Yangon offers a far better rate of exchange than Bagan and far more choices which isn’t saying much. Prices of little things are so much more costly, stock up in Yangon if you didn’t bring enough into the country.At the tourist sites water is…Read More

Yangon offers a far better rate of exchange than Bagan and far more choices which isn’t saying much. Prices of little things are so much more costly, stock up in Yangon if you didn’t bring enough into the country.

At the tourist sites water is 40 cents a bottle while the restaurants and markets charge 30 cents. Across from Shwe Na Di Hotel was the only place charging less at 25 cents as well as offering the 5 liter bottles which is highly recommended.

Beware of the infinite number of people selling paintings. While walking, riding a bike, in a horse carriage, on a moto or visiting a temple you will be pursued. Yes, I mean on all these occasions I was hit up. Come-ons include the greeting and asking where you are from and then pointing things out in the temples to telling and showing you the best sunset temples. Some even want to just "practice" their English. After making "friends" with the person, you’re expected to buy from the stacks of paintings you’ve had to endure looking through just to be polite. If you decline you get remarks like, "bad for business" guilt trips. Had they been up front they wouldn’t have wasted either of our time.

They are tenacious and persistent, following quite a distance. Be wary of anyone carry cylindrical shaped bags. By no means tell them where you are staying. I had one that came to my room in the evening and another parked outside the hotel when I came out still trying to sell me.

If I thought the kids selling lacquer ware and postcards were bad, along with their "coin collecting", they are nothing compared the afore mentioned. Everyone in Bagan seems to be a painter. Don’t ask anyone what kind of work they do.

There is also the coin collecting that goes on. I found it interesting when a woman holding a $1 bill wanted to exchange it for 1000K which is a far better rate than I could get for a $100.00 which is the minimum to exchange. Same was asked of me when I said I had just come from Thailand.

Upon arrival at the airport when you are asked for your passport, there is a sign that you can buy the ticket that allows you into all main temples in Bagan. I bought my $10 ticket there as a measure of convenience. Not one place that I went to had anyone checking for tickets or selling them. There was no kiosk of any kind. When I went into Mandalay I didn’t buy one and was grateful because during certain festivals such as the water festival places are either closed or don’t require the ticket. And in Myanmar, you never know when either will occur.

As far as general information, Bagan is made up of three, all of which are bikeable. I stayed in the northern area nearest the airport and biked southward to the next area. I choose this area as supposedly it had more restaurants and shops and trust me that isn’t much. It was also purported to costs less with regards to things like carriages through the temple sites.

The fixed airport prices to this area is $5. Within the town and around the temples, a bike will cost you $2 for the day, a horse carriage is $15, or you can opt to rent a motorcycle.

There is plenty of dirt and sand to traverse around the temples. However the main sites are easily navigated by bike, but inland I prefer a carriage. Surprisingly the terrain from town to town and around the temples is flat.

The highlights of the area included the proximity to the water. There is one main road and if you go one parallel road over, you will find stilted houses with pigs underneath cooling off in a mud bath.

At the water’s edge, women washed their clothes and bathed. Kids frolicked along side them. And other brought up buckets of water for their gardens nearby.

If I had to do it all over again, two days would have been sufficient. One day in the carriage with the evening on the boat and the next day on bike.Close

Thingyan or Spring Festival is the largest and most important holiday in Myanmar. It occurs in April and last for about 4 days depending on what a seer/monk tells the government. It is the only holiday the entire government really recognizes and closes…Read More

Thingyan or Spring Festival is the largest and most important holiday in Myanmar. It occurs in April and last for about 4 days depending on what a seer/monk tells the government. It is the only holiday the entire government really recognizes and closes for during the entire week. It is a religious festival designed to precede the New Year.

Traditionally it was held during the driest time of the year when the king of nats or spirits, Thingyan judged the people's deeds. His departure marked the beginning of the New Year. Needless to say if you hadn't been very good, the new year wouldn't be very fruitful.

