Mandalay, Day 1

Today was another boxed breakfast day before leaving very early for the Bagan airport to fly to Mandalay. Our first stop in Mandalay was at the Mahagandayone Monastery, a teaching Buddhist monastery with over 1,000 young monks living at it. For both breakfast and lunch, the monks line up to walk to the dining room. Photo: the monk parade.

Monk Parade–MOVIE

A movie of part of the monk parade to the dining room.

U-Pein Teak Bridge

Soon U Ponya Shin Paya

Our next stop was at the Soon U Ponya Shin Paya at the top of Sagaing Hill, built in the early 1300s. Its terrace is covered with beautiful glass tiles.

Sagaing Hill

There are 700 pagodas, temples, shrines, and monasteries on Sagaing Hill. There is a stepped pathway from the bottom of the hill to its top (part of the walkway can be seen in the photo).

Kaungmudaw Pagoda

Our next stop was at the Kaungmudaw Pagoda, built in 1636.

Kaungmudaw Pagoda

The golden dome at the pagoda, which was white before the military government painted it gold.

Wood Carving Shop

We made a stop next at a wood carving shop, one of the crafts that Myanmar is known for.

I have put my photos of day 1 in Myanmar on a slide show:

http://www.peggysphotos.com/mandalay–day–1/

(Slide Shows, Asia–2, Myanmar, “Mandalay: Day 1”).

Mandalay, Day 2

This morning we took a cruise on the Irrawaddy River to the ancient city of Mingon. We left from this beach.

Irrawaddy River Cruise

We had to walk this narrow gangplank to get on our boat. Two men held a pole on each end and you held onto the pole while walking on the gangplank. More than a bit scary.

Mingun

The vendors were waiting for us to get off our boat in Mingun.

Mingun

A cow taxi was also waiting but we didn’t take one.

Mingun Temple

The Mingun Temple was started by King Bodawphaya in 1790 but never completed as an astrologer foresaw the king’s dealth as soon as it was. The temple was hit by a major earthquake in 1839 and still bears major cracks in the temple from it as they were never repaired.

Mingun Bell

Near the temple was the Mingun Bell. The 90–ton bell is the world’s largest ringing bell. King Bodawpaya had it cast to go with his Mingun Temple.

I have put my photos of the first part of our day on a slideshow:

 http://www.peggysphotos.com/mandalay–day–2a/

(Slide Shows, Asia–2, Myanmar, “Mandalay, Day 2A).

Mya Thein Tan Pagoda

We next went up a hill to the Mya Thein Tan Pagoda, built by King Bodawpaya’s grandson in memory of his first consort Princess Hsinbyune who died in childbirth.

Mya Thein Tan Pagoda

At the pagoda, a woman smoking a cigar, a classic Myanmar photo.

Mandalay

Back on the beach in Mandalay.

Mandalay

Women were both washing clothes and their hair in the river.

Shwenandow Monastery

After having lunch in Mandalay, we visited the Shwenandow Monastery which was originally part of the Royal Palace and built in 1880. It is one of the best representatives of a Burmese teak temple.

Kuthodaw Pagoda

Our next stop was at the Kuthodaw Pagoda. Here there are 729 marble slabs, housed in these white shrines and which are inscribed with Buddhist teachings. It is called “the world’s largest book.”

Sutaugpyai Pagoda

We were to take the elevator farther up the hill to the Sutaungpyai Pagoda to view the sunset. However, the elevator wasn’t working and it was a hard 20–minute walk up the hill. I stayed below as did some of my tour mates. The ones who made the climb said it was so overcast that there wasn’t any view. Tonight, there was a special dinner by Gate 1, with 11 dishes, one of them duck. After a too full day of sightseeing, half of the tour didn’t go to the special dinner, me included. A sign that we were being worked way too hard.

I have put my last photos of Day 2 in Mandalay on a slideshow:

http://www.peggysphotos.com/mandalay–day–2b/

(Slide Shows, Asia–2, Myanmar, “Mandalay: Day 2B”).

Pyin Oo Lwin

On our third day in Manadalay, we drove up in the mountains to Pyin Oo Lwin. The British moved their adminstration from Ragoon (now Yangon) to Pyin Oo Lwin in the summer to escape the Ragoon heat. Photo of the Purcell Clock Tower, built in 1939 by the British.

Pyin Oo Lwin Market

We walked through the market in Pyin Oo Lwin.

Horse Carts

From the market, we took horse carts to our next destination.

Candacraig

Our next destination was to view Candacraig, a hotel built in 1904. George Orwell stayed here when he was in Burma.

Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens

Our last stop in Pyin Oo Lwin was at the beautiful Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens.

I have put my photos of our trip to Pyin Oo Lwin on a slideshow:

http://www.peggysphotos.com/pyin–oo–lwin/

(Slide Shows, Asia–2, Myanmar, “Pyin Oo Lwin”).