Travel Tips for Myanmar

AIRPORT TAX
Any passengers departing Myanmar on international flights will need to pay a departure tax of US$ 10.00 per person.

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Myanmar has three seasons. *Cool Season - October through February with average temperatures 20-24 C *Hot Season - March through May with average temperatures 30-35 C *Wet Season - June through September with average temperatures 25-30 C The ideal time to visit Myanmar is during the cool season. However, even during the wet season, Yangon normally receives morning and afternoon showers while rainfall in Bagan and Mandalay is very low. The weather around Inle Lake and in Shan State is quite pleasant all year round but cold at night from December to February.

CREDIT CARDS

Credit Cards are only accepted at a very few major hotels, airlines and some international shops and restaurants. We suggest to bring a sufficient amount of cash for personal expenses. The exchange of traveler cheques as well is very difficult and time consuming. Banks are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and all public holidays.

CURRENCY

We recommend visitors to bring US Dollar in cash only – larger notes receiving a better rate in exchange. Exchange of other foreign currencies such as Euros, Yen and Pounds Sterling are maybe time consuming and difficult. Authorized money changer throughout Myanmar will usually only accept US Dollars. The FEC (Foreign Exchange Currency) used in Myanmar as currency next to the local currency Kyat (pronounced “Chat”) is equal to the US Dollar (1=1) and can easily been used for payment of purchases throughout the country.

DOMESTIC AIRLINES & FLIGHTS
Air Mandalay and Yangon Airways are privately operated airlines flying throughout Myanmar. There is a 20 Kilo limit for baggage per person and excess baggage fees may be charged. We suggest you leave items not needed upcountry in Yangon and collect them upon your return.

DRINKING WATER
Only drink purified bottle water. Bottled water is readily available and some hotels provide complimentary. Carry a bottle with you throughout the day.

DUTY FREE ALLOWANCE
Two bottles of liquor, two cartons of cigarettes or 100 cigars and half litre of perfume are allowed per person. Yangon Airport arrival hall has a selection of duty free shops with a full range of items at a good price.

FESTIVALS
Try to arrange your journey to coincide with a festival. These unique celebrations - such as the annual Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival around Inle Lake - offer a perfect chance to visit villages and join the locals as they celebrate their festivals throughout the year.

GRATUITIES & TIPPING
Myanmars are genuinely happy to help foreign visitors and don't expect anything in return. But if your guide or any other person during your trip was especially kind or helpful a gratuity would be a generous gesture and greatly appreciated.

HEALTH
No inoculations or vaccinations are required unless coming from or passing through an infected area. Clients should bring sufficient medication with them if required and should check for updated health recommendations before your departure to Myanmar regarding hepatitis, malaria, typhoid, etc. Please contact us if you would like detailed information on emergency health services available.

IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS FORMALITIES
Your valuables ( jewelry, cameras, electronic equipment, etc.) should be declared on your customs declaration form upon arrival. Receipt of purchase and an export permit voucher for locally bought goods such as gems and jewelry may be required upon departure.

INSURANCE
We recommend all clients to obtain the necessary personal baggage, medical and accident insurance before arrival. SOS Worldwide has a local representative office in Yangon with a 24 hour on call service for emergency evacuation and medical assistance.

LANGUAGE
The majority of the people speak Myanmar (Burmese) and English is widely used.

LOCAL TIME IN MYANMAR

GMT + 6.5	YANGON	0700 hours on Monday
GMT - 5	NEW YORK	1930 hours on Sunday
GMT 0	LONDON	0030 hours on Monday
GMT +1	PARIS	0130 hours on Monday
GMT +7	BANGKOK	0730 hours on Monday
GMT +8	HONG KONG	0830 hours on Monday
GMT +10	SYDNEY	1030 hours on Monday

MOBILE PHONES
Hand Phones or Mobile Telephones from other countries currently do not operate in Myanmar. Customs will hold your telephone upon arrival and you can collect on your departure.

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE - (MSG) ALERT
Throughout most Asian countries including Myanmar MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) - known locally as 'AJINOMOTO' - is still used in food preparation in some restaurants. Some travellers who may experience swollen feet, hands or headaches will more than likely have had a good amount of MSG in the food. It is always best to inform your guide when ordering if you do not wish it to be added to your food.

