Back in Front

Day 34, 6th October – On Our Way Home

There is not much chance of getting a western breakfast in this area of Singapore and the nearest McDonalds is too far of a walk in Singapore’s humidity. We will just kill time for a couple of hours and then get a taxi to the airport and grab something there. Prior to departing the hotel I thought I would check how many points I had left on our Emirates frequent flyer program, Skywards. To my surprise we still had enough points left to secure an upgrade if one was available. Apparently our upgrade from Brisbane to Singapore had only taken 75,000 points. Unfortunately, when I logged onto the site at 10:30 we were unable to check as the site closes this option 6 hours prior to the flight. Not to be deterred I rang the Emirates office and asked if they had business class seats available. Our luck was out as the representative informed us that nothing was available.

We checked out of the hotel around 11:30 and within two minutes we had hailed a taxi off the street and were heading out to Changi International Airport where the big jet liners roar (Now that was a good line from the 1971 Susan Raye classic L.A. International Airport). At the airport we were so early that the Emirates counter was not yet open. Just as we were about to head upstairs for a bite to eat we spotted the Emirates staff heading towards row 6. Alice and I joined nobody in the line and after a short wait a young lady welcomed us. My first question to her was “We have a lot of skyward miles, are there any business class seats available”. She responded with “Just a minute sir, I will check”. With fingers crossed and what seemed like an eternity she smiled at us and said she had given us the front seats next to the window. As the halleluiah chorus exploded in my head Alice and I could not contain our smiles. When we had our boarding passes in our hands we headed promptly for the immigration counter, duty free shop and the business class lounge. As I write this tome we have just finished a delectable lunch and are now sipping on Veuve Clicquot champagne. We love it and our only wish is that our flight will be delayed. No such luck as the emirates flight landed on time at 2:00pm Singapore time.

Just after 3:00pm we boarded the flight and took up residence in our capsules. The steward soon appeared with a couple of glasses of ice cold Moet Chandon and some assorted toasted nuts. The remainder of our flight to Brisbane could not have been more relaxing. This is the way to travel no turbulence, heaps of room, great food and wine. Alice and I could get used to this.

Day 35, 7th October – Touch Down

Within ten minutes of landing we had cleared immigration and because we had flown business class our bags had priority. Unfortunately that priority was not extended to the customs area. There were only three staff working and they were still processing passengers from the previous flights that had originated from Bali and Hong Kong. It was like a scene from the reality program Border Control. There were suitcases open and food strewn all over the counter. We were second in line and after about 20 minutes it was our turn. One minute later we had finished and heading into the arrivals lounge. We soon spotted our Emirates limousine chauffer who helped us with our luggage. Twenty minutes later we pulled into the driveway of Kawaku Lodge. We were officially home and another great holiday has concluded. I have to say that all the hype about Myanmar being a great destination is well founded.

Inle Lake

Day 29, 1st October – Pyin Oo Lwin

This morning our driver is taking us to Pyin Oo Lwin which is located in the Shan Highland, some 67 kilometers east of Mandalay, and at an altitude of 1070 meters (3510 ft).  In 1896, a permanent military post was established in the town and later, because of its climate, it became a hill station and the summer capital of British Burma. The establishment in Burma (civil, commercial and military) would move to Maymyo during the hot season to escape from the high heat and humidity of Rangoon. The British named the location Maymyo, literally May's Town in Burmese, after Colonel May, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny and commander of the Bengal Regiment temporarily stationed at the location of the town in 1887.

The drive took about 90 minutes and the last third was the long climb up the mountain range. It was not as scenic as the road to Mt Popa but nevertheless it was interesting. We stopped short of our destination so we could visit one of the highest waterfalls in Myanmar. The walk down to the waterfall took about 40 minutes and Alice was accompanied all the way by one of the local girls who was hoping to sell her a cold drink. She even provided Alice with a bamboo walking stick. At the bottom there was a small shack and a couple of locals working on the construction of a small Buddhist temple. The waterfall itself was not that high but there was a huge volume of murky brown water pouring over the rocky face. The spray engulfed us and we were soon quite damp. There was no chance of a swim so we got ready for the long haul back up the hill. Alice was feeling a bit queasy so we negotiated a trip back up the hill on a motorcycle. I decided to walk as I definitely need the exercise.

Alice’s assistant attached herself to me and we set off at a cracking pace. The humidity was high and it wasn’t long before I was drenched in sweat. The local girl was definitely used to travelling up and down the mountain and she was doing a good job of making feel inadequate by fanning me with her bamboo hat. To be honest I was powering along and after 25 minutes she enticed me to take a detour on the pretense that it was a shortcut. I’m glad she did as we ended up at a small Buddhist temple that was built around a limestone cave. Inside the cave there were stalagmites, stalactites and small Buddha statues which were highlighted by low voltage incandescent lighting. Even with this brief detour I still made it back to the summit in good time. At the top I found out that Alice had inadvertently broken the law. Yes, Alice who always tries to do the right thing was a no good lawbreaker. It turned out that it is now against the law to taxi people back up the mountain. A fair amount of jealousy seems to be at play because the restaurant owners at the top were quick to realize that Alice could not have walked back in such a short time. Quite a few questions were asked and Alice reckons that it occupied their conversations for quite awhile.

After all that excitement we headed into town and took a stroll around the local market. I purchased a couple of more longyis which will be quite useful at the beach. The market was huge and sold everything from clothes to fruit and vegetables. We did pass on the chicken entrails and feet that were swarming with flies. Most of the livestock appears to be freshly killed as you can see the blood on the pavement. Kyaw Kyaw then took us to lunch at a local restaurant. I don’t know what he ordered but about 12 plates of various foods ended up on the table. There was one dish however that none of us ate. He thought that it came from a local goat and to me it had the look and texture of the dreaded offal. The rest of the food was delicious. Kyaw Kyaw picked up the tab and I noticed that he got change from his 5000 kyat note. Now that is a bargain and it means that it pays to eat with the locals.

