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y M Sinatra Clowns as Romance Ends fel LAS VEGAS?╟÷You may have difficulty in recognizing ?√ß fellow but he is Frank Sinatra costumed as a'clown for a fa.; well Halloween party he threw here at Jjj&jjjjflj^gg^y yes/ ):~day morning just before leaving for Hollywood wn^re by ' Ava Gardner announced their marriage was on the fmky crooner, showing no signs of worry over his personal prof is shown with chorus girls, Carmen Dell, left, and Dona/ the j^ages on the far shore. The bmfs are ^iollowed-out teak jtrees, waioh. are propelled by the most extraordinary rowing technique I ha^seen. The Intha oarsman stands at the back of the shell, a leg wrapped around the oar, and with a backward kick he forces the oar through the water. I The lake people have a peculiarly gentle nature and so great an affection for thek shallow, beautiful lake that they are said to grow thin from misery if they ever leave it. There is no robbery among them, so the story goes, and no bandits, even though parts of northern Burma are still plagued by that hangover of wartime guerrillas. The Inthas live entirely off their lake, even raising vegetables on floating gardens. In the middle of the lake there is a most surprising and pleasing resthouse, built on stilts, where you can spend the night or stop for a meal. On the far side of Inle are weaving villages whose women produce intricate designs in clear primary colors that are typical of the Shan peoples. The largest of the lake villages, Ywama, has the enchantment that goes with places that make only a casual distinction between water and land. Most of the houses are built on stilts over the water. The twelve monasteries with their towers and domes throw crinkled reflections on the village's main thoroughfare, a wide, half- tamed strip of the lake. There Ywama's daily market is held, and boats from neighboring villages come skimming in loaded with fish, fruit and vegetables. In smaller boats the women come to market and, with expert flicks of their paddles, weave between the merchants' boats, fingering a piece of cloth, poking vegetables to see if they are fresh, piling their pur chases in their boats. Friends will call to each other, and sidle their boats to the channel edge to gossip. Before they return home they may stop at the restaurant boat for a snack or a cup of coffee. With all these diversities of country, populations and cultures, postwar Burma was presented with some of the most formidable problems of any Southeast Asian country. Its towns and countryside had been ravaged by the war, it had been the battlefield for two huge armies. It then had to come to grips with a nationwide communist-led insurrection. Three things, the Burmese feel, saved their country: the pacific and unifying power of Buddhism, the determination of their . prime minister, U Nu, and the fact that a Burman refuses to be bullied. To which a foreigner is inclined to add a fourth: the Burmans' independent and down-to-earth character. The astonishing and admirable results have been that within a few years the many states and tribes have become a more or less unified country, internal communism is no longer a threat, and a free and democratic government is getting ahead with the work of building a Welfare State. But the endearing thing about the Burmese is. that through all this they have retained their sobriquet of "the Land of Laughter." On one occasion, when I went to a pwe with some Burmese friends, some of us got sleepy before the end of the performance (it was then four in the morning). On the way home I asked my host to tell me the end of the story. Did the tangled romance end in separation, death and tragedy? Or were the lovers reunited and the obstacles overcome? "Don't you know?" he said laughing. "All Burmese stories have happy endings." the end NOTES ON BURMA CLIMATE: Three seasons?╟÷hot (March-May); rainy (June-October); cool (November??Fehruai|?|i Mdntljly temperature averages range from 70?? in December to 92?? in ApriL with a high humidity during the hot and rainy seasons. December through February are the most inviting months. CLOTHING: Tropical washables?╟÷cottons, linens or loose-weave synthetics?╟÷ are your best bet. A lightweight raincoat is advisable; sun glasses are a must. Men need no coats or ties during the day, but usually wear both in the evening. SHOPPING: Best buys are precious stones (Burma produces the world's finest rubies and sapphires?╟÷but buy them unmounted, have them set at home); jade (either jewel-jade or carved decorative pieces); lacquerware (visit the factories near Prome on the Irrawaddy River); the distinctive blankets and woolen bags of the Shan tribe; sheer silk fabrics; ready-made Burmese costumes (par- Mgalarly the aingyi, a short, sheer woman's blouse, and the longyi, Burma's native skirt, worn by both men and women); beautifully costumed dolls; decorative Burmese sandals and slippers. EVENTS: In late October or early November, Rangoon celebrates the colorful Festival of Lights, when the city glows with light-garlanded buildings and bobbing lanterjns. November through May, strolling bands of pwe players present traditional plays, marionette shows and colorful Burmese ballets. TEMPLE-VIEWING NOTE: It is customary to remove shoes before climbing the steps to Buddhist temples?╟÷but slip on a pair of disposable foot protectors. WHEN TRAVEL AND CAMERA GO TOGETHER there's nothing like a LEICA The Leicct M-3, latest in the Leica family of precision 35mm cameras, actually encourages you to go places. Its many automatic features and its long-life dependability assure picture results of great accuracy and superb quality. The Leica makes picture taking a natural part of the pleasure of travel. And once you're there, wherever you venture, you'll enjoy the extreme ease of handling that characterizes the AA-3. Before you go, visit a Leica dealer and let him give you a demonstration of the world's most advanced camera. lifetime investment in perfect photography E. LEITZ, INC., 468 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 16, N.Y. Distributors of the world-famous products of Ernst Leitz G. m. b. H., Wetzlar, Germany ?╟÷ Ernst Leitz Canada Ltd. LENSES ?╟≤ CAMERAS ! MICROSCOPES ?╟≤ BINOCULARS HOLIDAY/SEPTEMBER 67