POWER & ELECTRICITY
Our recommended hotels in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan offer 24 hour power (with a generator if needed). In other more isolated areas like Kyaingtong, the Shan Hills, Kalaw, Pindaya, Taunggyi, Nyaung Shwe and Inle Lake - generated power may not always be available. Most hotel rooms have screens and mosquito nets.

RELIGION
The majority of the people of Myanmar are Buddhist although Christianity, Islam and Hinduism are also practiced.

TELECOMMUNICATONS IDD
Telephones & fax facilities are available in most hotels in Yangon and Mandalay but charges are quite expensive. E mail facilities are now available at many hotels and local businesses in Yangon and Mandalay.

TRAVELLERS CHEQUES
Travellers Cheques may be very time consuming to transact. You must bring the original purchase agreement for the travellers cheques with you as proof when cashing your cheques.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

A visa is required in advance. Tourist visa for Myanmar can be obtained from any Myanmar Embassy or Consulate world-wide. Please see our list of Embassies and Consulates below. Travelers who plan to arrive via Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore or Hong Kong can sometimes obtain their tourist visas within one working day. Tourist visa are valid for a stay of up to 28 days.

VOLTAGE
The voltage in Myanmar is 220-230 Volts AC. Most of the international hotels have their own generators. Other places may experience power cuts and voltage fluctuation which can damage equipment like computers. Please travel with the required protection for your electrical items.

WHAT TO BRING
Sun hat, sun glasses, sun protection for your face and body, prescription medicines, insect repellent and an umbrella April to October (rain or shine). An antibiotic cream for minor cuts and scratches, extra pair of prescription glasses, a small flashlight, extra passport photos, decaffeinated coffee (if you require). WHAT TO WEAR Shorts, short skirts or revealing clothing are not appropriate especially when visiting temples or any religious site. Myanmar is a conservative Buddhist culture and improper dress can be offensive. Please dress with respect for the local culture. Lightweight, easy to care clothes of cotton and cool fabrics are ideal all year round. A winter sweater or jacket and socks may be needed in the cool season when visiting up country especially around Inle Lake and Kalaw when the weather can drop to near freezing during the night. Wear sensible walking shoes which can be easily removed when required. Sandals, thongs or flip-flops (available locally) are very convenient footwear.

Yangon

Shwedagon Pagoda National Museum People's Park Gem Museum

$5 $5 $3 $5

Ngar Htut Kyi Pagoda Bogyoke Aung San Museum Yangon Zoo

$2 $3 $2

Bago

Shwethalyaung Reclining Buddha Shwemawdaw Pagoda

$10 $10

Kanbawzathadi Palace & Museum Mahazedi Pagoda

$10 $10

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda

$6

Pyay

Museum

$6

Bagan & Vicinity

Zone fee Museum

$10 $5

Mt Popa Salay -Youqson Kyaung Museum

$5 $3

Mandalay & Vicinity

Mandalay Hill Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda Kuthotaw + Sandamuni Pagodas Shwenandaw Kyaung (Golden Palace Monastery)+ Atumashi Pagoda Maha Muni Pagoda Royal Palace Mandalay Museum & Library Ava & Bargaya Monastery