With lunch over we headed off to the beautiful National Kandawgyi Gardens. Along the way we passed some of the colourfully painted horse drawn carriages that act as taxis for the tourists as well as the locals. The park has a $US5 admission fee for foreigners but the cost is well worth it. When you see the beautiful gardens featuring terraces of dahlias and roses you can understand why it is known as the “Flower City”. It is the Burmese equivalent of Toowoomba. Other features of the Gardens were the huge lake, elevated timber walkway through the forest, orchid garden, butterfly museum and a walk-in aviary. Alice and I proved to be very popular as a large group of local women wanted their pictures taken with us. The Gardens are definitely worth a visit and we both wished that we had more time to explore them further.

To end the day we drove around the streets at the southern end of town to admire some of the older colonial buildings. We stopped for a look at the Candacraig Hotel that was formerly the British Club. It comes complete with turrets and is set in an attractively manicured lawn. There is a hint of the old British Raj here! Prior to us heading back to Mandalay Kyaw Kyaw took us to a local coffee shop that was set up on the side of the road. Judging by the looks we received and the fact that the menu was not in English we doubted that they had received even a few western customers. The coffee for three and the custard desert for Alice was good and cost around $1.65.

Back in Mandalay we paid our 65000 kyat ($70) for Kyaw Kyaw’s services. He has been an excellent driver over the past four days and his local knowledge and enthusiasm mde this a memorable stop for us.

Day 30, 2nd October –Inle Lake

This morning we do not have to rush as our short KBZ flight to Heho (Inle Lake) does not depart until 10:20am. Our taxi to the airport arrived on time at 8:30am and sped us off to the airport which is a mere 50 minute drive away. It’s a bit like us having to drive to the Gold Coast to catch an Air Asia flight. The flight departed on time and I inwardly laughed when the Captain announced that our flight time would be 25 minutes. There was a lot of low cloud cover and when we saw the hostess buckle up beside us we knew that were in for some severe turbulence. When the plane suddenly dropped Alice grabbed my wrist and nearly crushed it. The flight was soon over and within a few minutes of landing we were in a taxi heading for the town of Nyaungshwe on the shores of Inle Lake. Journey time from the airport is nearly an hour and the fare is 25000 kyat. Given the amount of time spent travelling between airports it would nearly be worthwhile taking a taxi for the entire journey.

The drive from the airport was fairly relaxing with some great views from the mountain range. Our room at the aptly named Brilliant Hotel is brilliant. It is well appointed with a bathroom that is nearly as big as our room in Mandalay. After settling in we took one of the free bicycles and headed downtown to check out the Mingala Market. This busy market at the entrance to town was flooded with locals as there is a festival occurring at the moment. Traders from the lake bring in fresh fish and produce from the floating gardens. There were also traders selling clothing, blankets, hardware and local crafts.

After the markets we headed out of town in search of the Red Mountain winery. We found the turn off and cycled for about 4 km along a road that was lined with farms. The last section was up a steep hill but it was well worth it. The view across the valley to the lake and distant mountain range was stupendous. If you would have told me four weeks ago that Alice and I would be tasting wine in the middle of Myanmar I would have laughed. It was about 4:30pm when we ordered our tasting sample of four locally grown wines. They were all fresh with a reasonable bouquet and quite dry. We decided to make an afternoon of it and ordered some food and a bottle of sauvignon blanc. It was the perfect accompaniment to the view and sunset we experienced. Time was getting away from us and we still had a few clicks to cycle so we hit the road. We made it back to the hotel just as the light disappeared.

Day 31, 3rd October – A Day on the Lake

The alarm went off at 5:15am which gave us plenty of time to get ready for our 7:30am departure to the lake. Before leaving the hotel provided a great breakfast that filled all the cavities. The hotel arranged the trip for us and because the location of Inle Lake’s five day market was in the village of Thaung Tho which is at the southern end of the lake. The cost was 25000 kyat.

Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in a district of the Shan State. It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 44.9 square miles (116 km2), and one of the highest at an elevation of 2,900 feet (880 m). During the dry season, the average water depth is 7 feet (2.1 m), with the deepest point being 12 feet (3.7 m), but during the rainy season this can increase by 1.5m. Most transportation on the lake is traditionally by small boats, or by somewhat larger boats fitted with single cylinder inboard diesel engines. Local fishermen are known for practicing a distinctive rowing style which involves standing at the stern on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar. This unique style evolved for the reason that the lake is covered by reeds and floating plants making it difficult to see above them while sitting. Standing provides the rower with a view beyond the reeds. However, the leg rowing style is only practiced by the men. Women row in the customary style, using the oar with their hands, sitting cross legged at the stern.

Our hotel has organized our trip today and they drove us down to the jetty to meet our boatman. Our slender wooden canoe could easily accommodate six passengers however it is just Alice and I. There are two comfortable wooden seats with cushions in the middle of the boat but there is no shade. Umbrellas are provided but it pays to lather up and wear a hat. We were soon surging out onto the lake to the thumping sound of our long-tailed outboard motor. Our young driver was excellent as he slowed almost to a stop whenever we wanted to take a photograph. Out on the wide expanses of the lake we stopped to admire the local fishermen as they laid out their nets and propelled their boats forward with the oar wrapped around one foot.

The itinerary today is a mix of markets, traditional crafts, pagodas and the floating gardens. Our first stop was a silver factory where they made all manner of items. When you see a sign in a shop that is located in the middle of a lake displaying visa and mastercard you know that some of the items will have a hefty price tag. That said the workmanship was excellent and Alice bought herself a nice pair of earrings. When the boatman pulled into the five day market we had a chance to stretch our legs. There was plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables for sale. The local Shan women with their brightly coloured head pieces were buying plenty. When they were fully loaded up they started up the mountain path for the long trek home. There was also small fish that were just starting to smell on offer but we thought that the local handicrafts were more to our taste.

