MYANMAR PART 5

INLE LAKE AND ENVIRONS

Today we drive with Paulo to Taunggyi – the Capital of Shan State - an hour and a half north of Inle Lake. Our ultimate destination is Kakku but we need to pick up our own Pa-Oh guide from Taunggyi first. Her name is Dan Dan and she is dressed in traditional hill tribe clothes – beautiful. We drive for another 2 hours along many narrow, unmade roads – the soil is bright red here and extremely dry so all the roadside shrubbery is coated with a layer of rusty silt. The soil is also very fertile, fields of garlic and sunflowers abound and a gaggle of Burmese women, bent over weeding between the growing garlic look up from their toils to smile and wave. We hop out of the car, as we see an amazing photo opportunity, and down the bank into the field. The scene is wonderful, the colours bright and their faces a picture of concentration as they weed along the rows. They are all happy to see us and have no problems with us taking photos of them in their woven bamboo hats and colourful headscarves.

Finally we reach Kakku and its many stupa. It is mandatory to relinquish your shoes as you enter the site which can be a little uncomfortable walking around in the hot sunshine.

 The main stupa, which is approximately 40 metres high, was undergoing major renovations when we were there but given this was supposedly founded by Buddhist missionaries of an Indian emperor in the 3rd century BC, it is in remarkable condition. It housed several Buddha images, telling the story of Buddha. We simply had to touch a small part of Kakku Pagoda given its incredible age. Surrounding this main stupa are over 2000 more stupas whose origins date back many centuries. They are not only outstanding examples of traditional art and architecture but also a testament to the religious devotion of one of Myanmar’s ethnic minorities the Pa-Oh. For many centuries, the Pa-Oh have lived in peace, cultivating their land and building Pagoda and Monasteries with their energy and limited wealth.

These 2478 stupas are packed closely together in neat rows and cover an area of approximately 1 square kilometre - each is an individual masterpiece. This stupa forest, in general, is in a fairly good state of preservation but originally each stupa would have been topped with a gilded, multi-tiered umbrella-like feature - sadly many of these are tilted or fallen. External coloured rendering of mortar and stucco has crumbled away on others exposing the brick core underneath. Trees have started to establish themselves within a few of the structures too threatening to split them apart. Earthquakes, high humidity and father time, I guess, have all played their part.

Among the many tall ‘Shan-style’ stupas are a number of small square “monastery-style” stupas that are unique to this region.

External decoration on many of the stupas is quite simple, the builders focusing on pure grace and form for effect. Others feature elaborate decoration with traditional motifs weaving intricate patterns of arabesques and flowers.

Even more fascinating are the many figures – angels, musicians, mythical beasts and dancers - carved in stone and originally highly coloured which adorn many a corner of a stupa or pay silent homage beside the niches in the base of the stupa, many of which still contain their original, antique Buddha image.

Kakku is being extensively restored using donations from Pilgrims but it is very slow indeed.

This place was magical. Bells, gongs, a golden pig, stupas – it was like being in a fantasy garden. Every which way you turned was something new and spectacular to see. We spent hours here with Dan Dan learning the history and what Kakku means to the Pa-Oh people. The remoteness of the site and the reluctance of the local people to allow visitors to walk through unguided has helped to preserve its sculptures and artistic treasures to some degree.

Leaving the site we had a fantastic lunch in the near-by restaurant and then our little Pa-Oh guide, Dan Dan wanted to take us to her village and her home. We were humbled and honoured to be offered this experience. She had such good English she was a pleasure to converse with.

As we arrived at Dan Dan’s family home – soy bean patties and baskets of chillies were drying in the sunshine. Her house was very simple – just one chair for her elderly father to lounge in as he watched TV – everyone else sat and slept on the floor. Her father came in from the fields to say hello to us, he had not an ounce of fat on his body, his skin pulled taut over his bones. Hard work is all they really know and we felt he deserved that chair in the evening – bless him. Her mother had walked many kilometres to one of their other fields to harvest “something” and walk the cows back for the evening.

The house was two storey and made from bamboo as was the flooring and the ladder to the upstairs rooms. The kitchen had a stone fire-pot in the middle of the floor and that is where everything was cooked. There was no fridge, so everything was obviously fresh when cooked, and there were no local shops either. This was a village in the middle of no-where where self-sufficiency is the norm. The toilet and bathroom were outside. Downstairs there was a storeroom packed with maize for the market and a few meagre food supplies for the family. Half of the storeroom had been sectioned off for Dan Dan and her husband to sleep.

Dan Dan was so excited to be showing us her family home that her father had built, offering us avocado to eat which were home grown and delicious. Once again this brought back to us just how little we really need in life – her life was simple, stress-free and uncomplicated and Dan Dan was always, always smiling!!!!

From here we started our journey back to Inle Lake, stopping off to watch a local, round robin football match on the way. This was a huge gathering where all the villages in the Shan State kick off against each other. Skewered chicken heads and beef skin were on offer but we politely declined.

Saying goodbye to Dan Dan back in Taunggyi with big hugs all round and a nice tip in her pocket we headed to Red Mountain Estate Vineyard & Winery to watch the sunset over a glass of local Sauvignon Blanc. This was a French inspired vineyard and the Sauvignon Blanc was also French inspired – it was very nice but not delicious as is a NZ inspired vintage. The winery was lovely and we had good seats to watch the sunset. Sitting with Paulo, a plate of Calamari and some chips our last day in Inle Lake was coming to an end.

Tomorrow we were flying from He Ho to spend one night in Yangon before flying to the Phillipines for Christmas and New Year.

Saying Farewell to Paulo was hard. He handed us some Christmas presents which we saved till Christmas Day to open. He was an amazing young man and an amazing guide. He was intuitive, knowledgeable, helpful, generous, humble and, above all, so very happy with the most amazing smile. You were awesome Paulo so thank you very, very much.

We spent one night back in Yangon scoring a free upgrade to a room with a window. The evening was uneventful and the following day we flew to the Phillipines to spend a month on Cebu with family.

I hope you have enjoyed our journey through Myanmar. It is the best country we have travelled through – it has stolen our hearts. Life there is exactly how life should be spent – in happiness, peace and harmony with few possessions. Money ruins most things and the Myanmar Buddhist people who we came in contact with have not yet been corrupted by it. Life is simple, the dress is simple, the food is simple and delicious and the people gorgeous!!!!!!!!.

