Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Yangon is the largest city in Myanmar and former capital city until 2005 when the generals were spooked by an astrologer. The streets of Yangon were busy. Cars drive on the right hand side of the road making it a challenge crossing over. And watch out for the spitting, Beetlenut tobacco is a favourite past time of men who chew the red tobacco and spit it out. Red blotches mark the pavements and road.
It was hot and dirty, some areas smelled of fruit and noodles, others of sewerage. But when you looked up, you were surprised to see shabby apartments painted in an assortment of colours. Faded blues, greens and yellows stood out.
Scores of women and some men and children would walk on by with what looked like clay on their faces. Maybe it's their version of sunscreen, hoping to keep their skin pale.
We read in the airline magazine to view the sunset from Sakura Tower. The Sky Bistro was on Level 20 and there was a sign out the front saying, "No photography, we don't want to annoy the other guests". It was hazy and the sun was slowly sinking behind the other skyscraper. No need to worry about annoying the other customers, it wasn't the view we were looking for.
We visited the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar, Shwe Dagon Pagoda. Every Buddhist in Myanmar has to pay pilgrimage to this pagoda at least once in their life. Standing at 98 metres, this is the largest golden stupa we have ever seen. It is adorned with 5,000 diamonds and 2,000 other jewels on the spire. It glistened in the sun magnificently. It is said that Buddha relics including 8 hairs are enshrined here. Surrounding the stupa are 82 temples in colours of gold, white, brown and green. It resembled a small township with monks wandering around with the sound of chanting and bells in the background.
It was an extremely hot day and without shoes, our feet were burning on the tiles. We saw locals drinking soft drink and asked them where we could buy some. They gave us a drink each and waved our money away. We were touched and put some money in the donation box instead.
We wandered down the many steps leading to one of the 4 main entrances and made our way to Kan Dawgyi Lake. We aimed to walk the entire length of the lake but this proved too ambitious, it was massive and it was a hot day. Looking around, we noticed many parked cars with their air-conditioning on and many couples canoodling on the benches, the grass, behind trees and umbrellas. If I didn't know any better, this lake was lover's lake where couples share intimate moments outside the bustling city.
That evening we returned to Shwe Dagon Pagoda to view it by night. It was lit up like Christmas. The Burmese love their tinsel and disco lights. But we became the attraction in some people's eyes. Since not many westerners visit Myanmar, the locals stare at you as you walk by. The less shy locals will smile and say hello. However, some will even want a photo with you.
Kalaw, located in the Shan State, is a small sleepy town with little to do apart from trekking the mountain areas where warlords still roam. We had a 10 hour overnight bus journey but half the adventure was the bus ride. Bundles and bags were loaded on before passengers. The bundles were polystyrene boxes taped up and looked mighty heavy. They had to be kicked into the storage compartments underneath. We tried to guess what was in the boxes, we thought maybe fish.
After setting off we stopped 200 metres down the road. The toolbox came out and they tinkered with a wheel as more people got on. We had seats booked down the back of the bus but since Shiraz's seat was broken, we moved to the middle and pretended to act normal when people looked at our seat numbers and paused. They eventually moved down the back.
We were now ready for the long haul up north. Thinking we may get a kip or quietly enjoy the scenery outside, Burmese songs and movies blurted out from the TV. Wham must have made an impression here as someone did a Burmese version of Wake me up before you Go Go. It still wasn't any good.
As time passed, we sensed an odour in the air. We weren't sure where it was coming from until we realised that it had a slight fishy smell. The fish stored beneath the bus was defrosting - we were a mobile fish market. Our guidebook says that Inle Lake has fresh seafood, I beg to differ; we were sitting on top of tomorrow night's dinner.
We were woken up at 3.30am and thought we heard Kalaw announced. We got off in this quiet dark town and wondered, "Where the hell are we?" Thankfully some locals were up and about so we managed to get a vague idea where our hotel was. However, across the road was a guy who happened to have Shiraz's name on a piece of paper. He showed us the way.