Prior to lunch we had a few more stops to make at the local handicraft stores. There was a huge local weaving operation that was making cloth and items from silk, cotton and the root from the Lotus plant. We were told that the lotus weave was seven times more expensive than the silk. Next stop was a blacksmith where they had a small forge fired by charcoal. When we arrived they were in the process of belting out a knife that could be used in the harvesting of the lotus roots. Our lunch destination was also where they made local cigarettes and cigars. We declined the offer of a drag and the temptation to purchase a canister of the local weed.

Lunch was a pleasant affair as we obviously had a waterfront table where we could enjoy an uninterrupted view of the lake. The food was good but we spent our time admiring the different boats and buildings that dot the lake. The basic home starter is a small thatched hut that sits precariously on bamboo poles. The older ones have a bigger lean than the tower of Pisa. The next model up comes with a bright shiny corrugated tin roof and may even support a solar panel. There is usually an attached bamboo outhouse without any noticeable plumbing. I wonder what the fish are eating? The top of the range accommodation is a two storey timber construction with strong wooden poles for support. The timber that isn’t covered with a large green advertisement for Myanmar Lager Beer is kept looking good by a red wash that is sponged on in liberal amounts. Most of the homes also come equipped with a satellite dish for watching the latest Myanmar soapie or their version of “The Bold”.

Alice and I were handcrafted out but we still had the traditional parasol factory to visit. Judging by the enthusiasm of the sales staff I think they were over it as well. The temples just keep on coming so Alice and I removed our footwear yet again and visited the Buddha that is enshrined in the Phaung Daw Oo Paya.There was a good procession of local men (no women allowed) who were sticking gold leaf on some of the small Buddha statues. The view of the lake from the top floor was quite good. Our last hurrah was at the Nga Hpe Kyaung (monastery) which is also known as The Jumping Cat Monastery. The story goes that the Monks were a little bored with life on the lake so they trained the local cats to jump through hoops. This was a hit with the locals as well as tourists. On our visit there were plenty of cats but like the Monks they were bored and just sleeping on a rattan mat. Apparently some “do gooders” thought this was cruel and the practice has stopped.

The last section of our day out before heading back across the open expanse of the lake was spent motoring down some narrow canals looking at where the locals grow vegetables and fruit in large gardens that float on the surface of the lake. The floating garden beds are formed by extensive manual labor. The farmers gather up lake-bottom weeds from the deeper parts of the lake, bring them back in boats and make them into floating beds in their garden areas, anchored by bamboo poles. These gardens rise and fall with changes in the water level, and so are resistant to flooding.The gardens are so tightly packed with hyacinth and lotus that I half expected to see Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn pulling the African Queen.

As we approached the last three miles of our trip we noticed some weary locals who had been competing in energetic leg-rowing contests. There must be at least 50 rowers on each boat and they are all happy to be taking part in the Phaung Daw Oo Paya festival. Around 4:30pm we pulled into our little mooring near the centre of town. It was a great day out and well worth the kyat we paid.

Back at the hotel we were greeted by the staff who are just wonderful. I think that this is due to the fact that they are predominantly all women. I cant’ walk ten paces without them getting me an umbrella or throwing me a beaming smile. The women even carried our luggage to and from the room. They protested when I tried to help. To top it off the afternoon they delivered two plates of fresh bananas covered in honey to our room. We were just about to turn on the television when there was a knock on the door and a voice said room service. It was our Kiwi neighbour Simon who came to invite us over for a glass of wine on their balcony. We have run into him and his partner Leila all over Myanmar. It was a great evening just chillin’ out and having a good chin wag.

Day 32, 4th October – Back in Yangon

Well we had a great stay at Inle Lake and would highly recommend the Brilliant Hotel. The airport at Heho was in direct contrast to our arrival. There were heaps of passengers arriving and departing. The place was a scene of organized chaos with placard bearing tour groups and vehicles everywhere. Our flight back to Yangon was about 30 minutes late and in the end uneventful. For our last night in Yangon we have booked a room at a hotel with the strange name, “Mothers Home”. Part of the attraction for this hotel is that they offer a free pick-up and drop-off for the airport. I could not remember if I had passed on our arrival flight details so I was surprised when I noticed a young man with a placard bearing our name. The hotel is reasonably modern and is a good choice if you are staying only one or two nights in Yangon. They also offer a free ride to the down town area after breakfast.

After a quick freshen up we took a taxi (3500 kyat) at around 2:45pm to the Bogyoke Aung San market so Alice could do some last minute shopping. We did not realize that the market closed just after 4:00pm so she only had a limited to do this large centre justice. There was some reprieve for her as a couple of blocks away there is a street market where most of the locals go. She was in her element as in the next 90 minutes she managed to burrow her way through ever stall in the area. I even managed to make a few purchases myself.

We were running low on cash so we took stock over a couple of ice cold fruit shakes. I sourced an ATM and with plenty of kyat in our pockets we took a taxi to the Green Elephant restaurant. This is our second visit here and we have not been disappointed with the quality or the cost of the food. The cocktails and reasonably priced beer are an added attraction.

Day 33, 5th October – Red Light Singapore

This morning we had a rather painless trip to the airport where we will catch a Jetstar flight to Singapore. The check-in was reasonably quick and I was glad that we had purchased an extra 10kg for our baggage. That saved us from stuffing our backpacks with all the heavy items. We arrived in Singapore at 4:00pm and 15 minutes later we had cleared immigration and had our luggage on a trolley heading for the taxi queue. The system here works well as everyone is in a long race and you go when it is your turn.

Our hotel has a sweet smelling name, the “Fragrance Hotel Ruby”. It is part of a chain of hotels that offers cheap accommodation in Singapore. The only downside is that it is located in the Geyland Road area which is the red light district of Singapore. It is also a little further from the shopping and attractions but a good option for an overnight stay. The room is small but functional with amenities such as a hair dryer, electric jug and a large television.

I went out for a walk to check out options for dinner and was immediately struck by the number of men milling about the streets. There were hundreds of them and hardly a woman in sight. I headed down the main drag and saw a westerner sitting in a restaurant by himself. We made eye contact and I wondered over for a chat. His name was Paco and he was working here for Google. I declined his offer of a beer but spent about an hour with him just chewing the fat.