Stay safe Myanmar – we will be back. xxxxx

MYANMAR PART 4

INLE LAKE

As I am typing this last Myanmar episode of the blog we are currently being battered by our third Tropical Depression/Cyclone/Typhoon here in Cebu. The rain is torrential, the wind strong and the seas huge. Unfortunately, the storm is hitting the large, sea-facing windows of the house which are now secured with metal rods, screws and bolts, but the sheer force of the wind is blowing the rain through any small crevice. The corner of the roof started to lift earlier on but help was at hand and it has been hopefully secured - we do, however, keep hearing a few unnerving banging noises so maybe not. We will all be glad when this one blows through. Snorkelling was on the agenda today but I fear even the fish will be hunkered down in the coral.

Getting back to the more temperate climes of Myanmar and Inle Lake we set off early morning with Paulo for a day on the Lake in a small skiff. These colourful skiffs are driven by very noisy, modified, diesel car engines – at the end of its long driveshaft is the propeller – the boats vibrate like crazy and as you whizz down the gateway canal into Inle Lake great plumes of water spew from the back of each boat. Down the middle of the narrow boat sit 3 wooden chairs which are gradually vibrated backwards down the spine of the boat so eventually everyone is sitting on top of the other at one end!!!!!!  They also go very fast and are extremely manoeuvrable. We loved our day on the lake.

The ride is awesome, under low bamboo bridges, through narrow gaps which have been fashioned by driftwood causing small dams. Past Inle Lake fishermen with their conical nets who manoeuvre their boats from the back with a single oar with one leg and foot. The other leg is for balance and they need both hands for the nets. Their hips must be so flexible and this is demonstrated by a game they play similar to Volleyball but using only their feet, swinging their legs from the hip in huge arcs!!!!!!

As we entered into the Lake Proper we threw bread out to the seagulls which flocked around the boat enabling us to get some really cool pictures. Huge barges were heaping in weed from the Lake to be used to make their floating gardens and likewise fertilise them - believe it or not, fruit and vegetables grew all around us on this beautiful lake.

Hopping on and off the skiff we saw many family industries blossoming on this “Little Venice”. Skiffs are made by hand here in Nampan village as are cheroots; Beautiful steel knives are forged in Sae Khaung; silk from the stems of the Lotus flower is spun in Hawhon and in the midst of all this standing proud is Phaung Daw Oo Paya, the holiest religious site in Southern Shan State. Enshrined within the huge tiered pagoda are five ancient Buddha images that have been transformed into amorphous blobs by the sheer volume of gold leaf applied to them by devotees. During the annual Phaung Daw Oo Festival they parade the images around the Lake in an ornate barge shaped like a swan.

Another village on the Lake - In Phaw Khone village -  is made up of teak stilt houses containing weaving workshops. The buildings vibrate with the clatter of shuttles and the click-clack of the shifting loom frames as beautiful, colourful fabric is woven.

A short way from here live the Kayan Padaung Tribe – where the ladies wear rings around their necks from the tender age of 5 years which is deemed to be beautiful. They are heavy and cumbersome weighing 8 – 10 kgs by the age of 20 years representing 25 rings!!!!!!!! The ladies we saw seemed happy and healthy enough but have the strangest upper body shape where the weight has pressed down their collarbones and chest cavity. Definitely not a fashion for me.

Next stop a village Silversmith and then on to Ywama the floating market where we were inundated with peddlers in their boats trying to sell us cheap souvenirs and fruit. They are very adept in plying their trade but are not aggressive if refused…….they do strike a very hard bargain though.

From here we seemed to travel a long distance and at great speed along wending waterways flanked by paddy fields which run directly from the main Inle Lake.  Along this very narrow but marvellous stretch of canals, which has many unexpected twists and turns, the rice farmers dam the flow of water with bamboo barriers in order to irrigate the paddy fields making the narrow entry into a new canal quite hair-raising. Villagers sit on small platforms at the edge of the canal with soap and shampoo to take their bath and wash their clothes. In the adjacent paddy fields farmers were ploughing with their water buffalo in preparation for planting fresh rice.

Our final destination along this stretch of water was Indein Creek at the end of which is the mysterious Indein village one of the smallest villages of Lake Inle. In the centre of the village on the summit of a hill is a whitewashed Stupa enshrining another Buddha image while down below a thousand plus ancient, crumbling, overgrown pagodas stand in clusters like a forest around it. We both had an “Indiana Jones moment” here and it is very pleasant to walk through but sad to see it in such a bad state of repair as trees and bushes gain control. Amongst these ornate but derelict pagodas small village children would suddenly pop out now and then, trying to sell us a scarf or two. Above us little bells tinkled on the “umbrellas” of the stupa.

There was an area where new gold-clad stupas were being built and renovated but our main focus was to see the Buddha in the Temple on the hilltop. To do this one has to walk slowly uphill under beautiful, columned, covered walkways and through what seems like kilometres of stalls selling mainly clothes and tourist knick-knacks all very similar. The day was very hot and humid but through these cloisters it was beautifully cool and calm and we were unaware we were climbing as we strolled. A few disabled people were creating amazing paintings, lino cuttings and jewellery here but there seemed to be very few tourists around unfortunately to buy. Many of the stall holders and children were dressed in traditional hill tribe clothing.

Hopping back in our skiff we heading for the Floating gardens which are undeniably the way to go and unique to Inle Lake. On our way, we pass a skiff towing the longest piece of “turf” (his floating garden) you can possibly imagine. Most houses have a floating garden surrounding the house but beyond the houses great swathes support many fruits and vegetables which is the local income. These large gardens are formed by the lake weed and are secured to the bottom of the lake by long bamboo poles. They rise and fall with the level of the lake therefore never flood. Their nutrients and of course water also come from the lake making them very fertile. Standing on one it is important to move around otherwise you gradually sink – as Gary found out!!!!!

Around these floating gardens the farmers live in two-storied Teak houses built on stilts and we quietly wandered around one of these villages in our skiff whilst the sun started to go down and the light was incredible for great photography. Small children, even toddlers, play on platforms just above the water; the only transport is by small row boat which children happily use with their friends to go to the local shop – also on stilts in the water; dishes are washed in the lake as are bodies and clothes. The life is simple but I would imagine stress-free.

