Myanmar days 11 & 12

Myanmar days 11 & 12, this morning we visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, an ancient timber building.

Inside a monk is sitting in front of the main Buddha image, chanting continually, they work in relays to maintain the 24 hour monologue, their beds are in the corridor so that they are near at hand for their next shift, dedication in the extreme. The inside of the four outer walls of the monastery contain hundreds of small alcoves, each containing a Buddha donated by a follower.

This is another example of the massive investment of individuals' time, effort and money in their Buddhist faith over the last 1000 years throughout Myanmar, and indeed throughout South East Asia. Buddha is central and intrinsic to the daily lives of His active followers who make up the vast majority of people in this part of the world. Now we fly to Yangon (Rangoon) and board our bus. We stop outside the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, The Lady who is leading the struggle for democracy in Myanmar.

Lunch is traditional Burmese fare in a locals caf., excellent as always.

Then 2 hours wandering around the main market in the city. On the ground floor the tightly packed tiny stalls are selling everything you can think of to thousands of locals and tourists. On the first floor there are no tourists when I go up to have a look, here there are hundreds of tiny workshops with thousands of craftsmen and ladies packed in. They are making all sorts of things, clothes, jewelry, metalwork, all the stuff they are selling downstairs. I think not a sweatshop because the workers are well dressed and look happy, but undoubtedly concentrated work for long hours, days, weeks and years for these people. Back on the street, I take a picture of roasted grasshoppers but decide not to sample one.

We have our farewell group evening meal in a French restaurant. I don't know why the tour company chooses a French restaurant. It is Nouveau Cuisine. Looks good and very tasty but not enough of it for me. Back at the hotel, a porter takes our final group photo.

The next morning after a hearty breakfast, we say our farewells and prepare for our flights. It's a slightly weird feeling that after 12 days together, these 13 people will by tonight be scattered all over the world. I fly to Chiang Mai where Englishman from Torquay Jim (who lives here) meets me at the airport and we go for fish and chips in a caf. run by a Northumbrian guy. It's a funny old world. Take care you all, John

Myanmar day 10

Myanmar day 10 starts on the banks of Inle Lake, sitting on the side of the main waterway through the town with thousands of local families. We are waiting for the festival to start, we happen to be here on exactly the right day for it but have no idea what it is. So we sit there as the bank steadily fills up with town and village people from all around this huge lake. Some lay mats on the ground for picnics and create small shrines with Buddha surrounded by flowers, drinks and food for Him. The children are excited, the atmosphere is filled with anticipation of the festival to come. Then a VERY LONG narrow boat comes into view along the waterway, over 40 leg-rowers each side, another 20 on platforms in the middle dancing and singing, 100 people in identical green outfits, an amazing sight as it passes us. Then another in yellow tunics, then another in blue, and another in brown and more and more, I guess about 50 of these incredibly colourful singing dancing boatloads, each representing a village or community around the lake, all propelled by leg-rowers. The rowers hold an ordinary oar using one leg for power and one hand to control it and stroke through the water in unison. A fantastic sight seeing these boats pass one after another towards the town. The last boat, even bigger, has a huge Buddha draped in gold in the middle, very impressive. Then everybody gets up and moves toward the town centre, it is packed with people trying to get a view of the waterway through the buildings along its edge. Then two boats side by side race by, it is a race and they are traveling at speed with everyone cheering and clapping, I am standing near the finish line so see the winners celebrate their victory, fantastic atmosphere, great stuff. Then more races and finishes, some close some not, one losing boat has shipped so much water it sinks on the finish line, a big ooooh from the crowd. I am loving this town and its festival. We go to a very basic local coffee shop for a welcome fix of nescafe, then onto our own boats again for a journey across the lake to Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, a huge timber building housing dozens of ancient Shan Buddhas, all protected by its community of Monks. Back in the boats now in waterways that fan out from the lake, we pass through villages built on stilts inhabited by the local Intha people, some are fishing in small boats using the same leg-rowing method. Lunch is in a lakeside restaurant, italian pizza and pasta can you believe! then to Inpawkhone, a whole village of weaving workshops, timber buildings on stilts like all the others, ancient looms, beautiful fabrics created the traditional way. Lastly a cheroot factory, ladies rolling home grown tobacco in leaves to make the traditional Burmese cigars, some of the group try them and say very nice to smoke. A long boat-ride in the dark across a very black lake with no moon back to our hotel. Then an evening meal in a chinese restaurant opposite the hotel, wonderful soup, why can't we have soup like this at home? Another great day, All the Best, John