It was just after 7:00pm when I returned to the hotel. Alice said I was unlucky as she had just watched the highlights of South Sydney winning the grand final. Go the Rabbits! We decided to return to the restaurant where I had met Paco as they had Chilli Crab on the menu at a reasonable price. Paco was still there but he was chatting with one of the local prostitutes so we took a table by ourselves and placed our order. A little later Paco’s companion left and he joined us at our table. It turned out that she was in need of some cash but Paco wasn’t buying. He did however buy Alice and I a few beers and we spent a convivial evening together. Our impression was that he was a gentle soul with a generous heart.

The road to Mandalay

Day 20, 22nd September – Onwards to Kota Bharu
A nice leisurely breakfast, a swim and then back to our room to finish packing our bags as our speedboat has been booked for midday. Alice and I have had a terrific time in the Perhentians and would recommend this as a laid back destination for those who like it hot and sandy with some great snorkeling. Lucky we were at reception early as our boat was ready to leave at 11:30am. With our suitcases on board our boat sped off to Kuala Besut where we arrived 35 minutes later. 

After browsing the local market for a suitable dive T-shirt we negotiated a taxi for the journey to Kota Bharu. The journey is 55km is mostly through farming and fishing communities and took 1.25 hours. The fare for the trip was an unbelievable RM75 ($25) for delivery to our next hotel the Crystal Lodge. Our room is small but has all the basic necessities for us to enjoy our stay. Alice was keen to have a walk around the city centre and check out the Central Market and local bazaars. The market was a bit of a disappointment as the ground floor only sold produce and seafood. The upper floors were mostly deserted so Alice moved on to the bazaar that was next door. She had more luck here and managed to find some Batik place mats. After a couple of hours the stifling heat and humidity started to fatigue us. It was back to the hotel and some air conditioned comfort.

In the late afternoon I went for a walk to try and stake out some likely options for dinner. The river is nearby and there was a quite new promenade which was a perfect way to enjoy the breeze that was cooling down the day. There were a couple of floating humpies moored to the bank and a couple of guys trying their luck in the turgid water. I did manage to find a couple of local restaurants that offered all the local delights. We settled on one that had small red plastic chairs which is always a sign of a cheap meal. A young local guy helped us out with the menu and we ended up with two dishes which we shared, naan bread and two bottles of water. The meal set us back RM10 ($3.35) which nearly broke the bank.

Day 21, 23rd September – In Transit

There is no hurry this morning as our flight to Kula Lumpur does not depart until 12:05pm. We had a lazy sleep in and the grazed over what was a very good buffet breakfast and decent coffee.

At the airport we were nice and early so there was no queuing required. The check-in process was nice and smooth and filled with compliments for yours truly. I can only think that the James Bond movies must be popular in Malaysia as the young male attendant commented that I looked like Daniel Craig. What could I say but thank you. With time to kill we deposited RM5 into a chair and received a 15 minute mechanical massage. Not a bad way to kill some time.

We arrived at the new budget terminal KLIA2 on time and then proceeded to walk forever to the baggage carousel. By the time we arrived there were only a few bags left. I was very impressed with the efficiency of the ground staff. The terminal is a work in progress with space for many more stores and facilities. Unfortunately the bus and taxi terminals are not centrally located so it was a long walk to this area. We could have waited another 30 minutes for a free shuttle bus to our overnight hotel but we were tired of hanging around the terminal. Instead we chose to take a 10 minute taxi ride to the Concorde Inn for RM33 ($11).

I was very impressed with the check-in process and the girl on duty arranged a wakeup call for 3:30am (OMG) and a free shuttle bus for us at 4:00am. Our room was spacious and had all the mod cons. After settling in we hit the hotel gymnasium for a one hour work out and then a relaxing dip in the pool. Due to our start time tomorrow we decided on an early dinner. We splashed out and had cocktails, wine and a superb buffet dinner. There were numerous choices which were all cooked to our satisfaction. It would have been easy to be glutinous but that would have undone all the gym work so we refrained from making pigs of ourselves. It was lights out at 10:30pm.

Day 22, 24th September – Myanmar

My eyes were wide open when the alarm went off as I had not slept a wink all night. Shortly afterwards the wakeup call shrilled loudly but I had already surged out of bed to get the jug boiled so that Alice could have her cup of tea. As we approached reception we could see our driver waiting for us. As we are the only two customers at this ungodly hour they have allocated a nice SUV for our free transit trip to the terminal. Normally we would be dropped as the bus terminal but our driver delivered us right to the departure area. We would certainly recommend the Concorde Inn for a Kula Lumpur overnight transit stop.

No Daniel Craig this morning but we were checked-in rather promptly and had plenty of time to kill before our flight. We found a McDonalds and had one of their ordinary breakfasts but a rather good coffee. Our flight departed on time and touched down at Yangon International Airport ahead of schedule. We were processed reasonably quickly through immigration and soon had our bags on a trolley heading for an exit. Even though we had nothing to declare our bags as well as others were x-rayed prior to clearing customs. There was no way that we were going to catch a bus from the airport so we found a taxi counter and paid about $8 for an air conditioned ride to our hotel.

In Myanmar vehicles drive on the right hand side of the road and as we were being driven to our hotel Alice had an epiphany. She had observed that all the vehicles are right hand drive which I suppose makes it cheaper to import from countries like Malaysia and Thailand who like us drive on the left. It took about 45 minutes to arrive at our accommodation, Wai Wai Place. There are only three rooms and luckily ours was available for an early check-in. Twenty year old Kenneth who speaks good English and appears to be in charge is a wealth of information.

After settling in he quickly arranged for a taxi to convey us to the main railway station in Yangon. Our aim is to purchase tickets on the overnight sleeper between Yangon and Bagan for tomorrow night. An entrepreneurial local who makes a habit of hanging around train stations guided us to the booking office which is on the opposite side of the main station entrance. I could almost see his eyes light up when the booking clerk advised us that there were no sleepers available. He wanted to take us to an office which dispensed free tourist information. As we all know the word free more often than not comes with a catch.