During the day we wandered around the streets of Kalaw. We walked past the police station and noticed 3 chained up locals being led into the station. We heard about the clashes between Buddhists and Muslims and wondered if they had been caught up in it somehow.
Most people travel to Kalaw for the 3 day trek to Inle Lake. But we decided that a one day trek will suffice. With a 19 year old local guy leading, we were eager to begin our 18km circuit. We walked through a village, over a dam and up and through forest wilderness. While it was shady and flat we walked ahead of everyone else. Keeping an eye on our footing, we came across what we initially thought was a branch in the middle of a path. When it moved, we realised it was a snake. Shiraz almost stepped on its head. It was a harmless brown snake but being approx. 5 foot long, it was intimidating.
Our journey took us over field terraces growing rice, wheat and various vegetables. Then it was a continuous climb uphill to our lunch stop. This village was the highest point during our trek being 3050 metres above sea level.
Continuing further, we started our slow decline down the dusty road. We passed a village where our guide bought a bottle of rice wine for his uncle and let us try it. It was an acquired taste.
Looking at the time, we needed to get back before dark. We were frog marched along the dirt road with short cuts through the terraces. Lucky for us, it was downhill most of the way but our legs were suffering. With only a few rest breaks, we kicked on. Even our guide said he was aching. Our 18km / 7.5 hour trek ended up being a 24km / 10.5 hour trek.
Inle Lake is a peaceful part of Myanmar where you can unwind, enjoy the mountain views or float on the crystal clear lake. It is well known for their floating gardens and stilted villages.
We decided to hire bicycles and followed the route on the map given to us by the hotel - a 14km ride to the other side of the river, a 20 minute boat ride across the lake, then an 11km ride back to the hotel. It looked simple enough…
The first 5km of the ride was tough. Most of the road was rock and loose gravel and you had to keep your eyes on the road at all times otherwise a passing vehicle could cause you to lose balance sending you down into the paddy fields. As pretty as they are, I didn't want to see them face first.
With shouts of joy, we came across a sealed road. The next 5km took us to the hot springs. I always thought hot springs were slightly overrated especially in a hot country. But I was still aching from the trek. Apparently it fixes all sorts of ailments: muscular, digestion, skin, etc. The hot spring was like a hot bath but with little bugs floating around. I pushed them away and wished my ailments farewell.
It was time to carry on in search of the boat jetty. We were looking for a bustling part of the lake but couldn't find it. Instead, we spoke to local shop owners who advertised boat trips in their windows. One kind local took us across with our bicycles. We followed him and his young son down to the canal and snaked our way past stilted thatched huts. Children called out hello and waved at us from their doorways.
Then we reached the lake. It was much larger than we expected. The surface was glass like with lily pads floating past. We cruised past bird life sending them flying as we sped through. In the distance fisherman threw their nets into the water hoping to catch some fish.
Reaching the other side, we arrived at the wooden bridge which takes us to Maing Thauk Village. It was time to push ourselves for the 11km ride back to the hotel. With the sun slowing setting, we raced passed paddy fields and weaved through the streets full of local ladies carrying baskets. Apart from the vehicles tooting us out of the way, it was a quiet ride back. We missed our road and ended up in the middle of town. It was chaotic with everyone heading home for the day. We asked for directions and 5 minutes later, we reached the end. Phew!
It was now time for a slower pace so the next day we went on a long tail boat tour of Inle Lake. Our boatman didn't speak much English so we sat back and enjoyed the ride. He took us through the canals, towards the heart of Inle Lake and then further afield to a traditional village.
We were taken to artisan shops in the village of In Paw Khone and we were shown where they make gold and silver jewellery, lotus and silk textiles and the rolling of tobacco. The textile shops had authentic Karen Long Neck ladies weaving beautiful scarves and longyis (traditional sarongs worn by both men and women).
