Monywa is about 4 hours northwest of Mandalay by bus and thankfully, there are buses almost every hour, so no need to leave at 5am. Last night in Mandalay I met Thida, a 24 year old Burmese local. She started chatting me up as I went to the internet cafe. I wasn't sure what her motives were but it turned out she was genuine and just wanted to talk. We hung out for a few hours and she said she wanted to travel with me as an unofficial guide/friend, for no money. I could use the company since I've hardly met anyone after leaving Bagan.It's also nice to have someone who can speak english and Burmese.
I kind of feel like I'm in Africa, where I would travel for weeks on my own not really meeting anyone. You get that feeling that you're an old colonial travelling around unseen territory for the first time. The traveller crowd here is slim. Even at places I thought it would have been busy, it wasn't. Also Myanmar seems to be more of a 'mature' traveller's destination. Most of the travellers I've seen are over 30.
Thida and I met in the morning and took the 12.30 bus to Monywa. The bus was medium size and the seats were pretty tight. We got a hotel in Monywa and relaxed before going out to eat. We were both thinking the same thing at the Schwe Tang Tarn restaurant/guesthouse - chicken, veggies, rice and a glass of beer. It was the cheapest thing on the menu. We had a TV in our room but it only had news stations and sometimes chinese movies with English subtitles.
Thanboddhay Paya
I came to Monya to see the sites in the area and this pagoda was our first stop. It's a massive pogada which took almost 20 years to build. What sets it apart from any other temple I've seen is the mind blowing amount of buddha statues it contains. The guidebook says it has 582,363! Some of these are large but most of them are small and line the upper walls to the ceiling.
Bodhi Tataung
5km from Thanboddhay Paya was the highlight for me of our trip to Monywa. On the site of Bodhi Tataung are a gold temple and 2 massive buddhas. The gold standing buddha is 425' tall with a 312' reclining buddha at his feet. The standing buddha is over two times the height of Niagara Falls! I could see it in the distance when we were coming on the bus. I wonder why they put something this amazing way out in the middle of nowhere. Thida and I hired a motorickshaw to get to these two sites. The area around the buddha was pratically empty except for a few vendors. I'm guessing they didn't speak english because only Thida was asked to buy stuff. There are about 26 floors inside the standing buddha, all accessible by stairs. An elevator was there but not working. The standing buddha was cool and like nothing I've ever seen but what really got my attention were the paintings inside.
Extremely graphic, violent,bloody,realistic and disturbing images lined the walls. Vivid portraits of humans being butchered by huge ogre like creatures. Humans were being skewered on a stick, boiled in stew, heads bashed in, limbs cut off....etc,I think you get the picture! It was getting late in the afternoon as Thida and I began to go up inside the buddha but I kept wanting to go just one more floor. I wanted to see what ghastly paintings were in store on the next floor. We made it up about seven floors. The inscriptions surrounding the paintings are all in Burmese but say something about this happening to you when you die. Thida says " I never want to die!' and "Will this happen to me?" I reassure her it won't. This isn't a place for children but as we left young kids were ascending the stairs. Apparently it is a place for children! The paintings were somewhat cartoonish but there was no denying their brutality. I had not expected this at all.
Back in Monywa, Thida and I ate really cheap and delicious street food.
Hpo Win Daung Caves
Thida only stayed 2 nights and went back to Mandalay. I stayed one more day to visit the man made temple caves of Hpo Win Daung. Thida has seen them before and doesn't like the aggressive monkeys hanging around the caves. I hired a mototaxi to get there, the cheapest way. The caves were about 70 minutes west from Monywa. The road out of Monywa wasn't bad at all but then we turned on to a unpaved road for a while. On both sides of the road were copper mining villages. Thankfully the road became sealed again before we reached the caves. There was hardly anybody around the caves. The monkeys quickly gathered around me in search of food as I opened up my pack to get my camera out. A local guide kept them away. I grabbed a stick to keep them away. Not far from the entrance though there were no more monkeys and I could walk in peace and eat my bananas.
These caves were all carved from a giant sandstone mountain between the 14th and 18th centuries. A local unofficial guide offered his services for whatever I wanted to pay. Seemed like a good deal to me, so he led me around the site and had some information. I could clearly see the difference between the newer and older caves. Some caves would have many small entrances to one larger chamber. Of course, inside most of the caves were statues of buddha. Some had elaborate and colorful frescoes on the walls still in good condition. Many of the caves are blocked with wire gates to keep the monkeys from living in them and smelling them up. Back in Monywa I ate the same meal Thida and I had a few days ago at the same place. I went to bed feeling fine.
