Homeward Bound

Sunday and time to say a sad goodbye to Myanmar and Thailand.  Europe: we will see you very soon!

 

Mandalay

        "Come you back to Mandalay,
 Where the old Flotilla lay;
 Can't you 'ear their paddles chunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay,
 On the road to Mandalay,
 Where the flyin'-fishes play,
 An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!"

(Kipling - well, seemed appropriate given our residence in his bar the previous night)

Saturday dawned thankfully a little overcast and cooler than the day before (Mandalay is v hot - 38 degrees on Friday, luckily before we arrived!) as we set off to explore Mandalay and its surrounds.  After driving through downtown (largely new build as pretty much decimated during WW2) we took a boat trip over to Mingun, the old capital which preceded Mandalay.

There, we took in the great unfinished pagoda started by the last King to have his seat in Mingun before astrologers advised moving to Mandalay : they never got beyond the base, and engineers/architects now say it would have been impossible to do so.  Sadly, has been badly damaged by earthquake and is a little precarious:

Then we paid a visit to the Mingun Bell - the second largest bell in Myanmar (the largest is, sadly, residing at the bottom of a body of water, awaiting raising) - 90 tonnes!

Then it was on to the Hsinbyume Pagoda - spectacular views from the top!

We also had to make way for the local taxis..... London Black Cabs have nothing on these guys!

The day beginning to heat up, we were glad of the breeze on our boatride back to Mandalay, where it was time for an early lunch before rejoining the boat to head to another of the former capitals: Sagaing.

Beautiful approach from the water

We headed up (thankfully by car!) to the temple at the top of the hill - - for spectacular views of the hundreds of monasteries, university, and Irrawaddy River (note Burmese built bridge with British bridge from circa 80 years ago in background):

Then it was on to yet another former capital - Amarapura - to admire the traditional silk weaving and pay a visit to the famous U Bein Bridge - a 1.2km teak bridge built over a hundred years ago.

We also took in a gold-leaf workshop on the way back to the hotel - incredibly physical job: 6 hours of pounding a small piece of 6 micron thick gold to get it down to the requisite 3 micron thickness.

At the hotel, just time for a quick swim before sundowners and dinner: the last of our trip!

Inle Lake to Mandalay

A quieter pace on Friday: a morning relaxing at the hotel (save for a short walk to the local village and visit to local monastery) before another enormous lunch:

After that, time to head back over the lake once more for our onward transit to Mandalay (via one more monastery - a very famous one which inspired the majority of Shan temple - and our hotel's - architecture.

At the airport, there was even time to kick back with a beer - and take a wander on the runway...

Once in Mandalay, it was on to our hotel at the foot of the Mandalay Hill for a leisurely evening in the Kipling Bar accompanied by "Rock Journey" - "the best unplugged band in town".  Despite the hotel hosting a conference that weekend for the Minister of Health, we (well, Angus at least) still merited a mention on the "warmly welcome" board!

Inle Lake

*Caveat: writing this from Kipling Bar in Mandalay without detailed notes kindly provided by Keykey as to where exactly we visited.  Better detail to follow once reunited with the same*

Thursday morning dawned bright and clear - perfect for a second day exploring Inle Lake.

After watching the herding of water buffalo downriver over breakfast, we headed off down the lake, through various villages and floating garden plantations, to make our way up the mountain river to one of the lakeside villages to visit a v old temple with hundreds (literally) of old stupa. 

(In Shan State, the practice, historically, was for the King to erect the highest stupo, and for others to build smaller stupa around it, signifying unity - many have now fallen into disrepair but are, gradually, in the process of being restored). 

Shan State also characterised by its smiling Buddhas - compare and contrast the stern faced Buddhas of C11th  - 13th Bagan:

Making our way up the lakeshore to lunch we stopped at a family of silver smiths, where we had a chance to watch them working with the silver (and make a couple of purchases - though only after deployment of impressive negotiation skills by Angus!) including work on an ornate decorative offering stand, which the silversmith had been working on for over a month!

Lunch was a Shan feast at a restaurant adjacent to the temple which houses the 4 Buddhas which are taken out to all of the 25 villages on the lake during the great Pagoda festival next month (There are in fact 5 Buddhas: but due to matters too long to go into here, the 5th now never leaves the temple) 

(View from lunch; to the left, the temple, to the right the building housing the Royal Barge which is used to transport the 5 Buddhas, pulled by a longboat for each village, rowed by between 70-100 men each)

(The 5 Buddhas)

After the visit to the temple, we headed to a village on the lake which is predominantly home to the weaving industry: cotton, silk and locus.  We visited a 'factory' which has been in one family for over a hundred years - amazing to see the skills still in operation (nothing was solely done by machine):

Then it was on to the monastery in the middle of the lake, formerly known as jumping cat monastery (sadly, this has ceased since the passing over the former head monk)  But still a very beautiful (and old) monastery and a reminder of how important, and part of everyday life, the faith and temples/monasterys are to the life of the people here:

Then it was back to the hotel for a truly beautiful sunset (and dinner!)

Heho.... it's off to Shan State we go....

Another early start this morning, as a 7.30 flight to Heho!

 

At Heho, we met our new guide, Keykey, and then headed off to Inle Lake, stopping en route to explore the local market.  (The area works on a 5 day market system – a market in a different town each day on a 5 day rotation).   Interesting to see the produce (and products) for sale – scoop of MSG anyone? – and the different groups of people using it. 

