Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/03/23

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Subject: Just back
From: Fred Ward <fward@erols.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 1997 05:04:34 -0400
 
I am back home in the USA and back on the list after a month in Asia,
almost all of it in Upper Burma. I had an unprecedented opportunity to
visit the jade mining area and the mines, which have been closed to all
foreigners since 1962. 

It was fascinating, exhausting, and the filthiest working environment I
ever saw. Because there are no paved roads and the fine-grained clay
soil lies in the dry season as several inches of dust, the air in all
valleys is opaque with a combination of tan dust, smoke from cooking and
heating, and diesel exhaust. It is an environmental nightmare. I carried
my camera back inside a plastic sack and cleaned gear nightly. All the
locals cough and wheeze constantly, but still manage to smoke all day
long. 

I will let you know as the material is published over the coming months.

Fred Ward