I woke up at about 5am and felt sick. I vomited a few times and felt a lot better right away. I went back to bed. At 6am I was awoken again feeling sick. I thought I got it all out the first time but I guess not! I vomited some more and went back to bed. Breakfast at the hotel was from 7-9am but I didn't care if I missed it. I had a slight fever and felt like crap. I didn't think it was malaria though. I didn't have any hot/cold sweats and I didn't vomit when I got malaria (though this is possible, it was the treatment of malaria that made me vomit). This sickness came as a big surprise and totally unexpected. I had done nothing different.
At 8.30 I got a knock on my door from the hotel manager asking if I'm coming for breakfast. I told him I was sick and only wanted some juice and fruit. He came back with exactly what I needed. A glass of cold lime juice and a big platter of fruit - orange, apple, papaya, banana and watermelon. I ate most of it and then went back to sleep till 11. I wanted to check out by 12 and go back to Mandalay. If I was going to be sick, I wanted to be in a bigger city. I wasn't feeling too terrible and picked up some paracetamol on the way to the bus station.
I got a room at Nylon hotel and went to the chapatti stand for dinner. I could only eat one chapatti. I relaxed and watched movies and felt a bit better. I had taken 2 paracetamols and my slight fever was stable and not rising. I was going to make a judgement in the morning, if my fever was higher, I was going to go to the Doctor. Thankfully when I got up I felt a lot better, no fever. I was able to eat all of the hotel breakfast. I even got caught up on some blog writing.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Pyin U Lwin and Kandawgyi Botanical Garden
From the train station I took a mototaxi to Grace 1 hotel. It was just outside of downtown and on a quiet street. The $10 room was a bit expensive but it was large, clean, with TV and a hot shower. It would be okay for one night. I went to Club Terrace restaurant for dinner. The guidebook describes it as a classy place. Now, I'm anything but classy but what sold me was that it also said it had authentic Thai curries and I could really go for that. The place was nice with candlelit tables outside but there was no one else there. Where is everyone in Myanmar?
My waiter's english wasn't great but after talking about my order for a few minutes, I wasn't sure what I was going to get but that all changed when the food came. The green Thai chicken curry was really heavy on the chicken and light on the sauce but the spice was just right. It was the best curry I've had in Myanmar and one of the best I've ever had anywhere for that matter. I wish I was staying longer in town just to eat here again! My dinner with rice and a tasty pineapple shake was $5, still not too much and totally worth it.
Kandawgyi Botanical Garden
This 176 hectare garden was founded in 1915 by an English botanist. Most of it was in immaculate shape, there were a few weeds but that's in every garden. The amount of work and detail that went into this place was absolutely staggering. I couldn't imagine the maintainence here but somehow they pulled it off. The garden had more work than all of the Niagara parks gardens (where I work) put together. It was mindblowing. There were quite a few different types of plants but some they used a lot. These included easter lily, kale, pointsettia, marigold, alternanthera, salvia, pansy, carnation, dusty miller, snap dragon, iresine and bromeliad. They had a big orchid garden. While I was walking along, an Indian/Burmese family that was picnicing called me over. They ushered me to sit down and began filling a plate with food for me. They only spoke a little english but really wanted me to eat a lot! It was good food but I had limited time. I had booked a share taxi back to Mandalay at 2pm and it was after noon already. In hindsight, I should've gave myself more time.
Surprisingly they had a takin enclosure here. The takin is a strange looking animal seemingly made out of spare parts of other animals. I first read about it in George Schaller's book The Last Panda. Takin live in the same habitat as pandas. They are large mammals and difficult to see in the wild. I had wanted to see one ever since I read about them. They had four of them in the enclosure. The large male hung out at the fence breathing heavily out of his nose. Time was running out so I rode my rented bicycle back into town into the market to look for some fruit but couldn't find what I was looking for. I found out I was looking in the wrong spot, oh well. I got the front seat of my share taxi for the easy 2 hour ride back to Mandalay. I went back to the Nylon hotel but they didn't have any nice rooms left. I took a similar room at ET hotel, just down the street. I was only staying in Mandalay for one night. My plan was to head northwest to Monywa the next day.
My waiter's english wasn't great but after talking about my order for a few minutes, I wasn't sure what I was going to get but that all changed when the food came. The green Thai chicken curry was really heavy on the chicken and light on the sauce but the spice was just right. It was the best curry I've had in Myanmar and one of the best I've ever had anywhere for that matter. I wish I was staying longer in town just to eat here again! My dinner with rice and a tasty pineapple shake was $5, still not too much and totally worth it.
Kandawgyi Botanical Garden
This 176 hectare garden was founded in 1915 by an English botanist. Most of it was in immaculate shape, there were a few weeds but that's in every garden. The amount of work and detail that went into this place was absolutely staggering. I couldn't imagine the maintainence here but somehow they pulled it off. The garden had more work than all of the Niagara parks gardens (where I work) put together. It was mindblowing. There were quite a few different types of plants but some they used a lot. These included easter lily, kale, pointsettia, marigold, alternanthera, salvia, pansy, carnation, dusty miller, snap dragon, iresine and bromeliad. They had a big orchid garden. While I was walking along, an Indian/Burmese family that was picnicing called me over. They ushered me to sit down and began filling a plate with food for me. They only spoke a little english but really wanted me to eat a lot! It was good food but I had limited time. I had booked a share taxi back to Mandalay at 2pm and it was after noon already. In hindsight, I should've gave myself more time.
