Myanmar The Travel Show

test. That line just breaking in the last few moments. We will bring you

any updates we get here on BBC News. Myanmar has always

been on my wish list. But, because of decades of military

rule, it was off-limits. Now the place is opening up,

and I want to meet the people who have been behind

closed doors for so long, and find out what makes this

country so mystical, I'm starting my journey in Yangon,

the former capital of the country Heaving street markets,

gridlocked roads, and ramshackle And also, as it is monsoon season,

it is drenched with rain. But then, in the middle

of all the mayhem, is this place. It is actually quite

an overcast, grey day. But you come here,

and it is like it is brilliant The Shwedagon Pagoda

is a revered holy site, years, surviving earthquakes,

invasions, and the country's more The story of Myanmar over the last

two centuries has really been all about other countries

and the military muscling The remnants of British influence

can still be seen all over the city. They seized control

in the 19th century. Many found colonial Yangon,

then called Rangoon, Rudyard Kipling, author

of The Jungle Book, described it In 1948, Burma finally

gained its independence. But there was much instability

and ethnic conflict, and in the early 1960s,

the country was thrown into turmoil Decades of isolation followed,

as the army ruled the nation They also changed the name

of the country to Myanmar, In 2011, the military

government relaxed its grip, and although ethnic tensions

continue, there have been It turns out my taxi driver Shell

was himself a victim Imprisoned after taking place

in student protests in 1988, he has spent a total

of 14 years behind bars, and when he came out

he struggled to get a job. TRANSLATION: I wasn't able to study,

since I was imprisoned for 14 years Job opportunities were very slim,

so I learned how to drive. Now he and two other former

political prisoners have started a cab network called

Golden Heart Taxis, to raise funds and help others like them readjust

to the outside world. Do you think that tourism

is good for this country? TRANSLATION: We've not seen anything

like it in our lifetime. It's very good for the country,

because we have more hotels for the tourist sector,

more job opportunities, And that all generates

foreign currency for us. In parts of the city,

the outside world is already Something unprecedented has

happened in Myanmar. Even in a country blessed

with so many amazing steeples, Yep, it is the first Western fast

food joint to open in the whole A regular meal costs way more

than the average daily wage here. Some worry this is just the start

of a big brand invasion, that will ruin the unique

character of Yangon. But, as I found out from Myanmar's

answer to Lady Gaga, there will always be a uniquely

Burmese twist on popular culture. One is your unique voice,

and also your dress sense. And she helps me out

with all my wardrobes. She has this inspiration

from our traditional creators. There are very colourful and bright

colours, and even the masks, and she turned it into

modern costumes for me. Phyu Phyu is one of the country's

most famous pop stars. She actually trained

as a doctor, but was determined No easy feat under the military

junta, where rebellious artists and musicians were kept in check,

something Phyu Phyu Their arbitrary statement said

that my style of singing is very bold and very different

from the norms. The movement of my lips,

and even my voice. Despite the censorship,

Phyu Phyu has lasted 12 years Tonight, she is performing

at a charity gig. I know you have recorded

with artists around the world. What do they know about

Myanmar, about Burma? The first impression is that,

how could this be possible to survive in the dark

cave for like 50 years? It's always a very strange thing

for my international artist fans. They would really want to know

how we could survive. The next day, I'm leaving

the city for the countryside, I'm heading to

a pilgrimage site that is It is a volcanic rock

over 700 metres high. I can just

about see it through the fog. But there are 2,000 of them and, I

must admit, the novelty wears off. So, here we are,

near the base of Mount Popa. And I'm here to meet

a spirit mediator. These 37 nats are spirits, and

part of an ancient form of worship And Mount Popa is thought to be

the home of the nats. TRANSLATION: Spirit

worshippers believe that each And if they have a problem,

they come and pray, They hope the nat will fulfil

their desires. And tell me,

what is your role in this? TRANSLATION: I connect with nats

and communicate with them, and Of course, we don't always

connect with the spirits. But if one comes,

my body will start to shake, and Then I get the message,

and pass it to the person. The mediator explains how offerings

of flowers One of the nats prefers

to be offered alcohol. It is all a bit mysterious,

if you ask me. And that is

before I've even started the climb. First, like all religious sites

in Myanmar, it is shoes off. I should have brought

a spare pair of socks. And you do wonder who is really

in charge here. People actually being attacked

by the monkeys. The climb is steep and not helped

by the fact that some of the steps Golden pagodas peeking through

the swirling mist. OK, I've climbed the 777 steps to

the top of Mount Popa, And because of that mist,

it is eerily beautiful. In the central plains of Myanmar

lies an ancient site that some say rivals the far more famous

Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Here we are, Bagan - 42 square