Although scheduled to begin on a Tuesday, I received my first taste of the festival the preceding Friday. At the end of the school day, students and staff went to the playing field where a couple of 5-gallon drums filled with water awaited. Hesitant at first, my students eventually had me soaked from head to toe. I made a mental to wear a skirt that wasn't color fast wasn't a good idea, nor was wearing good shoes. Little did I realize this would be a mild day.

Monday, just a few days later and in Bagan, I had cups of water tossed at me. It seemed to be a real treat for the locals while I was walking down a dirt road off any semblance of a tourist area. I knew they wouldn’t see many people, local or foreign, down this area, so I stood and let them make the most of while saying, "Happy New Year."

Tuesday, I arrived in Mandalay. As the van from the airport got closer to the city, people began appearing with water guns and small buckets of water flinging wildly at us. Those that were near windows, quickly rolled them up. I however, thought the drizzles were pleasant enough.

I ventured out in a trishaw, recommended transport by the hotel clerk, to see the sites. Traffic along all of the palace perimeter crept along in calf-deep water when moving at all. I not only had buckets of water thrown at me, but pick-up trucks cruised along with hoses made sure there was a dry spot to be found. Furthermore, temporary stages had been erected along the sidewalks surrounding the palace where people paid for the privilege of hosing passersby while music blasted from behind them.

Taxis, motorcycles, trishaws, and pedestrians were all targets with the objective of soaking them. Groups on motorcycles wearing masks or face make-up and painted black lips performed stunts like wheelies and standing on their bikes to impress the crowds. Whisky poured out onto the streets almost as much as water. Both adults and a few young kids offered to fill my water bottle with whisky. For some this was a huge rowdy party.

Only the monks escaped the water and they did venture out. At one point, while a couple of teen aged boys were pouring water over my head, a monk walked over and seeing my good nature about it all, shook my hand and said, "thank you." being a foreigner and a female one at that, I was shocked that he had spoken to me much less touched me.

Knowing people didn’t toss water at the monks, it came as a mild surprise that when walking up a lengthy stretch of steps to pagoda on a hill, that a couple of young ones had squirt guns that they used on me. Being kids, I smiled to myself, and shouted, "Thank you. Happy New Year." What came as a bigger surprise was that on the last day of the water festival, an adult monk walked over, smiled and poured a small cup of water over my shoulders after making a gesture to ask if it was alright.

I awoke the next morning very early to the shutters on my windows banging violently and another very weird sound. It was rain! The beginning of the new year, after the dry season and after being judged by King of the Nats, it rained. How eerie was that?Close

The money games played should definitely be a consideration to suppress tourism until the country is ready. Although I came to educate people in English, I did venture out of my hotel during the two months there.Dual pricing extended far and wide and could…Read More

The money games played should definitely be a consideration to suppress tourism until the country is ready. Although I came to educate people in English, I did venture out of my hotel during the two months there.

Dual pricing extended far and wide and could amount to a lot of money. At locally owned tea houses, we were charged 50% more. Parks and swimming pools that were free for locals were $2-$5 respectively for foreigners. Although many people feel that because we are foreigners and other countries are poor that this is acceptable. While I will concede wear national parks are concerned, as they do that in Thailand and Costa Rica, in other cases I don't agree with the practice. But I did take it in stride.

On the other hand, when Yangon Airways charged 40% more for flights, it more than stung. If locals can afford to fly, why shouldn't we both be charged the same? The already pay less for trains, buses and accommodations.

A government ferry that cost 10 cents for locals had a large sign that said $1 for foreigners. However, the ticket counter insisted we pay $1.20 or we would get a ticket. They took the money and wrote $1 or $2 for a round trip on the ticket. This indicates the money was going directly into the employee's pocket.

Hence both the government and locals are extracting additional money from foreigners for everything.