Myanmar days 8 & 9

Myanmar days 8 & 9 are trekking days. We drive 2 hours from the remote town of Kalaw on bumpy barely drivable narrow roads to the even more remote and totally rural Baw Hnin Gone village where we abandon our 1940s necessarily tiny bus to commence our two day 14k trek. On Shan Plateau, at about 1100 metres above sea level, we walk through impressively maintained fields growing an incredible range of crops, we cross dried up rivers and small gorges, and we trudge through small copses of unrecognisable trees. Then we are hiking up up up the side of a massive rocky outcrop followed by down down down a narrow ledge along one side of a heavily wooded gorge to the end of our trek at Inle Lake. This is a wonderful experience, I'm loving it. En route, we pass and talk with people working in the fields; a man ploughing a single furrow with an ox at about 50 metres an hour; 3 small boys driving and riding 3 oxen across a field; a man and woman herding about 20 cattle along a track; a group of women cleaning crops of weeds. Half way we stop to spend the night at a monastery. An impressive teak building housing the Abbot and 10 novice monks. These are kids, about 9 to 12 years old. They pray to Buddha, do lots of chanting, and study together in a side room. They are moving around us normally if a little warily as we organise ourselves and have our evening meal in the huge main room. We sleep on the floor under mosquito nets in the same room under the watchful eyes of Buddha, the men together in one group near Buddha, the women in two separate groups further away. (Throughout Myanmar, women are not allowed to get as close to Him as the men.) The monks sleep right under His image. The monks start their days chanting at 5am so we get up soon after and have breakfast at 6 before recommencing our trek at 7am. I will always remember the experience of spending this night in the monastery. (But I will try to forget the toilets). During the the trek, we stop at small villages for lunches and coffee breaks, the local people are welcoming and delighted to see us. They are especially pleased when we show them the photos we take, especially those of the children. Inle Lake is huge, 1328 metres above sea level. We transfer by narrow motor boats to our hotel, about an hour scudding along waterways and across the main lake, sitting 4 in line in very comfortable seats, amazing scenery and perfectly relaxing after the hours of walking. Two great days. Best wishes to you all, John

Myanmar day 7

Myanmar day 7 starts with 5.45am breakfast then 7am flight to Heho. The bus that meets us is necessarily small to take us on a very slow bumpy ride deep into rural Shan State. But the agricultural land here is much better organised than around Mandalay and Bagan. The fields are clean and clearly delineated, growing a wide range of crops. The earth is bright red, identical to the soil and cliffs in South Devon. We see growing ginger, tangerines, maize, mustard, bananas, tea, cheroot, shallots, onions, mangos, wheat, various pulses, the yellow flowers of sesame, and of course rice. We stop to say hello to a group working in the fields, they are picking and stripping maize. Another stop is to talk to some ladies in the road collecting donations for a nearby new monastery under construction. Also here a man is washing his ox in the lake. Next a village and we stop at the school; the kids all run away from us but I get a good photo of some playing football and some braver souls who eventually venture nearer. Some of these children are novice monks who are released from their monastery to attend school. Lunch is in a lakeside restaurant, brown bean and red pea soup followed by pork, chicken and fish curries, delicious. Then a parasol workshop, very small and basic but beautiful end products which several of our group buy. Then something amazing. A cave. The Pindaya Natural Cave. It is actually a series of large caves with man-made pathways through the complex and it is PACKED with buddhas, 9000 of them, all sizes, many 2m high, going way up into the cave roofs. This is Shwe U Min pagoda it is an incredible place. We overnight in the small market town of Kalaw where we have dinner in a VERY local caf.. Best Wishes to you all, John

