June 2, 2004
JR and I have returned from the upcountry and are beginning our trip home. We left Inlay Lake for Rangoon, where we leave tomorrow morning for leg 2–to Bangkok, and then Friday am for home.
Here’s some thoughts on Myanmar: 
1) We spent the first three days in the historical setting–the golden land of pagodas and kingdoms–Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan. The
historical relics (Bagan especially) reflect a powerful nation frequently at war with its neighbors. The country is Buddhist (we spent two hours in a Buddhist monastery whose claim to fame is that it has jumping cats remaining out of the heavy rain–we are almost in the monsoons, and the barometer was 26″).
2) We spent the next three days in the Shan States, the largest non-Myanmar ethnic majority, exploring some history, but more the ethnographical aspects. We were on a lake 20 miles long where people grow crops on floating masses, anchored by bamboo.
3) The country is 75%
or more agricultural. When you are at the Jensen place think about mechanized agriculture
–we saw water buffalo and oxen. One picture in my mind is of an oxcart bringing cabbage to the truck taking it to Mandalay.
4) China is not just our outsource for manufacturing; it is theirs too. The road to China (of the Burma Road fame) is open, and we stopped at a small village to see what was for sale. We saw many of the same products we saw in China; even the silk they use for textiles here comes as yarn from China.
5) They are power strapped. In Mandalay, our guide had electricity only from 2 p.m. to 7 a.m.—and she was lucky because she knew when they’d stop power on her. Our power went off periodically. Phone to the US (when available) is $8 a minute; email is censored and we could not get our titan account. Imagine trying to do business under these conditions.
Well, I do have to pack for the ordeal. Tomorrow is an hour flight, but in and out of two countries. Then Friday we begin the longest day–looking forward to visiting with you on Monday at the PLC meeting. You will recognize me–I will be the one falling asleep