$10

Kaungmutaw Pagoda Soon U Ponya Shin Paya (Sagaing Hill) Mingun

$3

Monywa

Po Win Daung Caves Shwe Ba Hill Thanboddyi Pagoda

$1 $1 $3

Rakhine State

Sitwee - Rakhine State Cultural Museum Mrauk-U Zone Entrance fee

$2 $5

Inle

Zone Entrance to Lake Kak Ku Temples Shan Museum, Taunggyi

$3 $3 $2

Shan Museum, Nyaung Shwe Pindaya Caves

$2 $3

Myitkyina

Kachin State Cultural Museum

$2

AUSTRALIA	Canberra	Tel: (61-2) 6273-3811, 6273-3751	Fax: (61-2) 6273-4357
BANGLADESH	Dhaka	Tel: (880-2) 601-915, 601-461	Fax: (880-2) 882-3740
BRAZIL	Brasilia	Tel: (55-61) 248-3747, 364-3145	Fax: (55-61) 248-1922
BRUNEI	Bandar Seri Begawan	Tel: (673-2) 450-506, 450-507	Fax: (673-2) 451-008
CAMBODIA	Phnom Penh	Tel: (855-23) 213-663 / 4	Fax: (855-23) 213-665
CANADA	Ottawa	Tel: (1-613) 232-6434, 232-6446	Fax: (1-613) 232-6435
CHINA	Beijing	Tel: (86-10) 6532-1584, 6532-1425	Fax: (86-10) 6532-1344
CHINA	Hong Kong	Tel: (852) 2827-7929, 2827-9843	Fax: (852) 2827-6597
CHINA	Kunming	Tel: (86-871) 317-6609	Fax: (86-871) 317-6309
EGYPT	Cairo	Tel: (20-2) 340-4176, 341-2644, 341-3450	Fax: (20-2) 341-6793
FRANCE	Paris	Tel: (33-1) 4225-5695	Fax: (33-1) 4256-4941
GERMANY	Berlin	Tel: (49-30) 2061-5710-14	Fax: (49-30) 2064-9757
INDIA	New Delhi	Tel: (9211) 688-9007, 688-9008	Fax: (9211) 687-7942
INDONESIA	Jakarta	Tel: (62-21) 314-0440 , 327-684	Fax: (62-21) 327-204
ISRAEL	Tel Aviv	Tel: (972-3) 517-0760, 517-0761	Fax: (972-3) 517-1440
ITALY	Rome	Tel: (39-6) 854-9374, 842-6863	Fax: (39-6) 841-3167
JAPAN	Tokyo	Tel: (81-3) 3441-9291-4, 3441-9029	Fax: (81-3) 3447-7394
KOREA	Seoul	Tel: (82-2) 792-3341, 796-9858, 796-7814	Fax: (82-2) 796-5570
LAOS	Vientiane	Tel: (856-21) 314-910, 314-911	Fax: (856-21) 314-913
LEBANON	Beirut	Tel: (961-1) 485-375/76/77/78/79	Fax: (961-1) 502-974
MALAYSIA	Kuala Lumpur	Tel: (60-3) 456-0280, 457-0680	Fax: (60-3) 456-8320
NEPAL	Kathmandu	Tel: (977-1)521-788, 524-788	Fax: (977-1) 523-402
NETHERLANDS	Breda	Tel: (31-76) 520-9054	Fax: (31-76) 520-9270
PAKISTAN	Islamabad	Tel: (92-51) 822-460, 828-818	Fax: (92-51) 828-819
PHILIPPINES	Manila	Tel: (63-2) 817-2373, 812-9587	Fax: (63-2) 817-5895
RUSSIAN FEDERATION	Moscow	Tel: (7-95) 291-0534	Fax: (7-95) 956-3186
SINGAPORE		Tel: (65) 735-0209, 735-1672, 735-6576	Fax: (65) 735-6236
SOUTH AFRICA	Pretoria	Tel: (27-12) 460-6544, 460-4333	Fax: (27-12) 346-0746
SRI LANKA	Colombo	Tel: (94-1) 697-602	Fax: (94-1) 681-196
SWITZERLAND	Geneva	Tel: (41-22) 731-7540, 731-7549	Fax: (41-22) 738-4882
THAILAND	Bangkok	Tel: (66-2) 223-2237, 234-4698, 233-7250	Fax: (66-2) 236-6898
UK	London	Tel: (44-207) 629-6966, 499, 8841	Fax: (44-207) 629-4169
USA	New York	Tel: (1-212) 535-1310, 535-1311	Fax: (1-212) 737-2421
USA	Washington D.C.	Tel: (1-202) 332-9044, 332-9049	Fax: (1-202) 332-9046
VIETNAM	Hanoi	Tel: (84-4) 845-3369, 823-2056	Fax: (84-4) 845-2404
YUGOSLAVIA	Belgrade	Tel: (381-11) 645-420, 645-128	Fax: (381-11) 361-4968/ 644-845

