Amarapura, Myanmar (30.06.2013)
The other night, while strolling a sunset bridge, I met a kind man in wine-coloured robes who invited me to visit his monastery. His name is Mr. Ott Ta Ma and today I took him up on his offer.
He gave me and a friend a tour of his meditation centre – including the museum which housed relics of the order’s founder (pictured behind Ott Ta Ma), dining hall, meditation hall, and sleeping quarters – before inviting us to an afternoon tea of coffee and fresh mango.
When we were flipping through his little photo album we saw photos of him sitting with Aung San Suu Kyi and when I asked about it, he told me he had been active in the democracy movement and had even been imprisoned for 5 years for opposing the military government.
Ott Ta Ma collects stamps and he gifted me a Myanmar stamp for my little travelers collection. What a treasure – both this sweet man and the beautiful stamp he gave me.
Before we left, he made us promise to call him from Yangon before we leave the country, just to say goodbye.
the wonders 