In order to exchange money, you need crisp $100 bills. Even the lightest curve from have been in a billfold justified giving a lower rate and more damage made it completely un-exchangeable. Moreover, you didn't go into a bank to exchange money. Two places, one the sidewalk around Sule Paya and the other in Bagoke Market, had men walking around with large bags containing money. Pre-bundled stacks exchangeable for $100 were offered. You are expected to count the money, before giving the $100 bill. Carrying a stack of 100 kyats rubber banded was the norm for tourists. There really isn't a fixed exchange rate. I looked it up on the internet and it was list at about 6:1. Yet, you are offered 950 to 1000 depending on the changer and if it is close to a holiday. You have little choice but to trust them.

The very few taxis that had meters didn't use them so you had to negotiate. A good rule of thumb was that within Yangon it should cost from 1500 to 2500 kyats and tipping isn't customary. Trishaws are used for short distance of several blocks or less. These are bicycles with passenger seats next to the driver, not behind. To me this would appear more work and harder to maneuver around corners.

I will also mention that doctor visits are $10 for $100 for foreigners and that I have read the quality of the medicines received is not good. I was asked to stay on beyond my 2-month contract, but for reasons mentioned here, I felt the good I might be doing was overwhelming negated.
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Having the pleasure of visiting many Buddhist temples and monasteries, I was disappointed that I had merely paused at two Hindu temples. There always seemed to be a fortress wall around them so I could only take distant photos that I might later be able…Read More

Having the pleasure of visiting many Buddhist temples and monasteries, I was disappointed that I had merely paused at two Hindu temples. There always seemed to be a fortress wall around them so I could only take distant photos that I might later be able to enlarge to see the deities and mythological creatures.

Walking for some four hours I was sweaty and hot when I stopped to admire yet another Hindu temple. Much to my surprise there were several people around and I was beckoned inside. I was taken straight to the center where I was told to hold my hands in prayer fashion. Out came what I believe was a priest who carried a tray of what looked like ash dust with a small glass in the center from which smoke was rising. He some words and touched his fingers to the ash and then to my forehead. Copying the man next to me, I closed my eyes while fanning the smoke and inhaling the scent. When I opened my eyes I could feel them stinging as sweat poured down my forward. It began to get even hotter inside than it was outside. The salt was burning my eyes and the camphor I had been fanning toward them, no doubt, made it worse.

I was then taken around the room and told what deity each statue was, beginning with Shiva who is the Destroyer God. Not to mean that he is evil, but to destroy bad things such as bad habits or enemies. At this point I recalled that Shiva had cut off one of Brahma's five heads in order to quell his lust and help him to regain his right mind. I suppose another way to put it might be that with death comes a rebirth. He is usually shown having 8 arms and possibly riding on a white bull.

Next I was shown Vishnu, the Preserver God. In other words, protector of creation means preserving the universe and maintaining balance and order. Typically, he is depicted resting on a snake with a bow and sword nearby. Lastly is Brahama is the Creator God. He created all that is in cosmos. He split himself to create a woman and that story goes into how all the animals were created. To sum it all up, I was told Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma are a trinity god.

After the explanations and tour, I was given a bottle of water to quench my thirst and replenish the liquids I was rapidly loosing. I went outside and began putting on my shoes and as I rose, I was given a special packet of ash dust along with a small bottle of camphor. I felt so blessed for having been given this opportunity. Close

Having lived in Thailand, I knew women weren't to touch a monk or give anything directly to them. Furthermore, they didn't smile much less laugh. Bowing your head as monk walked by was expected. Therefore, this day's events were odd indeed. Heading into town in…Read More

Having lived in Thailand, I knew women weren't to touch a monk or give anything directly to them. Furthermore, they didn't smile much less laugh. Bowing your head as monk walked by was expected. Therefore, this day's events were odd indeed.

Heading into town in the general direction of Sule Pagoda I noticed a monastery and walked inside the gate. I hadn't gotten too far and wasn't even contemplating going inside any building when a monk came towards me and pointing to my sneakers tersely said, "no shoes".