We headed home after this – the sun was setting, it was getting cooler and windy on the lake and we had had a long, hot, fun filled, joyous day. A meal and our hotel was calling and tomorrow was another day.

Inle Lake is a magical place.

MYANMAR PART 3

OUR JOURNEY TO INLE LAKE

The following morning, we flew from Bagan to HeHo – the closest airport to Inle Lake – where once again we were met by another amazing young guide called Phoe Lone or Paulo to us and a driver. We were going to be in this area for 3 days.

Although airports in Myanmar are a little behind their western world counterparts they are still extremely efficient. There are no announcements, no rows of computerised desks for check in, no conveyor belts to carry your baggage off into the Neverland…………just “stickers”. Everyone is met at the door by enthusiastic young men who take your bags which they weigh on a standalone machine. With the said young men still in tow you are then directed to a desk where you are given a sticker to put on your body  denoting which airline you are booked with. After lots of furious writing on a piece of paper behind the desk by people who are not even in uniform the young men take your now labelled bags and disappear. You go through “security” into a holding room where there are many people waiting and all with varying, patterned stickers. Eventually the doors to the tarmac open and someone with a walkie talkie, supposedly from your airline, stands in the doorway. When you see local people with the exact same sticker as you heading through that door………yes, you follow!!!!! Someone will eventually put you right if you are wrong. The strangest thing though is this……….it works and it works well. The airports are small, simple and quite ramshackle but often the planes leave before time if all the passengers are accounted for in the holding room and your bags are always at your destination.

Our first night was to be spent in Kalaw as we made our way to Inle Lake. This was quite a long car ride but we stopped off in beautiful Pindaya in the Taunggyi District of the Shan State, to do some sightseeing along the way. As we drove to Pindaya we commented how red and fertile the soil looked and were not surprised to be told by Paulo that the Shan State of Myanmar, which we were now in, was the “Vegetable/fruit Basket” of Myanmar. He was not wrong either – every available space was dedicated to producing good quality, clean food. Fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit were in abundance and we were happy.

As we travelled from HeHo to Pindaya one of our first photographs is of a small scooter-type bike with 4 full sized mattresses loaded on the back. We were forced to follow this for some time as his load was so wide and his route so wobbly it was totally unsafe to overtake.

On the way, our guide stopped to show us some huge, knobbly crackers – a bit like thick poppadum – being made and he bought a couple of bags of them for us to snack on in the car. Each package contained 4 of these delicious treats, wrapped in newspaper!!!, apparently, they are only made in this one particular village just outside Pindaya and they are rather yummy.

Next stop the broommaker. I think I have said before that everyone carves out a living somehow in Myanmar however small it may be. Some crafts are handed down from generation to generation but everyone does something. Also, every single thing grown has a complete use and is used completely. So too the broom maker, his father and his sons. The very soft fronds, I believe, come from the pampas like flowers on the top of their maze/corn. They are flatly bound together with rattan, long at one end and shorter at the other. They are then secured by some dyed natural fibre to thin strips of bamboo which form the handle. Both the brooms and the makers are very efficient. They work hard and fast and it costs them little or nothing for the raw materials they gather from the natural world around them……..but they also sell them for peanuts making them cheap for locals to buy in the markets. The circle starts and ends and everyone is happy.

The same applies to the bamboo hats we saw being made. The farmers use them to protect their heads from the sun whilst working in the fields. All materials come from the countryside around them and they are made very quickly. Each person in the family has a specific job to do in the assembly line and voila…. a bamboo hat is born!!!!!! The skill is passed on to future generations which guarantees its survival.

Lunch was our next stop at a restaurant by the picturesque Pone Taloke Lake. Once again, the food was incredible and plentiful but our eye was caught by a local, older woman walking around the lakeside, we assume, on her way home from the close-by market. Remember this for the future folks because if you buy a nice hand of pristine bananas and you wish to get them home unbruised we have the answer. You place the hand of bananas, with the stalk part to the front, on the top of your head – the bananas fan out behind. Now this is very handy because, not only do they also act as a sunhat but, it speeds up the ripening process. This lady’s bananas were green!!!!! Very cool.

After lunch, it was a visit to the highlight of Pindaya – the natural, limestone caves where, at the last count, over 8094 buddha statues are housed in tiny, naturally occurring chambers in the cave walls. This collection was started in the 11^th century and is a Buddhist Pilgrimage site.  It was like a maze inside but absolutely magical. Paulo encouraged us to crawl into a very small, private, meditation chamber where we talked about Buddhism and what it means to him, his family and the Burmese people in general. It gave us a basic but honest view of Buddhism and also an understanding of what makes this way of life is so very important to them.  This place had such a nice feeling to it and the combination of the caves, which are awesome in themselves, the Buddhas made of all different kinds of materials and the nooks and corners of the winding cavern made it very easy to stay too long here. There are over 30 Buddhas showing all the different Mudra of Buddha; there is a place where a stalactite is dripping - to touch this is to be blessed; another Buddha is where you go to be healed – you touch the corresponding part on the Buddha which is ailing you and healing takes place; there is a Buddha you touch if you want a boy child and another a girl child. On the day we went it was very quiet, peaceful and inspiring.

Outside the cave rises the Shwe Oo Min Pagoda guarded by the blue eyed, Giant spider and the handsome Prince who, legend says, killed it with his bow and arrow freeing the 7 virgins trapped in its web and allowing people to enter the cave. The surrounding views from this mountainside are, once again, breath-taking. Red, covered walkways wind down and around the mountain taking you to other Pagoda - pristine white and gold in the sunshine. Everywhere you look there are clusters of these beautiful monuments.

Our next stop was to watch bamboo paper being hand crafted. Such a simple method of making beautifully strong paper – all it takes is time and patience of which they have heaps – and the paper, some peppered with colourful flowers, is extremely strong and very pretty. From making the paper they then fashion note books, wrapping paper and the ultimate……..their famous umbrellas. Umbrella making was our next jaw dropping experience. Once again everything is made from materials found around them in nature and to watch a man make a spring-loaded umbrella handle from two pieces of bamboo just blew us away. (So much so I asked him to please show me again!!!!) To make the cluster at the top for the spindles to go into took him three minute max?????? How can they do this? They are clever, resourceful, waste NOTHING, utilise everything and are above all HAPPY.