text taken from Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board

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Myanmar

WHERE IS MYANMAR?
Surely by now, that we are in the 21st century, half of the world will have been renamed. Old countries with new names appear all over Africa and Asia. Since 1989, Burma has become Myanmar and its capital, Rangoon, has become Yangon, Pegu has become Bago, Maymyo has become Pyin-Oo-Lwin, and so on. Myanmar, also known as the Golden Land, not only for its golden pagodas but also for the wealth of its agriculture and its precious minerals is - with its total area of 676,577 sq.km - about the size of the United Kingdom and France combined. It lies in South East Asia, with parts of India and Bangla Desh to the west, China to the north and Laos and Thailand to the east. Its southern borders are formed by the sea; by the Bay of Bengal to the southwest and the Andaman Sea to the southeast. However, whatever you call it, Myanmar or Burma, as Somerset Maugham once wrote: "You try to guard yourself by saying it is not real... it is a beauty that batters you and stuns you and leaves you breathless..."

People: The population of Myanmar, spread over seven states and seven divisions, is estimated at 48 million people. Myanmar is inhabited by 135 ethnic nationalities. The Bamars, comprising about 69 % of the population, form the largest group.

Religion: Theravada Buddhism is the predominant religion, with 80 percent of the population embracing it. There are also Christians, Muslims and Hindus.

Culture: Buddhism has great influence on daily life of the Myanmars. The people have preserved tradition of close family ties, respect for the elders and reverence for Buddhism. Myanmars are known for their hospitality and friendliness.

History: Myanmar’s Golden Age dates back to the 11th century when King Anawrahta united the whole country into the First Myanmar Empire in Bagan well before the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The Bagan Empire encompassed the entire Menam valley in Thailand and lasted about 250 years, before it collapsed with the invasion of the Mongols under the leadership of Kublai Khan in the 13th century. The Second Myanmar Empire was founded in the middle 16th century by King Bayinnaung. King Alaungpaya founded the Third Myanmar Empire in 1752. It was during the zenith of the Konbaung dynasty, that the British colonized Myanmar. Myanmar became a sovereign state on January 4, 1948, after gaining independence from Britain.

Visa: Tourist and business visas are valid for 28 days. Tourist visas are not extendible; business visa may be extended for another 28 days. Transit visas are valid for 24 hours. Apply to any of Myanmar's embassies or consulates with three photos and your passport.

Vaccinations: None are required unless travelers arrive from infected areas.

Currency: The currency in Myanmar is the Kyat (pronounced 'chaat'). US$ (only new notes) are the accepted currency in Myanmar. It is quite inconvenient to change other foreign currencies as well as to use credit cards and traveller checks. It is possible, but costs commission fees and it takes sometimes up to 2 hours to obtain the cash.

Time: Myanmar’s time is six hours and thirty minutes ahead of Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT).

Airport Tax: When leaving Myanmar by air, an airport tax of US$ 10.- p.p. must be paid before check-in.
Dress: Cotton clothing and a light wrap on evenings during the winter season (between Oct and Feb) are recommended. When visiting temples, pagodas or other places of religious worship, it is necessary to dress modestly, as any kind of revealing clothing is frowned upon in Myanmar. Removal of all footwears and socks is necessary before entering all places of religious worship.

Climate: Myanmar enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons. The wet season lasts from mid-May to mid-October, the dry cool season from mid-October to mid-February, and the warm season from mid-February to mid-May.

Temperatures:
KAYIN STATE
* Hot season: Average temperature is over 80 ºF (26.6 ºC); in the north, maximum temperature is about 90 ºF (32.2 ºC).
* Cold season: Average temperature is over 60 ºF (15.5 ºC); maximum temperature is 40 ºF (4.4 ºC).

SHAN STATE
* Cold season (Dec, Jan): Average temperature is below 64 F (18 ºC).
* April, May, June, July: Average temperature is between 70 F (21 ºC) and 80 ºF (26.7 ºC).



