favourite hobbies, books and travel, so I’m sure there will be more of these posts! π
Oh my gosh I love this post! You made me feel like I was there ππ And Iβm curious to read that Orwell novel now, sounds most interesting indeed πππ
Aww thanks so much! π I am happy, I could convey some of my enthusiasm for this beautiful country. Orwell’s novel was interesting; his critical attitude to the establishment was already present in this early novel although it is not quite up the same standard as some of his later works.
Besides the two most popular novels he’s written, I’ve yet to try anything else by Orwell but this does sound like something I’d love to try someday. And those photos! Wow! Thank you for sharing your desire to travel to Myanmar again with us. You’re making me want to travel myself! π
It doesn’t have the same conceptual format as 1984 or Animal Farm, and doesn’t reach the same standard either, but I definitely found it worth reading. Myanmar was a lovely travel destination. But then again, I say that about pretty much all the places I go. π
Thank you for taking me to Myanmar, a country Iβve often wondered about and has remained a mystery. One of my favorite romantic suspense authors recently used the country in its setting and provided a view more consistent with the one you describe. Maybe one day Iβll see it on my own but in the meantime, this is lovelyπ
You are welcome! Myanmar used to be a mystery to most people. Due to the political situation, it wasn’t really a travel destination. But the last 7-8 years more travellers have started to go and it’s certainly worth a visit. Lovely to hear that you’ve read a book taking place there, I guess even in the literature Myanmar is not visited that often.
This is a really cool series idea and I love the photos from your trip!
Thanks Hannah, I’m so glad you liked it!
Great idea for a series and you’re off to a flying start – those photos are gorgeous! I’m not much of a real-life traveller so for me books give me the ability to go around the world and “visit” places I’ll never actually go to. I’m looking forward to seeing where you take me! As to the rat/woman question, having been a woman this time round I might be willing to try being a rat next time – less housework… π
Thanks! I find the literature a great way to travel as well, but it doesn’t beat the real thing! There are so many places, I want to highlight and hopefully more will be added in the future (fingers crossed). I found it a bit disturbing, that – according to Orwell – being reborn as a woman wasn’t considered any better than a rat. Of course, you are right, rats presumably don’t have to do much housework π
Wow, Iβm going to love this feature! Those pictures! I would love to see those same places. We have some local refugees from Burma/Myanmar, and they have told me of the beauty. I appreciate the book review too. Iβve not read this one from Orwell. I caβt wait to see what you bring us next, Stargazer. β€οΈ
I am so happy to hear that! π Ah really, that is interesting, I don’t think, I’ve met any Burmese people outside of Burma. I’m sure they can tell you lots of interesting stories about the country. Haha, I can’t wait either to see what comes next, there are a lot of countries, I would like to highlight in these posts.
Beautiful pictures! You’ve made me want to travel! x
Thanks Meggy! Looking back on my photos made me want to travel as well! π
This is a very interesting series! I have never been to Myanmar, which is a shame because it’s so close to the Philippines, but your photos look amazing. I’m not familiar with Burmese Days, but knowing the sort of books Orwell writes, it’s sure to be satirical. Great post, and I look forward to future ones like this! π
I hope you get a chance to go there some day – as you say it isn’t too far from where you are. Most of the characters are indeed written in a highly satirical style. The only exception is the protagonist, who is apparently based on Orwell himself. Thanks, there will definitely be more of these posts! π
So great to have a little background history about Myanmar in beautiful photos and with a personal story. Itβll hang much easier and longer in my mind now. Also very interesting to hear about Orwellβs connection to that country, I didnβt know at all. I also look forward to seeing more posts like this! β€οΈ
I’m glad you liked the background on Myanmar – I tried not to overdo it, but it still ended up as a very long post. Yes, Orwell’s connection to Myanmar was interesting, wasn’t it. Apparently his grandmother lived out there. Also, some critics say that his time in Myanmar really kick-started his social awareness and critical views. Thanks Inge! π
I’ve been looking forward to this post; great idea for a series and a great start! Your photographs are so evocative. I learned a lot too, alongside getting a sense for this lovely, if troubled country. I am timid traveller and although I have always loved travelling, Asia has always felt too different – too far removed from my own experiences. I loved and envied your dawn walk across the bridge despite knowing I would never manage it – a ridiculous phobia about walking on bridges, and that one is LONG! I could manage the market though, with a competent guide. Unlike the unpleasant Elizabeth in the book.
Talking about the book, I feel like I would benefit from reading it in terms of the way Brits behaved during those years of colonisation. But I suspect I will never get around to it. 1984 and Animal Farm is probably as far as my Orwell education will take me.
I wonder where you will take us next, Stargazer. Meanwhile, I an also wondering what to do to ensure I don’t return as a rat. A cat perhaps…
Haha, I’ve often thought that cats have the perfect life. They more or less do as they please, they can fall asleep on any surface imaginable and they have people jumping around, opening doors and feeding them.
I am glad you liked the photos and the background. I think you might like Myanmar. Some places in Asia can be overwhelming, just because of the sheer number of people, the traffic and the pollution. But Myanmar was quite “gentle” and it wasn’t particularly touristy, which is nice (I know, double standards…).
You may not want to read about the Brits during the colonisation – you could end up like Orwell: Utterly disillusioned. Apparently, it was his time in Myanmar, which kick-started his social awareness and critical views towards the establishment (according to Emma Larkin who wrote the introduction to Burmese days, Orwell was snobbish public-school boy before going to Burma).
Oh, I don’t want to end up disillusioned! I fear I’m on that path already and I’m not enjoying the scenery! There again, I don’t think I’m even close to a snobbish public-school girl either! π None-the-less, a good reason for me to avoid adding this Orwell book to the very long lists of reads waiting in the wings.
But Myanmar… You are making a very persuasive case! π
Ok, definitely stay away from the book then, we don’t want to see you disillusioned – public school girl or not! π Yes, I can warmly recommend Myanmar as a travel country, but I do wish that they got the ethnic conflicts under control. It’s not pretty to read about.
Your pictures were so beautiful, I will have to look into going there in my future travels.
Thanks, it was such a beautiful country. Hopefully, we can soon get back to traveling. Thanks for stopping by!