Surprisingly they had a takin enclosure here. The takin is a strange looking animal seemingly made out of spare parts of other animals. I first read about it in George Schaller's book The Last Panda. Takin live in the same habitat as pandas. They are large mammals and difficult to see in the wild. I had wanted to see one ever since I read about them. They had four of them in the enclosure. The large male hung out at the fence breathing heavily out of his nose. Time was running out so I rode my rented bicycle back into town into the market to look for some fruit but couldn't find what I was looking for. I found out I was looking in the wrong spot, oh well. I got the front seat of my share taxi for the easy 2 hour ride back to Mandalay. I went back to the Nylon hotel but they didn't have any nice rooms left. I took a similar room at ET hotel, just down the street. I was only staying in Mandalay for one night. My plan was to head northwest to Monywa the next day.
The Gokteik Viaduct
The owner of Mr. Kid convinced me it was a better idea to take the train out of Hsipaw instead of the bus. Sure, it's slower and more expensive but I get to cross the Gokteik Viaduct, a steel train bridge that I could see from the bus on the way here. The bridge crosses the Gokteik gorge, an obstacle to travel between Mandalay and Lashio and the way to China. The British solved this problem by going right over it. The viaduct was constructed in 1901 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company. It's 318' high and 2257' long and was the second highest train bridge when it was constructed. It's the oldest and longest railway bridge in Myanmar. Normally I'm not into trains or railway bridges but this seemed like something special and different and I wanted to cross it.
I got a ticket in upper class, the one difference between this and second class was a cushion seat. My bony ass needs cushion! The other was that they only sell tickets for the seats. On the regular class they sell space after the seats are sold so every available space is taken up. Some people stand or sleep on the floor for the entire journey. As with most things in Myanmar, the government applies a two teir pricing system. One for locals, one for foreigners. Sometimes the foreigner price is five times the local price! That was the case with the train I found out from a local. I thought Myanmar was fairly cheap on the whole even with this system in effect. It would be insanely cheap if I was able to pay local prices all the time!
The train went really slow but passed some great scenery. Before we reached the viaduct, we went through two tunnels. The train geared down to cross the bridge at a snail's pace. I was hanging out the window taking photos. Technically taking photos of the bridge is prohibited for 'security reasons' but I thought I would risk it. No one said anything. The bridge creaked a lot as we crossed it and it was a great experience. Even though the train was slower than the bus it was more comfortable. I could get up whenever I wanted and go to the bathroom anytime. I was the only white face but the locals were really friendly. All over Myanmar, the charm of the local people wins over travellers. They are really some of the most friendly and genuine people I've encountered. I arrived in Pyin U Lwin about 7 hours later. I stopped in Pyin U Lwin mainly to see its botanical garden.
I got a ticket in upper class, the one difference between this and second class was a cushion seat. My bony ass needs cushion! The other was that they only sell tickets for the seats. On the regular class they sell space after the seats are sold so every available space is taken up. Some people stand or sleep on the floor for the entire journey. As with most things in Myanmar, the government applies a two teir pricing system. One for locals, one for foreigners. Sometimes the foreigner price is five times the local price! That was the case with the train I found out from a local. I thought Myanmar was fairly cheap on the whole even with this system in effect. It would be insanely cheap if I was able to pay local prices all the time!
The train went really slow but passed some great scenery. Before we reached the viaduct, we went through two tunnels. The train geared down to cross the bridge at a snail's pace. I was hanging out the window taking photos. Technically taking photos of the bridge is prohibited for 'security reasons' but I thought I would risk it. No one said anything. The bridge creaked a lot as we crossed it and it was a great experience. Even though the train was slower than the bus it was more comfortable. I could get up whenever I wanted and go to the bathroom anytime. I was the only white face but the locals were really friendly. All over Myanmar, the charm of the local people wins over travellers. They are really some of the most friendly and genuine people I've encountered. I arrived in Pyin U Lwin about 7 hours later. I stopped in Pyin U Lwin mainly to see its botanical garden.
Hsipaw
It seems like all the buses travelling longer distances leave either before 6am or after 6pm. I don't like either of these departure times but what am I going to do? The bus for Hsipaw left at 6am. I got up at 5am and went to the station. For the first time, the bus actually left late at 6.30. There were a few other foreigners on the bus too. Hsipaw is in the mountains and a good spot for local trekking. The road climbed up endless switchbacks. The different, safe and smart thing about the switchbacks here was that there was 2 different roads for ascending and descending traffic on the really tight corner parts. That's a smart way to avoid any accidents.