Taking my shoes and socks off I apologized profusely. I stood momentarily gazing at the building. By no means was I going to pull out my camera now. I started to turn around to leave when he pointed towards a building. I stood in the doorway looking at the Buddha statues inside when he motioned for me to go inside. I looked around a bit and mumble a couple of times that it was beautiful. Just as I was about to search for my wallet he pointed to the donation box. I was ready to depart rapidly after putting money in the box. Again I headed toward the exit.
He said, "come", and dutifully I followed. Crossing a large empty room to the far corner he pulled a sheet aside from a doorway. He beckoned me to enter and sit on the mat on the floor. The last thing I ever expected was to be inside a monks room! My mind raced with thoughts of running, but I was frozen.

He brought out a bottle of water and a cup and filled it for me. While he was asking me where I was from and where I was staying, he peeled a couple of tangerines feeding sections of it to me. By this time another monk had come. His English was very limited.

The first monk continued to ask questions like where I was going. I told him Sule Paya. He said he would join me. We left the monastery and headed across the street to a restaurant where he ordered some type of thick pumpkin juice that was terrific. He also ordered a sweet pastry for me but not himself. I reached for my wallet and he said he would get it.

He asked why I didn't take pictures as most people do. I told him without seeing others do so, I wasn't sure it was permitted. I thought this was a good cover the fear that had gripped me the shoe incident which led to not taking any photos.

We head for a bus, which I knew was free for him and yet he paid for me. He accompanied me around Sule Paya. Details of the experiences at the temple are in the Sule Paya entry.

As we parted, we exchanged address, phone numbers and email addresses. Although he had the chance to practice his English, it was I who gained insight. Close

I was on an overpass when I noticed down below was very nice looking mosque. I marveled at the building and tried to find a place where that would encompass the most of it in a photograph.. While taking pictures, a man called…Read More

I was on an overpass when I noticed down below was very nice looking mosque. I marveled at the building and tried to find a place where that would encompass the most of it in a photograph.. While taking pictures, a man called up to me asking where I was form. After my response, he asked "What is your purpose here?" I don’t know whether it was the tone of his voice, his choice of words, or his overall unfriendliness, but I was even more reluctant to get too near a mosque. I decided to move on rather than even walk down the steps from the overpass to view it from eye level.

Walking down a narrow alley the following day, I came across another mosque. Mogul Shiah Jaamay Masjid was quite old, actually 100 years old and I figured it must be active so I could at least stand outside in peace. I took some pictures, read the plaque and stood by the gate. I had notice a man looking at me who eventually beckoned me to come inside the gates. I stopped at the bottom of the stairs when a much older man appeared and motioned for me to come further.

Standing Just outside the main hall, he asked if I wanted to take pictures. Much to my surprise he invited me inside, even after learning my country of origin. He explained that worshippers off to right, which I had noticed were all me, were there because a friend had died.

He took me into the room to the left behind a darkly paneled divider. I noted that it was very plain, without shrine, alter or anything. He told me in this room the ladies worshipped on Fridays. It was then I realized I was not only in a mosque, but an active one at that. I was informed that I would be welcome to join them on Friday.

In the center, between the ladies room and section where the men had been praying, he pointed to the Koran and asked if I understood. He told me that this was where followers would sit and read. He asked something vague and not quite comprehendible about Hussein and Iran to which I merely nodded. I believe he said something about either Hussein had commissioned the plaque I had read outside or had worshipped here as well as murmuring he was from Iran whom the world was in conflict with.

I thank the man several times, appreciative for the opportunity and information. Close

Over the Thai BorderWhile visiting northern Thailand we decided to venture over the border to Mynamar.We crossed over with a guide and had no problems at all. From Chaing Rai the nearest physical border is also Thailand's most Northerly point, Mae Sai. Here Burma, Union…Read More

Over the Thai Border

While visiting northern Thailand we decided to venture over the border to Mynamar.

