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Yesterday Josh and Ario had mentioned that they had arranged a tour with a guy who would take them to the main sites around Mandalay and then to a festival where they would sleep in a monastery... How cool!! So we all decided to tag along.
Anyway, after waiting nearly and hour we figured the guide wasn't going to show... Lol typical. So we asked another guy if he would drive us to Saigan hill, Inwa lake, and u bein's bridge (3 of the main sites)
First stop was Inwa lake; as soon as we got out the guys car we were surrounded by kids selling all different handicrafts including some straw hat that no-one would wear. We all said we weren't interested and then got on a boat which would take us across the lake, after a guy had drove onto the boat on his motorbike... Of course!!
On the other side of the lake was more kids and then people trying to sell us horse and cart rides! We just walked up to where we knew was an old monastery/temple; when we got there it was all locked up. As we were about to walk away we heard someone making kissing noises (which by the way is how people attract each others attention here, love it) and there was a little old guy who beckoned us to follow him. He jumped over one of the side walls and then went into some trees, so we all looked at each other and decided to just follow him. After walking through lots of trees, there was another wall which I jumped over to then realise I was stood in the grounds of the monastery... He'd snuck us in lol!! The place was really beautiful and well maintained and had loads of little nooks and crannys inside. When we got round the other side, there was a group of kids swinging on the trees, they were so cute and loved all the pictures we took of them.
The guy who snuck us in had disappeared at this point so we found an exit and realised this was probably the entrance aswell where we should have paid lol.
The only other major attraction was a water tower so we decided to walk to that. It was really cool to look at from the floor, but as soon as I started climbing the steepest, wobbliest steps I did wonder what I was doing. The view again was worth it completely though and standing at the top you realised just how much the tower leant lol!!
We didn't spend long there and headed back to the boat; we ate, and then set off for Saigan hill.
This again consisted of lots and lots of steps!!! I soon realised how unfit I was when a bunch of monks overtook me!! The view from the top was again really pretty but my camera just doesn't do it justice.
While at the top a group of monks came over and asked to have pictures taken with us, and I don't just mean one we had about 20 pictures took while they all took it in turns and then some local Burmese people started taking pictures of us aswell, so surreal!!! You literally get treated like a celebrity here... People will say hello to you, and then start sniggering, or groups of teenagers will nudge each other to be the one who dares to say hello, the grins that spread across people's faces as they see you is just a feeling I can't even begin to explain.
After having our celebrity treatment we went back down the hill and onto U Bein Bridge. The bridge is nearly 1200 metres Long and so beautiful, the way it's been built is so rustic and just really nice to look at, a bit scary to walk on haha.
We all sat on some chairs and just chilled for a good hour and a half while locals swam around the bridge and the older locals did some fishing or went out in their boats. It really was just such a nice place to chill out and appreciate the simple life they have here.
As the sun started to set we all took some pictures and then walked back along the bridge as local teenagers all started to appear on the bridge so I guess the bridge is a local meet up place, there was even a teenage lad singing with a guitar! I LOVE this country!!!
When we got back to the city, we went back to the hostels to sort our bus to Bagan for the next day and then all met up for tea again. We saw a little outdoor restaurant on the corner so sat down and all ordered the chicken curry and Chapati, when the chicken came it was on the bone so I spent a good 10minutes wincing as I pulled it all off the bone and what made it even more appealing is that it was cold... It seems that here they cook the food in the morning and then dish it up cold. In all fairness when I got Down to the chicken and put it in the hot Chapati it was actually really really nice!!!
There was a big fat man who ran the restaurant and he sat right behind me and Andrea checking if we liked our food every ten minutes; we really are like aliens to them but the wonderful thing is they just want to make sure we're happy. The ultimate best thing about this restaurant though was the waiting staff, there was 22 male waiters all aged between 12-20 (however I definitely think some of them were younger than 12) and they really were amazing. They would shout the orders out from one side of the restaurant to the other and were so quick at getting it out and making the tea, and there was even a little boy going round picking up rubbish. They also wore football shirts as their uniform so they were all numbered which we all found hilarious and we even had a favourite; number 56, he was a little innocent looking kid but had this massive voice on him he was so cute.
Although, the thought of the T-shirts was funny and the kids were doing a great job, it just upset me that at 10 o'clock at night these young kids were running around after fully grown adults earning what I can only imagine is an awful wage!! However, as upsetting as it was to see, I also realised that here most kids aren't schooled past 12years old as they either couldn't afford school or they were required to work; so these kids at a restaurant are actually the lucky ones managing to earn money for their families.
It really makes you think and realise how much we take everything for granted and how most 12 year olds in England would be horrified if they were asked to help in the house.
This country really is so inspiring!!
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