Photo Tour with RIA Novosti: Myanmar

The Western world first learned about the country of golden pagodas from Marco Polo in the 13th century. Today, we rediscover Myanmar, a country that virtually disappeared from the map during many decades of military rule.
In the photo: U Bein, the world's largest teak bridge, stretches 1.2 kilometers across the lake near the ancient Burmese capital of Amarapura.

Porters, street vendors and everyone else in Myanmar carry loads on their heads.

Shwedagon Pagoda and an almost hundred-meter gilded stupa of the same name in Yangon.

Buddhist monks waiting for their turn at the entrance to a monastery refectory in Amarapura.

A huge reclining Buddha in a pagoda in Yangon.

A street vendor’s face is covered with a thanaka made from the bark of the tree of the same name which serves as sunscreen and skin care product.

The Burmese worship not only Buddha, but also nats, ancient spirits, which eventually became part of Myanmar’s Buddhism.

Golden Stone Pagoda, or Kyaiktiyo, is a traditional pilgrimage site. According to legend, the hair of the Buddha immured in the pagoda keeps the stone from slipping off the ledge.

This stupa in Mingun would have been the world's largest Buddhist stupa, if its construction had been completed.

Statue at Mahamuni Pagoda, Mandalay, is considered a living twin of the Buddha. The monks wash it with soap and water every morning.

Once the capital of the kingdom of the same name, today Bagan is a huge archaeological site with more than 2,000 pagodas, stupas and temples.

Buddhist monks and nuns go in search of donations as a daily routine.

Spectators and participants in a religious procession on Lake Inle.

Floating vegetable gardens

Myanmar maintains the traditions of ancient handicrafts, including making umbrellas using special paper...

wood carving...

and weaving.