Room #204 - The Prince Hotel - Sittwe, Myanmar Burma

Room #204 - The Prince Hotel - Sittwe, Myanmar Burma, originally uploaded by meckleychina.

Sometimes you stay in a dump when all the other hotels in town that are licensed to take foreigners are full of visiting dignitaries. ;-( However, the owner and staff were friendly, the "included" breakfast was tasty, they brought us a fan and an extra blanket, and were quick to clean up the oily, fishy smelling fluid that suddenly began leaking through the ceiling. ;-)

For 10 US dolllars a night you get room #204 with 1 twin bed and 1 double bed (both with mosquito nets); 2 old wooden chairs; a small metal vanity with a stool, slide-out tray and Bakelite wheels; several in-room clotheslines; a big desk; windows on two sides with screens and curtains; 2 potted plants; one normal sized fluorescent light and one tiny fluorescent light; one red nightlight; a work of art obscured by the mosquito net; a small bookshelf attached to the wall with two books, one of which appears to be selected works of Kurt Vonnegut in Russian; some wall hooks; a 4' x 6' poster of the frozen Arctic wilderness; big bathroom with tile floor, walls, and ceiling, peeling paint everywhere else, and a open shower providing a trickle of cold water [a bucket of hot water comes on demand]; several electrical outlets that may have power from 6PM to 11PM; a very low drop ceiling; and a fake linoleum floor ; that is, more like drawer liner paper than actual linoleum. Overall not too bad until the oily fishy smelling liquid started leaking through the ceiling. Luckily the leak was in the far corner and not over the bed. ;-)

Three Buddhas - Mrauk-U, Myanmar Burma

Budhhas - Mrauk-U, Myanmar Burma, originally uploaded by meckleychina.

Put together this collage of 3 Buddha images seen in Htukkanthein Temple in Mrauk-U Myanmar (Burma) on our 2009 trip. Although the images are very similar, each one has it's own distinct facial expression.
Collage constructed using picnik.com.

Breakfast - Breeze Rest House - Mawlamyine, Myanmar Burma

Breakfast - Breeze Rest House - Mawlamyine, Myanmar Burma, originally uploaded by meckleychina.

January 02, 2009

Our train pulled into the Mawlamyine Station about 3PM on Jan 1, 2009. We immediately found the ticket office and bought return tickets to Yangon on the 36DN train leaving at 6:00 AM, January 03. Tickets were $18 each and as usual we were treated like guests; invited to come around behind the counter and sit; and the very nice gentlemen gave us 4 very crispy clean USD in change.

Not very good transport from station to town and we spent 90 minutes or so haggling with moto dirvers, talking to locals, waiting for buses, taking a bus, and then walking 15 minutes in the very steamy late afternoon heat to the Breeze Rest House where we took a $15 room; no windows, no TV, but 24hr hot H2O from a in-line electric heater, AC, ceiling fans, 3 beds, fridge, tile floor and walls, a large bathroom, small desk and mirror but no chair, plenty of hooks and racks but no wardrobe.

The included breakfast is served on this 2nd floor balcony which overlooks the Salween. In the photo, Sun-Ling is enjoying the breakfast of coffee, boiled egg, and toast with butter and jam. There are two 2nd floor rooms which face the river, but they were both booked. Bummer.

After a shower we walked south along the riverfront promenade, watched the sunset, and ate dinner at a LP recommended restaurant: 3900 kyat (3.50 USD) for 2 glasses of Myanmar Beer, a tomato salad, fried spicy watercress (very tasty) and a bean dish.Sun-Ling enjoyed the breakfast of coffee, boiled egg, and toast with butter and jam.

A typical, for Mawlamyine, local bus, like the one we took into town from near the railway station.

Shanghai to Yangon by Land - Prologue

Discomfort, pain, and anxiety are probably the very core of a good trip. If you have an easy time of it, you're having a vacation. If you're really suffering, then you're traveling. – Paul Theroux from an Interview by Greg Lowe on January 19, 2009

The thing I do most is look at maps. I study them. If I'm going to a place, I get all the maps and look at them. There's a lot of information on a map. – Paul Theroux from an interview by Dave Weich of Powell's City of Books on May 18, 2000

Non-refundable tickets or reservations should not be purchased until all visas and passports are secured and in your possession. - India Visa Service

It was 4:00 AM, October 29, 2008 and I was lying awake in bed. In just 48 hours our neighbor Dave was scheduled to pull up in the driveway to take us to the airport for our 6-month trip to South Asia. However, I was not awake from the excitement and anticipation of the upcoming journey. I was awake because we had sent our passports and visa applications to the Myanmar Embassy in Washington DC on Oct 10th but our passports were still not back in our hands.

How did we get ourselves to the brink of disaster? Here’s the story.

Earlier in 2008 we had spent 5 months travelling around southern Asia in China, Myanmar, and Laos. This time after many hours of watching airfares, studying maps, guidebooks, and climate charts, creating and abandoning many scenarios, we decided to re-visit China and Myanmar and add India and Nepal.

Thus on September 10th, we bought round trip tickets from Raleigh to Shanghai; leaving on Oct 31st 2008 and returning on April 30th, 2009.

On September 11th, I set out to the Post Office to mail our passports and visa applications to a visa service in Houston, Texas. In order to get a Chinese visa while in the United States, one must apply in person at a Chinese Embassy or Consulate, or apply through a visa service agent who appears in person for you. This will set you back $130 per visa plus the agent’s fees, usually $15 for normal service. Why Houston? There is a big Chinese community in Houston and we had used a visa service there before with no problems.

On the way to the Post Office, I was listening to NPR who reported that Hurricane Ike, a Category 3 hurricane at the time, was aiming at Houston. Even though I had the envelope addressed, I thought about returning home but instead threw caution to the wind (not like my usual self) and sent our passports, visa applications, a self-address Priority Mailer, and a check for $290 straight towards what turned out to be the “third most destructive hurricane to ever make landfall in the United States.” Yikes!

Ike struck Houston with full force on September 13th. My heart sank when it was report that windows were blown out in downtown buildings and that power could be out for weeks.

I tried not to think what would happen if we did not get the passports and visas back on time.

On Monday the 22nd was I able to make phone contact with the visa service. Hoorah! They said they had our materials and that once the Chinese Consulate opened we would get our visas in week or so. Two weeks later on Oct 4th we got the passports back with 1-year multiple entry visas pasted inside. Sweet!

The next day I completed the online applications (including online payment) and FedEx’ed our passports and self-addressed return FedEx Mailer to the India Visa Center Washington DC.