Myanmar day 6

Myanmar day 6 is a sightseeing day, the 9th century town wall, 11th, 12th and 13th century temples and stupas, some with intricate wall paintings of the same period. Bagan has a rich Buddhist history. We visit the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda, the early Mon-style architectural beauty of Ananda Temple and its 9 metre high Buddhas, and Htilominlo Temple with its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. Wonderful stuff. Everywhere we go, we are inundated by mainly young girls selling a whole range of stuff, most of it beautifully hand-made local products and mementos. It is all good-natured and a bit of fun, we all buy something from time to time. For lunch, we walk through a village called East Pwasaw to the far corner where tables have been set up under a huge tamarind tree. Here we are served an excellent 4 course meal. On the way back, guide Kinky starts talking through the window to a family relaxing in their home, we are invited in. The old lady is 96, there with her three daughters, youngest 62. The men and younger women are working in the fields, the children are at school in West Pwasaw. The ladies are happy to talk to us with Kinky translating. This village is largely untouched by the modern world. Palm leaf roofs, timber houses and shelters, sand-like dusty pathways, and huge white oxen beligerently glaring at us. After lunch, we're off to a riverside pier and a cruise up the Irrawaddy in a narrow 8 seater boat with a lawn mower engine driving a propeller on the end of a long pole. We have tea and tamarind sweeties on-board. Then we drift back in the centre of the river which looks a mile wide. Very soothing. Lovely day. Off to the wilds of Shan State tomorrow. All the Best, John

Myanmar day 5

Myanmar day 5 is a day of wildlife encounters. The day starts with a scenic drive to the base of the hard core of the Popa Mountain, on top of which sits temples, numerous Nat shrines and a showcase depicting the story of Mai Wunna, the well known flower eating ogress. On the way we stop to admire this amazing edifice from a distance. Getting back into the bus I have my first brush with the local wildlife. As I approach the back seat where I am sitting I feel something crawling on my face. I instinctively brush it off. It jumps onto the back of a seat. It is a bright green six inch long grasshopper. I catch it in cupped hands and carry it back down the gangway but it is crawling through my thumbs and escapes. I catch it again and eject it from the bus. My good deed for the day. We climb 777 steps to the top of the temple mountain, accompanied all the way by monkeys. Macaques I think. The second encounter takes place when one of then swipes my water bottle out of my hand. He sits on the wall leering at me. So I swipe it back from him. He is very angry, spitting and baring his teeth but it is too late I have my water back ha ha. The locals clap and cheer, I am a celebrity, the monkeys are always stealing stuff so they are pleased to see someone win against them. The views from the top are astounding. Now we drive to Bagan. Half way, we stop at what looks like a random covered area in the middle of nowhere. But here we see a guy climb a ladder to the top of a massive palm tree to pick coconuts, watch an ox going round and round grinding his handlers peanuts to make oil, and sit down to a snack of mashed tea plants into which we mix garlic, onion, sesame seeds, chic peas, peanuts and two kinds of beans. Very moreish. Then I spot a distillery at the back. From 3 big bottles, a clear liquid is dripping. I am offered a glass. It is like very strong but tasteless whisky. I quite like it. Also here some girls are making birds from palm leaves. I buy 3 for the grandkids. I also buy a bag each of coconut, plum and tamarin sweeties for Jo, Philip and Faye. Lunch is in a wildlife park but I only have eyes for the excellent meal we have here. Around Bagan, there are over 2,200 brick built stupas and temples, some dating from 1100AD. It is a remarkable landscape. (A stupa is a solid shrine whereas you can go inside a temple, after taking off your shoes of course) We visit a lacquer workshop, so many beautiful pieces, hand-made, carved, painted, and lacquered. After checking into the Thaxin Garden Hotel with its 'sweet welcome to fairy-land wonders', we are driven to a nearby large temple, and climb to the top for a glorious sunset. Another great day, Best Wishes to you all, John

