Kyauktan, Myanmar. Sitting leisurely is a common past time in all parts of Myanmar. This young man stands up from his casual seat to be photographed at the entrance to a temple in this small town.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. A young boy smiles gleefully on the streets of Kyauktan.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. A simple exchange about the area with a local monk leads to his request for a selfie together and he pulls out his cell phone. When we finish, the phone goes away and that is what you see here.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. A young girl stands idly at the entrance to a market stall that offers t-shirts and other souvenirs for sale.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. A man smiles the common red-toothed grin of a betel leaf and areca nut chewer. Much of the country’s population regularly chews the mixture, which acts as a mild stimulant and stains teeth red.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. The Ye Le Pagoda resembles a floating oasis and can only be reached by boat.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. A monk stares out at the waters surrounding the Ye Le Pagoda.

Kyauktan, Myanmar. A boat man pauses in between shuttle runs of visitors between the mainland and the Ye Le Pagoda, visible in the distance.

Bago, Myanmar. A man offers touristic services including discount bus tickets to the north on Bago’s main street before being photographed.

Bago, Myanmar. A young woman outside a small grocery shop demonstrates both the traditional attitude and facial adornment of the Myanmarese people.

Bago, Myanmar. A line of monks more than a hundred long returns to the monastery after making their morning begging bowl rounds. The culture supports this thousands of years old tradition and monks will receive everything they need in their bowls, from food and toiletries to household items and even cash, free of charge.

Bago, Myanmar. The monks finish their morning begging bowl rounds.

Bago, Myanmar. People greet warmth and kindness with more of the same, as does this man on the streets of Bago.

Bago, Myanmar. A woman who appears as ancient as the earth itself stops to join me seated beneath the shade of a tree. We have a brief exchange that does not include any words spoken in a common language.

Bago, Myanmar. The Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda towers 114 meters above the street scene below. Its construction dates to some time in the 10th century.

Bago, Myanmar, Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda.

Bago, Myanmar. Two young men offer a friendly greeting as evening approaches and the street side market on the opposite side of the bridge closes down for the day.

Bago, Myanmar. A sort of cool vulnerability comes through this young man as he lets his guard down above the river that bisects Bago.

Bago, Myanmar. A bicycle food cart vendor heads out into the evening to set up shop as nightfall approaches.

Bago, Myanmar. A young boy enjoys an evening at home with his family on the outskirts of the city center. His house is made of bamboo and sits perched on stilts one story above the ground.

Bago, Myanmar. A young girl in her living room is embraced lovingly by her father Mygee, a jack of all trades who shuttles [heavy] luggage carrying visitors on a motor scooter between the town center and the bus depot, among other things. On the way to the bus station we stop at his house to deliver watermelon and introduce the guitar playing foreigner in his care to his children.

Bagan, Myanmar. Sun rises over one of the thousands of temples in the Bagan district.

Bagan, Myanmar. A young boy offers his art work for sale to temple visitors just after sunrise. (I buy three pictures.)

Bagan, Myanmar. A family and their roadside water and snack stand in the heart of the temple district. I stop to take a closer look and before I know it, we’re Facebook friends and taking selfies together. They insist on giving me the water free of charge that I attempt to purchase from them.

Bagan, Myanmar. Husband, father, and roadside water stand proprietor. Again, the warmth of the people in Myanmar is palpable.

agan, Myanmar. Young girl with temple behind. As I raise my camera to create a photo, she positions herself just as you see here without any direction on my part.

Bagan, Myanmar. A temple tour guide and painter sits happily in his front yard after displaying his latest works of art.

Bagan, Myanmar. Sunlight filters through from above into the central market of Bagan, where goods range from fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat to plastics, household items, and hand crafts. March 2019.