On Oct 6th I received this automated email from the India Visa Center:

Dear John Meckley jr (sic),

Travisa Outsourcing has received your application (#823837095) for an Indian visa. You applied for a Tourist Visa. Requested duration of visa is 6 Months Multiple Entry. We have processed your payment, and will submit your application to the Indian Embassy/Consulate shortly.

[Credit card info deleted by me]

We will notify you again by email once your application has been processed and is ready to be mailed back. You can keep track of your application every step of the way by using our Track Passport tool.

Sincerely,
Travisa Outsourcing

On Oct 9th I received this automated email:

Dear John Meckley jr (sic)

Travisa Outsourcing has received your passport (application #823837095) back from the Indian Embassy/Consulate. We have verified your visa has been processed correctly. You applied for a Tourist Visa. Requested duration of visa is 6 Months Multiple Entry.

Your passport is being sent back to you via the following method: FedEx
Tracking Number: 864572576817 (Please note that package tracking information may not show in the FedEx system immediately)

Sincerely,
Travisa Outsourcing

Getting the India visas was easy; a far cry from our previous attempt in 1997 when I had to call several times and send additional money. But that’s another story. This time the process was fast, automated and efficient.

So it’s now Friday October 10th. We have one-year multiple-entry Chinese visas and 6-month multiple-entry Indian visas in hand. Our trip starts in 3 weeks on the 31st. Do we get our Myanmar visas here in the US or not? Either way works. If we don’t get it here, then we can get it in Kunming, China like we did on our last. We check the Myanmar Embassy web site which says the Visa processing time is 6 business days. Sounds doable.

On Friday October 10th, I mailed (with Delivery Confirmation Receipt) our passports, visa applications, a self-address Priority Mail envelope, and an “official check” from my credit union for $40 to the Myanmar Embassy in Washington DC. Monday the 13th was Columbus Day and our package was not received by the embassy until Wednesday the 14th. Still two weeks to go.

Our friends Sean and Leslie from Anson County visited for three days. We went to the State Fair.

On Friday the 24th I anxiously called the Myanmar Embassy. I talked to a nice young lady who told me that they had our passports, applications, and official check for $40 and that we should not worry as the visas were almost ready. “Just waiting on one signature” she said.

Later that day we picked up Sun-Ling’s cousin from airport. She had come to the US from Shanghai to work at Disney World in Orlando as part of a study-abroad-for-a-semester program and was going to spend a long weekend with us. This kept us from thinking about what would happen if we did not get the passports and visas back in time.

On Monday the 28th our guest left, we early-voted for Obama, and I called the Myanmar Embassy and the polite young lady said that our passports were “in the mail”.
Our flight was at 8:00 AM on Thursday. If we did not receive the passports by Wednesday then …

When we did not receive the passports in Tuesday’s mail, I couldn’t sleep that night and I tried not to think what would happen if we did not get the passports and visas back on time. I should also report that I spent about 3 hours on Wednesday afternoon looking out the window watching for the mail truck. When it came I briefly chatted with our mail-lady and explained the situation. She reassuringly told that it would probably come the next day.

First thing on Wednesday, the 30th, I called the Post Office, talked to our mail-lady, and she said she had a parcel from the Myanmar Embassy and calmly told me that we could come to the Post Office and pick it up now if we wanted to or wait until the afternoon when she would deliver it. We were down there in 20 minutes. Whew! In 16 hours, we would be leaving for the airport. Too close for comfort.

I’m glad the passports came and we never had to execute Plan B. In fact, there never was a Plan B.

Note from John: This has been a hard post for me to write. Getting the flow of the narrative right has been tough. The ending still needs work but I’m going to publish anyway or I’ll never get on to the next part of the story.

The Chapati Stand - Mandalay, Myanmar Burma

Chapati Stand - Mandalay, Myanmar Burma, originally uploaded by meckleychina.

The Chapati Stand at 27th and 82nd was hoppin' in the early evening when I shot this video. The ladies in the back roll the dough and the two guys in front grill em up and toss them in the basket.

We were waiting for our take away order which is being filled by the guy taking chapatis out of the basket and stuffing them into a plastic bag.

Tasty! We went back the following night for more - this time "sit-down" on the sidewalk.

Ruili to Bhamo -- The Details (Dec 2008) - China to Burma by land

If you are not planning to travel from Ruili, China to Bhamo, Myanmar (Burma) then you can stop reading now; however, it may be an interesting tale.

In Jan 2008 we flew from China to Myanmar - Kunming to Mandalay - for about 250 USD each so on this 2nd trip in December 2008 we wanted to go overland as the costs are about the same. However, we did not want to take the usual route of Ruili to Muse Lashio to Mandalay as we had spent 5 days in Mandalay just 10 months before and had traveled to Pyin U Lwin and Hsipaw which are both on the Lashio to Mandalay road. We decided to try to go from Ruili (or other nearby border crossings) to Bhamo or Myitkyina, areas not explored in January.

Disclaimer: One of our party, Sun-Ling, is fluent in Chinese.

So we inquired via email (actually a good friend in Shanghai did most of the work) and phone about crossing the Chinese border to Bhamo and Myitkyina. The results seemed to suggest that for 3rd parties (neither Chinese nor Burmese):
- the only border crossing allowed is Ruili/Muse.
- Ruili to Bhamo is possible for just a few more dollars than Ruili to Lashio; in fact, we got an email quote of 1800 RMB per person.
- Ruili to Myitkyina is NOT possible at all.

So we got our Myanmar visas in the US and after some traveling in China, arrived in Kunming about Dec 1st, 2008. We went to the Union of Myanmar Consulate and inquired about overland travel from China. The nice lady at the consulate who we remembered from January told us that overland travel to Bhamo and Myitkyina was not possible - the only route is Ruili to Lashio - and she gave us the business card of Steven Travel in the Camelia hotel who she said could arrange the trip since a permit and guide are required. Hmm. Also told us that there is a quota of 20 foreigners per month. Hmm again.

We went directly to talk to Steven Travel and the young man in the office confirmed that travel to Bhama and Myitkyina is not possible. He quoted a price to Lashio - 1400 RMB per person and said that we could make the arrangements with him now in Kunming or we could go to Ruili ourselves and make the arrangements there with his partner. Either way OK as we would have to contact his partner in Ruili anyway once we got there; just need more lead time ( 2 or 3 days ) if we just showed up in Ruili and contacted his partner. Lastly he said that the quota is no problem. Personally, I don't think that there is a quota but that's a digression.

So back to our hotel and we called the woman who had quoted 1800 RMB to Bhamo, a Miss Li, who it turns out is Steven Travel's partner in Ruili. She has an office in Muse but it's a Chinese phone number. She said that going to Bhamo from Ruili was possible and quoted us 1600 RMB per person. We asked why Steven Travel did not know about traveling to Bhamo. He doesn't know since he is in Kunming was the reply. Confusing. We told Ms Li that we wanted to go to Bhamo about Dec 15th and would call her a few days before we arrived in Ruili. OK she said.