Myanmar day 4

Myanmar day 4 starts with a 5 hour scenic drive south to Mount Popa. Half way we stop for half an hour at a market, I could have stayed all day, great interaction with real people, I bought another dress for Grace. Mount Popa is an extinct (I hope) volcano, sitting in the middle of vast plains which are peppered with thousands of stupas, described as one of the richest archeological sites in Asia. Mount Popa is a religious and mystical centre, home of Myanmar's most powerful nats, or local spirits. Pilgrims from all over the country visit the mountain, especially in festival time May/June. As we drive up the mountain, the scrub of the plains changes to rich wooded landscapes with flowering trees and bushes. At our restaurant for lunch, there is a plantation of dragon fruits and we sample some after the main meal. An interesting and different taste. We check into the Popa Mountain Resort, have a swim in the mountainside pool, take photos of the sunset, idyllic. All the Best, John

Myanmar day 3

Myanmar day 3 Civilised 8.30 start, to Lake Taungthaman and it's rickety wood bridge across the middle, I walk 1.2k each way pursued by a horde of pretty young girls trying to sell bracelets/postcards/fans, I resist, but give a 12 year old boy some money for imparting lots of info as we walk.

Then Mahagandayon Monastery and the spectacle of 1000 monks queuing to collect their daily meal from local Buddhists; to me they look stressed and unhappy, maybe due to the multitude of snapping tourists, I feel uncomfortable for them.

Next a silk weaving workshop, girls very skilful on looms, making 1 metre per week of exquisite patterned silk clothing. Next a silver workshop, I see a very heavy solid silver beautiful elephant about 8 inches high, dare not ask it's price, I guess 1000s USD. Now we drive over one of the bridges across the Irrawaddy River to Sagaing which has 600 white painted pagodas and monasteries, 3000 monks and 100 meditation centres...the religious centre of Myanmar. We visit Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda and a Nunnery. The Abbotess? shows us around the latter as shaven girls chant stuff they have to learn by heart for exams, a happy and tranquil place for its inmates I think.

Next to Mingun where we climb a heap of steps to the top of Mya Thein Dan Pagoda. A little further up the road is the famously unfinished Mingun Pahtodawqui, a huge brick structure left half built after an astrologer predicted the King would die on its completion, then in the 1800s hit by an earthquake leaving nasty looking cracks through it. We climb the steps nearly to the top then scramble/jump/climb the last bits around the perimeter to take in the amazing views of the river, villages and countryside surrounding this heap of bricks.

Lastly the 2nd biggest bell in the world made for the unfinished temple. Actually the biggest is in Moscow but it sits on the ground so ours is the biggest you can dong with the wooden mallet so there. Finally a very pleasant boat journey down the peaceful waters of the Irrawaddy.

The boat moored near our hotel but alongside 6 boats out from the shore so we had an interesting boat hopping adventure across very narrow planks with wobbly hand held bamboo poles for rails in darkness over muddy water between the boats. Nobody fell in. Time for dinner now, Good night all, John

Myanmar day 2 dinner

Myanmar day 2 dinner After blogging, I go to the top floor restauant. It is in semi-darkness, no diners, they are clearing up. 'Are you closing?' 'No sir' and I am directed to the open air roof area, also dark and devoid of diners. 'Are you closing?' 'No sir, please sit here' I sit as told and order a glass of red wine and chefs special rice with mixed meats (leftovers?)from one of the four waiters attending to my every need. Then I am treated to my very own puppet show, a lovely lady making dancers, horses and clowns jerk about to piped Burmese music and singing. Loved it, clapped alone at the end of each performance, rewarded with a beaming smile from the lovely lady. Good food, OK wine, wonderful entertainment. A great end to the day. Good night all, John

