As our Pandaw river chugged along the Irrawaddy, I noticed fields of corn, large clusters of papyrus, thatched roof villages and river washed laundry flapping on the clotheslines. Our on board presentations included a makeup demonstration of thanaka (ground sandalwood) which women and children wear on their cheeks for sunscreen and beauty, a typical Buddhist home altar and wearing a longyi (long multi- gender skirt).
In Sale on our way to a Buddhist teak wood Monastery, I was the main attraction as my oxcart passed by villagers – beetle nit chewing men, wpmen holding up babies to see me, children calling, “Hallo!” and motorcycles whizzing by.