When we arrived in Ruili, Miss Li and an associate came to our hotel. The price had mysteriously change to 1700 RMB per person and she claimed to have no recollection of quoting us 1600 on the phone, so we had to bargain hard to get her down to 1650. We agreed on a date of Dec 18th and Ms Li said to be at the Chinese side of the border a 9:00 and our guide would meet us and we would hand over the 3300 RMB to her once we had crossed the border.

So on the morning of the 18th we took a taxi from our hotel to the border; 4 RMB per person for the red cars that look like taxis but don't have a "TAXI" sign on top. We got there at 9:00 AM sharp and the guide came at 9:30 after we called Miss Li to ask where he was.

The guide followed us through the Chinese exit formalities, literally. There were some Chinese trying to jump the queue so we took advantage of the sign that said "Foreigners" and moved to the front.

Miss Li was waiting for us on the other side and took us into a official looking shack that was so small that Sun-Ling and I could both barely fit with our backpacks on. We signed a bunch of forms that Miss Li had filled out for us; customs, arrival card, travel permit requests, etc, without really giving them a good look but had no problems later on.

Then into a Toyota Wagon for the short drive to Miss Li's office where she made about 10 copies of our passports and travel permits, loaded up the guide with 3 or 4 bundles of cash, collected 3300 RMB from us (a 100 RMB note disappeared during the money counting process - not sure what happened - we may have been short, but it was not a professional money counting transaction on their part).

Anyway, Myanmar is 1.5 hours behind China so at about 9:00 AM Myanmar time we got back in the Toyota Wagon (British side steering wheel) and headed off to Bhamo. The guide sat in the front seat with the driver.

The road was pretty good - it is the Burma Road you know - and we made it to Namkham in about 15 minutes. In Namkham, we switched cars from the Toyota wagon to a Toyota Crown Sedan with a jacked up rear suspension and heavy duty tires. The driver already had a load of goods in the trunk so we stashed our bags in the back seat with us. Tight.

Soon after changing cars we hit the first of 8 or 10 checkpoints - I lost count - at the Shweli River. The procedure, which was about the same at all checkpoints, involved the guide nervously going into a small shack clutching a clear envelope containing our paperwork, the bag with the bribe or tax money hung over is shoulder, the driver confidently hanging out nearby, and both returning 5 minutes later with one less copy of our paperwork. We then resume the trip. We never had to get out of the car or answer questions and our bags we never searched. Sometimes it appeared to be a Military checkpoint, sometimes a just a bureaucratic checkpoint, sometimes it looked like simple extortion.

The pace was slow as the road was in terrible but passable condition and when we stopped for lunch at 1:00 PM the guide said we were halfway to Bhamo. It's about 65 kms from Namkham to Bhamo so we had covers 30 some kms in 4 hrs. Slow.

Lunch was at what is best called a truck stop. A few huts in the middle of nowhere. Right after the restaurant, we hit a checkpoint that was a bit different. There were about 10 guys standing around. No uniforms. The guide looked really nervous and did not want to get out of the car. The driver was nonchalant as usual. Two guys came up and peered in to the back seat at Sun-Ling and I. One guy looked friendly so I said hello. This time our guide was in the building for 15 minutes. While he was gone, one of the first guys to come up to the car, reached in the front and searched the glove box and the guide's jacket. Strange.

So at this point let me say a few things concerning several recent posting on Lonely Planet Thorn Tree about the overland route into Burma from Ruili. It seems unlikely that you can originally arrange the trip to Lashio, then once in Myanmar, simply tell the driver and guide that you want to go to Bhamo. For one thing, if you are in Toyota Wagon, you might not make it as the road is terrible. Second, the checkpoints seemed like serious business to me. The guide needs the right permits, right amount of cash, and 10 copies of the paperwork in order to make it through.

We arrived in Bhamo about 5:30 PM - 9.5 hours to go 80 kms. One last checkpoint somewhere inside the city. We drove to the Friendship Hotel then on to the Grand Hotel where we took a double room for $18 US per night including breakfast.

That's it. Questions, comments, and corrections welcome.

The China/Myanmar border as seen from the Chinese side.


The old bridge over the Shweli River.


Our nervous guide (left) with his paperwork and the unconcerned driver (right).


The lunchtime truckstop.


Some scenes from Bhamo: A cinema, the clock tower and stadium grandstand, a mosque, and Sun-Ling enjoying some deep fried veggies at a tea stall.

Yangon - Happy New Year 2009

We spent New Year's Eve in Yangon (Rangoon), completing our overland journey from Shanghai. After a quick return trip by train to Mawlamyine, the 3rd largest city in Myanmar, we will take our first flight of the trip to Sittwe were we will visit the old temple site of Mrauk-U. Then down to Ngapali beach for 5 days of R&R.

All the best in 2009!

Happy Holidays from Myitkyina, Myanmar (Burma)

Arrived in Burma on Dec 18th and after a long car ride to Bhamo, a super long boat trip down the Ayerwaddy River to Katha, and an overnight train, we are now relaxing in Myitkyina in Kachin State.

At one time in 1944/45 the airport here in Myitikyina was the busiest in the world, flying supplies over The Hump to China.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myitkyina

Many Christians here in town and I had a chance today to sing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" with a local Baptist congregation but esacped just in time. haha

We are staying at the New Light Hotel, owned by a nice Sikh family. The showers are hot and the included b-fast is tasty.

Happy Holidays to all and the best 2009.

-john and sun-ling

Into Myanmar (UPDATED)

Today we made arrangements to leave China on Thursday and cross into Myanmar (Burma) on land at the Ruili, China/Muse, Myanmar border crossing. Can't predict when or if we will have Internet access during our 28 days in Myanmar so this may be this last blog post for awhile. That said, for the next week we will be in towns very close to the Chinese border, along the old Burma Road (the section from Myitkyina to Tengchong is called the Stillwell Road by the Chinese), and commerce is briskly flowing along these routes now, so who knows; if we stay at a Chinese run hotel in Bhamo or Myitkyina we might have Internet.

Our planned itinerary for the next week is Ruili to Bhamo by car; Bhamo to Katha by boat; Katha to Myitkyina by train. I will put some green pushpins on our Google Map for those three cities.

UPDATE: And a Happy Holiday Season to all our family and friends and readers!