MANDALAY DIVISION
* At the plateau: Average temperature in April is between 70 ºF (21 ºC) and 75 ºF (24 ºC).
* Cold season: Average temperature is below 60 ºF (15.6 ºC).
* Minimum temperature of cold season: Between 32 ºF (0 ºC) and 40 ºF (4.4 ºC).
* In the plain area: Average temperature in the hot season is about 88 ºF. Afternoon temperature is between 105 ºF and 110 ºF and the average temperature in the cold season is about 70 ºF ; minimum temperature is about 50 ºF.

CHIN STATE
* Hot season: Average temperature is between 60 ºF (15.5 ºC) and 70 ºF (21 ºC).
* Cold season: Average temperature is about 40 ºF.

KAYAH STATE
* Hot season: Average temperature is 77.4 ºF (25 ºC).
* Cold season: Average temperature is 62.6 ºF (17 ºC).

text taken from myanmartravel.net

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Bob Lazar

Between December 1988 and April 1989, the area known as Groom Lake, on the Nellis Air Force Range in central Nevada became unusually popular. The now infamous Area 51 and especially the Groom and Papoose dry lake beds were relatively unknown terms to the mainstream community from the mid 1970's to 1989. The scientific circles knew it as "Dreamland" or as the "Skunkworks" or simply as Groom Lake. One night in May 1989, a reporter broadcast a story from a satellite link in Las Vegas Nevada. A young physicist spoke under hidden identity, and told us of nine alien discs held near Groom Lake by a small, autonomous group of the American government. He used the pseudonym "Dennis" which turned out to be the name of his superior at the base. A few weeks later he went on camera using his real name, Bob Lazar, and he has been the subject of world-wide curiosity, speculation and controversy ever since.

Bob Lazar is the main reason the public is aware of Groom and Papoose Lake today. When he went public in 1989, he ignited a firestorm of interest in Area 51 which burns to this day. As most of you already know, Lazar described how he was flown from Las Vegas to Groom Lake, then taken on a bus with blacked out side windows to a facility he determined was known as S-4.

Lazar claims to have received a short briefing paper about two pages long which essentially stated that extraterrestrial exist, they have been involved in human history and their spacecraft are being housed at S-4

Lazar described the facility as being built into the base of the Papoose Range, with 9 hangar doors sloped at about a 60 degree angle. He said the doors had a sand-like texture coating to them, and Gene Huff later said the doors were rollup type doors. There were 9 of the hangar bays in all.

S-4 is located just southwest of Area 51. Over the mountain range that many speculate is a huge underground base.

Evidence supporting his claims is considerable. In addition to his claiming Naval Intelligence work at S4 (15 miles southwest of Area 51) from late 1988 to early 1989, Robert Lazar claimed to have worked at the Meson Physics lab, a part of the Los Alamos National Laboratories. The FBI is still dragging its feet in investigating his employment there, even though former Nevada Congressman James Bilbray asked it to investigate over four years ago. Evidently, FBI agents are still scratching their heads, wondering how to both deny his employment at Los Alamos and explain why his name is in an old telephone directory of Los Alamos scientists. An article by staff writer Terry England in the June 27, 1982 edition of the Los Alamos Monitor, which shows a picture of Lazar standing next to a jet car and refers to his employment as a scientist with Los Alamos, is also hard to explain. Two-dozen odd Los Alamos employees told former KLAS-TV anchor George Knapp that they remembered Lazar. Some of them said that they had been warned not to talk about Lazar and that they were afraid to talk about him. Four of them, though, confirmed for Knapp that Lazar had been working on classified projects there. After denying Lazar’s employment there since 1989, Los Alamos in April 1994 finally changed its story and said that he had been employed there. Knapp also talked to former employees of the super-secret Groom Lake base, who corroborated Lazar’s description of such details as how one gets to the base dining room, what the dining room looks like, and how one pays for meals there. It’s extremely unlikely that an outsider would know such information.

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Area S4

When people leak information about a Top Secret project to the public, eye brows of government "personnel" are sure to rise. If you want to make government "personnel" stand up and stare, then write something about Area 51 and Aliens. It seems that Top Secret Aliens, Stealth, SR 71, S4 all have a common thread with Area 51.