After lunch our boatman led us through narrow canals, away from the tourist areas. Here is where the locals lived. Basic bamboo huts on stilts, locals bathing and washing their clothes and dishes in the canals, children running around. We stopped at this hut and were invited into his home where we met his wife, son, sister-in-law and nephew. We sat in their single story hut on a thatched mat and were offered tea and rice crackers. They were warm and welcoming. Conversation was difficult but with the help of his Burmese/English translation book, we learnt a little more about each other.
We showed them photos of Sydney and our trip so far, they found it interesting and amusing at the same time. We were the talk of the village. His neighbour and her son came to meet us as well. Smiles were abound. While looking at one of the monasteries outside their window, his wife told me I looked tired and should stay. We had already taken up too much of their time but we read in our guidebook that Burmese women tend to "adopt" western girls to show them around and to improve their English skills. Actually I could have used a quick kip.
It was time to bid farewell to his family and neighbours and we set off to The Jumping Cat Monastery of Nga Phe Kyaung. Here monks taught cats how to jump through hoops, etc. But the cat trainer was on holidays at the moment so the only cats we saw were sleeping ones. The monastery itself looked worn on the outside but impressive on the inside.
Although we had seen many floating gardens already, The Floating Gardens of Kela was our next stop. I expected rows of pretty flowers but all we found were tomato seedlings. The gardens were designed for sustainability. During rainy season the water can rise up to 2 metres in depth and the gardens simply float to the top.
The last part of our trip was to watch the sunset. We cruised into the middle of the lake, tied the boat to a bamboo stick and waited. The remaining sunshine sparkled on the glass lake while fishermen rowed passed, collecting their nets and catch for the day.
Mandalay is a booming city and was the Burmese capital from 1861 until 1885 when it had been exiled by the British. We hired motorbike taxis for the afternoon to visit a few sites. Mandalay Palace and Fort is a moated complex and was built in Amarapura before being dismantled in 1861 to be rebuilt in Mandalay. Unfortunately, it was burnt down during WWII so the palace that now stands is a replica. Around the palace itself is where the army barracks are based, many soldiers wander around the area, some with rifles.
Shwe Nandaw Kyaung is an ancient teak monastery which was originally built in Amarapura before being moved to Mandalay under King Mindon's instruction. It was here when he took his last breath. Down the road we visited Sandamuni Pagoda and Kuthodaw Pagoda. Both pagodas contained golden stupas surrounded by white washed chedi's which have the inscriptions of Buddhist writings.
We then rode up to Mandalay Hill, which is located 230 metres above the town. This is the place for panoramic views as well as watching the sunset. Many people come here to pray or to enjoy the scenery. We then scooted back into town and back to our hotel. It was a slightly anxious ride, my sweaty hands were losing grip and more traffic was out and about. Once we returned to the hotel, we negotiated the next day's ride with them. I need to get a better grip on things…
Our motorbike taxis picked us up the following day and we rode to Mahamuni Pagoda Temple, one of the three holiest Buddhist sites in Myanmar. Inside the temple complex was an historical art gallery and the renowned bronze statues. But the main attraction was the golden Buddha. Locals dressed in their best outfits lined up to touch the Buddha. Many others prayed or gave offerings.
We then headed south and reached the town of Amarapura, otherwise known as the City of Immortality. The world's longest teak bridge, U Bein's Bridge, starts here and after 1.2km ends at Taungthaman village. We walked partially along the bridge. Monks, fishermen, locals and tourists came to walk the 200 year old bridge which had views of the Ayeyarwady River.
Heading west of Amarapura we stopped at Ganayon Kyaung. Every morning at 10.30am hundreds of monks line up and formally enter their dining area for breakfast. It felt rather intrusive but seeing so many maroon coloured robes was a spectacular site. We almost felt like we were a part of it.
Further south, we rode to Inwa (Ava). This town is surrounded by the river and is only accessible by boat. A small wooden boat squeezed in a crowd of people plus the 2 motorbikes for the 5 minute crossing. It was hot in Inwa - the blowing hot winds made you feel like you were in the desert. We looked at another teak monastery, Bagaya Kyaung. A few monks were praying while supervising children.