Days 11 & 12 - January 16 &17, 2008 - Mandalay to Bagan

Down the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Bagan

To make a long story short, the slow boat from Mandalay to Bagan took 36 hours instead of 15. We slept on the boat and made new friends among our fellow passengers and the crew.

Here is some video.



All the photos from the river trip are here.

Almost at Bagan, we look like we're having fun even though we spent 36 hrs on the boat and slept on the deck.

Day 10 - January 15, 2008 - Hsipaw to Pyin U Lwin

Day 10 - January 15, 2008 - Hsipaw to Pyin U Lwin

Took the train from Hsipaw to Pyin U Lwin, crossing the Gokteik Viaduct in daylight; then got front seats in a pickup truck down to Mandalay.

A train pulls in. Vendors jump on.



The Gokteik Viaduct.



Our shared pickup from Pyin U Lwin to Mandalay.

Day 9 - January 14, 2008 - Hsipaw - Burma Road

In order to "finish" Myanmar by the end of October, I'm going to start doing a video for each day with a short description instead of a bunch of text.

Day 9 - January 14, 2008 - Hsipaw - The Burma Road

After a fine day of sight seeing in Hsipaw in which we were given oranges and cheroots (Burmese cigars) and invited to the wedding of Mr Food, we decided to head over across the river to catch the sunset view recommended in Lonely Planet. Seemed simple enough; we even confirmed the location with the folks at our guesthouse. Cross the bridge, take a right at the archway and walk up the hill to the Buddhist temples at the top.

However, it turns out that the bridge - over the Dokhtawady River - is on the Burma Road which goes from Mandalay to Kunming, China and there were many large trucks coming from China that can only proceed one at a time over the rickety, one lane, wooden plank bridge.

The sunset spot is in the "China direction" so we waited for 10 or 20 minutes before getting up enough nerve to cross the bridge on foot against the oncoming, one at a time, trucks.

Here's some video.


The sunset was amazing. There were two monks at the temple. One was of Chinese ancestry and spoke Mandarin. He had us sign the guest book; then brought us some tea. We chatted a bit, I smoked a cheroot, then the other monk came challenged him to a game of checkers.

Watched sunset and the sky turn orange, then purple. Walked back to Mr Charles Guesthouse.


Check out this google map for more info.

View Larger Map

Day 8 - January 13, 2008 - Train to Hsipaw

Day 8 - January 13, 2008 - Train to Hsipaw

Up @ 7:00 AM, ate b-fast, finished packing, and set off to the Pyin U Lwin Train Station in the hotel's van only to find out that the 8:50 train was at least 3hrs late. Bummer.

Back to the hotel. Sat on the veranda. Beautiful sunny day. Inquired about a shared car to Hsipaw; 28,000 Kyat total; too much; we will wait for the train and study our Myanmar guidebooks.

At noon we caught a ride back to the station from the hotel van. The ticket office finally opened at 12:50 or so, but when we tried to buy a ticket, the guys handling the foreigner's queue did not like our $10 bill - too dirty. But it was a ten given to us by the Royal Parkview Hotel as change when we paid our bill. It only had a few smudges of dirt.

Several other "officials" come round, look at the bill with kid gloves and declare "no bank will take this - too dirty".

So luckily I had the business card for the Royal Parkview stuck in my journal and while I guarded our bags, Sun-Ling went to the small market outside, found a phone, called the Parkview and demanded they send over some clean money. Agreed. And a guy arrived at 1:05 or so with a clean $5 bill and 5 ones. But we had received $50 in "dirty" money from the Royal Parkview , so we sent him back and 15 minutes later he returned with 4 clean tens. We traded bills with him, bought 2 First-Class tickets at $4 each, and got on the train at 1:25.

We had been in Myanmar for 8 days and had by chance used only very clean, new US $100 bills. Thus we did not know about the nationwide aversion to dirty foreign currency. We would be on top of it for the rest of our trip. Stay tuned.

So the train pulls out of Pyin U Lwin Station at 2:30 - almost 6 hours late. The train had 6 cars, 2 First-Class and 4 Ordinary-Class, pulled by diesel locomotive DF 1615.

Our First-Class car has opposing wooden benches and is maybe 50% full. There is a squat toilet at each end of car - no signage - that goes straight down to the tracks. There is no glass in the windows, just a metal grate that slides up and down.

We sat opposite a German couple for awhile. Then they moved.

I shot some photos and video of the landscape, two trains passing by in the opposite direction, and our fellow passengers as we lurched and rolled over the narrow gauge tracks headed mostly west but sometimes north and sometimes south.

Out the window we saw herds of cattle, a few goats, and people tending the fields.

Made several short stops and then at 4:45 parked at a small station. After 15 minutes and no motion, I pulled journal and noted the local children were selling water from a pail, young monks were quietly watching, and that none of the kids were begging, just shyly waving at us.

As we sat and sat, I began to wonder if we would pass over the famous Gokteik Viaduct in the dark. That would be a bummer as it's an engineering marvel at 320 feet high and 2250 feet long, built in 1899 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company.

The sun set, went down, and we finally pulled out at 6:30. Now it was cold. We put on all of our outer gear including rain pants. We make friends with Sandy across the aisle, an American, who visiting Myanmar for the 5th time. She is taking the train to Hsipaw just to see the Gokteik Viaduct as she has previously been to Hsipaw, but not by train.

After a brief stop, we go over the GokTeik Viaduct. Not much to see in the dark.

Then stopped in Kyauk Me Town. The German couple has had enough and get off with a tout who owns a guesthouse in town - he leaves me his card.

Finally, at 11:15 we arrive in Hsipaw. There is no announcement, no nothing, and so we inadvertently get off on the wrong side of the train. After scrambling back to the correct side we head off with Sandy with our flashlights down a dirt path towards town.

It's pitch black, there are no signs, but with the help of a nice man on a motorbike we arrive at Mr Charles Guesthouse and for $15 get a double room. Crash.

Passing a freight train.



Fellow passengers stretch out.



Water seller.


Crossing the Gokteik Viaduct at night.

Day 7 - January 12, 2008 - Pyin U Lwin Walking Tour

Day 7 - January 12, 2008 - Pyin U Lwin Walking Tour

Up at 8:30 after a very good night's sleep. No heat in our room but the inside temperature only got down to 15 C.

Had breakfast outside in the sun (jackets on): 8 pieces of bread with butter and jam + good coffee w/hot milk + fresh pineapple juice + fried eggs.

Spent the rest of the morning relaxing on the veranda and studying Bagan and other parts of Burma. Since we are out for 6 months, we don't need to go-go-go every day like we used to when all we had was our yearly 3-week trip.

Had the front desk make a reservation for us on tomorrow's morning train - 8:05 AM - to Hsipaw (Thipaw).