We stopped for breakfast at 9. I ate rice, chicken and some other stuff. Not normally what I would choose to eat for breakfast but again, not much choice and I was really hungry. The bus arrived in Hsipaw at 3. The town is really small and I just walked to my guesthouse. There are only 3 guesthouses licensed for foreigners in town. The guidebook really recommends Mr. Charles, 'Our Pick' they call it. Of course this is the one that most people go to but I had heard that there was construction going on beside it and sometimes I just don't feel like going to their pick. I heard the other 2 guesthouses were just as nice. I got a room at Nham Khae Mao for $4. It was a small concrete box, clean but the bathroom was downstairs and around the corner. After I checked in I went to check the other guesthouse, Mr. Kid. There I found a room for $4 also but it was bigger with more stuff inside and an attatched hot shower! I should've checked here first! Sure there was no breakfast included but for that price I didn't care.
After eating lunch at a tiny pick and point canteen, I walked up a hill behind town to a temple which is supposed to have good sunset views. I got up there just in time and it was a great view of the town. On the walk back down, an American couple in a taxi gave me a lift back to my guesthouse. I ate at a decent and very cheap chinese restaurant. Sweet and sour chicken with veggies and rice and a draft Dagon beer for $2.Not much to do in the evenings here. Most of the tea shops have TV's but they show soccer or Burmese shows.
Day 2
After breakfast I checked out of my guesthouse and into Mr. Kid. I thought there would be some other backpackers around but I was the only guest there. I got my room which also had a private back entrance and balcony outside. The women owner had two friendly little dogs who warmed up to me right away. She also had a true albino guinea pig, pink eyes and all! She didn't know what albinism was but I told her it was rare. I had to take a photo of this rare pet. I came to Hsipaw to go trekking and the woman here had some self guided maps.
My first destination was some local hot springs not too far away. I walked along the road and then branched off onto a trail through villages. I found the hot springs easily enough and no one was around them. They were in a totally natural settnig. Though they weren't really hot springs as warm springs. The water was only about 28C, nice and comfortable but not hot but when compared to a stream nearby they were hot. This cold spring stream was only about 10C! Even really cold just to cross in my bare feet as I had to. I hung out here for a while and then walked back to Mr. Kid.
I had lunch at the canteen and then went to the Black House Coffee shop, a large teak mansion on the river that served real coffee! Again, I thought there might be some people here, but nope, just me. I ordered a cappucino and it was delicious. I ate another cheap meal at the chinese restaurant. On the walk back to Mr. Kid, a teashop was showing the latest Indiana Jones movie in english. I had already seen it and thought it was really cheesy but decided to have a tea and sit and watch it. The nights drop to about 16C here but days are really warm. I liked the atmosphere of Hsipaw. I got a few stares from locals but they were a bit used to seeing backpackers in their town.
Day 3
Today my destination was 2 waterfalls. I walked the same way out of town as towards the hot springs but turned right instead of left at the cemetary. I passed through the town dump on the way. Some of it was smouldering and people were searching through it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I saw the waterfall from afar and thought that was good enough instead of walking to its base. I went back to the main road and hiked further to a village with a road leading to the other waterfall. There were lots of tracks in the village and I was directed a few times to the waterfall but just couldn't find my way, so I said screw it, it's only a waterfall. Hell, when you grow up in Niagara Falls, it's not a big deal to miss a waterfall! Back on the main road I decided to hitchhike my way back into town. I only held out my thumb for a minute when the first motorbike to go by gave me a lift.
I went online for a while and then relaxed and read in my room before devouring another cheap and tasty meal at Mr. Food. Unfortunately the tea shops were all showing some big soccer match tonight. I felt I had done enough in Hsipaw and left the next morning to Pyin U Lwin, a small town about 2 hours before Mandalay on the main road.
We stopped for breakfast at 9. I ate rice, chicken and some other stuff. Not normally what I would choose to eat for breakfast but again, not much choice and I was really hungry. The bus arrived in Hsipaw at 3. The town is really small and I just walked to my guesthouse. There are only 3 guesthouses licensed for foreigners in town. The guidebook really recommends Mr. Charles, 'Our Pick' they call it. Of course this is the one that most people go to but I had heard that there was construction going on beside it and sometimes I just don't feel like going to their pick. I heard the other 2 guesthouses were just as nice. I got a room at Nham Khae Mao for $4. It was a small concrete box, clean but the bathroom was downstairs and around the corner. After I checked in I went to check the other guesthouse, Mr. Kid. There I found a room for $4 also but it was bigger with more stuff inside and an attatched hot shower! I should've checked here first! Sure there was no breakfast included but for that price I didn't care.