 

Then it was on to 'Jetty Village' (probably not an accurate translation from its Shan name - will check/correct when possible - though there is also a Train Station Village because the train stops there overnight) where we transited from car to boat for the rest of the trip to our hotel (this really does seem to be becoming a feature of our accommodation this trip!)  A gorgeous boat ride down the lake (only a short distance, it turned out,  compared to the size of the lake, despite a 30min trip!) culminating in having to cut the engine and finish the trip to the hotel under paddle (the hotel has a no engine policy within a specified area to prevent noise pollution).  Note traditional Inle Lake rowing style:

 

After check in, it was time to head back out onto the lake, and to take in the floating gardens en route to lunch:

(Inle Lake tomato gardens – yes, they are actually floating on the lake, with the gardens anchored to the bottom by use of bamboo stakes)

(Signpost to lunch restaurant - yes, the water is meant to be there: the lake settlements/villages are actually in the lake, with buildings built on stilts or parcels of reclaimed land:

 

 After lunch, we headed to one of the lakeside villages for a wander, and to take in the amazing view of the lake from the local monastery:

 

Back at the hotel, time for the requisite sundowners, then dinner and bed! 

Bicycling in Bagan

Apologies: have been having some problems with wifi (specifically, uploading photos) so updates now a bit out of date and photo-lite.  Will add further photos when possible

Tuesday morning dawned bright and clear - good weather for a morning bike ride around the pagodas!  A good way to see a few more of the pagodas (and appreciate how many there were) - and to properly experience the local roads (2 tarmac/cement, the rest sand tracks)

 

We stopped to tour two specific pagodas, in a village which was on holiday and busily preparing for its pagoda festival, due to start two days after our visit.   The village had originally been founded as a Mon village: apparently in around the 11th century, the king of Burma (then based in Bagan) asked the Mon king (Mon being situated in what is now south Burma but was at the time a separate kingdom) to share Buddha's scriptures and teaching but he refused.  So the Bagan King conquered Mon and brought the royal family (+ others) and scriptures back to Bagan.  The first temple we visited - Nan Phaya Temple (C12th) was built by the Mon people to honour their King after his death -  beautiful sandstone carvings.  The second - Manuha Temple (C11th) was built by the Mon King, and is said to resemble a prison: specifically, by reference to the size of the Buddha statutes as compared with the building housing them.  All very interesting!

 

Off on the bikes again, our next stop was at Mingalar Zedi pagoda, which we were able to climb to the top terrace of (a very steep set of stairs: would not be good in wet weather!) for amazing views over Bagan:

 

 

Time for one more temple before lunch - the 12th C Sula Mani Temple - in a beautiful national park before heading back to the hotel for an afternoon relaxing by the pool:

 

 

For sunset, we headed to the Bagan Viewing Tower (conveniently located in our hotel complex) for more amazing panoramic views of Bagan. 

Yangon to Bagan

Monday morning saw us heading off bright (well, once dawn broke) and very early to Bagan - a 6.30am flight!

 

 

Bagan has been described as the land of a thousand pagodas - but more than 3,000 would be a more accurate description (over 7000 in its heyday)  They are, basically, everywhere you look - not just one or two, but clusters as far as the eye can see!!!

After checking into our hotel we headed out to get up close and personal with one or two of the pagodas, in the company of our guide, Than, and driver.  Sadly, monsoon season decided to reassert its presence so (1) a bit of a wet morning (2) conducted broadly without driver who was utterly soaked to the skin when attempting to remove a loose mudguard, and thus sent us on without him!

First stop: Ananda Temple (11th Century)

Pretty impressive non?  Did not expect to be paddling at temples though...

Then it was on to the 12th C Gui Byauk Gyi Temple.  Really amazing murals (12th C) which have been restored and protected thanks to a UNESCO project which our guide Than was part of. No photos allowed - UNESCO book awaited....

Weather decided to clear during lunch, so in the late afternoon (after a short siesta - well, it was a very early start!) we headed to a lacquer ware workshop (only made in the Bagan region - very ornate and long-drawn out process) and then for a sunset boat ride on the Ayerwaddy.  A lovely way to end the day!

Yangon

Mingalabar from Yangon!

Just back from a day exploring Yangon - the former capital (previously known as Rangoon)

The day started with a visit to the reclining Buddha at Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda - the third largest in Myanmar.  Pretty spectacular, and an interesting history.

Then it was on to the Royal Lake and Kandawgyi National Park, which is home to (inter alia) a replica of the former Royal Barge, where we *almost* gatecrashed a local wedding (approximately 10,000 guests - makes 70 look like a tea party!)  Again, pretty spectacular:

Then we took a drive downtown to see the old part of the city, with its colonial style buildings, various Courts (from the outside only I hasten to add!), independence monument, former Secretariat General (where Aung San and his cabinet were assassinated) - and the Piccadilly Circus of Yangon!

(Sule Pagoda - Yangon was built on a grid system around it)

Then we headed to the 20th floor of the Sakura tower for a birds eye view of the city!

After lunch, we took a drive through the Golden Valley (some very nice houses!), past the Martyrs Mausoleum and then on to the Shewedagon Pagoda.  Again, pretty incredible!!

Now back at the Governor's Residence for a cup of tea before planning this evening's activities.  An early night, perhaps, as a very early flight tomorrow morning!....