Left for some sight seeing at noon. First stop is Candacraig, the Colonial Era Hotel built in 1904 and famous from Paul Theroux's books The Great Railway Bazaar and Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. Not many rooms. Well maintained lawn with tennis court.

Then over to the Chan Tak Chinese Temple which is both Buddhist Temple and old folks home. Sun-Ling chatted up 2 old men who came to Pyin U Lwin from Yunnan China in the 1950's as small boys to escape troubles. We sat, talked, and drank tea.

The temple had a mix of Chinese Buddhist tradition like the Laughing Buddha, and Kuan Yin, and Burmese Architecture. There were some interesting paintings around the inside top of the main temple building, the likes of which I had never seen in a Chinese Buddhist Temple, but we did not take the time to study them or ask questions, but they show up in my photos (see below). Wish I had asked some questions.

Walked up to the top of the pagoda for some photos, then over to the vegetarian canteen (snack bar) for some lunch: cold thick bean noodles with spicy sauce + vegetarian chicken + fried bean flour @ 1000 Kyat. The one old man from earlier ate with us and said that the temple is building a vegetarian restaurant next door to the canteen. Two young kids who spoke very good Chinese delivered our food and we learned how to say "vegetarian food" in Burmese: "duh-duh-loo".

Then on to explore the Main or Central Market. Sun-Ling said it seemed that 90% of all business (and businesses) in Pyin U Lwin was in this Market. "It's size and selection is not seen anywhere. You can buy everything there." She meant "everything" available in PYin U Lwin was available here - food, rice, textiles, baskets, sugar, packaged food, watering cans, etc., etc., - spread over several buildings and joining sheds with night food stands that set up after 4PM. There were not many other stores in town although there was a Safeway (with the usual logo).

We bought: bean & peanut dry mix + 6 oranges + peanuts + bread; all for 2000 Kyat.

Toured downtown area: Purcell Tower, an antique barber shop, the Art Deco Yuzana and Myoma cinemas, a Mosque, several Chinese Restaurants, and the former National Press building. Bought more snacks and tried to buy a souvenir at Soe Moe but no deal.

Back to Golden Triangle: papaya juice + 2 x 8-inch veggie pizzas + cookie to go @ 5650 Kyat.

Back to hotel.

SLHOTD: Reading and studying Bagan on veranda.
JHOTD: Art Deco Cinemas.

Candacraig.



Sun-Ling chatting with man at Chan Tak Buddhist Temple.


Chinese Buddhist images.



The very cool Art Deco Yuzana Cinema.



Downtown with a traditional horse cart at right.



Bicycle Restaurant - Food Cart.



Market: Watering cans, stoves, etc


We bought some snacks from this lady. You can just make out Sun-Ling at left. And check out her yellow longyi with palm trees. Cool!

Day 6 - January 11, 2008 - Mandalay to Pyin U Lwin

Day 6 - January 11, 2008 - Mandalay to Pyin U Lwin

To and Around Pyin U Lwin (pronounced like "pying oo lwing")

Up at 6:45 and downstairs for b-fast @ 7:05: bananas, toast, juice, fried eggs, and coffee.

Finished packing, brushed teeth, toilet, etc., and checked out @ 7:55. Paid bill of $95 (US Dollars) for the room and 100 kyat for a phone call and 14,000 kyat (about $6 each) for the shared taxi to Pyin U Lwin. We paid the hotel for the shared taxi. Not sure how money gets to the driver or his company.

The Shared Taxi is a Toyota Corolla Wagon with right-hand-side steering - guess it came from Japan - even though Myanmar drives on the right side (left-hand-side steering wheel). Made a pickup east of Mandalay Palace - a woman and two, small, very well behaved children.

Gassed up on the outskirts of town after driving through some typical third-world rush hour traffic; lots of bicycles and motorbikes, all going in to Mandalay as we were headed out east on the main road into town.

The gas-up was novel to say the least. Gasoline is poured into a gallon container set on a stand. The container has a filter - like a big coffee filter - and gravity does the rest. Take a look at this video.

 

 The ride to Pyin U Lwin - a former British Hill Station named Maymyo - took about 1.5 hours; slowly uphill at first, then a section of switch backs, some rolling hills, then a few more switchbacks, then into town. The roads were good, not 100% smooth, but no potholes and with a decent shoulder. For the switchback sections there was actually two distinct roads; one for uphill, one for downhill, separated by a huge natural "median". Very safe. We followed another shared taxi most of the way whose driver paid the 3 tolls for both vehicles. Two of the "tolls" were just a guy in the road next to a shed, but one was a real tollbooth with gates and an LED sign that said 100 Ks as we passed. Sun-Ling listened to music stored on her cell phone while I watched the driver and the scenery.

As the steering wheel is on the right-hand side, the driver has to be especially cautious - and ours was - while overtaking traffic on a two-lane road. We passed tanker trucks, bullock carts with hay, and school kids walking or biking. Entered Pyin U Lwin, dropped off the woman and kids, and after passing a golf course, we were dropped off at the Royal View Hotel.

 Now, for a very detailed description of our room, #201 at Royal Parkview Hotel No. 107 Lanthaya St Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar Ph 085-22641 / 21905 email: r_parkview@myanmar.com.mn #201 is a Standard Room The normal price in $30 US for a double (breakfast included). They offered $28 as a discount, we countered with $25 which was accepted. Maybe we could have gotten $20 as we appeared to be the only people in the place - well there was one set of golf clubs on the veranda so maybe there is one other person. [They also have Deluxe Rooms with bathtubs.] Room #201 has

• Wood floors and a high ceiling
  
• Twin beds with crispy clean sheets, extra blankets and a night stand between them
  
• TV with ESPN and Cinemax plus Myanmar channels
• Writing desk w/light and chair - very nice
• Wardrobe, fridge, ceiling fan, and wall exhaust fan
• 2 sitting chairs and a small table
• Large bathroom with shower only, nice sink, western toilet, and very luxurious white bath towels and hand towels
• Hot water in thermos, loose tea in plastic bags, and 3-in-1 coffe mix
  
• Complementary apples
• Flip-flips and minibar
• Small veranda outside by the front door

 It's definitely cooler in Pyin Oo Lwin than Mandalay. You want to be sitting in the sun in the mornings with long sleeves, long pants and jacket to ward off the chill. Set out at 11:30 or so to explore town using the map given to us by the nice English speaking young lady at the front desk. She marked the Main Market and the Golden Triangle Bakery (run by Americans). The RPV hotel is on the south end of town - at least a 30 minute walk from downtown - but Sun-Ling observed that it really had the Hill Station vibe; that is, laid back, quiet, and good service.