The Mighty Banyan Tree was our next stop. This tree is so huge all its limbs are having to be supported and I cannot remember just how old it is, only that it is very sacred and just wonderful to be underneath it looking up to the sky. Paulo bought us 3 huge Burmese avocados here which I was to dine out on for days as they are not a favourite of Garys.

Tired and travel weary we finally arrived at our Kalaw hotel and after a tasty, shared, Indian meal that we stumbled across in the township and a hot shower…… we slept like babies.

The following morning, we had a quick look around Kalaw. This little town was inhabited by the British and there are still some examples of British architecture standing proud. For example, the Railway Station where the train to Yangon arrives once a day and then comes back from Yangon the following day. The train is old and slow and takes hours and hours to reach its destination but it still all works and lots of cargo is moved this way as long as there is no urgency of course.

There is a grand hotel high on the hillside overlooking Kalaw which is another example of Tudor architecture left from the British Colonial era and here there is a “Lovers Tree” which is more than 100 years old. It is one type of tree growing inside another as though in a loving embrace. From here we saw and heard, the whistle screaming, the old puffing steam train coming up the hill and round the bend. Fantastic to see.

Kalaw is 1320m above sea level and is much cooler than other places we had been in Myanmar. We took a visit to the bustling, colourful market where fresh food, spices, tofu, greens, beans and rice were in abundance. Meat, chicken and fish, of all shapes and sizes - dried or fresh - was so cheap and plentiful. Absolutely nobody should go hungry in this land of plenty.

And flowers!!!!!!! Everywhere flowers – truckloads of them, stalls full of them, motor scooters laden with them on the way to the market, hawkers selling them at intersections, locals with armfuls of them, pagodas temples and monasteries full of them and oh so very inexpensive. Such a sight.

Seeing all we could see in Kalaw we headed to Inlay Lake via a trading merchant town which I unfortunately cannot remember the name of. Paulo does not usually take tourists here but knew we would be interested in wandering around with the local people – we were definitely a spectacle. This town is where every farmer brings his produce to sell in bulk to the traders who subsequently distribute it throughout Myanmar – remember the Shan State is the Vegetable basket of Myanmar. Cauliflower, cabbage, ginger, garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots – in fact every vegetable you could possibly think of – is brought here by the farmers, bought from the farmers for a pittance by the rich traders, bagged by women and young men, loaded into huge trucks and resold elsewhere in Myanmar. Full grown cows singularly wandered the streets as if they owned the town and “Chinese buffalo” (a big 35hp open diesel engine bolted onto a truck chassis) chugged up and down the streets distributing the buyers’ bargains. It was exciting to be part of this and although it felt, and looked, very shambolic and “wild west” to us, it obviously works for them.

To top this, we went to a “cattle market” which means - a lot of cows, some past their use by dates and others very young and untrained, tethered in a large paddock with lots of men, young middle-aged and old, sitting in a circle haggling loudly over prices. Every now and then one would jump up, money would change hands and the joyful new owner would walk off with his brand new purchase or purchases. Other cows lived to walk home and come back another day!!!!! Once again, we were lucky to be part of this.

And so, our journey to Inle Lake was almost complete but we had just one more stop -  a Monastery high on the hilltop near Paulos home village. Here we were offered green tea and snacks by the nuns and we sat cross legged on the floor enjoying this refreshment.

As we travelled by car for the last hour or so we saw Poinsettias growing wild throughout the rich countryside, which reminded us of Christmas at home, and toothless ladies in bright orange turban-styled traditional headdress selling their wares on the side of the road. Once again, we were tired and our hotel was like the proverbial oasis in the desert. Welcoming, clean and comfortable.

Tomorrow will be another day.

MYANMAR PART 2

BAGAN

The following morning, very early and quite cold, we transferred to the main Mandalay jetty to catch our boat to Bagan. This is a 9-hour cruise along the Yangon River which is quite a soulless experience. Arriving early, we were still too late to get seats under the canvas shelter but at least we did get seats. We were unprepared for the cold contrast of an early morning on the river, as were the young couple sitting opposite us, but soon some brightly patterned fluffy blankets started to appear and eventually our cruise began warm and cosy.

The Yangon River was initially very vibrant with all the different highly coloured boats either on the river or tied up on the beach. Shanty huts built by fishermen for their families spewed along the river banks for miles, colourful tarps and household belongings creating a cacophony of vibrancy along with the smoke, rubbish and dogs. The Yangon was slowly coming awake with the rising sun as we sailed past the Kings gold plated boat, the many gold topped stupors adorning the green hillsides and out into the open river. Huge trading boats plied the river taking their wares of wood and barrels from here to there, wherever “there” was. As we moved further away from Mandalay the scenery changed, as did the weather, and once the sun rose we were blessed with the heat on our backs but rather bare scenery.

Unexpectedly we were served both breakfast and lunch which was delicious and plentiful and we indulged, with our new found friends, Femke and Mark from London, in a very refreshing Myanmar Beer or two……..we were now baking in the sunshine and were swathed in the blankets to keep the sun off rather than to keep warm.

The people of Myanmar are very productive with their time and space, producing excellent quality foods from the most unusual sources so, along the banks of the river, various crops thrive in seemingly unproductive looking land. The farmer and his family live on their small etched out piece of land in small bamboo huts, wash their clothes in the river, hydrate and fertilise their crops from the river, appear to have so very little but are abundantly happy………they toil very hard for minimal income. The main food in Myanmar is curry and rice……as long as you have chillies, onion, garlic, fresh lime, fresh turmeric, fresh ginger, soy sauce and rice you have the basics. If you can add chicken all well and good. Fresh leaf, green tea is the preferred drink. We revelled in this food.

The trip along the Yangon was uneventful and relaxing and on reaching Bagan we once again had to “walk the plank” but this time we had our big bags as well to contend with………. thank goodness for the “porters”, who you have to pay of course, they just pick them up, sling them onto their shoulders and are OFF. Everyone in Myanmar carves out a living one way or another.