In this instance it was the family travel agency. Alice and I thought what the heck, as we need to organize our onward journey anyway. The two options were an overnight bus that arrived Bagan at 5:00am or an early morning flight. Flying was definitely the better option but we needed somewhere to stay for the extra night in Yangon. Luckily, we had Wai Wai’s contact number and a quick call secured us the required night. We also arranged for a flight between Bagan and Mandalay as the Irrawaddy River cruise was not operating on the date that we wanted. $US352 later we left White Falcon Tours as fleeced but satisfied customers. (The flights were the correct price as I had checked out the cost prior to leaving home).

With the business done we decided to take a walk past Yangon’s colonial treasures. We started at the Bogyoke Aung San Market, sometimes called by its old name, Scott Market. We did a quick walk through  but with over 2000 shops selling jewellery, lacquerware, shoulder bags and other items Alice will have to return when we arrive back in Yangon. From here we walked past the following

·         Street market

·         Sule Paya – the geographic and commercial heart of Yangon. The British designed grid street pattern was also centred here

·         City Hall – colossal pink and purple painted colonial building

·         Former Immigration Department – Once known as Harrods of the East

·         Immanuel Baptist Church – built in 1830

·         Mahabandoola Garden – Independence Monument

·         Various other Colonial Buildings in various states of repair or disrepair

·         Strand Hotel

I left the Strand Hotel to last as it has been restored to a 5 star hotel status. Alice and I could not resist the temptation to go inside and have a cocktail at the bar where luminaries such as Sommerset Maughan and Rudyard Kipling contemplated life in the East. One interesting sign at the entrance to the bar stated that smoking was permitted as they wanted to keep to tradition. There is still a sanctuary for you smokers out there.

From the Strand we took a taxi to the Shwedagon Paya which is visible from most parts of Yangon. This is one of Buddhism’s most sacred sites and we had timed our visit to coincide with the setting sun. The 325 foot Zedi is adorned with 27 metric tons of gold and thousands of diamonds and other gems. It is believed that eight hairs of the Gautama Buddha as well as relics from three former Buddha’s are enshrined here. The walk up the long graceful entrance stairway does not prepare you for the stunning visual impact of pilgrims paying their respects and the crimson and burnt orange of the stupa. We spent a good 90 minutes just soaking it all in and exploring the layout of the Paya.

At the end of our visit we decided that we would try eating at one of Kenneth’s as well as the Lonely Planet’s recommendations, the Feel Myanmar Restaurant. According to Kenneth and our trusty map it would be a relatively easy 10 minute stroll. After ignoring a couple of taxi drivers we set off down the road in search of this culinary attraction. After nearly falling down holes in the pavement and dodging across pedestrian non-friendly roundabouts we came to the conclusion that we were lost. A local girl pointed us in what we thought was the right direction. 

On arrival at a brightly lit strip of shops we could not “feel” that we were in the correct location. In the end I succumbed and asked a taxi driver who said that we were kilometers from our destination. For $1.60 he could drive the enormous distance to our restaurant. Seven minutes later he pulled up opposite our restaurant. Our mistake was that we should have turned left at the roundabout instead of going straight ahead. Damn that girl! We grabbed a chair and because I was expiring from the heat I ordered a large bottle of Myanmar’s finest brew. The good thing with this restaurant is that you can go to the counter and choose the meal you want from the many varieties on offer. We chose two of them and started hoeing into them. It did not look much but moments later we received soup, rice and various greens to have with our selections. The food was excellent and the bill was a mere $13 for a meal that more than sated our appetite. 

A quick taxi ride home and it was time for bed. I took a couple of Restivat sleeping tablets and said goodnight to Alice. She reckoned that I was snoring within a few minutes of my head hitting the pillow.

Day 23, 25th September – Buddha on the Water

We eventually emerged for breakfast a little after 8:00am and slowly grazed on the food that was provided for us. Nothing was too much trouble and the freshly brewed coffee went down a treat. This place is a bargain at $40 a night. We were in no rush today and decided to travel to the downtown area for some lunch and perhaps meet up with the Arthur Daley of Yangon. We did find Arthur (John) following some tourists near the railway booking office. He gave us a friendly wave and sauntered across the street to meet us. We worked out a deal that involved picking us up from a ferry terminal, taking us for a drive in the country to visit another temple and then returning us to a restaurant near Inya Lake.

To get us to the ferry John organized two trishaw drivers to cycle us down to the waterfront. Alice and I perched ourselves on our narrow seats whilst our erstwhile drivers pedaled their ancient Malvern Star bicycles through the congested downtown traffic. We were headed to Pansodan Jetty where the cross river ferry to Dalah operates every 15 minutes. The return ticket was about $5 each but I think in all the chaos that we could have travelled for free. This would have to be one of the easiest and most enjoyable trips out of Yangon. We made it to the top deck and soaked up the breezy views. There was lively action on board as hawkers tried to sell everything from speckled eggs to betel leaf which is chewed as a mild stimulant.

Back on dry land John had his uncle ready to take us for a drive to Kyauktan which is a rural town east of the city across the Bago River. Along the way we passed the small town of Thanlyin which seemed to be a hub for buses and passenger motorcycles. The markets were bustling and the watermelons on display looked delicious. On reaching Kyauktan we looked for our floating Buddhist temple. We could see the Yele Paya sparkling adrift on a chocolate river. The only problem is that you cannot reach it without paying the ferryman. Being tourists the locals were concerned for our safety which meant we could only catch the more expensive $5 ferry. I have to say that it was an impressive place to site a temple but overall it was a little uninspiring.