After eating lunch at a tiny pick and point canteen, I walked up a hill behind town to a temple which is supposed to have good sunset views. I got up there just in time and it was a great view of the town. On the walk back down, an American couple in a taxi gave me a lift back to my guesthouse. I ate at a decent and very cheap chinese restaurant. Sweet and sour chicken with veggies and rice and a draft Dagon beer for $2.Not much to do in the evenings here. Most of the tea shops have TV's but they show soccer or Burmese shows.
Day 2
After breakfast I checked out of my guesthouse and into Mr. Kid. I thought there would be some other backpackers around but I was the only guest there. I got my room which also had a private back entrance and balcony outside. The women owner had two friendly little dogs who warmed up to me right away. She also had a true albino guinea pig, pink eyes and all! She didn't know what albinism was but I told her it was rare. I had to take a photo of this rare pet. I came to Hsipaw to go trekking and the woman here had some self guided maps.
My first destination was some local hot springs not too far away. I walked along the road and then branched off onto a trail through villages. I found the hot springs easily enough and no one was around them. They were in a totally natural settnig. Though they weren't really hot springs as warm springs. The water was only about 28C, nice and comfortable but not hot but when compared to a stream nearby they were hot. This cold spring stream was only about 10C! Even really cold just to cross in my bare feet as I had to. I hung out here for a while and then walked back to Mr. Kid.
I had lunch at the canteen and then went to the Black House Coffee shop, a large teak mansion on the river that served real coffee! Again, I thought there might be some people here, but nope, just me. I ordered a cappucino and it was delicious. I ate another cheap meal at the chinese restaurant. On the walk back to Mr. Kid, a teashop was showing the latest Indiana Jones movie in english. I had already seen it and thought it was really cheesy but decided to have a tea and sit and watch it. The nights drop to about 16C here but days are really warm. I liked the atmosphere of Hsipaw. I got a few stares from locals but they were a bit used to seeing backpackers in their town.
Day 3
Today my destination was 2 waterfalls. I walked the same way out of town as towards the hot springs but turned right instead of left at the cemetary. I passed through the town dump on the way. Some of it was smouldering and people were searching through it. One man's trash is another man's treasure. I saw the waterfall from afar and thought that was good enough instead of walking to its base. I went back to the main road and hiked further to a village with a road leading to the other waterfall. There were lots of tracks in the village and I was directed a few times to the waterfall but just couldn't find my way, so I said screw it, it's only a waterfall. Hell, when you grow up in Niagara Falls, it's not a big deal to miss a waterfall! Back on the main road I decided to hitchhike my way back into town. I only held out my thumb for a minute when the first motorbike to go by gave me a lift.
I went online for a while and then relaxed and read in my room before devouring another cheap and tasty meal at Mr. Food. Unfortunately the tea shops were all showing some big soccer match tonight. I felt I had done enough in Hsipaw and left the next morning to Pyin U Lwin, a small town about 2 hours before Mandalay on the main road.
U Bein Bridge
There are many sights to see around Mandalay but the only one that really interested me was U Bein bridge in the village of Amarapura, about 7km from Mandalay. On my walk back to the downtown after applying for my permit, I was approached by a taxi driver. I was going to rent a motorcycle to visit the bridge but wasn't looking forward to this due to the traffic. This taxi driver agreed to go for the same price as a bike rental so we agreed to meet at my hotel at 3.30. I wanted time to explore the bridge and to see sunset there.
The taxi driver was there on time and we left, dodging the traffic of Mandalay. My driver's vehicle was a blue 1962 Mazda pickup,but it was unlike any taxi I've ever been in. This vehicle was absolutely tiny. Our shoulders almost touch in the front cab. The pickup looked like it belonged in miniature world. It could have easily been lost in a child's dinky car set!
The road to the bridge went along the lake it crossed on one side and the village on the other. The village was really dirty with trash littered everywhere. The bridge is obviously a very tourist spot for independent and package tourists. There were large open air restuarants and vendors along the bridge. Beggars placed themselves strategically along the bridge. There was almost no hassle though so it was okay. When I arrived there was almost no other visitors there. I took time to walk almost the entire length of the bridge, taking photos along the way. I saw 2 snakes in the shallow water below. Around 4.30, the busloads of package tourists began to arrive but the bridge is wide enough for a car and 1.3 km long, so their numbers never felt overwhelming.
U Bein bridge is the world's longest teak footbridge and is over 200 years old. It's quite an amazing sight and unlike anything I've ever seen. Normally I'm not too into bridges but this one is something special. It was possible to hire a boat to take you across the lake but I thought this expensive for the very short ride. As it got closer to 5pm and the sun began to drop, a boatdriver approached me and offered me a discounted price because it was close to sunset. I accepted his offer because I did want to see the bridge from the water and thought there would be excellent photo opportunities for the bridge with the setting sun in the background. I was right, it was a very photogenic scene and an intense sunset. I stayed out on the lake after the sun went down for the after sunset colors. I was the last boat to come ashore.