Waiting to meet us was our new guide Kyaw Min and our driver who thankfully took us directly to our new Hotel in Old Bagan – another great one on our list (apart from the squeaky floorboards) – we were getting up, once again, very early to go on our very first Hot Balloon ride over Bagan. This hotel had a restaurant attached that was a training school for underprivileged youth, giving them basic preparation to make something of themselves in the hospitality arena. The food was awesome and the young people very helpful, polite and interested in what they were learning. The chefs were also part of this programme and we were offered an opportunity to look around the kitchens. The restaurant also sold WINE – the first place in Myanmar we had been offered wine of any sort let alone Sauvignon Blanc! It wasn’t too bad either.

Next morning Oriental Ballooning did us proud – we both will never ever forget this wonderful experience. We were collected very early and taken to the take-off field where we were served, on pristine, tableclothed tables in the middle of a dusty field, breakfast pastries and coffee in the dark, dramatically lit by the occasional flare of gas. Afterwards we were allotted our various pilots and felt happy that we were only in a small basket of 8 people (thanks 1stop) – our pilots name was Johnny and he was great. All the pilots and the company were English and travelled to different parts of the world to fly balloons. Johnny also flew in Africa during the Myanmar off season. The actual crew who did all the hard work of setting the stage, filling the balloon, tracking the balloon, selling the merchandise etc. were all Myanmarese. The flight was indescribably awesome, the views over the multi stupors of Bagan breath-taking. Damage from the August earthquake was evident as was the time-taking repairs. We watched, from our balloon basket, the sun come up over the Yangon and Bagan and we both realised just how lucky we were and how privileged we are to be on this incredible journey together.

We flew for about one and a half hours not only over stupors and temples: irrigation canals glistened like worms in the sunshine, people were cutting wheat in their fields, children in their mother’s arms were waving to us from below and even Daisy and Gertie looked up from their grass munching below. We made an excellent soft landing in another dusty field where out of nowhere the crew arrived, set up tables and chairs, and offered us a refreshing cold orange juice. After the balloon was deflated and stowed by the crew Johnny then related the story connecting Champagne and ballooning and ………. POP! Bottoms up…….it was Champagne time, a glass for everyone. After, we were all awarded certificates beautifully scribed by Johnny, we were then driven back to our hotels for breakfast and a much-needed shower.

Kyaw Min arrived later to take us on a short tour of Bagan – our first visit was the Ananda Phaya Pagoda where 4 Buddhas are housed. There are 4 main entrances – North South East and West – and at each entrance stands a Buddha of significance with its own story. Each Buddhas face is lit by natural light from an opposing dorma window. One Buddha appears to smile and the eyes follow your every movement. This very well preserved Temple was built in 1105 AD during the Pagan Dynasty and is currently undergoing massive renovation by the Indian government. It is one of only 4 surviving temples in Old Bagan.

Finishing there we drove out into the countryside to watch the sunset at a small pagoda – you have to envisage here that in Old Bagan pagoda are everywhere and almost stand on top of each other in places. There is one pagoda which is the main one for watching the sun set but, not wanting to be just another ant swarming on a sacred pile of bricks, we opted for a relatively small pagoda which not many people knew about. The down side to this was the very narrow and steep stair access which were somewhat crumbly. We had spotted this one from our morning balloon ride and it had the perfect posse to view Old Bagan’s stunning sunset. Sitting with our feet dangling over the second tier of the Pagoda – the upper stories were unfortunately earthquake damaged – we quietly waited for 5pm. Totally absorbed in the beauty of a Bagan sun going down behind the surrounding mountains thrusting dozens of pagoda into a striking, silhouette relief, we were truly surprised to turn round and see so many people behind us. We wish, a lot, that we were still there in Myanmar, on that pagoda watching the sun set……….however we are not. We are in the tropical Phillipines where it is currently pouring with rain and a typhoon is expected at midnight tonight. Just another adventure!!!!!!!

The following day with more Pagoda and temples in the offing we asked Kyaw Min if we could do other sightseeing – no more temples or pagoda………please? Our transport for the day was by horse and cart – initially quite a different experience to get into for a westerner but we soon became agile at it – with our guide following on his bicycle. Kyaw initially seemed deflated and confused by our request but giving it some thought he came up with a plan: firstly, we would visit the Full Moon festival and market at one of Bagan’s smaller temples where we wandered around with the locals. The whole place was festooned with flowers, there was live music, food and stalls. We watched sticky, crunchy, loopy, long, pretty shapes (a very complex pattern but all 100% identical) being spooned into and fried in a huge wok. When they were crispy they were hoisted out on a stick and dunked in a liquid palm sugar mix. Gosh they were delicious. Trays of food surrounded us, things on skewers, fresh fruit and corn. Puffy, batter, deep fried, flaky rounds; fresh vegetables, fish balls and lots more. Large families who had come to Bagan from other villages for the celebrations sat around eating, laughing, looking and giggling at us. Some families were packing up to go home and the women carried suitcases, large trays of food and fruit and firewood in huge bundles on their heads…… no hands! Miniature monkettes ran around free and happy whilst other children carried huge armfuls of flowers to take home with them. We picked up a small posy to put in Jed’s bridle – it is hard being a horse attached to a cart pulling three people and we wanted him to have a happy day too.

As we were leaving Gary saw a public transport vehicle (a Song taw thing) loaded to the gunnels with squealing women (they seem to do this when they see a white man) and he pretended to climb in. The ensuing hysteria was remarkable………. can only happen in Gary’s world!!!!!!!!! Aagh…..Memories.

From here we went, passing many, many more pagoda, to a local village where we were just able to wander around enjoying the company of the locals. It was lunchtime and all the elderly, toothless ladies were sitting together on the verandah floor sharing and eating lunch. The older ladies are provided cooked food each lunchtime by the younger ladies, some walking each day, one with the aid of a walking frame, to this village for this event. They are all very proud of their longevity and with the help of Kyaw we managed to establish that the eldest was 82 years old.

Just around the corner we came across the school set under a shady tree – dozens of children were learning algebra of all things…… mainly by rote.  Some sat at desks but some skittered around the makeshift base of the tree. All their work looked extremely neat.

It was here Gary fell in love with the village white cows. With their snotty noses and dreamy eyes, he was captured!!!!!!! He rubbed their foreheads till they nearly sank to the ground. Visions of Zoe our goat sprang to mind.