kilometres of monasteries, temples and pagodas, with a claim to be the

largest archaeological site in Asia. I'm told this is

the best way to get around. This was Myanmar's first capital and

where Buddhism in the country began. Over 2,000 religious monuments

dominate the landscape. The showstopping scenery was largely

hidden from the world during the years of military rule and is

yet to be overrun by tourists. So, this is one of the showpiece

temples in this whole complex. It is supposed to be amazing,

and I'm going to meet a man who in a way created tourism here,

way back in the '70s. If anyone knows about

the background, the history, the Hello!

Welcome to beautiful Bagan. We haven't even reached

the shrine yet! By hand!

No machinery at all. Ayethwin used to work

in a fertiliser factory, but in 1971 he started showing tourists around

in exchange for English lessons. The temples here have withstood huge

earthquakes and some ham-fisted attempts at restoration under

the military junta. Some say that is one reason why

Bagan hasn't yet been awarded Yes,

they painted whitewash everywhere. And now they're trying

to restore it. Yes, slowly.

But the calcium fades the colour. There is a lot to be done,

but Ayethwin hopes this is the start of more people coming to

see the unique monuments here. Because of the government situation,

nobody mention I wanted you to know

about my country and about We have many things to see,

like these temples. Next, we're heading east,

but on the way to the airport I am, Chinlone, it's called,

and it's a 1,500-year-old ritual, where the emphasis is not

on winning but on how beautifully There are the 200 ways to kick

and pass the ball. An hour's flight

from Bagan is the vast Inle Lake. It covers 116 square kilometres

and supports a way of life I have The locals here live in stilted

houses and farm floating gardens. Mountains in the background,

huge expanse of lake. Yin Myo Su's family are

from the Intha people, whose name We had no land to grow,

so those bushes, when they die, they become floating piles

of rubbish, but good rubbish. On top,

we put the earth from the water. It is an important part

of our cuisine. We grow things like tomatoes, beans,

eggplants. Tell me

about the background to this. How old is the tradition

of floating gardens? All our ancestors have survived

this way for many centuries. There is a whole community set up

on the lake. Some of the fishing techniques

are also unique to Inle Lake. This fisherman is putting the

fishnet into the lake. Yes, we paddle by legs,

as you can see. All girls

and boys know how to do that. When you are standing like this,

you can see the way better, and you can see some sign

off fish under the water, and we believe it is faster when you

are driving the boat by legs. Images of the one-legged fishermen

of Inle are used to sell Myanmar the world over, but she tells me

today will likely be fruitless for the fishermen as recent wind

and rain has made the water murky. Pollution is also a problem here

and over the years, I am going to try to balance it

for him. This is when you zoom off and I

never see you again! As I come to the end

of my journey through Myanmar, the main impression I am left with

is that this is one of the most resourceful and fascinating

countries I have ever been to. Despite five decades of isolation,

the people here have found some way to adapt and survive, whether it is

the pop singer I met who battled against censorship or the former

political prisoner who has created a future for himself driving tourists

around. The resilience

of people here is truly humbling. Sandwiched between the tourist

powerhouses of India and Thailand, travel here is not easy or cheap,

and many hope things will stay that way because as Myanmar starts to

reconnect with the outside world, there is a strong message

coming from the people here. "We will do things in our own way

and at our own pace." However, please leave us to

be independent as well. We can even inspire other people

because we somehow kept protection in a little bubble

for five or six decades. So, like a sunken treasure we

are hidden and kept intact. Maybe this is

a great opportunity for all people