A balloon ride above the Valley of a Thousand Temples in Myanmar (Burma), a "No Piranha" fish massage in Cambodia, and a boat ride on the Mekong River to Buddha Caves in Laos. These are a few of the adventures which Joe Arnold and Deedee Hampton will share on Monday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. in the next installment of the Estes Valley Library's popular Our Wonderful World program series. The presentation will be held at National Park Village, next to The Other Side Restaurant and below Country Supermarket at 900 Moraine Avenue. Admission is free and open to all.
Travel in Laos, Cambodia and Burma has not always been safe or welcome. In the 1960s, Laos was caught up in the Vietnam War; in the 1970s, Cambodia saw the Khmer Rouge genocide; and as recently as 2012, Myanmar (Burma) was under the rule of a repressive military regime. But times change: Laos now welcomes travelers openly, the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia see over 2,000,000 visitors a year, and Myanmar is primed to see a surge in tourism as democratic reforms progress.
With the door opening to travel in Myanmar, Estes Park residents Joe Arnold and Deedee Hampton planned a trip that navigated the middle path between the open-ended vagabond adventures of the backpacker and gap-year crowd, and the expense and schedules of a guided group tour. Deedee and Joe arranged all their own transportation, accommodations, and local guides. This was no easy task in Myanmar, where credit cards cannot be used, ATMs are nonexistent, and the only currency accepted is U.S. dollars in pristine condition.
Monday's presentation will explore the magnificent Shwedagon Paya temple in Yangon (Rangoon), the atmospheric wonders among the thousands of temples in Bagan, and the magical Inle Lake in Myanmar; the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia; monks taking alms in the beautiful former French provincial capital of Luang Prabang in Laos; and the colorful markets and temples of Bangkok in Thailand.
The "Our Wonderful World" is presented as a learning and storytelling opportunity that celebrates magnificent destinations near and far. The library offers a special thank-you to the Scott and Katie Webermeier and the staff of National Park Village for their generosity in once again providing this year's event space. For more information on the Our Wonderful World series and other upcoming programs, contact the library at (970) 586-8116 or visit estesvalleylibrary.org.
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/estes-valley-library-program-lands-of-wonder-adventures-in-southeast-asia-estes-park-trail/
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