AREA 51, part of the Nellis Air Force Base is approximately 80 to 125 miles northwest of Las Vegas. At Area 51 the U.S. government has been test flying highly secret BLACK PROJECT aircraft for many years, several people think this includes UFO's. They call one part of this military site Groom Dry Lake area. It has been proven the Stealth and SR 71 projects were built and tested at this famous Area 51. People who work in and around this military installation refer to this highly secret area as "Dreamland" or "Skunkworks" or sometimes just "Groom Lake."

To date, only one person, Robert Lazar, has gone public and revealed the inner workings of Area 51 and S4, an even higher secretive part of the military base only 15 miles from Area 51. According to several newspaper articles and interviews, Mr. Lazar came forward and was the first person ever publicly to speak about this Top Secret area. All was fine at this highly sensitive base until that one night in May 1989 when Mr. Lazar, a physicist working at Area 51, spoke to the press about Aliens and their space crafts. As anyone can imagine, all Hell broke loose and it still has never settled down.

Robert Lazar opened the veil of security and was ready to back up his outlandish story. He explained his involvement in Area 51 and S4. He detailed the items in Area 51 and S4 that contained the project that shocked the world. He was so precise that he even gave the exact coordinates of Area S4, and they are N 37ｰ 01' 40", W 115ｰ 46' 35".

Whenever someone first reveals unusual information in this country everyone immediately thinks that the person is either wrong, crazy or a person with some wild story fabricated to get personal attention. American history has had many outlandish stories told and later proved accurate. In the past decades many outlandish stories have already proven that some were facts and some are left to wonder about for years to come.

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Area 51

Every weekday morning, some 500 people arrive at a guarded terminal on the northwest side of McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here they board one of a small fleet of unmarked Boeing 737s. Using three-digit numbers prefixed by the word “Janet” as their call signs, the 737s fly off every half-hour. Their destination is Groom Lake, a dried-up wash in the Mojave Desert, better known as “Area 51,” an installation so secret, its very existence is denied by the government agencies and contractors who have connections there.

Clearly marked but not actually fenced, the entire boundary of the installation is patrolled by an anonymous security force equipped with high-tech surveillance gear. Surrounding the secret facility are signs, declaring that you are “Entering A Restricted Area.” And, if you enlarge the sign, you will see on the bottom, the words: “Use of Deadly Force Authorized.”

Area 51 has become a part of popular culture. An installation the U. S. government denies exists is mentioned in everything from video games to serious news programs. Why all the hype? It is generally accepted that classified airplanes, such as the U2, the SR-71 Blackbird and the Stealth Fighter were tested at Area 51, but what has people really intrigued is what is rumored to be there. Namely, alien spacecraft and, (gulp), space aliens.

History

From what few pieces of information the U. S. Defense Department will divulge, it seems the area began life as a secret base in 1954, when the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation arrived to develop the U-2, a high-altitude spy plane used for surveillance inside enemy territory. (If you can remember the name of the U-2 pilot whom the Russians knocked out of the skies ever so long ago, you are showing your age.)

Tony LeVier, Lockheed’s test pilot assigned to test-fly the U-2, claims credit for recognizing Groom Dry Lake as a suitable test site. The U. S. Central Intelligence Agency had given U-2 designer Kelly Johnson the task of choosing and building a secure aircraft test site. In March of 1955, Johnson sent LeVier and Lockheed foreman Dorsey Kammerer on a mission to visit potential test sites in the deserts of southern California, Nevada and Arizona. After two weeks of investigation, LeVier presented Johnson with his impressions, and Johnson chose Groom Lake.

The Groom Lake facility has been known by many names since its construction. Kelly Johnson named the place “Paradise Ranch.” (The word “ranch” in Nevada has certain special connotations, which we won’t get into here.) When Johnson’s test flight team arrived in July 1955, they simply called it “The Ranch.” In truth, the secret base was formally named “Watertown Strip,” after the town in upstate New York, near Lake Ontario, where CIA director Allen Dulles was born. In June of 1958, it was officially designated “Area 51” by the Atomic Energy Commission.