Just around the next corner was the Monastery, the backbone of the village. It looked like something from a movie it was so splendid and well looked after. It was made and carved from solid teak (grown in Myanmar) and the ornate carving was incredible, lending it a very Chinese, layered look.

The recent history of this village is unique and steeped in Buddhist values. After the August 2016 earthquake, a village not too far away was totally destroyed. All the villagers were brought to this village to be housed, fed and schooled; workspace and tools were provided to enable the villagers to repair their damaged properties and household belongings in the destroyed village. When the village is once again functional they will return.

On leaving the village we encountered a foal dancing down the road – he was so beautiful, friendly and light of step. A family came out from their house to wave to us as well, so we stopped to wave back. The little boy was initially scared of Gary but after a while, a few high fives and a lesson in thumbs-up dancing, I am sure he would have come home with us.

This is what our travelling is all about – interacting with the locals and seeing the grass roots of a country. This is what makes us happy. If you are lucky to be part of our facebook  family you will have seen the posted photos – I only wish I could do the same and post some on our blog.

The final delight of Bagan and our horse and cart day was a ride to the Irrawaddy River to pick up a boat for another sunset cruise. First stop the little village leading down to the water where we picked up a couple of Myanmar beers and a lot of young girls trying to sell Gary T shirts and me, flowy pants. Lily was the most determined to give her credit. “Catherine - think about it and let me know when you get back! Gary, you think about it too!!!”.

Walking the springy plank on to the boat this time was a breeze – no fear left now – and we joined the dozens of other boats doing the same thing. The beer was to celebrate our last sunset in Bagan but there was hot green tea (beautiful), shredded ginger, soaked green tea leaves with dried shrimps and a roasted mixture of sliced garlic and nuts to indulge us. You put a mixture together on a spoon and it is delicious. I really want some now.

We motored up the river, passing huge sandbanks which occasionally calved into the water and as the sun set we slowly drifted back to Bagan supping our beer. So very romantic……………but, waiting at the water’s edge for our arrival………….none other than Lily and her co-horts. By now it was getting very dark and Jed and his driver had to get home so, with no time to linger, we upset Lily and fled for the transport.

Arriving back at our hotel safe and sound and truly exhausted we opted for wine and French fries at the teacher restaurant. Tomorrow we leave for He Ho and our final few days in Myanmar at Inle Lake and its surrounding environs.

Neither of us wish this incredible journey to come to an end.

MYANMAR PART 1

Our flight from Brisbane to Yangon via Singapore was excellent. Needing to drop off our rental car before 5pm and  forgetting to factor in that Brisbane is an hour behind NSW we, of course, arrived extremely early. This worked in our favour as we were allocated great seats on our flight just behind business class with loads of room. We were happy to people-watch in the airport, eat Sushi and sit and reflect on our Australian stay. Time always seems to fly by in airports anyway and, wondering what Myanmar was all about, was totally occupying our minds.

We had booked our first hotel ourselves but then opted to hand our whole 12 day stay over to 1stop Tours who then organised our entire itinerary. We gave them an outline of what we wanted to do and see and they filled in the blanks. Accommodation, flights, transfers, drivers, guides and all entry and activity fees were all included - all we had to pay for was lunch and dinner. This was the best move ever and although it sounded expensive to begin with…..it was not. We had such a relaxed, totally taken-care-of tour of Myanmar it was worth every penny.

Waiting to meet us at Yangon airport where the air was thick and muggy was our first driver. So helpful and so polite and wanting so much to try out his English. Our first stop was the Yangon office of 1stop to pay our fees, a little bit unnerving but also our first introduction to the city streets of Myanmar. Being super aware of the holes, the uneven broken footpaths, the electrical wiring, the cars, the rubbish, the dog poo, the bulging tree roots was all an experience not to be forgotten. It sounds awful but it wasn’t. Matched with the brightness, the colours, the Yangon hustle and bustle it was actually splendid. Following our driver on foot through this obstacle course we came to a small door which led up some stairs, then more stairs and then even more stairs. Shoes off we stepped over the threshold into this amazing company that had been prompt to reply to our emails, helpful and courteous, obliging and non-fussy and who did for us in one week what it might take others to deliver in several. We had walked into a room virtually no bigger than a small bedroom. All along one wall were beautiful girls in their lovely yellow uniforms tapping away at their computers. Along the back wall and moving forward were rows of desks with more uniformed people doing likewise. We were invited to sit at a comfortable couch and our agent went through every detail of every day. All our flights were numbered 1) 2) 3) on the outside so there were no mistakes. All were paid for and where seating was available was allocated. Activities, hires, tourist and admission fees……..all paid for. We were totally gobsmacked and that is how our whole trip remained…………hassle free.

We paid our fees willingly and started our amazing journey through Myanmar……….follow us and enjoy this special place with us. Smell the smells, see the vibrant colours in your mind and put this amazing country on your bucket list for the near future.

YANGON

Yangon is a big city bordered by the Yangon River. It is busy, noisy, dirty, exciting and beautiful all rolled into one. There are no motorbikes or scooters in Yangon just a plethora of cars. The city is often totally gridlocked, beautifully vibrant and very, very colourful. The local buses adhere to no road rules, the street food is amazingly awesome and diverse and the narrow side streets incredibly interesting.

We were lucky that our Hotel was positioned in 14^th Street in downtown Yangon just a stone’s throw away from the Yangon river. Our first night there we ventured to the night food market that stretched along the river road right at the end of 14^th street………….crossing the main river road was rather intimidating but, watching the locals, we braved the “just walk out” tactic and, hand aloft, we sallied forth getting to the other side unscathed. From here our next move was to find some edible food on one of the stalls. Simple! Look for one full of locals and you are home and hosed? Not this time…….the full one had a TV blasting out some kind of sport and ‘twas the only reason it was full.

We were definitely in the minority, in fact the only Westerners looking for food, but we found some nice looking chicken curry and rice and some other green soggy stuff and sat down to eat. Our knees were under our chins as we sat on our very small plastic stools at our very small plastic table…………but soon the place was full – we seemed to be the main attraction - and the poor guy was run off his feet. As we ate and sipped our free green tea, people were waving at us from the other little tables, giggling to themselves behind their hands and asking to take our photos. The food was good and it cost about $2.50c for the 2 of us!!!!!!! At this point all sights seen and thoughts thought needed to be totally put from our minds.