 Walked to the Market, passing some Colonial buildings. A beautiful walk; sunny, just a few clouds, and 70 F. Continued through the market, made a wrong turn, but bought 6 samosa and fried dough w/filling from a local shop. Then headed east to Mandalay Road and finally found the Golden Triangle Bakery. The menu was Coffee, Pizza, Pastries, Juice, etc. Bought a baguette and Danish for 700 Kyat. Oh, the samosas had already been devoured. Later, when we ate the Danish, Sun-Ling suspected that it was made from goat butter as it was buttery and not too sweet.

 Left Golden Tri at 12:35 and made it back to RPH at 1:00 Pm - longer walk than expected. Grabbed our swim gear, water, flashlights, towels, extra shirts, guidebooks and headed south on foot - 45 minutes - to the National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens: admission $4 US per person plus 1000 Kyat camera fee. It's a very, very, nice, beautiful, well-maintained botanical garden, built in the early 20th Century. Right inside the entrance is an L-shaped swimming pool that did not look inviting enough for a dip at 70 F. At 20 degrees hotter I would have been in. Spent almost 4 hrs in the gardens. Highlights:

• Eating our Danish by the lake
• The Orchid Garden
• Pagoda Pond with swans
• Arranged tulips and cymbidiums
• All the lakes
• Blue delphiniums
• Red and yellow poinsettias trees
• Rain Forrest elevated walk (5 meters high)
  
• Seeing an elephant
• Aviary with Great Hornbill
  
• Rock garden and swamp garden
  
• Bamboo groves
• Fishtail Palm Tree
  

After all that activity, we were beat and ready to pay for transport back to town but none of the traditional Pyin U Lwin Horse Carts were to be found so we hoofed on back to the hotel and marched directly to the dining room: fried peanuts + 2 bowls of veggie noddle soup + hand cut ridged french fried potatoes + large Myanmar Beer for 7500 Kyat, our most expensive meal in Myanmar so far.

 SLHOTD: Great Hornbills kissing (John has video to prove it)
 JHOTD: Gassing up

The Market
   

Colonial Era Church
 

Relaxing at the National Botanical Gardens.

  More of the Botanical Gardens.

  The Great Hornbill (photo now - video to be inserted later).

Day 5 - January 10, 2008 - Mandalay, Myanmar

Day 5 - January 10, 2008 - Mandalay, Myanmar

Ancient Cities of Mandalay

Up at 7:05 and downstairs for b-fast @ 7:35.

Hopped in the arranged Blue Mazda Taxi (at 19,000 Kyat for the whole day) just after 8:00 AM for a trip to three of the nearby ancient cities: Sagaing, Inwa, and Amarapura.

The ride out of Mandalay was cool. We sat in the almost open bed of the small pickup. Lots of commuters. Monks on there alms collecting missions hanging out of the back of larger pickups.

Followed the railroad tracks for awhile before making our first stop across the Irrawaddy River from Sagaing Hill. Then across the so-called New Ava Bridge (circa 2005/06) to Sagaing Hill.

The stairs were covered but the climb was a lot shorter than yesterday's ascent of Mandalay Hill. A bit hazy but some views from the tiled top. Attendance: light. We were not asked to show the combo ticket so no stamp. ;-(

Then 10km north to Khaungmudaw Paya with its spectacular, blinding white, breast-shaped stupa. There were a good number of tourists and pilgrims and vendors, and some shady spots were one could relax and admire the splendid symmetrical stupa. Sun-Ling commented that it was a "middle class" stupa; school kids on field trips and women buying thanaka.

Over to Hsinmyashin Paya (Temple of Many Elephants) with its famous elephant motif. Slow; several workers eating lunch and a couple of meditaters. So a quick stroll around and on to nearby Sagaing Market for lunch.

Tried two places. The first was too expensive, the second too meaty. So we picked up some snacks from a Chinese grocery (no Chinese spoken; family run business, the son spoke some English) and a bakery. Spent about 1200 Kyat total.

Back in the blue taxi, we headed back across the Irrawaddy River, this time on the Old Ava Bridge which is one lane for vehicles in each direction with a center "lane" for trains. Super cool!Of course a train went by just after I put my camera away so I barely got a photo. But I did shoot some video (see below).

Turned down the junction road to Inwa Ferry. It's 1000 Kyat each for a return ticket. The ticker seller whistled and the ferry with its surly captain and a shifty mate came over from the opposite bank. Back and forth. Back and forth. Guess that might make me surly and shifty.

At Inwa (Ava) Island landing, there were about 30 to 40 horse carts waiting to take tourist around. 4000 Kyat was the going rate for a three-stop tour: old teak monastery, the watch tower, and the new masonry monastery. Tried to bargain down but no deal. Good for them!

Very cool to take the horse cart over the bumpy and dusty dirt roads in the manner of a Jane Austen novel. When passing through a village, the local kids would run along waving "bye-bye".

Ate our snacks at the old teak, ship-like, Bagaya Kyaung Monastery. It's still in use as a school for very young children; not restored, and nifty.

Back in the horse cart, I switched to the front seat as sitting in back was making me queasy. Passed through one of old city gates on our way to the Watch Tower (Nan Myint) - Inwa (Ava), MyanmarWatch Tower. Good view back to Sagaing Hill, Old Ava bridge, and the Khaungmudaw breast. At the tower, Sun-Ling bought a painting - one of the few souvenirs we would buy on the entire 5-month trip - for 4000 Kyat. It's now installed at our home.

Third Stop is the Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Monastery. Masonry. Yellow. So-so. Back to ferry. Across. On to Amarapura.

I get lucky with the train: On the way to Amarapura we got stopped at a RR crossing and I jumped out in time to catch some video of the rolling, narrow gauge passenger train come through. I even got a wave.

Then to the Chinese Temple, a Guan Yin Temple much like any other Chinese Temple in Asia. Sun-Ling is 99% sure that it is now a nunnery or has lots of nuns who were cooking and eating while we were there... and ignored us.

Then onto a nearby temple - not not catch the name - to see the large seated outdoor Buddha, a reclining Buddha, adn a large owl. The younger monks were playing a vigorous game of football;"no photos" they said, while the older monks are playing cards and drinking tea.

Then on to the famous U Bein Teak Bridge. The world's longest teak bridge with lots of local color - monks, local visitors and tourists - but also loads of touts and vendors, boats for rent, blind musicians, owls and hawks to pose with, and restaurants. Bought some cold bean noodle soup - 500Kyat - too much.

There was a local guy on the bridge with a bike who was posing for 2 tourists (or professional photographers) who were down on the bank; and some tour groups were out on Taungthaman Lake in boats to watch the sun set.