In 1989, the simple pleasure of having a secret installation as a neighbor faded when the name of a self-described physicist named Bob Lazar flashed across the Las Vegas TV news. Lazar claimed he had worked at Area 51 for a few months the previous year, “reverse-engineering” one of nine captured alien flying saucers housed there to learn precisely how its extraterrestrial power source worked.

Lazar’s personal academic credentials were suspicious (he claimed his educational records, from both the California Institute of Technology and MIT, were destroyed by government agents). Nonetheless, Lazar’s description of how a flying saucer works was enticingly elaborate—as are the U. S. Government pay documents Lazar can show for the period he claims to have worked at Area 51. Within weeks, tabloid TV and grocery-store checkout rags had picked up Lazar’s allegations. Before long, flying saucer and conspiracy buffs from around the world started showing up in southern Nevada to check out the “facts.”

What, Indeed, Are The “Facts” About Area 51?

Area 51 is a block of government land located north of Las Vegas. It is surrounded by the Nellis Air Force Range. The name “Area 51,” which the government does not publicly acknowledge, supposedly came from a designation appearing on an old map of the Nevada Atomic Test Site.

Those who have managed to get close enough to the installation to take photographs have brought back images, which show nothing more than a few hangars and other surface structures. It is believed that Area 51 actually stretches miles underground as part of an enormous subterranean military complex. We do know that the exact coordinates of Area S4, an even more secretive part of the southern Nevada installation located not far from Area 51, are N37° 01’ 40”, W 115° 46’ 35.”

In the past, the installation at Groom Lake was used as a testing ground for super-secret military projects. The U-2, A-12, SR-71 Blackbird, and F-117A were flight tested here long before being made public. Since the government won’t acknowledge anything about the facility, it’s impossible to know what is going on there now.

A widely circulated rumor holds that Area 51 has recently been home to an entirely new breed of spy plane. Dubbed “Aurora,” this $20 billion plane supposedly runs on controlled explosions of cryogenic methane, which propel the triangular matte black aircraft to eight times the speed of sound. Aurora may, conceivably, have left behind two pieces of evidence. The first was a powerful “sonic wake” that some observers say tripped a trail of earthquake sensors beneath its flight path over the Mojave Desert in June 1991. Other observers describe seeing a unique looking contrail in the air that resembled “doughnuts on a rope.”

In recent years, witnesses have allegedly sighted incredibly exotic airborne craft over the Area 51 test site, which exceed all of mankind’s known current technological abilities. This, along with reports of alien bodies and strange extraterrestrial artifacts supposedly witnessed by persons who have worked at the base, lead some individuals to believe that Area 51 houses much more than a few highly sophisticated test aircraft.

Space Aliens???

This time-honored techno-myth endures on a barren stretch of geography. It seems an unlikely place, this land of tumbleweeds, bullet-ridden road signs, ravens, free-roaming cattle, and extremely hospitable “ranches” (which on the way out, proclaim “Come Back Soon.”) Trust me, I know. But it is here, insiders argue, where the amazing truth behind mankind’s long alleged involvement with aliens from outer space will finally be revealed.

Area 51, supposedly, is where the preserved remains of two space aliens and their exotic aircraft are stored in a mysterious bunker known as Hangar 18. The possibility that there are aliens and alien spacecraft in Area 51 has drawn thousands of visitors to the remote desert town of Rachel, Nevada, to an installation that is not supposed to exist, and kept the pulse of the town alive as surely as many persons believe the government has kept alive the beating hearts of aliens in a clandestine hangar. Are there space aliens here? I don’t know. Honestly, I worry about more mundane things such as how, in this dreadfully hot summer (2005), I am going to pay my electric bill.

If You Visit

Interestingly, Las Vegas is the closest metropolis to Area 51. Both places seem to thrive on mystery and illusion, and having Las Vegas nearby makes for the ultimate road trip. As many persons find out, gambling, aliens, paranoia, and a fast rental car make for a wicked combination (for some reason, I think of Chevy Chase).