Back on terra firma we had to politely decline the offers of postcards and requests for a handout from the local street urchins. It was late afternoon when we headed back to Yangon. Our journey was relatively smooth until we encountered a diesel smoke belching oil tanker. When we finally rid ourselves of him we hit the afternoon peak traffic which had us moving at a snail’s pace. Our driver was very patient and kept plodding along. We were close to our destination when the rain started. It was a tropic downpour and the roads soon began to flood. Too make matters worse we were on Inya Road and our driver had to proceed slowly so he could look for our restaurant the Green Elephant. We had travelled the full length of the road and had not found it. I consulted my map and discovered that Kenneth had written down the wrong address. I guess he is not infallible. At around 7:30pm we eventually found the restaurant. It happens to be across the road from Aung San Suu Kyi’ residence. Our driver had certainly earned his money today.

Maybe it was the rain but we were the only ones at the restaurant. We were surrounded by staff and were soon enjoying a cocktail based on Mandalay rum which was great. Alice and I both decided to try the degustation menu which had about eight courses and cost $13 each. By the time our first course had arrived there were a few more tables being occupied. The food tasted great and was so plentiful that we could not finish it. It was a great way to end what has been an interesting day.

Day 24, 26th September – Bagan by Horse Cart

The alarm started beeping at 4:00am which meant it was time to rise as we have a taxi ordered for 5:15am. Our domestic flight to Bagan on KBZ airlines is scheduled to depart at 6:30am. Our check-in was once again smooth but the weighing of our luggage took me back to my early travels to Kathmandu. The boys just placed both our bags on an old style industrial scale. The needle stopped at 35kg which satisfied the needs of the airline.

On arrival at Bagan we had to wait in a room for our bags to arrive. With our luggage claim tickets in hand we plucked our bags off the trolley and sauntered outside in search of taxi. Ten seconds later we were in a nice vehicle heading to the village of Nyaung-U where our accommodation the Zfreeti Hotel is located. We were both impressed with the hotel surrounds and our room is both spacious and comfortable.

From 1044 to 1287, Bagan was the capital as well as the political, economic and cultural nerve center

of the Pagan Empire. The influence the city had can be demonstrated in the archaeological evidence in the brickwork. Bagan did not appear to pay tribute to other villages, indicating it held a higher place in the settlement hierarchy of the state. Over the course of 250 years, Bagan's rulers and their wealthy subjects constructed over 10,000 religious monuments (approximately 1000 stupas, 10,000 small temples and 3000 monasteries) in an area of 104 square kilometres (40 sq mi) in the Bagan plains. A major earthquake occurred on 8 July 1975, reaching 8 on the Richter scale. The quake damaged many temples, in many cases, such as the Bupaya, severely and irreparably. Today, 2229 temples and pagodas remain.

There are a few ways that you can see the pagodas of Bagan and they are by foot, bicycle, electric motorcycle, taxi and horse cart. We opted for the traditional mode and paid $28 for the services of a horse cart and driver and set off at a slow trot to explore some of the more important sites. The landscape in places is quite arid but overall there are trees and grass in most areas to green it all up. At most of the temples and pagodas there is someone wanting to sell you a postcard, painting or a used car if you are in the market for one. Like most developing countries there are a lot of marginalized persons trying to forge out a living the best they can. Unfortunately this usually means that children will be begging for handouts from tourists in the hope of making easy money.

By lunchtime we had seen half a dozen major sites and were starting to feel templed out. The sun has been unrelenting and aside from being dehydrated our feet were filthy and sore from having to remove our footwear at every temple. We lingered over lunch so we could escape some of the heat and a couple of temples. Our driver has directed us to the biggest, tallest and best preserved murals of all the temples. We have seen the reclining, sitting, sleeping and many other Buddhas enshrined in various pagodas. Our driver had a special pagoda lined up for us so we could enjoy the sunset over the distant mountains and river. We arrived just after 4:00pm and our sunset was looking in doubt as a storm looked to be brewing in the distance. Nevertheless Alice and I dutifully climbed to the top of the pagoda where we had a fantastic view of the red plains. There was a mass of threatening dark grey cloud and distant thunder which meant Alice was quick to scurry back down. I stayed at the top for a while in the hope that I could capture a shot of the plains with the forked lightning in the background.

We could not see the point in hanging around for a sunset that wasn’t going to happen so we headed back to the hotel. As we neared the hotel there was some light rain that soon stopped. After paying our driver we had just walked inside the hotel lobby when the heavens opened up. We were dry but within a few minutes our poor driver was soaked to the bone. As the lightning flashed Alice and several of the hotel staff would clasp their ears as a prelude to the booming thunder. Within minutes the water was flowing down the street like a river. The only thing that we could do was relax and enjoy a couple of cocktails until the rain and water subsided. The streets were all water logged and muddy so we had an early dinner at the hotel to end our day.

Day 25, 27th September – Mt. Popa

Today we have arranged a half day trip with our taxi driver to visit Mt. Popa which is about 50km south east of Bagan. Popa is a volcano 1518 metres above sea level, and can be seen from the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River as far away as 60 km in clear weather. Our first stop was at a toddy and jaggery (palm sugar) operation. After posing for several photographs with the bull that was grinding peanuts into oil we were given a demonstration on how the alcoholic drink and sweets are made from the sap of the toddy palm. We enjoyed it so much that we were caught up in the moment and purchased too many sweets and bottles of whiskey.

Our drive continued through the countryside where we saw many small villages that somehow reminded me of the story of The Three Little Pigs. That was because most of the homes were constructed of straw and twigs with the occasional brick one thrown in. In every community there were chickens, goats and some pigs. The main beast of burden was the humble cow that is either tethered to a plow or the monotony of walking in circles to mill or grind whatever staple crop is grown. Quite often you would see women walking straight backed with an enormous load balanced on their heads. The road side stalls have fresh fruit and vegetables that are beautifully displayed. When something is sold the display is faithfully rearranged back to its former glory. Occasionally a pickup would roar past with its human cargo holding on to every available space including the roof.