Back on the rocky dirt roads, we reached Nanmyin, a watch tower damaged in the 1838 earthquake. Due to the conspicuous lean, it's too dangerous to climb up. The last ruin was the Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Monastery. It's one of the best examples of Myanmar architecture. Made of brick and wood, standing underneath the structure was like being in an air-conditioned room. We spent more time cooling off than looking at the monastery.
Then it was back on the boat. Reaching the other side, children greeted you, trying to sell you fake jade necklaces and bracelets, bronze-like statues and postcards.
Travelling north, we crossed the Ava Bridge and arrived at Sagaing. This town is sprinkled with 500 stupas and monasteries, which is best viewed from Sagaing Hill. Many people slowly staggered along this steep road and on some of the tight curves, even the bikes struggled. Once we reached the base of the temple we were surprised to find an escalator to take us to the top. Very modern! We spent some time here admiring the many stupas and temples in the afternoon sun.
We wanted the catch sunset at U Bein's Bridge. Setting off at record speeds (the speed dials were broken so we didn't know how fast we were actually going); we zipped through the traffic, over another bridge and back on the tourist trail towards the teak bridge.
The next day we headed to Zaygyo Market. The markets were spread out over 2 blocks and then some. We made our way through the maze of the 2 large complexes. They were filled with textiles, kitchenware and toys. One local started chatting to us. He owned a souvenir shop in one of the corners. He had an assortment of bronze and wooden statues as well as monkey skulls. He was a Pharmacist by trade and when he provided medical treatment to the villages up north, he was paid with artifacts.
Having had enough of overnight buses, we decided to travel to Bagan by boat. Normally a 9 hour journey, it was a long 11 hour trip as the water levels were low and boats had to snake across the width to avoid the sand banks. We spent the time eating, sleeping and sitting outside in the sun watching the long stretches of nothingness. We passed eroding sand banks and handfuls of thatched shelters by the water's edge.
Bagan was born in 1044, starting with one temple and eventually ending up with 4400. It rivalled the temples in Angkor and although not as spectacular, landscape views of the stupa dotted plains are unforgettable. Unfortunately, the earthquake in 1975 damaged a lot of the structures but the site still leaves you with a sense of awe and wonder.
We arranged a horse and cart to take us around some of the more impressive temples. The horses looked healthy and well-fed; the carts looked rickety and old. Nevertheless, it's one of the more popular ways to see the sites of Bagan.
We visited 14 temples dating from 300 AD to the 18th Century. We ended the adventure watching the sunset with 30 or so people at Buledi, a pyramid shaped temple that you could climb up.
We headed back to Yangon via an overnight bus. We did appreciate the fact that the Burmese karaoke music ceased at 11pm. But what concerned me was the speed of the journey. Normally we would be thankful for a quicker arrival time but only if done safely. On a standard road, speed wouldn't be an issue, but being in Myanmar the roads aren't smooth. It's cracking at the edges and full of pot holes. The bumps left us feeling as if we would topple over around any given bend. At one point we halted so sharp things went flying and the driver tooted his horn for a good minute at another driver. In the end, we arrived with a sigh of relief and earlier than expected. We arranged a taxi which took off into the early hours of the morning in search of our hotel. Our taxi driver was also a speed fan and expressed some road rage along the way. Welcome back to Yangon!
Having seen everything Yangon has to offer, we met an Australian guy who suggested we head out for a drink at the British Colonial Bar. It's one of those places you will only find if you're in the know. It was a large block with high concrete fences lined with barbed wire. All the doors were closed giving the impression to the outside world, it didn't exist. You had to ring before someone let you in. It's normally only opened to members but on the first Friday of every month, it was open to ex-pats. We were allowed in.
Donning our best scruffy shorts and t-shirts, we felt completely out of place. We were joined by a New Zealander and a couple of young English travellers who were just like characters out of the English series The Inbetweeners. Conversations were lost in translation.
