Myanmar

Myanmar (formerly Burma) is one of the loveliest places I have ever visited. I went there around this time last year and absolutely loved it and I intend to return. Aung San Suu Kyi is a most remarkable woman, up there with Mandela as a bright star in the fermament of political leadership. Her campaign, conducted rationally and peacefully, to restore freedom to this lovely people is showing, at last, real progress. There was a wonderful article on this morning's radio programme 'Today' about aa film festival which she opened in Myanmar at which films for the first time ever can be shown without any reference to the authorities. Material which would have led to the imprisonment or disappearance of the makers is being shown, much of it politically sensitive. Indeed one piece was, apparently, a satire about the censors themselves!

Political prisoners have been released - about 1,200 (the regime denied it held political prisoners only a year ago) - I understand and more reforms are promised. No doubt much of this is the regime's awareness of the problems other similar governments have faced, notably in Arabia. Whatever the reason I send my fondest love to the delightful people I met there and congratulate the regime for its liberalising actions. May they continue apace.

Go there, I urge you, and see for yourself. For most of this blog's readership one incentive might be that the women are gorgeous!