Mt. Popa is like a Burmese Mt. Olympus as it is the spiritual headquarters to the infamous ’37 nat’ and the most popular location for nat worship. The top is crowned with a gilded Buddhist temple accessed by 777 steps. Alice reckons that number was close to the mark. From the temple there are mammoth views back towards the Myingyan Plain and beyond. We did not really understand the significance of the various shrines but there were plenty of pilgrims who obviously did. Along the covered walk to and from the summit there are platoons of cheeky monkeys and locals selling drinks and trinkets. There are also requests for cleaning money as a band of locals are employed keeping the steps clean and free from monkey poo. The monkeys are from the Macaque family and have large canine teeth. One tried to pilfer my water bottle from my hand and they did a good job on scaring Alice when they leapt screeching into her path. Jemma would have hated it!

We were back in Bagan by 2:00pm so we spent the afternoon sipping cocktails by the pool. There was even enough time for a deep tissue massage done in a traditional Myanmar style. There was a funny incident where we saw a lot of smoke and thought someone was burning off rubbish. That thought went out the door when an employee arrived with an air blower and laid down a huge carpet of smoke that engulfed the hotel and the pool surrounds. It smelt like Mortein and I guess that they were trying to eradicate mosquitoes.

With the setting of the sun we thought we would try eating in the street that is known as restaurant row. There is no shortage of eating establishments but we ended up trying the Black Bamboo which was highly recommended by the traveler’s bible, The Lonely Planet. The service was crisp and the food lived up to its reputation.

Day 26, 28th September – Road or Flight to Mandalay

Our stay at the Zfreeti Hotel has been excellent and we have no hesitation in recommending this reasonably priced hotel at just over $50 a night. The flight to Mandalay does not depart until 8:10am so there was time for another sumptuous breakfast. Our flight time was about 25 minutes which was half the time ($13 taxi) it took to travel from Mandalay Airport to the Emperor Hotel. I thought the hotel which is in 74th street was centrally located as it was near the south wall of the Mandalay Palace and moat. In hindsight a location closer to the river would have been better.

While Alice freshened up I took a little walk to try and get a feel for the lay of the land. There were a few restaurants that looked promising but walking along the streets in this area could be detrimental to your health. There is not much street lighting, no footpath and there are quite a few potholes. I did manage to purchase some milk and water from a very, very small convenience store. The real bonus was finding a bottle shop and I managed to buy a dry white from South Africa for about $8. It was a little after midday and I could hear the sound of thunder so I broke into a slow jog and made it back to the hotel just in time. It was a torrential downpour that lasted for just over an hour and flooded the low lying streets.

Alice and I were in need of a coffee but as we ventured outside we were approached by a taxi driver who was soliciting for business. His English was reasonable so we thought we would take a chance with him. His price for the afternoon was 20,000 kyat which is about $22.50 and seems to be the going rate. His taxi was immaculate and as a bonus he drove us to the coffee shop and waited while we indulged ourselves. Our first stop after coffee was the Mandalay Palace. Before we could enter the grounds we had to pay 10,000 kyats each which is the fee for all foreigners who enter the Mandalay Archaeological zone. The good news is that it does cover a number of sites. The whole magnificent palace complex was destroyed by a fire during World War II. However, the finely built palace walls, the city gates with their crowning wooden pavilions and the surrounding moat still represent an impressive scene of the Mandalay Palace, "Mya-nan-san-kyaw Shwenandaw", which has been rebuilt using forced labor. The highlight for us was climbing the spiral timber-walled watchtower. After 121 steps we reached the top and had a good general view of the grounds and the multi-layered pyramid of gilt filigree above the main throne room.

It was only a short drive to our next stop, the Shwenandaw Monastery which has intricate wood-carvings. This monastery which is built from teak is now a museum and is not used by the monks. It is a fragile reminder of the old Mandalay Palace and was moved to its current site by King Thibaw in 1880. Onwards to Kuthodaw Pagoda (World's Biggest Book) which was built by King Mindon in 1857. This pagoda modeled on the Shwezigon Pagoda is surrounded by 729 upright stone slabs on which are inscribed the entire Buddhist Scriptures. It is popularly known as "the World’s Biggest Book" for its stone scriptures.

When we booked the taxi we thought that we would be no chance of witnessing the sunset from atop Mandalay Hill. Our luck appears to be in as most of the cloud has been burnt off by the unrelenting sun. You can take a 30-40 minute barefooted walk up covered stairways to the top of this 760 foot hill but Alice and I are already feeling exhausted from the humidity. We took the easy route and drove up to the hilltop. Along the way we passed a multitude of sweaty locals who were getting some exercise in the cool of the afternoon. Our driver pointed us to a set of escalators which saved us a five minute walk up the alternative stairway. There is a commanding view of the city, river and surrounding countryside. It is easy to see all the gilded spires of various pagodas that are dotted all over the landscape. While we were waiting a couple of young Burmese converged upon us and asked if they could practice English with us. You always think that is the start of a scam so we were a little wary at first. However they were genuine and we had such a great time conversing with them that we nearly missed the sunset. Oh that sunset, it was a spectacular red that lit up the mountains and river and we are so glad that we witnessed it. As a bonus our English speakers arranged for a group of female monks who dress in pink robes to pose for a picture. Alice has arranged to meet up with them on Tuesday afternoon for some more English practice.

Our driver Kyaw Kyaw (pronounced Jaw Jaw) has been excellent so we have booked him for the whole day tomorrow. At around 7:00pm he dropped us off at the Green Elephant restaurant where we had another delicious meal and a couple of cool drinks.

Day 27, 29th September – Three Ancient Cities

When we emerged from the lobby at 9:00am Kyaw Kyaw was ready to rock ‘n’ roll. Yesterday we agreed on a price of 45,000 kyat ($50) for the day to visit the ancient cities of Amarapura, Sagaing and Inwa. As we drove into Amarapura we could see the world’s longest teak footbridge. It is about 160 years old and gently curves about 1.2km across shallow Lake Taungthaman. We did not stop at U-Bein Bridge as we will be back in the late afternoon for sunset. Our first stop was the Maha Ganyon Kyaung monastery where there are approximately 1500 monks living. As Alice was alighting from the car a large green tree snake slithered underneath her feet and the car. It was making for a nearby tree so we let him go in peace as it was probably Buddhist. The monastery is normally a quiet place but at 11:00am it is invaded by tourists who come to watch the monks filing in to eat. The Chinese and Korean visitors were quite intrusive as they rattled their camera shutters in the faces of the peaceful monks. For us it was a great experience and we did enjoy our driver’s commentary as he has had three terms as a monk. It was also interesting seeing the working kitchen where they prepare the meals for the 1500. I think Lilian could get a job here!