Coming back into downtown, the traffic was horrendous. The fumes were enough to choke on and I thought 'I have to get out of this place!' and I did. The next day I left on a bus for the mountain town of Hsipaw.
Bagan to Mandalay
Most buses in Myanmar seem to leave really early morning, at 6am or before. Thankfully going to Mandalay I had a choice and choose the latter bus at 9am. The bus wasn't in great shape. I didn't get a window seat either! Myanmar is one country that is really particular that you sit where your seat number says. I've never seen this more strictly enforced in any other country. After an hour the guy beside me got off, so I took his window seat. We stopped around noon and I asked a guy if we were staying for lunch. He said we were. He spoke a bit of english and I sat beside him and his friend. He was very smartly and cleanly dressed.
There are a few things very unique to Myanmar. One of them being the longyi, kind of like a skirt for men. Women also were them but they just look like a regular skirt on a woman. About 95% of the men wear a longyi and it looks comfy but I'm not going to be one of those foreigners that wears one! The other thing is thanaka, a sandalwood type paste that is smeared on the face during the day and the body at night. It's a natural sun block and supposed to be good for the skin.
This guy from the bus was wearing pants, not a longyi. After lunch, he paid for my meal, very nice of him. The bus trucked along slowly. At another rest stop, this guy paid for my pop too. There was no stopping him!
We finally arrived in Mandalay at 4.30 at the highway bus station, 7km from the downtown. The guy, his friend and I shared a pickup into town. I took the $7 room at the Nylon Hotel, over the $5 room, basically because it was much larger, nicer and had TV, HBO at that! Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar and is kind of a smaller version of Yangon. I didn't like it too much. Lots of crazy traffic. The British designed the block grid street system, which is great for finding streets. The downside is, there are mass intersections and hardly any traffic lights. The traffic that wants to cross the street just inch their way out slowy into the other traffic until they are forced to stop and they can cross. It's a crazy system but seems to work. I've learned to stand right beside a car or motorbike and cross synchronised with them.
I ate a delicious dinner of chapattis and curry chicken on the street at a chapatti stand. All that and a Star cola, for $1.80. I watched movies later when the power was on. The electricity is erratic here to say the least. When it's not on, the city is very dark. Many places have a generator, hell, Nylon hotel is above a generator shop! But there are few street lights on the government grid, so it's dark in the streets. Thankfully, traffic dies off early in the night. It's really warm here, my room stays a lot warmer than outside and at night it's about 28C. I do have A/C but it only works when governmentt power is on, so I've just been using my fan. It's fine, I can sleep in the heat with a fan. I'm on the 5th floor which is a pain for going and coming on the stairs but breakfast is served just outside my door in the dining area.
I'll be spending the next 2 weeks of my trip in this area of Myanmar. I wanted to fly from Mandalay to Chang Mai in Thailand when I leave Myanmar and then overland into Laos. The guidebook said it was possible but I went to a travel agent and he said those flights haven't been running for 2 years now! I wonder if the guidebook authors do update everything or just add it in from previous editions? I have the latest edition, with information no more than a year old. Going back to Yangon and then flying to Chang Mai is expensive and time consuming. I can fly to the border with Thailand but need a government permit to do this and cross the border. Going overland to the border is not allowed, not sure why. There's stuff going on there the government doesn't want seen, like opium fields. It is afterall part of the Golden triangle, the tri-border area of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar that grows much of the world's opium.
I went to the government run Myanmar Travels and Tours (MTT) to apply for my permit. It would take 2 weeks but that's fine because I have 18 days till my one month visa expires. When applying they want to know everything. Where I've been so far, where I stayed, how I got around and where I will be going for the rest of my trip. Maybe they'll follow me around! Seriously, they do that. The guy at the office said permits are generally issued without hassle most of the time but can't guarantee. A lot hinges on this permit for me. He told me to call the office in a week and he will know for sure then if I get my permit. Either way, they have my $50!
There are a few things very unique to Myanmar. One of them being the longyi, kind of like a skirt for men. Women also were them but they just look like a regular skirt on a woman. About 95% of the men wear a longyi and it looks comfy but I'm not going to be one of those foreigners that wears one! The other thing is thanaka, a sandalwood type paste that is smeared on the face during the day and the body at night. It's a natural sun block and supposed to be good for the skin.
This guy from the bus was wearing pants, not a longyi. After lunch, he paid for my meal, very nice of him. The bus trucked along slowly. At another rest stop, this guy paid for my pop too. There was no stopping him!
