I must really look in need of help both cosmetically and spiritually....

Today was my first full day of sightseeing in Yangon - the temples, pagodas, monks and hustle and bustle - it was a lot to take in. I had just finished wandering around a massive reclining Buddha and was browsing the inevitable souvenir stands for a trinket that I do not need when I was pounced upon by cosmeticians.

Similar to slowing down around the Estée Lauder counter a Nordstroms - you don't even realize it until the makeover is underway. In just a few moments I was whipped from a run of the mill Canadian to an authentic Burmese girl. This entails having a yellow substance applied to your skin in a pattern...it apparently enhances your beauty and acts as a sunscreen. Well...I'm not sure about the beauty part but I didn't get a burn that day. And I was quite the hit with random Burmese people...I'm just saying...don't be surprised if you see me around work all dolled up in yellow paint.

My next encounter with "improvement" was at sunset at the shedagon pagoda in downtown Yangon...myself and every other white person was wandering around admiring how the gold pagoda changes colour with the setting sun. Locals and maroon clad monks surrounded the temple to pay respects to Buddha. The friendliness of the Myanmar people continues and smiles and waves greet us constantly. It's only been a few days here but their hospitality now seems commonplace. Which is why I the fact that a crooked tooth old woman was staring me down and grinning was not alarming at all. What became alarming was when she approached me and then rubbed my head and arms while chanting in Burmese. And then, as suddenly as it started she was gone...slipped away into the crowd. It was only after I spoke with my local guide that I discovered a blessing had been placed upon me.

I can take a guess as to why I was randomly selected for beautifying...I tend to emit an extra grubby vibe when traveling. As for the blessing...i think she sensed the curse that has been looming over me since Russia. So all is right in the world...crazy babushka places a curse...adorable Burmese woman blesses it away! And with my hot new makeover... I'm unstoppable.

"The last great frontier"

I read a bbc article before I arrived in Myanmar that quoted a cell phone salesman as describing this country as "the last great frontier". He went on to explain that aside from North Korea, it was the only country remaining with an untapped market. Sad that is about to change.

I am happy to have made it to the country before McDonald's and KFC for I had the chance to see something very unusual...an untapped market. People here are trusting of foreigners - we are constantly greeted with "minglabah" and huge smiles and waves. The people love of have their photo taken and practice their English (legitimately). They don't know that we are waiting to pounce and introduce them to fast food, reality tv and credit. (Currently Myanmar is a cash only society - no credit, no ATMs...anything they have they bought outright.)

My first exposure to this country was wandering though the markets of Chinatown in Yangon. Here locals squatted on plastic kids furniture drinking tea while an unfamiliar, and somewhat unpleasant odor wafted through the streets. The noise of a foreign language mixed with the sounds of urban traffic served as a soundtrack to the market scene.

Every street we wandered down brought a new surprise...unusual fruits and sea creatures being served at makeshift 'restaurants' that appear to be furnished by Fisher Price...civilized gentleman drinking tea while trading rubies and sapphires from the mines up north...monks darting between traffic with bags of groceries...after close to 20 hours of flight, it is a lot to take in.

But based on my introduction...I think I'm going to like it here.