We crossed over with a guide and had no problems at all. From Chaing Rai the nearest physical border is also Thailand's most Northerly point, Mae Sai. Here Burma, Union of Myanmar, is separated from Thailand by the river Sai and are joined by a bridge.

We paid $5.00 at the border crossing at Mai Sai , showed our passports and were in. I think it is best to go with a guide, as the area and border crossing can change without much notice.

As soon as you cross into Myanmar you are in a big market area. I found the venders more aggressive than their Thai neighbors but it was an interesting market to wander around. They sold just about everything there , including food, clothing and very cheap pirated CD's. Our driver/guide was most interested in these. There were tons of rubies, as well. I would be leery of buying them, as it's hard to say if they were real. They were tempting though. Myanmar does not have any ATM's, nor are credit cards accepted (except at some upscale hotels) .So you need cash. We used US$ with no problems.

Myanmar is a union of 135 ethnic groups with their own languages and dialects. The major races are the Kachin, the Kayah, the Kayin, the Chin , the Mon, the Bamar, the Rakhine, and the Shan. The name Myanmar embraces all the ethnic groups. Dozens of ethnic groups live in this area and on any day one can easily run into 4 or 5 different exotic hats and faces. The Karen, Hmong, Yao, Lahu, Buddhist and Muslim Burmese all live together in this frontier town speaking different languages, wearing different clothes, eating different foods

We found the people to be friendly. However the poverty is very visible and heartbreaking. Even though the venders in the marketplace tried hard to sell their wares, we were treated with respect even if we didn't make a purchase.

In any case, the local people frequently cross the river to trade goods from teak to gems to Burmese banana leaf cigars. It’s a fascinating place to visit and our tourist dollars are so badly needed by these hardworking people who are striving to recover from many years of unrest. We plan to someday return if time permits.
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Burmese PeopleMyanmar is an ethnically diverse country, much more so than neighbor Thailand. More than a hundred ethnic groups and languages exist there; but Kawthaung is within the Tanintharyi Division and near the Mon State, thus, most of its population is Bamar with a significant…Read More

Burmese People

Myanmar is an ethnically diverse country, much more so than neighbor Thailand. More than a hundred ethnic groups and languages exist there; but Kawthaung is within the Tanintharyi Division and near the Mon State, thus, most of its population is Bamar with a significant Mon presence. Malays, Chinese and Indians are significant minorities and have an important role in the local commerce and industry. Understanding the basic groups present and their most visible customs would help to improve the quality of a visit to the place.

Theravada Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism is an important part of the Burmese culture; Buddhism arrived there around two thousand years ago from Sri Lanka; it became mixed with Hinduism and animism. Some Mahayana Buddhism practices arrived from northern India. The early Pyu and Mon kingdoms were Buddhist, while the Bamar people were animists. King Anawrahta of Bagan adopted Buddhism as the kingdom system in 1056AC and went to war with the Mon Kingdom in the south of the country for the Buddhist Canon and monks. Since then, Buddhism was kept as the main social order.

Burmese have worked hard and the country became known as the Land of Pagodas; its landscape is dominated by pagodas and stupas displaying special characteristics, like tin roofs and square, layered towers .

A colorful point for those arriving from Thailand, is that Burmese Buddhist monks wear purple robes while Thai ones prefer orange; the monks can be seen during the mornings in the markets collecting food offerings from the vendors.

Islam

Islam reached Burma at the beginning of the second millennium; it is present mainly along the seaboard and in Yangon. The colonial period brought many Muslim and Hindu Indians to Yangon and transformed Islam into a significant minority.

Chinese Communities

The large Chinese minority can be seen in the ubiquitous Chinese shrines; in an attempt to boost trade, the British allowed their settlement all over the country. Nowadays, there is a new immigration of Chinese, especially to the northern areas of the country.