Area 51 is 135 miles from Las Vegas. From Vegas, take I-15 north to U. S. 93, continue north on 93 for 85 miles to NV 375, then head west on NV 375, Nevada’s “Extraterrestrial Highway.” Even though you don’t see much along the way, the drive is still interesting because of the mystery and anticipation surrounding Area 51.

Most visitors will likely visit the nearby town of Rachel, Nevada, and drive a couple of miles down the base access road. Actually viewing Area 51 requires extensive preparation. Since the military annexed the land that provided easy viewing, you can now only see the base from 30 miles away after a dirt road drive and a strenuous desert hike.

Near Mile Marker 29.5 on Highway 375, one sees a lone mailbox used by a local rancher. Since this “Black Mailbox” is the only recognizable landmark in a lonely stretch of highway, it is here that “true believers” tend to congregate. Many visitors, normal and possibly paranormal, claim to have seen flying saucers here, although the rancher himself claims to have seen nothing.

There used to be two viewpoints on public land close to Area 51 – White Sides and Freedom Ridge – where a visitor could legally view the super-secret base. However, these areas were closed by the Air Force in 1995. You can still see the installation from a distant mountain, Tikaboo Peak, but it requires a difficult hike from a remote desert road.

In summer, there are group hikes sponsored by the Area 51 Research Center. The Area 51 access road is near Mile Marker 32 on NV 375. It is the wide dirt path going off toward a distant ridge. Known as the Groom Lake Road, it is in the middle of nowhere.

The greatest danger in visiting what can be described as remoteness personified is wandering across the unfenced Area 51 border, which action would result in your immediate arrest and a substantial fine. Wherever a road crosses the border, “Restricted Area” signs mark it. In the desert, orange posts every 50 yards mark the border. It is unwise to hike near the border at night because the posts become invisible. A major danger when driving is getting stuck on an unmaintained dirt road that your vehicle cannot handle.

“Cammo Dudes” is the nickname for the anonymous private security force that patrols Area 51 border 24 hours a day. They wear camouflage fatigues without insignias and drive white Jeep Cherokees with government plates. The guards keep close watch on any visitors who come within a few miles of the border, but are under orders to avoid contact. Trespassers are reported to the local sheriff, who must get extremely tired of trying to enforce federal regulations.

Whenever anyone leaks information about a Top Secret project to the public, eyebrows of government security personnel are sure to rise. If you want to get the attention of those security personnel, write something about Area 51 and space aliens. It seems that Top Secret--Space Aliens--Stealth--SR-71--S4---all have a common thread with Area 51. It is the most secret military installation in American history. If you visit, do keep in mind the title of this article.

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The Ming Tombs

Helpful info:
Admission fee: Changling Tomb: CNY 30 (Nov - Mar), CNY 45 (Apr - Oct)
Dingling Tomb: CNY 40 (Nov - Mar), CNY 60 (Apr - Oct)
Opening hours: Changling Tomb: 08:30 - 17:30
Dingling Tomb: 08:30 - 18:30
Visit time: 2 hours
Tourist Bus: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

About 50 kilometres Northwest of Beijing a the foot of Dayu Mountain, the ‘Ming Tombs’ can be found. This is the name given to the Mausoleums of the Ming dynasties’ 13 emperors.

The original tomb was the Changling tomb , built for Emperor Zhu Di and his Empresses.
All the other 12 tombs are built around it but only two are open to the public – the first, Changling and the thirteenth, Dingling.

Changling is the largest and is completely preserved with the main building covering an internal area of 1,956 square metres and being the only large palace which is made of camphor wood.

Dingling, unlike Changling is built about 27 metres deep underground and is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun and his two empresses. The underground labyrinth houses 5 ‘palaces’ - front, middle, rear, left and right.

The Emperor and his two queens lie in the rear hall with Emperor Zhu Yijun in the middle and his queens on either side. Displayed along with the coffins are various treasures amongst which is the gold imperial crown, made of extremely fine gold threads, inlaid with two dragons playing with pearl. A rare treasure indeed!

Additionally 4 phoenix crowns, inlaid with thousands of pearls and precious stones were found. These were worn by the queens on important ceremonial occasions.

More than 3,000 items were uncovered here in Dingling tomb and many are on display in the Exhibition room.

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