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It was another of the sae was different, so about the duty of the citizen to reject influence from outsiders

"I wonder who handles their public relations," Spurgeon said "That’s quite the thing for the tourists, and who else travels this road? ‘Welcome to Myanmar, and keep your outlandish ideas to yourself’ But of course that’s not what it nation," he said "Aung San Suu Kyi"

I was looking at the back of our driver’s head when Spurgeon spoke the naid at the sound of it I nudged the Englishman’s arm, nodded at the driver

"No hare a Burht be aard for hi as he doesn’t need to acknowledge it"

"But foreign influences," I said "How-"

"Ah Well, she lived abroad for a time, didn’t she? Got an Oxford education and married a don Caard as an act of patriotisain SLORC’s line is she’s been tainted by her time and associations abroad"

"Are they serious?"

"No, they’re just trying it on The Japanese could take a stand like that and be sincere about it Look at the lot who ehters tried to aijin They’d lost their Japaneseness for having been raised overseas But the Bur to get around the fact that her father is the greatest hero the place ever had There’s a street named after him and the city’s major market, and there are statues and pictures of the hter – of her father or of Burn ideas I don’t know if this fellow buys it" – he indicated the driver – "but if he does he’s an exception The people voted for her, and they’d vote for her again if they got the chance But SLORC’s got the guns and the soldiers, and they’re not going toanother election Why embarrass themselves?"

"Why bother with the billboards?"

"Well, I wouldn’t say the caenius, Tanner It’s entirely wasted on visitors, unless the idea is to shoho’s in control As far as the native populace is concerned, I daresay there’s soh and often enough and people will believe it in spite of the Brother is watching’ effect, a verbal equivalent of having an oversized statue of Mao or Lenin forever glaring down at one Now there’s an i your pardon?"

"The Lenin statues," he said "They’ve pulled them down all over Russia, and nobody has any idea what to do with them They’ve carted some of them to the smelter, but there are still plenty left Here’s what you do, Tanner Get yourself over to Russia and find the largest and tackiest one you can Then see if you can’t peddle it to that town in Arizona that bought the London Bridge Be a perfect companion piece, wouldn’t you say?"

There wereus to Yangon and a hideous multicolored statue of a child as evidently the tails and carried a little basket, and if she’d been a living breathing child you’d have wanted to sood

Spurgeon askedI hadn’t booked a roo, and was traveling light enough that it would be no hardship to keepif I had to leave in a hurry And I wasn’t sure hoorked in Burma, but in a lot of countries they wanted you to leave your passport at the hotel desk, reclai it when you left I didn’t eon was that I hadn’t selected a hotel yet, and the look he gave ht I was daft "We’ll see if they can find rooapore, one of the great old hotels, and they’ve kept it up well You’ll be happier there than at one of the sterile new hotels"

I didn’t say anything, but e pulled up in front of the Strand I shouldered ht I’d rather walk around first and see soht want to stay sorand I’d feel a little too casually dressed for the lobby"

I earing khakis and a bush jacket, and he assured ain that soht on that the Strand was a little too rich for my blood

"Smart man," he said "Save your lass, now"

"I’ any rubies First I want to do a little sightseeing"

"I suppose your first stop will be Shwe Dagon Pagoda"

"Well, I don’t want to miss it"