We finally arrived in Mandalay at 4.30 at the highway bus station, 7km from the downtown. The guy, his friend and I shared a pickup into town. I took the $7 room at the Nylon Hotel, over the $5 room, basically because it was much larger, nicer and had TV, HBO at that! Mandalay is the second largest city in Myanmar and is kind of a smaller version of Yangon. I didn't like it too much. Lots of crazy traffic. The British designed the block grid street system, which is great for finding streets. The downside is, there are mass intersections and hardly any traffic lights. The traffic that wants to cross the street just inch their way out slowy into the other traffic until they are forced to stop and they can cross. It's a crazy system but seems to work. I've learned to stand right beside a car or motorbike and cross synchronised with them.
I ate a delicious dinner of chapattis and curry chicken on the street at a chapatti stand. All that and a Star cola, for $1.80. I watched movies later when the power was on. The electricity is erratic here to say the least. When it's not on, the city is very dark. Many places have a generator, hell, Nylon hotel is above a generator shop! But there are few street lights on the government grid, so it's dark in the streets. Thankfully, traffic dies off early in the night. It's really warm here, my room stays a lot warmer than outside and at night it's about 28C. I do have A/C but it only works when governmentt power is on, so I've just been using my fan. It's fine, I can sleep in the heat with a fan. I'm on the 5th floor which is a pain for going and coming on the stairs but breakfast is served just outside my door in the dining area.
I'll be spending the next 2 weeks of my trip in this area of Myanmar. I wanted to fly from Mandalay to Chang Mai in Thailand when I leave Myanmar and then overland into Laos. The guidebook said it was possible but I went to a travel agent and he said those flights haven't been running for 2 years now! I wonder if the guidebook authors do update everything or just add it in from previous editions? I have the latest edition, with information no more than a year old. Going back to Yangon and then flying to Chang Mai is expensive and time consuming. I can fly to the border with Thailand but need a government permit to do this and cross the border. Going overland to the border is not allowed, not sure why. There's stuff going on there the government doesn't want seen, like opium fields. It is afterall part of the Golden triangle, the tri-border area of Laos, Thailand and Myanmar that grows much of the world's opium.
I went to the government run Myanmar Travels and Tours (MTT) to apply for my permit. It would take 2 weeks but that's fine because I have 18 days till my one month visa expires. When applying they want to know everything. Where I've been so far, where I stayed, how I got around and where I will be going for the rest of my trip. Maybe they'll follow me around! Seriously, they do that. The guy at the office said permits are generally issued without hassle most of the time but can't guarantee. A lot hinges on this permit for me. He told me to call the office in a week and he will know for sure then if I get my permit. Either way, they have my $50!
Bagan
Bagan
Upon arriving in Nyuang U,I was still tired from the early morning bus and the first thing I did was catch up on some sleep. I went out to eat lunch after that. The New Heaven guesthouse where I'm staying, is a block away from ' Restaurant Row', a road lined with restuarants, shops and travel agencies geared towards foreigners. Many of the places have the same menu. I just relaxed on my porch for the afternoon until I went out for dinner.
The guidebook mentions a few standout places for dinner so I thought I would try their recommended Aroma 2 for Indian food. This restaurant, like many, has a great atmosphere with tables out under the stars with candles on them. The food was very delicious and probably as close to real Indian food that I will find in Myanmar.
Day 2
I slept in till 8 and then had the complimentary breakfast. There are many ways to explore the nearby temples and today I decided to rent a bike for $1.50. It was a junky chinese bike but it would do. The temples started just minutes after I left the small village of Nyuang U. Some of the temples are marked and described in the guidebook but there's just too many to mention them all.
At last count there were 2230 temples and another 1800 brick mounds that used to be something. The temple builders started in 1057 and built relentlessly for the next 230 years before being overrun by the Mongols of Kublai Khan. The temples are crammed onto a small 26sq mile plain. It's mindblowing to be standing on one of the higher temples and look out over the bagan plain and see an endless vista of stupas, the cylindrical cone that tops the temples. A massive earthquake in 1975 devastated Bagan, but many of the temples have since been restored.
The first few temples I explored were lesser known and I had them all to myself. It wasn't until I got to one of the more famous ones that I saw how touristy and annoying Bagan can be. Vendors selling souvenirs line the entrances to the pagodas and are relentless with offers to buy or just come have a look. Even just making eye contact can result in constant pestering but I found that most respond to a firm 'no thank-you'. The only souvenir I bought here was some old Burmese $ for my $ collection back home. I spent the whole day exploring different temples, some were crowded, some I had almost to myself. I only stopped for lunch. I rode back to the guesthouse around 3 and then headed out again for sunset at 4.30 atop buledi temple. Some of the temples are jam packed with foreigners at sunset but Buledi was supposed to be a low key sunset place and it was. There was only about a dozen other people up there. Sunset from third level of the temple, reached by climbing outside stairs, was amazing. The silhouttes of the temples with the vivid colors of dusk was very photogenic. The sun sets very early here. I thought it would be around 6pm but at exactly 5.20, the sun dipped below the horizon. However some of the most intense colors didn't begin to reveal themselves until long after the sun had set. At around 5.40, the sky was intense. I was the last one to leave the temple and rode back in the dark.