Christianity

Christianity arrived at Burma only in the nineteenth century; it has been widely adopted by the Chin, Karen, and Kachin people, but less so in the south. Amazingly, Myanmar hosts the second largest Baptist Church in the world, after the United States; the Catholic Church and the Assemblies of God also enjoy a significant presence.

Burmese Culture

Thanaka

Burmese men and women use a special make-up, which is prepared with ground thanaka bark and is put on the face so that it creates attractive white patterns; those are almost personal in nature, many of them feature circular themes. Apparently, the main reason for its use is protection from the sun.

Longyi

Longyi is the name of the sarong worn by both men and women in Myanmar; men make a prominent knot on its front, while women wrap it around themselves. Few other things are so distinctive of Myanmar.

Cheroot

Cheroot is a cigar with both ends clipped during its manufacture, thus they are inexpensive and popular in countries like Myanmar. They are roughly twice the width of regular cigarettes, are longer than them, have a distinctive green color and produce an especially foul smoke. They became popular with the British during colonial times and appear thus often in literature describing the area and period. This is one of the most distinctive activities of the denizens, especially in the coffee shops.

Food

Myanmar lets the taste buds rest after a while in Thailand; its cuisine uses much less spices; some foods - like the samosa - do not use chili at all. The staple food is white rice, though Indian breads like the roti, the naan and the paratha are widely available. The best known Burmese dish is mohinga, a rich fish soup with rice noodles, while the most popular drink is unspiced chai.

Chinlone

As in Thailand, Chinlone is a popular game. It includes a hollow rattan ball, which is kicked with the feet and the knees, the head may also be used, but hands are forbidden of touching the ball. It includes a variable number of players arranged in a circle; the ball is moved around with no apparent order.Close

After flying from one place to another we were finally able to go overland from Heho to Pindaya and from Pindaya to Nyaung Shwe on the shores of Inlé Lake then back to Heho. As you might guess, traveling by road is a great…Read More

After flying from one place to another we were finally able to go overland from Heho to Pindaya and from Pindaya to Nyaung Shwe on the shores of Inlé Lake then back to Heho. As you might guess, traveling by road is a great way to get a sense of the country that you miss by flying or by only visiting the large cities.

We were fortunate, also, to be able to stop where we wanted and take photos or just stretch. The roads in Myanmar are generally one and one-half lanes wide and not well-graded, even if paved, so one’s rear end can take a bit of a beating, too. The road along the western shore of Inlé lake is particularly bad. If you are at all subject to car sickness, you might want to medicate yourself if you do this drive.

The road from Heho to Pindaya climbs up to the market town and important highway nexus of Aungbahn. As you can see from the photo, it is a busy place with vendors, cars, busses, and trucks all competing for space and attention. There are also many shops and food stands; I wouldn’t exactly call them restaurants. We had an enjoyable and interesting time wandering around, observing the vendors, moving in and out of the shops, marveling at the decorations on the trucks, and basically soaking up the atmosphere.

After leaving Aungbahn, we were treated with some great scenery as we drove over the rolling hills of the Shan plateau through almost endless fields of dry cultivated mountain rice, colorful mustard and wheat. We also passed through a couple small farming villages and were able to take photos of the dwellings there. Tutu, our guide, told us each village is populated by people of the same ethnic heritage, Pao, Danu, Shan, etc. Therefore the inhabitants of each village speak a different dialect and have problems dealing with people from other villages. Bamar, the dialect of the dominant culture, has not caught on as the military rulers might wish so those who want to trade with the locals must learn to speak a number of different dialects. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many of the rural people are illiterate so written communication isn’t an option.

The highway, itself, is used by a wide diversity of vehicles and non-vehicles. Everything from ox-carts and horse-carts to cars like the one we were in. Add in ex-Russian busses, two stroke diesel tractors hauling a year’s worth of crops on a trailer, pick up trucks carrying a full load plus upwards of ten passengers, over-loaded two stroke diesel trucks with sagging suspensions, military vehicles that neither stop nor slow down for anyone, Chinese style bicycles (like cruisers but not nearly as well built), and farmers walking on the verge carrying 50 to 75 pound loads on their backs and their heads, and you get some idea of why a two hour trip took more than three hours.