Walking back to our hotel we passed stalls selling fried quails eggs, all sorts of amazing BBQ’d meats and fish, fresh fruit (including Kiwifruit and some we did not recognise), huge avocados and Myanmar crepes. All looked fresh and wholesome and were very cheap. Ducking into a tiny shop we bought 2 large bottles of Myanmar Beer straight from the freezer for 160 kyat (chat) each – to celebrate our arrival in a country we knew we were going to fall in love with.

The following day our very lovely guide, Zaw,  and driver from 1stop picked us up and we did the usual Yangon tour – some by foot and some by car. Lovely old colonial buildings built during the British occupation still stood proud and beautiful – the Old Telegraph Office where ancient cash registers (that Gary had worked on in his past life), telephones and telegraphic/morse code equipment were on display. The huge courthouse, beautifully preserved, and the Offices of the Ministers, a rich, red, brick building.

We visited the Independence monument, Kandawgyi Lake, Singu Min Bell and many Pagodas and temples. The Chaukhtatgyi Buddha temple, Sule Pagoda, Botataung Pagoda and many more. We learned about Beetle Nut and how to chew it from a wizened, old, lady stallholder and were bemused by the extremely old “pull gate closed” lift which was operational, being used to get people to and from the library but, had no gate and just a huge, open, gaping hole to look down into the shaft until the lift cage came to fill it. No health and safety here but no one was worried or stupid enough to injure themselves. It was a means to an end and worked just fine.

Outside was another means to an end – the  local emergency fire station which consisted of 8 buckets – some with sand in and some empty – and 8 long, red and white striped, bamboo poles each with a hook on the end. Go figure that one, we couldn’t!!!!!.

We went to Scotts Market – well we had to didn’t we – had a good look around but bought nothing -the jewellery was indeed very expensive however beautiful it was. We enjoyed a really nice lunch of Papaya Salad, once again freshly prepared at a street stall in the market, only this time we paid “tourist prices” (still cheap but you do have to be aware of this little trick). Once again we became the main attraction and other Europeans and locals came to eat. Here we met a beautiful older Burmese couple, now living in Spain but who were home visiting family. They chatted happily with us for some time whilst a group of young women sat giggling behind their hands curious to see whether we would enjoy the salad. What we are beginning to understand that the Burmese people are extremely proud of Myanmar and to pay their country a compliment and to sit with them and share and enjoy their food humbles them deeply. They are a very grateful nation.

After lunch we strolled down by the dockside to watch the small colourful skiffs ferrying in the market people loaded with goods to sell. The dock was a minefield of broken or missing boards and women were squatting doing their washing in the muddy, brown Yangon River. It was by now getting very hot and we were glad to get back into the comfort of our air conditioned car.

We probably saw much more in Yangon than the above but the best was definitely saved until the last. The awesome 2,500 year old Shwedagon Pagoda which we planned to explore until the sun went down. This is a massive complex where many smaller pagodas encircle the main Shwedagon  Pagoda in which 8 of Buddhas hairs are enshrined along with other relics. It has been made taller over the centuries by various Kings and Queens and now stands at a height of nearly 100metres (99.36). One of its main assets is the 72 carat diamond sitting on the top in the diamond bud which in itself is encrusted with 4 ,531 diamonds. Whilst the lower third of the Pagoda is covered in gold leaf the top two thirds is gold plated.

This Pagoda has many functions and is the most sacred and impressive Buddhist sites for the people of Myanmar. The local people come here to honour Buddha, to bring gifts and flowers for Buddha and to place offerings before him in the hope that their lives will be blessed and that they will eventually attain Enlightenment. There is a shrine with a Buddha and a gong at a different station for each day of the week dotted around the main Pagoda and depending on which day of the week you are born you bang the gong 3 times, then  pour 7 cups of water over the relevant Buddha and touch him to show your gratitude of being born on that day. I was born on a Saturday so am a Dragon and Gary on a Sunday so is a Garuda – we both did the ceremonial blessing at our appropriate Buddha.

Monks live, meditate and pray here and devotees leave huge donations of money in big glass boxes which helps towards the upkeep of this enormous community site. You need to imagine not just the one Shwedagon Pagoda but one surrounded by many. Many Pagoda, many Temples, many Shrines. . It is a magnificent sight and as the sun goes down and the lights slowly come up it is a truly spectacular sight -  probably the most comforting place to be at sunset as long as you can screen out the crowds.

At the end of our busy, hot day we ventured out again from our hotel to buy another one of those lovely cold beers. Walking along the street we came across a man with a cage full of tiny birds. He crouched down, placed his hand inside the cage and one by one he threw them into the air. Some flew back down to sit on the hands of the watching people, just for a short while, then flew away into the darkness. Was he giving them their freedom? – we will never know!

MANDALAY

The following day we flew from Yangon to Mandalay and were met at the airport by our new female guide, Khaing, and driver. So stressless.

Feeling slightly Pagoda’d out we explained that we would love to see more of the grass roots of Mandalay and this proved to be a great move. Travelling into the countryside we saw so much more. Rice Paddy fields, “back of a van mobile petrol pump”, local villages where clay pots were made of all shapes and sizes and sold for a mere pittance, elderly women squatting over small stick fires in the middle of “the kitchen” cooking food for all the family. The local school and the local “shop on wheels”. We climbed a mountain (in the car) and at the top fed happy monkeys with bananas the local people had brought with them. We walked back down the mountain though, down a series of steps that took forever but was an experience in itself. We saw silk Longy being made in Amarapura – each Longy required dozens of shuttles filled with beautiful, coloured, silk thread to be continually manually inserted into the loom to create the wondrous patterns that flowed from beneath. These girls were so quick that my brain itched just watching them.

We observed intricate silver beaten pots being handcrafted in Sagaing where I bought a hand made solid silver rose necklace to wear and to keep as a constant memory of this beautiful land. The mainly young, but some also older men, sat on the hard ground, backs bent, using their feet to hold their treasure whilst beating it with a wooden hammer and fine chisel – the designs were extremely intricate as they unfolded. All day, every day they plied their craft and were such a happy bunch. Next was woodcarving which, once again, is a craft handed down through the generations. Bodies doubled over, sitting on the hard earth and in high humidity, the youngest would have been about 5 years old and the eldest possibly the great grandfather. All the adult workers chew “beetle nut” so when they look up at you and smile they expose gruesomely red, decaying teeth. These beautiful carvings they create will be used in the temples, are made in panels and will eventually cover complete walls – just mind blowing to witness. Once again another happy bunch.

