Myanmar Yangon - Mandalay

In a fairly blase way, we decided at the end of November that it would be nice to visit Myanmar for the week over Christmas.  With very little planning other than some cursory internet searches we asked a number of companies for a quote - and ended up going with the same company as friends of ours.  No organizing flights, taxis or hotels - fantastic!

So with direct flights from Dhaka only twice a week, our itinerary was limited to a week, and yet we managed to fit a great deal in - not off the beaten track by any means, but so very different to Dhaka.

In Yangon we walked round the old city, looking at Colonial era buildings, being impressed by the wide airy streets.

mobile restaurant!

pea pancakes - yum

the street restaurants have mini chairs

trishaw, the local version of rickshaws

old English colonial buildings

We visited the reclining Budha, one of the biggest in the world, if I am not mistaken.

We also visited a very famous Pagoda Shwedagon, which was unfortunately being re-gold-leafed and as such under a bamboo construction. I can only imagine the blinding bling when it's finished.

As always, I found the notion of cigarette smoking, sunglasses wearing monks with smartphones mind-blowing.  Also the notion that a pagoda / temple isn't only a place of worship, but one of meeting, socialising, snoozing and making use of the free wifi.

Next morning and early flight to Mandalay.  Mandalay - the name is so evocative, but having just looked at the famous Kipling poem, I don't think that is the reason (most likely the Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh) - we visited the worlds "biggest book" art Kuthodaw Pagoda - 729 stones inscribed with Buddhist teachings and each in it's own little house.

 

ladies loo sign

We also visited workshops that made gold leaf, handwoven fabric, hand-carved wooden items, embroidery.

Sunset on a boat with the U Bein bridge - the longest teakwood bridge in the background.

a good spot for photos