After crossing the Ava Bridge on the Aveyarwady River which is 20 km to the southwest of Mandalay we reached the next ancient city, Sagaing. There are numerous Buddhist monasteries and it is an important religious and monastic center. The pagodas and monasteries crowd the numerous hills along the ridge running parallel to the river. Our first major stop was at a Buddhist terrace called Umin Thounzeh (translates roughly to 30 caves). It is famous for its crescent shaped colonnade of 45 Buddha images. There is also a great view of the Aveyarwady from the terrace above the colonnade.

The road continued up Sagaing Hill until we arrived at the Soon Oo Ponya Shin Pagoda. One of the first things you notice are the bronze toads that serve as a collection box. There were a few monks around and I suspect like us that they were enjoying the view. We also ran into a couple that we had met at our hotel in Bagan. Our driver has added value to our ride by providing a tour guide type commentary as well as cool towels and water. He also organized a decent restaurant for lunch.

Alice and I took our time over lunch as we did not want to be temple touring in the heat of the day. Inwa which was the capital of Burma for nearly 360 years was our next destination. To reach the old capital we had to take a ferry (800 kyat -$1) across the Mytinge River. Once across the main mode of travel was a horse cart which cost 8000 kyat ($9) for two passengers. The horse took off at a fast trot and we were thrown about like rag dolls. We started to get into the rhythm of the ride and after about 15 minutes we pulled up at Bagaya Kyaung. This was a teak monastery which was built in 1834. Stained timbers are inscribed with repeating peacock and lotus flower motifs. Despite all the visitors and the creaking floorboards this is still a working monastery. There was a small classroom where three very young monks were studying. Our flying horse took us to the leaning tower of Inwa which is an old watchtower. It is all that remains of King Bagyidaw’s palace complex. Unfortunately, you cannot climb the tower as it is closed for safety reasons due to damaged timbers. The other two sites we visited were the ruined stupa of Yedanasimi Paya and OK Kyaung. At the latter there was a photo shoot of a Burmese girl dressed in traditional clothing. The only odd thing was that the beautiful girl was a ladyboy. Despite its rich history, the site today is a rural backwater and the major sites are plagued by persistent vendors and postcard peddlers.

Back on the right side of the river we headed back to Amarapura so we could observe the sunset from U-Bein bridge. Kyaw Kyaw was happy to be here as his wife of six months sells paintings that are drawn by her father. The paintings were beautiful but his petite wife was an absolute stunner. There was still about an hour to sunset so we left the newlyweds and strolled slowly along the bridge. There were quite a few fishermen and women with long poles in their hands standing in neck deep water. Most of them had caught a good number of fish that looked like black bream. One intrepid guy who was walking back to the bridge completely disappeared under the water. All that we could see was a fishing pole that was moving slowly towards the bridge. Towards sunset we made it back to the store where Alice purchased a painting and also met the artist. Whilst I was having a deep and meaningful conversation with Kyaw Kyaw the sun dropped below the horizon. Luckily, Alice was on hand to capture the moment.

Our driver’s wife joined us for the trip back to the hotel. We had to stop at an ATM as we had run out of kyat and needed money to pay for the tour, painting and for dinner tonight. Unfortunately the ATM was temporarily out of order and we were unable to pay. Rather than drive around all night they trusted us to pay them tomorrow and even lent us 35000 kyat so we could buy dinner. Now that is what I call service and trust.

Day 28, 30th September – Mandalay Southside

Today we are having an easy half-day of touring sites on the southern side of Mandalay. Our first stop was at a factory in the Gold-Pounders District. Inside there were muscle bound gold-beaters laboriously beating gold into small one inch square bamboo sheets. These are the sheets that worshippers piously place on sacred Buddha images.

After paying a 1000 kyat camera fee we were ready to visit the Mahamuni Paya. There is a 13 foot tall seated Buddha that is believe to be over 2000 years old. Centuries of votary gold leaf applied by male devotees (women can only watch) has left the Buddha with golden knobbly knees. After donning my Longyi (similar to a sarong) I made a circuit of the Buddha and watched the men apply their own pieces of gold leaf. We did find our own pot of gold when we found a working ATM.

There are some quiet places in Mandalay and we found one when we stopped at Buddhist monastery called Shwe In Bin Kyaung. When we arrived there were no visitors and the only noise was from a few workmen who are doing restoration work. The building was commissioned in 1895 by a pair of wealthy Chinese jade merchants. It stands on tree trunk poles and there are detailed engravings on the timber balustrades and cornices.

Our last stop for the morning was down by the banks of the river. Down by the edge of the water there were a score of women who looked like they were running a commercial laundry business. Sitting and standing in the muddy water with a large aluminum pan they hand washed an assortment of clothes and bags. First they kneaded the clothes like bread, dunked them in the river to remove the suds and then beat them into submission with some well aimed strokes that were delivered with a wooden paddle. The finished product that looked quite clean was then placed on the rock wall to dry. On the way back to the hotel we dropped Alice off at the Zegyo Market for a bout of serious shopping.

An hour or so later as I was sitting in the restaurant Alice arrived back in a taxi. She did manage one purchase but she said that the experience overwhelmed her. That was something that I never thought I would hear her say. At around 3:00pm the students whom we met on Mandalay Hill arrived. They were here to take Alice shopping. The mode of transport to the shops was motorcycle and Alice was Nancy’s pillion passenger. She seemed pretty relaxed as they drove off. They returned a little before 6:00pm with a couple of purchases and continued practicing English with Alice for another half hour. Great kids who are enthusiastic about learning.