The sun sank lower, the lake turned yellow, then orange, and things quieted down as we reached the far end of the bridge. Took a ton of photos.

Back to the truck, and back to the hotel in heavy rush hour traffic. I almost bounced out of the back of the pickup at one point. Crazy!

Hot shower and then out for Chinese noodles and fried rice at a small joint across from the Hospital @ 1600 Kyat total.

Back to the hotel and packed for tomorrow's trip to Pyin U Lwin Hill Station.

SLHOTD: Horse cart ride and Khaungmudaw Paya.
JHOTD: RR crossing video.


The morning commute as seen from the back of our pickup truck taxi.


The dazzling Khaungmudaw Paya.


Horse carting around Inwa.


School's in session at the Bagaya Kyaung (Monastery).


The ferry, the shifty mate, and the Old Ava Bridge in the background.


The U Bein Bridge at Amarapura.


Sunset from the bridge.


Crossing the Old Ava Bridge.

Day 4 - January 9, 2008 - Mandalay, Myanmar

Day 4 - January 9, 2008 - Mandalay, Myanmar

"A very productive day even though we were licking our wounds after last evening's accident."

Up at 7:10 and downstairs at 7:45 following some "treatment". Good B-fast. Briefly talked to a young guy from Alabama - a perfect Southern Gentleman - and his German wife.

Decided on plan for next three days

• Today: Mandalay Hill, Palace and surrounding sites by trishaw
  
• Tomorrow: Three Ancient Cities by blue Mazda taxi at 19,000 Kyat total
  
• DAT: Shared taxi to Pyin Oo Lwin

Made arrangements for the transportation at the front desk while also buying 2 bottles of H2O for 500 Kyat and paid 1400 Kyat (about $1.25 US) for 6 pieces of laundry.

Out the door at 9:15 and hired two trishaws (bicycle rickshaw; that is, a bicycle with a side-car) to take us to Mandalay Hill for 3000 Kyat total. It's a nice coolish ride through light AM rush hour traffic to Mandalay Hill going east along 27th following the corners of the Palace Moat.

Arrived a M-Hill about 10 and began the ascent from the SW stairs - the main entrance - leaving our shoes at the bottom for 100 K each.

The entire path up is covered. Makes for good walking year round - rain, shine, cold, heat. And there are benches on the sides of the slopes. Nice. There were vendors selling food that was cooked and packaged and some operating "almost restaurants" with a table or two, chairs, and free tea - full service. ;-). Dogs and cats lay in the sun. A few craftsmen hawking figurines.

There were many shrines and temples on the way up. The guidebooks describe them all. I won't. Sun-Ling liked the big Buddha that points down to the city - not a standard mudra (hand position).

After a leisurely stroll we made it to the top about 11:30, hung out at the top for 30 minutes, enjoyed the 360 view, tried to take a self-portrait, and tended to Sun-Ling's bleeding shin. I sacrificed my bandanna as bandage. Effective for awhile.

There were lots of locals making the trek up, but not jam packed as the sacred hills and mountains in China. Not even close. Families, school girls, families with a monk, guys, girls, and western tourists. One western guy was speaking Burmese - with only a small amount of help from his pocket dictionary - with the locals. Impressive. Wow!

Bought some snacks and watched a couple of Chinese guys filming themselves making a speech about a hydro-electric project they were working on in Myanmar. They had a local guide/translator with them.

There is a $10 US fee to visit Mandalay Hill - good for 5 days - and surrounding sites but we were not asked to produce ours or buy one. We did have to pay a 300Kyat camera fee at the top.

The front of the Mandalay Archaeological Zone ticket is ho-hum, but the stamps one gets on the back are way cool.

Stopped on the way down at one of those "almost a restaurants" for 2 bowls of fried noodles + lemongrass soup + fresh tomatoes for 1000 Kyat.

Passed souvenir vendors on the way down selling thanaka wood and stones, T-shirts, and turtle boxes. At one stall, a TV was playing a music video of a Burmese Country and Western song. Unexpected.

Arrived at 6the bottom, retrieved our shoes, and headed on foot to the surrounding sites - all covered by the Mandalay Combo Ticket- in this order:

1. Kyauktawgyi Paya
2. Kuthodaw Paya
3. Sandmuni Paya
4. Atumashi Kyaung
5. Shwe Nandaw Kyaung
6. Mandalay Fort and Palace

Kyauktawgyi Paya

"Relaxing" says Sun-Ling. Cool and shady with 80 surrounding small stupas, each housing an arhat/lohan statue.

Kuthodaw Paya (Known for its 729 tablets of Buddhist scriptures)

On the walk over, two very cute and sharp young ladies about 10 or 12 years old tried to sell us some postcards.

"But I take my own photos."

"Not the same" said the sharper one in good English.

"I will be unhappy if you do not buy my postcards" she continued her spiel.

"You should be in school" I said.

"My family is poor. My mother and father are poor". She rolled her eyes when she said "father" making me think that she meant her father was nuts.

We did not buy any postcards.

Most children in Mandalay seemed to be in school as we often saw them in their uniforms - green longyi and white shirts - headed home for lunch carrying a one strap bag over their shoulders. And as we walked around town we heard young kids in school reciting - shouting - their lessons.

Another aside. Several young business women have asked us "What do you WANT?" which, with the emphasis on "WANT" seems unfriendly to the American ear, but that's just the way it comes out. ;-)

Back to the Kuthodaw Paya. We finally had to hand over the $10 dollars for the combo ticket and we were harassed a bit by the shoe keeper and postcard sellers.

Sandmuni Paya (with more tablets)
A small boy says "Money".

Atumashi Kyaung (Newly built and skippable.)

Shwe Nandaw Kyaung

Another teak temple/monastery/ship. Very cool. Shared the site with a group of French tourists (or maybe Swiss).

Mandalay Fort and Palace

Walked across the moat bridge, had our papers checked, walked down to the oval past Army Band practice to the reconstructed Mandalay Palace. We were both surprised to see houses, small gardens, vendors, and trishaw drivers. We guessed it's the families of soldiers - later confirmed by LP. It was approaching 5:00 PM closing time so we walked up the Watch Tower for some cool views, checked out the reconstructed Glass Palace, had a brief rest and caught 2 trishaws (3000 Kyat) in the rush hour traffic to Nepali Restaurant @ 81st and 26th/27th where we each had a Thali: rice + chapati + curries + soup +beans + refills for 3000Kyat total.

Changed another $100 at Seven Diamond Travel @ 1250 to 1.

Back to RCH. Shower.

SLOTHD: All the small white stupas
JHOTD: Trishaw ride

The Palace Moat with Mandalay Hill in the background.


