[Leica] Burma Pictures

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

Hi Luggers,
Have been resting from the LUG for awhile while traveling in Asia and am now 
back in internet wired Canada.
Esther and I spent 10 days in Burma (Myanmar) in March - a country where I 
worked for a while in the early 70's and which I haven't visited since the 
mid 80's. The Burmese are lovely people - despite 60 years of oppressive 
military dictatorship. Over the next few days I will be posting some photos 
of the 10 days and later, I am going to revisit my slides from the 1970's.

First pictures:

We arrived in Rangoon (Yangon) late at night and the next morning early flew 
early to Pagan (Bagan). We arranged for a guide and driver to give us a two 
person photo tour of the area which has something like 1600 pagodas dating 
from the 10 - 12th centuries forward.

Here's a sunrise - taken with the X Pro 1 and the 90 Elmarit from the 
vantage point of a pagoda - several stories up. It was good luck and good 
planning that got the basket of the balloon silhouetted against the sun:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/BaganBalloonSunriseW.jpg.html>

<http://tinyurl.com/crrebzz>

And here is Esther's sunset picture taken looking west from another pagoda. 
I really like the way she has lined up the spires of the pagodas and the 
horse cart gives perspective to the scene.

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/BaganSunsetHorseEW.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cyjagne


Here is my sunset picture taken from the roof of a pagoda with me leaning 
out beyond a ruined wall. The smoke from fires obscured the actual setting.

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/BaganSunset90ElXw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/c5becva

Our driver, Soemoo, was an enthusiastic photographer. He had been given a 
digital camera by a grateful Chinese tourist and he brought it with him 
wherever he drove us to take pictures as we did. Here he is, holding on to 
me, as I lean out to get a clear picture around a ruined wall of the setting 
sun. The Burmese have a different sense of personal space.

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/SoemooHCw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/czajueo

Here's my horse cart sunset picture - with two carts - but a different 
perspective from Esther's on the pagoda spires. I think I prefer her view:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/Sunset2HorseHw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cz9ah8l

The farmers in Bagan deal with a dry continental climate and are subsistent. 
They value their oxen:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/BullockCartw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cebpucn

Three monks in Bagan - it is cool in the mornings and very hot by noon - so 
one of the monks is protecting his pate:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/3Monksw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cjxs75o

More later - please look large.
All C&C welcome as usual.
Howard
(in sunny, windy, Vancouver)