May 25, 2013 - Day 7 Bagan (Pagan)

An hours drive to Mt Popa,an extinct volcano that is believed to be home to the local spirits or deities,known as 'nats' Stopped at a local produce market selling fresh fruit (limited to mangoes,bananas,& a few apples),veg's,spices,flours,dried fish/insects,& eggs-big baskets of,& lots of them.Also some household hardware,but mainly produce. Next we called at a place where they produce their "toddy" drink.They showed us how they climb the palm trees to gather the sap that is the start of the processing of the drink. It's boiled in $...

May 24, 2013 - untitledDay 6 Bagan

Bagan could be listed as a world heritage site, but Myanmar will not apply for same! More than 3000 Buddhist temples are scattered across the plains of Bagan, which is the site of the first Burmese kingdom.Vast numbers have been renovated as Bagan remains an active religious site & place of pilgrimage . Absolutely incredible that wherever you look , you see heaps of temples, not just 1,2,or even 3! Schwesanday Paya temple is the most famous & awe inspiring spot for sunset viewing & for 360 degrees views. It's a white styled pyramid- like...

May 23, 2013 - Day 5 Pagan (Bagan )

Water levels were too low in the river, do instead of boating it, we had to fly to Bagan. With some free time in the morning, Mik & I wandered thru the main local market which was a bustling hive of activity. Went for a swim back at hotel before finalizing packing-bags picked up at 1200 outside our doors. Mandalay Citu hamburgers for lunch whil we sat patiently???? In the foyer for our transport to airport. One big problem, the a/con wasn't working ad power was always shutting down! Bus finally arrived about 1500 & we were off, haha. We...

May 22, 2013 - Day 4 Mandalay

First off we visited a workshop where they make the very fine gold leaf that is used on statues & pagodas.Next we stopped at a roadside flower market, commercial , where two of our group were given bunches if red roses. This was because they were foreigners &/or of mature age- ie out if respect. Continuing on our journey to Maymyo (Pyin U Lwin ),we had to stop so the driver could hose down the radiator with cold water as the long & steep haul is too much for the bus. Maymyo is an escape from the sweaty lowlands of Mandalay. A former British...

May 20, 2013 - Day 2 Rangoon

City tour to start the day which included Shwedagon Pagoda,which dominates the skyline & is on the Royal Lake.One unusual fact about Rangoon is that they have right hand drive cars & yet drive on the right side of the road! Lunch at local restaurant & sat around for ages-me thinks it was a time filler before heading to the airport for our flight to Mandalay.My first experience on a propellor plane & boy, what a noisy takeoff!They bused us to/from the plane at both airports but we could have walked the distance quicker,& not have been in a...

May 19, 2013 - Day 1-arrived in Yangon.

We were the only foreigners on the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Yangon, bar 1. Hot & muggy here, a real difference to back home! Went for a walk & surprised to see so many parks & roadside gardens.meeting with group members at 6pm & then we're all going out to dinner in the city. Well,Mik thought that we might be the oldest crocks in the group,Ha!Closer to the youngest,& we were worried about fitting in,fitness wise that is.As usual, a varied bunch of characters,but all are here to enjoy themselves & to immerse ourselves in another...

Mar 22, 2013 - Wonders of the world

Our last site seeing day athough we had lost the Beach 4 and the 2 Golfers so a Girls' Day. First stop was purely for photos: Aung San Suu Kyi's house. Seen so often on news footage one felt as though one had seen it all before: the high gates, the razor wire, the picture of her father and - through the gate cracks, the heavily barred windows of her house itself. Flowers all around. As we drove on, we saw the lake that had been the means of entry for one of her fated visitors. We walked around Boto Township at the heart of Yangon with its...

Mar 18, 2013 - Pagodas & Puppets

Zoomed off in the boats this morning to site see, initially familiar territory. The new was heralded by going aground a number of times (hot season starting & hotter than usual so water levels very low). We came to a silver factory and were shown the crafts of fine chain making and ornaments using traditional techniques eg no magnifying glass, wooden working blocks, basic jewellery welders, followed by a visit to the showroom. There was considerable lack of grace at our rejection of the local tribes peoples' silverware for ourselves.... We...

Mar 16, 2013 - Lots of water and jumping cats

A surprise upgrade to breakfast of papaya, fried eggs and toast, now included pancakes and honey. Just as well we didn't have a long walk planned. Off bright and early for the two hour drive from Kalaw to Inle, further east and a little lower down. We stopped half way at a parasol factory where two women made paper from lotus stems and ash, sprinkled with flower petals. These were made into pretty parasols whose bamboo fittings were made quickly and simply by the man of the house. So simple and yet so effective, sliding open and shut...

Mar 15, 2013 - Market, walking and motor bikes

A very cool night last night - I even woke up cold at one stage. Such a relief from the heat and we all slept well ! Off to a special market this morning: every 5th day local ethic tribes come down from the hills to sell their wares. It was fascinating. For the first time I saw many vegetables, fruits, dried and fresh, that I had never seen before. Half the time I had no idea what I was looking at. There were lots of things made from beans eg soya pastes, cakes, spaghetti equivalents and lots more, as well as green veggies, some of which...

Mar 14, 2013 - Motorway madness

Travelling today from Mandalay to Kalaw, a town founded in the hills by the colonials to escape the heat. We joined the motorway (tolled) which was empty. Miles of dusty, scrubby plain, the odd shack (some with satellite dish), virtually no vehicles. The tortuous turn off would have been dangerous had there been a single vehicle in sight but given lonesome coach, it was vaguely safe. We seemed to go down over a hill and there was Meitiler: a big lake to one side of the road, small town to the other. Centrally positioned with access to...

Mar 13, 2013 - Amarapura - an earlier capital

A less frenetic day and with some interesting variety. Set off for Amarapura, a short time capital of Burma in the 1800s. The U Bein Bridge over Taungthaman Lake is quintessentially oriental: half a mile long, teak, supported by 1060 pillars, some now concrete post floods in recent times. It was still misty and we could see people and monks crossing as silhouettes. The bridge curves as it crosses the lake and has little resting places along the way, duly shaded, adding to the atmosphere. We ran the gauntlet of craft stalls and walked along,...