Myanmar day 2

Myanmar day 2 Up at 4am, breakfast in room, depart hotel 5am, flight to Mandaley 6.30 am. On the road from the airport to the city, we see plantations of chili, peanuts, mangos and bananas. Grown specially for export to China are various fruits. Also Rice, pulses to India, teak and rubber are major export earners. And now too, they have offshore gas. Mandalay was created in 1857 by the King to celebrate Mandalay Hill, considered sacred by followers of Buddha. The royal family moved into the palace at the centre of the city, and a grid system around it allocated areas to various trades, weaving, shoe-making etc.. First we visit Mahamuni Pagoda, home to one of the country's most revered Buddha images. There is over 100 people paying their respects and praying to Buddha here, a continuously changing throng as more arrive to replace those leaving, there must be thousands every day.

Throughout South East Asia, this religion is alive and integral to all its followers' daily lives, seemingly in contrast to our western churches. We visit a traditional woodcarving craft shop, row upon row of beautiful pieces all hand made (although I did notice the early stages of wood-shaping being assisted with a Black and Decker drill). Also here the ladies are hand-sewing exquisite tapestries. Striking colours, beautiful designs.

Next the Gold Leaf workshop, much bashing of tiny pieces of gold to flatten them into thin leaf which is then applied to cover ornaments. Very labour-intensive with beautiful end products to sell to locals and tourists alike. Now LUNCH, Burmese Chan style in a basic local restaurant, tasty. I have decided I like Myanmar, mainly because I am taller than almost everyone here. This afternoon we get to see the palace. The rebuilt in the 1970s palace. (The original had been used as HQ by the Japanese and so was bombed to rubble and matchwood by the allies.) The modern painted corrugated roofing detracted slightly from the overall effect but still well worth seeing. In the late 19th century, a new King moved one building to another part of the city and donated it to become the Shwenandaw Monastery for the local monks. The building was the old Kings bed-chamber in which the new King saw his fathers ghost wandering about, and this apparently generous gesture ensured that the new King never had to enter that building again. Ironically, because it was moved, it is the only building to survive. We visited it but no sign of the old King's ghost today.

Next, the worlds biggest book, 729 pages of Buddhist scriptures, each on a marble slab, each with its own little house in the Kuthodaw Pagoda complex. Impressive. Lastly to the top of Mandalay Hill itself. There are 1,729 steps from bottom to top, but we don't see any of them as we take the escalator. We see the sun set over the city and the Irrawaddy River. Magnificent.

There is a temple up here too, and an air of peace and tranquility. Best wishes to you all, John

13 Oct 2012 Myanmar

13 Oct 2012 Myanmar Well here I am in our hotel in Yangon (Rangoon) , Myanmar (Burma)on day 1 of the tour. Apart from briefly meeting the rest of the World Expeditions group and guide (Kinky!), I have nothing to report so far. I will try to get on the internet as the tour progresses but being Myanmar I suspect there may be a few times when it is not available. But you can be sure I will catch up! All the Best to you all, John

27 to 30 sept 2012 Phuket

27 to 30 Sept 2012 Phuket Hello all, I must correct my mistake in the previous blog, with apologies to John, who is in fact the Aussie tug boat operator off Western Australia and to Paul, who is a Kiwi working in WA as an Agricultural Contractor driving heavy machinery. I was sat in the bar a few evenings ago chatting to a very large and fit Aussie Jason who was telling me about spending some of his very generous leave time in Johanesburg helping out in a home for orphaned and abandoned kids. He is a prison officer in Australia with long service which gets him lots of weeks' holiday. He is here with his wife. I didn't realise that old friend Gunter had sat at the counter behind me, an Austrian who spends a lot of time here. I introduced Jason to Gunter as I was about to leave to have my evening meal nearby. Guess what, Gunter is a retired prison officer! So I left them comparing their respective prison and reform systems while I enjoyed my chicken and cashew nut with vegetables and sticky rice thai meal. All the Best to everyone, John