Once back at the guesthouse I met Charlie and Nina, a British couple staying at New Heaven who I had been seeing around during the day. We went out to eat at a restaurant specializing in Thai food. After eating there and the Indian place, I knew I would just divide my time between these 2 places for all my dinner meals.
Day 3
I hired a bike again today to explore but instead I hired the bike from an outside travel agency as they had newer and better bikes for the same price as the shitty New Heaven bikes. It was so much easier on this bike. I road straight to Old Bagan, a walled city with many famous temples in a small area. I parked my bike at the first temple and then did a circuit on foot.
I ate lunch at Golden Myanmar, a purely Burmese place that was packed. I was the only white face. I ordered chicken curry and rice and this came with 8 side dishes! This is normal for Burmese cuisine, many small side dishes.Some of the side dishes were good, like corn and veggies, while others were bitter and disgusting. They fill up the rice and side dishes as fast as you can empty them. Lunch with a soda averages about $3.
Back at the guesthouse I ran into Charlie and Nina again as I was getting ready to go out for sunset. They had a temple in mind for sunset that they had seen earlier in the day and I joined them. It was far out but reachable along a paved road. There were only 3 other people there. Sunset was great, though not as colorful as the previous night. Charlie,Nina and I went out to eat at Aroma 2. They also love curry. They are on a year long driving trip across Europe and Asia but left their Landcruiser in Thailand while they came to Myanmar. They were short on time and were leaving the next day.
Day 3
I was a bit sore from the seat of my bike and was looking to hire a horsecart to explore today. It would be a bit pricey for just me so I was hoping to find at least one other person to share. I saw two guys looking over a map at my guesthouse and approached them after I ate breakfast. They were also looking to rent a horsecart and I could join them. They were Rihot and Jaron, both from Singapore. Our driver first took us out to near the place where I had spent sunset the previous night. From there we toured to some temples I had already seen and others I had not. Our driver Min Min spoke some English and was a funny guy. His horse, Rambo, was in good shape and seemed to know the route as well as he did. I wasn't too picky on where we were going so I ended up back at Buledi for sunset again. Tonight's sunset was spectacular. Vivid and surreal colors of pink and orangey red that got more intense after the sun set behind the distant hills at 5.20. I have so many sunset pictures!
Back in Nyuang U, the 3 of us went out to eat at the Thai restaurant. Rihot and Jaron weren't really my type of traveller though. They moved much too fast and left the next day for some other place.
Day 4
Besides the temples, there were some other sites I wanted to see in the area. The main one being Mount Popa, about 60km away. I would have to hire a car to go there and was only going to do it if I could share the car. I met John, an American, the night before and he was also interested in seeing Mt. Popa. The 2 of us and another older Austrian guy shared the car to Mt. Popa. The mountain is actually a small and freestanding ancient volcanic plug in front of another higher and larger mountain. On top of the 2418'Mt.Popa are numerous monasteries, stupas and shrines. Macaque monkeys are all over the mountain and unafraid of humans. The 25 minute climb to the top has to be done barefoot. The walkway is covered to provide relief from the sun but I had to watch out to avoid monkey feces and urine on the steps. Thankfully some locals spend their days cleaning the steps but not all of them are clean. The bold monkeys have no fear and it's possible to get very close for a photo, just hold onto your bag and camera! I hung out on the top for a while taking in the views of the surrounding plains. I ran into Paul, an Irish guy I had been seeing all over Bagan but never really spoke to him before. Now I run into him on top of Mt. Popa, it's a small world!
I ran into him again in Popa village were we had lunch. He came here by public transport but his ride had left before he got down the mountain. We squeezed him into the middle seat in the back of our taxi. On our way back we stopped at a small shack where they make peanut oil. No one was really doing anything when we were there but they sat us down and gave us tea and snacks. I saw bamboo ladders tied up to palm trees nearby which means only one thing - palm wine! I asked our driver about sampling some Toddy, as palm wine is known here, and it was no problem. They brought us out a shot glass each. It wasn't the best palm wine I've had, but it was still good. After that they brought out the heavy stuff. Jaggery wine is crystal clear and 40%. Again we were given a shot glass of that. It was harsh but not as bad as I thought it would be and had an pleasnt aftertaste. After our local liquor sampling, we each gave some small money and then we headed back to Nyuang U.
I hadn't been online for over a week, so I went to check my email. This internet cafe was able to bypass government restrictions and I went on my blog to update. I had dinner again at Aroma 2. After spending 4 days in Bagan I was ready to move on. I bought a bus ticket for Mandalay to leave the next morning.
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