Mandalay and Ava

Aung dropped us off in downtown Mandalay. We had a free evening to explore a bit of the city. We set out with the intent to do a good walk only to find negotiating the streets challenging between very limited sidewalks and a mix of fast moving motorcycles, cars, and bicycles. We ended up eating dinner at the hotel. We had an excellent meal as the only dinners at the rooftop restaurant.

 

Phoe greeted us at nine in the morning. Kat was delighted to find a female guide. They both agreed to the world would be a better place led by woman. Our first stop of the day was at a monastery where we watched preparations for the noon meal. Noon meal is the final meal for that day for the monks. The Monastery feeds over 1000 monks. It was odd to stand with a bunch of foreigners watching the monks lineup for their noon meal. Even stranger was the fact that the monk in charge of organizing crowd was using a book with Trumps picture on the cover to control the crowd. 

From the monastery we went over to walk a 1600 foot teak bridge. It was interesting to watch the fisherman fish. They took a bunch of branches and placed it in the center of the area that they were fishing. Around the branches they strung nets and after bit of time closed the nets and removed the branches. 

Ava was our next destination. This was outside of Mandalay in an area between two rivers. We took the ferry across a short distance to what was once a palace grounds. Here we hopped on a horse drawn cart to see the Bagaya monastery and the old Royal Palace.

Then we headed to town to a craft center and tapestry and weaving shops. One of the shops specialized in wedding dresses. Craft work was amazing throughout Myanmar.  

To finish off the day we headed to Mandalay Hill.  The 760 ft hill provides a commanding view over the city and is topped by an ornate stupa which attracts tourists and local alike to watch sunset. 

Pyin Oo Lynn and the Gokteik Viaduct

From Bagan it was a six hour drive to the old colonial city of Pyin Oo Lynn.  Our guides have been fluent English speakers and drive time has been good time for asking questions. Aung had been in tourism for nearly 20 years,  much of the time working under the authoritative environment of the military regime. I had a sense that while he felt like he had more freedom now he was also aware that it could change.  Aung was passionate about the archeology of Bagan and preserving the area for future generations. He liked his job and the opportunity it presented for meeting people from around the world.

Once we reached Pyin Oo Lynn it was obvious Aung and our driver hadn't spent much time there. Plans called for us to visit a Waterfall Park and a Botanical Garden (pictured above) and we were lost. It was almost refreshing to have to find the parks the old way, without a cell phone or GPS. We asked cab drivers. Once at the Gardens we heard music. There was a concert with Myanmar's premier rock band  Iron Cross. Kat and I wanted to go. This was not in Aung's itinerary. When the Myanmar version of Hells Angels cruised past we acquiesced and had a nice walk in the deserted gardens.

The following morning we had a short walk to pick up supplies before boarding the  train that would take us across the Gokteik Gorge. In 1901 when it was constructed this was the worlds second highest railway bridge. We had tickets in normal class, where the windows were open without glass. This was great for photography but you had to be very careful about extending your hand or head less they be struck by vegetation. When seated caboose side of the window I found myself with a small pile of greenery on my lap. The train was rock and roll on wheels, not for those prone to sea sickness. It did provide some great views of the countryside and an opportunity to chat with locals. The bridge which was crossed at 5mph was cool. I loved the open windows.

No blog would be complete without sharing a bathroom photo. While all our accommodations had western style facilities, squat toilets reigned at pagoda's and any off the beaten path destination.

Bagan with the Barnwell's

The Barnwell's had a 3 day weekend and we decided to explore the Bagan Archaeological Zone, located about 400 miles north of Yangon. To get there we hopped on the early morning flight arranged by Lay Lay and Cho Cho .

Our Bagan guide Aung picked us up at the airport and took us to a local market, followed by a trip to the pagodas. He is an expert on the 3,800 pagodas that dot the Bagan landscape and provided us a detailed introduction into the different types of Pagoda’s, when each new style was introduced and how well each style has weathered earthquakes. We now know more than we ever thought we’d want to know about pagoda’s and their construction. We also visited a shop with some incredibly ancient antiques. 

In the afternoon we slipped away for swim at the pool, followed by a drive with Aung to a crowded overlook to view sunset on the pagodas. This seemed a bit like a package tour and we let Aung know that we’re more interested in getting off the beaten path. That evening we had dinner at the hotel. We were serenaded by a harp player followed by a marionette puppet show. The puppet show was interesting but the meal was average in every way but price. 

One of the best ways we could think of to get off the beaten path was to rent an e-bike. The e-bikes turned out to be electric motor scooters. We spent a hot afternoon cruising among the pagodas, stopping to climb and explore the less crowded ones.  

The Barnwell's are fun companions. Bob especially has no fear engaging people. We got lots of smiles from folks. Aung was also loosening up when confronted with four Alaskans. This was good because he was Kat and my guide for our trip to Pyin Oo Lynn. Bob and MaryLynn had to head back to Yangon and teaching responsibilities while Kat and I continued on.