Buddha pointing to Mandalay


The two of us atop Mandalay Hill.


Preparing our lunch.


Arhat


Stupas


The reconstructed Mandalay Palace.


Trishaw driver.


The trishaw ride

Day 3 - January 8, 2008 - Mandalay, Myanmar

Day 3 - January 8, 2008 - Mandalay, Myanmar

"A busy day - best day in Mandalay so far."

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Got going somewhat late, breakfast at 8:30, and decided to rent bikes for the day (1500 Kyat each). I got a big heavy clunker. Sun-Ling got a light hybrid. Perfect for her.

Rode over to the Chinese Consulate at 35th between 66th and 67th. The entrance is down a smaller unpaved road. As we got close I saw a Burmese soldier with a machine gun behind a bank of sandbags. Dismount! We walk by the soldier. He smiles.

A small sign says the consulate is OPEN: 8:30 - 11:30. We went in. The young lady behind the counter speaks English, Chinese, and Burmese. She is Mian Dian Ren - a local. The Chinese word for Myanmar is Mian Dian (緬甸).

After getting info, we decided not to get our China Visa in Mandalay. Too expensive we think... But it later turns out that the cost of a Chinese Tourist Visa went up from $100 to $130 dollars on Jan 20th. So....

Back on the bikes and we headed west on 35th street over the railroad bridge and on to the Irrawaddy River docks. A nice ride on a fairly good road. Most of the smaller roads are a maze of potholes or just poorly paved or a very narrow strip of pavement or all of the above.

Parked our bikes at the jetty and inquired about ferry schedules to Bagan. Our guidebooks said that there is a slow boat every day and a fast boat twice a week. At the fast boat ticket office they told us that the only goes to Bagan when they have a tour group going. Then independent travelers like us can hitch along for a price. The so-called slow boats goes everyday. No decision by us. We will check later with the front desk of our hotel. They seem to have reliable information.

The Irrawaddy River is slowish, greenish, and not inviting.

The jetty is quiet. No goods loading or unloading. No boats arriving or departing. Women are doing laundry and bathing.

Rode back towards town in a SE direction. Small school kids were going home for lunch. They shout "hello' or "hi" and run along with our bikes or wave furiously.

After some navigation we found ourselves by the famous Jade Market which is part workshop and part market. Not impressive.

Then on to the very impressive Shwe In Bin Kyaung, both Buddhist Temple and Monastery. It's a traditional temple built of teak and resembling a on old sailing ship as it stands on silts with broad wooden decks surrounding a wooden temple soaring to the sky like masts and sails. See my photos below.

Not much activity at the monastery grounds. I took a photo of the wooden dinner bell with a carved parrot towards the top. I learned last year that most Buddhist temples and monasteries have a wooden bell that is struck in times of emergency or to summon the monks for dinner. So I'm now trying to amass a collection of photos of these bells. Many of the ones in China are shaped like a fish.

Lunch! Stop at an outdoor place near the kyaung. There is a roof but no walls. It's during the lunch rush. Rice is cooked in big pans and scooped out by hand onto plates and then various curries are added. We have a rice plate with lentils, corn and veggies, plus lemongrass soup, plus hot sauce all round. Very tasty. In addition, an older man is walking around filling up a bottomless salad bowl at each table: carrots, turnips, cabbage, and parsley. All for 600 K - about 50 cents.

Observations on this restaurant:
-Turns out that this type of open-air restaurant is very common all over Burma.
- The toilet was very clean as were almost all the toilets in Burma.
- The patrons were eating with fork or spoon or chopsticks.

Biked around the block with a brief stop at a temple where a Chinese speaking monk tried to be helpful and show us around. He seemed a bit too pushy and we escaped with a "that's too much trouble for you". A couple of men were mediating there.

Then around the corner to the big Monastery south of Shwe In Bin. This was a real monastery. Monks were studying in 4 to 5 buildings. We saw at least one dormitory with shoes and bowls neatly stowed outside. However, as the monks studied, a gang of young women were hauling concrete around to fix the road. We wondered why the monks were not working on the monastery.

Finally we headed south, passing a small factory that makes stone Buddha images, to the most famous temple in all of Mandalay - the Mahamuni Paya.

We entered from the West Gate. A woman vendor motioned that either she would watch our shoes or that our shoes and bikes would be safe. So we left them at her stand. Then down the long dirty corridor to the main temple where the famous Mahamuni Buddha sits covered with 15 cm of gold leaf to the point that he is unrecognizable below the shoulders. Only men can enter the inner sanctum and apply gold leaf. Women sit outside.

It's a very busy place. We only saw three other Western tourists but there many Burmese visitors and vendors. There were bells ringers, and gong bangers, and water pourers. Book sellers, food vendors, fortune tellers, and beggars line the walkways. There were several museums about Buddhism with artifacts, photos of temples, and maps. At one point in the 19th century, and maybe still today, Burma was known as the "Center of World Buddhism".

We returned to our bikes and headed north on 83rd street to 30th where we cut over to 80th and entered the second level of the train station with its confusing "car and bike" ramp over the tracks. We should have entered at ground level on 79th, but after a few minutes Sun-Ling found the ticket office. Inquires were made. Information was written down. No tickets were purchased.

Returned bikes to hotel and walked the 6 blocks or so to "Mann Chinese Restaurant" which had about 15 tables, most filled with men drinking Grand Royal Whiskey mixed with water and ice, and nibbling. Sun-Ling was the only woman in the joint. No Chinese was spoken, but no problem, we had veggie soup + veggie fried rice + veggie fried noddles + 2 x Dagon Extra Strong Beers; all for 6100 Kyat. And we sent a veggie fried rice out to a woman who was sitting on the sidewalk with an infant.

Normally we do not give handouts to beggars as most are professionals, but this young woman looked distressed, had an infant, and had not motioned to us nor bothered us at our table. When the waiter took the food out, the first thing she did was feed the infant, then herself. So probably a good deed. Your run-of-the-mill professional beggars don't need food.

Then, as no good deed goes unpunished, we stepped into a ditch in the darkness on the walk home and got fairly banged up, John on his left palm and right shin, Sun-Ling on the right shin. She would bleed a bit for several days and not heal completely for weeks. But it could have been worse - broken bones - so we felt lucky.

SLHOTD: bike ride
JHOTD: temple like a ship

Ferry moored at the docks.


Shwe In Bin Monastery - the decks.


Shwe In Bin Monastery - the masts and sails.


Remnants of lunch.


Young women hauling concrete.


Monk Dormitory with shoes and wash bowls and robes.


A horsecar passes in front of the Gem Market.


The Maha Muni (Great Sage) Buddha.


Wooden Drum with bird carving.
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