One of the true pleasures of traveling in Burma is the interaction with the Burmese themselves. The Burmese are a very warm and engaging people who will often go out of their way to make a foreign tourist feel like a welcomed and honored guest. I was amazed at the number of times that I was invited into private homes, which at times were nothing more than simple thatched huts, and offered tea and traditional snacks. Sometimes, a chance encounter on a city street or a village path would turn into an insightful cultural exchange that became the highlight of the day.