I wanted to get out and take a photo of what I was seeing about every ten minutes. If I had gotten my way, our trip would have taken an additional two hours. If photographing people in their natural environment is your thing, a couple days on the roads of the Shan State would be very profitable.

The drive from Pindaya to Nyaung Shwe was different as we spent a good deal of time running down the western edge of Inlé Lake on a road that felt like it hadn’t been repaired since the British left in 1947. The route we took went through some hilly tree-covered country that was not being farmed. Because of that we didn’t see the potpourri of people that we had seen 2 days earlier.

Our last morning in Shan country was taken up by the drive from Nyaung Shwe to Heho airport. We had to depart very early, take a pre-dawn boat ride from our hotel to Nyaung Shwe, and then drive for 2 hours in the early morning to arrive at the airport before 8:30am.

It amazes me, how many people are out walking on the highway at 6:30 in the morning. I assume they are going to work or farm or maybe just visiting. It makes sense to do one’s walking in the morning before the heat of the day but the numbers of people strolling along an otherwise traffic-free highway boggles my mind. It also indicates how poor folks are since they walk great distances rather than take a bus or other transportation that seems dirt cheap to us.

I’m happy we had the opportunity to see all that we saw on our “road trip.” I recommend you take the time to travel the rural highways. It’s an opportunity to see and experience things you won’t get in the cities.Close

Pindaya is a small quiet town perched on the bank of the placid Botoloke Lake. It also contains at least two large monastery compounds with numerous pagodas and stupas, all in different stages of preservation or dilapidation, depending on your view of things. It is…Read More

Pindaya is a small quiet town perched on the bank of the placid Botoloke Lake. It also contains at least two large monastery compounds with numerous pagodas and stupas, all in different stages of preservation or dilapidation, depending on your view of things. It is a religious center for the Palaung, Shan, Danu and Pao peoples living in the vicinity.

Pam and I spent a couple of hours just wandering around. We find that, while on a tour, even a custom one such as this, we must take time for ourselves to just hang out. If we don’t, we go into “tourist attraction” overload. Also, while I value a knowledgeable guide’s input, I find I don’t retain that much unless I write it down soon thereafter. In this case, Tutu gave us an over-view and we asked some questions later.

One of the Pagoda filled areas we visited is actually a burial ground for the now extinct Shan royal family. The other is connected to an active monastery, whose name I forgot to write down. The wooden living quarters of the monastery are fascinating and look like they are about ready to collapse. On the other hand, nearby, is a modern meeting hall, which is evidently available to rent out for conferences, etc. I found myself questioning their priorities but maybe the meeting hall will provide enough income to rehabilitate the living quarters or maybe the monk’s living quarters are intended to be sparse and dilapidated. Tutu was unable to shed any light on the matter.

While we wandered the Shan Royal tombs and pagodas, a storm came up adding a little drama to a fascinating walk past monuments to forgotten VIPs. Even though, we were unable to read the inscriptions, we could imagine the status of the various deceased based on the size of their tomb. It was also nice to wander through the area by ourselves and without other tourists, a rare occurrence in most tourist attractions.

After visiting the pagoda complexes, we walked across the road to the Lake Botoloke shore. It is small, placid body of water. Some of the locals were fishing and smiled and nodded at us. After the rain, a nice breeze had come up so we decided to walk around the lake. There’s really not much to see but the ambiance is peaceful and the wild flowers are very nice. After about 30 minutes, I decided some relaxing time back at the hotel would be good for me. Pam decided to finish circumnavigating the lake. When she returned, she said it was pretty much the same all around except for some very marshy spots at the North end of the lake.

We really enjoyed our stroll around the area and I recommend taking some time to experience this non-tourist infested small town.Close