We finished our first day in Madalay walking the U Bein Bridge which is a crossing that spans the Taugthaman Lake near Amarapura. The bridge is 1.2kms long and is said to be the oldest and longest Teak bridge in the world. Gary walked the bridge with a constant companion by his side – he always seems to pick up an attachment wherever we go. She wanted to practice her English but also wanted him to buy a gaudy necklace. She was extremely sweet but totally unshakeable. We happened across 6 happy young men with guitars giving an impromptu sing song on the bridge then we sat and watched the sun go down. Our day was complete.

The hotel in Mandalay was beautiful and each morning the breakfast incredible. Unfortunately there were no street food stalls or restaurants in the area so we spent our evening drinking mojitos and eating spring rolls at the bar in the hotel. Really couldn’t have been any better! The weather was perfect too which helped enormously.

The following day Khaing took us on a boat trip on the mighty Ayerarwaddy river. Firstly though, to even get on our boat, we had to walk narrow planks placed from bow to bow across 7 boats!!! We were aided in places, the boats are big and the bows high out of the water, by the boats husband and wife team stretching a bamboo pole between them to act as a hand rail. This did make it a lot easier for us although Khaing just tripped across lightly and the husband and wife smiled. We were greeted with Green tea and fruit for our journey which was refreshing and delicious. The wife also reappeared with a basket of “tourist goodies” for us to buy!!!!

We were off to Mingun Island to see the Monuments of Mingun - The Unfinished Pagoda and the most amazing Hsinbyume Pagoda which is all white and visually stunning. There is such a romantic and tranquil feel about this temple and its shape and design – 7 layers representing 7 mountain ranges with Mount Meru in the middle - is intriguing. From the two terraces the views are excellent and to me it was like a small Taj Mahal. In saying that this temple was built, in 1816, as a memorial to the consort of King Bagyidaw which adds to its splendour and intrigue. Mount Meru is also considered to be at the centre of the Buddhist Universe.

The Unfinished Pagoda or Mingun Paya or Pahtogawdi Pagoda was started in 1790 and would have been the worlds largest stupor had it been finished. It is made from red brick and as we approach the island it is clearly visible from a great distance. It is made from red brick and glints in the sunshine. Only the bottom third – the plinth – was completed when work stopped on the death of King Bodawpaya in 1819 but this 240 foot cube still reaches a massive height of 460 feet. In 1838 the structure was sadly damaged by a severe earthquake and more recently again in August 2016 and now sports huge, wide, deep cracks that would envelope a human being. It is widely thought that the white Pagoda (Hsinbyume) that I spoke about earlier was built with materials pilfered from Mingun Paya. Walking to the top the views are incredible over the bay and also the remnants of two, decaying Chinthe (half lion half dragon deities) built as guardians of the stupor are visible. Sadly only their haunches are left.

Close by is housed the worlds largest, bronze, ringable bell that was commissioned by the King to adorn Mingun Paya. Sadly it never made it to its intended destination but can still be rung by hand. This bell weighs 90 tonnes, is 13feet high and 16feet wide and has a beautiful pure sound. How it could have been heaved into place though is quite beyond the imagination. Typical Gary he crawled inside whilst Khaing rang the bell – not once, not twice but three times!!!!!! He definitely is a glutton for punishment.

Making our way back through Mingun village to the very dusty “harbour” past all the tourist stalls and hawkers and little puppies champing at our ankles, we clambered back on board our skiff and headed back to the reality of Mandalay – once again to walk the planks but this time with no bamboo hand rails. We had finished our trip, the sun had set – their job was done!!!!

We visited the Palace which spreads over acres within the bustling city. The buildings are plush and quite nicely kept but are mainly empty inside so your imagination has to take over to get the real feel of how it would have been. We were surprised how spartan the grounds were for a palace but believe the outer buildings are now used by the Military so assume upkeep is minimal.

A Monastery was our next visit – this was completely made from Teak and had been moved, piece by piece, from the Palace grounds to its current location. This was such a beautifully carved building throughout and teamed with all its gold it was a joy to behold. There were areas here, as there are in many places of worship in Myanmar, where females are not allowed to enter.

Speaking of gold our visit to the “gold leaf factory” was amazing. Gold leaf is very, very, very thin and is applied generously to Buddha statues in the Pagodas, stupors and temples of Myanmar in the hope of bringing Enlightenment and good luck to its donors. In order to get the gold so thin several layers, sandwiched between bamboo paper and finally wrapped and tied in banana leaf to form a thick block, are then attached to a post. Men take their place behind each post and block, then swinging a long, wooden hammer above their heads and down against the block they begin to beat the life out of this unsuspecting package of sandwiched gold. This, however, is the main aim – to make a small square of gold leaf into a thinner much bigger square of gold leaf – but what is truly amazing is the tune the swinging hammers make as they each hit the blocks at a different interval. Very spectacular.

We watched dozens of “monkettes” swimming in a refreshing creek, shampooing their bodies, washing their robes and having so much fun in the water. Around them women were doing their daily washing as is the norm in Myanmar and just behind them was a massive rubbish tip!!!!!

A trip to a local school run by the Monastary and free to children was spell binding. The children were just finishing their lessons, were beautifully clothed in either pink and white robes (as the nuns are) or green shorts and white shorts (both boys and girls) or deep red robes as the monks. Very few had shoes and most sported an exercise book and a worn-down pencil. All work was done on the dusty floor. The respect for their teachers was huge, the work was neat, not a computer was in sight but, most poignant of all was………….the children were so, so happy. Gary kicked a rattan ball around with a few of the boys bringing forth…….yes…… more giggles and we left there with smiles on our faces as big as the happiness in the children’s laughter.

We had an amazing time with our beautiful guide Khaing in Myanmar – she took us to some amazing restaurants for our lunches and some awesome places we shall never forget. Our memories are set forever. Thank you Khaing.

So, we said farewell to Mandalay which had been an awesome experience but the best of Myanmar was still yet to come.

We hope you enjoy Part one of Myanmar as much as we enjoyed being there. XX