Ngwe Saung, located in the Bay of Bengal on the west coast of Myanmar made for a perfect beach escape. The beach was wide and stretched for miles and with only a few people here, you could have the beach practically to yourself. The temperature was like tepid bath water, easy to jump in. We felt like we were on a holiday rather than a backpacking adventure.
We hired bicycles for the day and headed to the village. It's quite small, lined with markets and restaurants. Each stall sold exactly the same items with shell and pearl necklaces, t-shirts and sun dried fish being the most prominent items on display. We found a side street which took us to the beach. Looking around, we watched motorbikes zip up and down the beach and children play soccer. One little boy playing in an old canoe kept on eye on us. Once he knew we were watching, he would run around doing handstands and balancing on the side of the boat. When we headed back to our bicycles, he followed us to show us how he climbed trees and jumped off ledges.
We cycled back to the village and noticed that there weren't any stray dogs here like everywhere else in Myanmar or Asia for that matter. The only dogs here belonged to a restaurant or hotel, all well looked after.
For lunch we ordered a chicken sandwich. The chicken was not chicken… We read in our guidebook that Burmese do eat our four legged companion's, it would not only explain the sandwich but also the reason why there are no stray dogs here. Avoid the chicken!
Located south of the beach was Lover's Island which is a forested island only 100 metres away from the mainland and only accessible in low tide. With the no public display of affection custom, I could only imagine why they called it Lover's Island. We walked over the sandbank and climbed up a stone staircase up into the forest. It wasn't a very dense forest but this allowed you to easily navigate around. Not sure how lover's would conceal their affection here. We walked back along the rocks and noticed that the tide was already coming in. We waded through knee deep water back to the mainland.
After an overnight stay in Yangon, we headed to Kyaiktiyo in search of the mysterious Golden Rock. We stayed in the town of Kinpun, just a stone throw away from Kyaiktiyo. It was a small and welcoming primitive town. Children called out to us, some waving water guns in preparation for the water festival.
Rather than hiking the 11km uphill climb, we decided to do as the locals do, get on a truck. The truck station was madness, disco music blaring while people climbed onto the back of trucks. With approx. 50 people, we were packed in like sardines and every person leaned on someone else to hang on during every bump and turn. It was like being in a tractor taking children for a joy ride except this was faster and bumpier.
Looking around, people wore their finest outfits with the ladies parading pretty flowery hats. We stopped many times for donations or payment of some sort and at one stop, someone on a truck returning into town decided to spray us with water. The water festival has already begun.
Once we reached the top, we came to the Golden Rock. It stood regally shining its golden leaves while leaning precariously over the cliff. The gravity-defying rock had become a place of worship and mystery. Many locals and monks flocked the area to pray and give offerings. It remained unmoved during the 1975 earthquake. Only men were permitted to cross the bridge to touch and place a gold leaf on the rock, women had to stay behind the gate.
After spending some time at the mountain peak, we hopped back into a truck. This time we were packed in more tightly and we seemed to go faster around every bend. We weren't sure what the highlight of the day was, the Golden Rock or the truck ride.
Our trip back to Yangon was the first day of a 4 day water festival to celebrate New Year's. The streets were lined with barrels of water. Children sprayed anyone who dared walk or drive past using water pistols, bowls and buckets. We wandered around the streets to get some lunch and came back soaked. Children hosed us down and ran after us with bowls of water in hand. Even locals on balconies threw water down over us. There was no way of escaping.
Being part in the festivities made for a great ending to a month long trip around Myanmar. The Burmese are a friendly bunch who would bend over backwards to help you. Over time, more tourists will visit this untouched country and improve their struggling economy.
With only a day left on our visa, we had to take off. Next stop, Cambodia…
- comments
Jo Love it JJ! Had me laughing through parts, but i disagree... Wake me up before you go-go is catchy and fun!
Larry Love the blog,jealous just reading it.