Hsipaw, Myanmar

The next morning I was taking the train to Hsipaw. Mr Guy picked me up and took me to the train station. He even made sure I had my ticket before he said goodbye. I was impressed that he made certain I got a good seat with a view of the Gotiek Viaduct. As I waited at the train station, a woman came up and sat down next to me. She asked where I was from and where I was going. I answered her questions and asked her the same questions.  She was going to the market but when she saw me sitting alone, she wanted to know more about me and my travels. As we talked, I showed her pictures of places I had visited. She was amazed I was travelling alone for a year. She said I was her hero and wished me well. She told me she was born in Myanmar and lived her whole life in Pyin Oo Lwin. Her husband had left the country for work in the USA 30 years ago but never had enough money to get her and their children out of the country. She had found out last year that he had died 5 years earlier while living in Washington DC. She was confident life was going to get better for her and her family. I wished her well and many years of happiness. 

This was one of the few times I was willing to support the government and take a train. I had been very conscious on my travels to make certain that I limited the amount of money to the Myanmar government. The Lonely Planet guidebook explained the locations and the amount of money that goes to the government. I stayed away from the government run hotels and only took the train twice, Circle train ($1) and the train from Pyin Oo Lwin to Hspiaw ($13). I had paid the fees at  historical sights ($10 at each of the cities Bagan, Inle Lake, and Mandalay). And the flight to Mandalay was a government sponsored airline. Otherwise, I had stayed away as much as I could. I was also conscious about spreading my money around the towns instead of only buying things at one restaurant or hotel. I wanted the people to get the money and not the government. I want to be conscious of how I spend my money here.

The train and tracks were very old. As the engine chugged along, the cars rocked from side to side. It felt more like a boat on the ocean as it rocked along the tracks. I sat in my seat looking out the window. We were passing farms where the people were hard at work plowing the fields. We stopped twice to leave supplies at small villages.

Then stopped at train stations to pick up a few more people. The train stations were filled with women selling food. I was not feeling well....again. The food in Myanmar was causing havoc on my digestive track. Ugh! From a distance I could see the bridge. The Goteik Viaduct was built in  constructed in 1899 and completed in 1900 by Pennsylvania Steel Company. When it was completed, it was the highest bridge in Myanmar. We slowed as we approached the bridge.

All of the seats had good views of the bridge. We stopped before crossing the bridge. The conductor saw I had my camera ready and he grabbed my arm. He motioned me to follow him. We exited the train and walked down the tracks to get some photos. He held up 5 fingers and pointed to his watch. Who needs English sign language works fine? I understood I had 5 minutes to take photos before the train left. I turned and saw my Taiwanese and Chinese friends from the train watching me. I waved to them to come take photos. The laughed that I was the only person taken to the spot to get photos while they all sat in the train. It pays to be a woman and smile at the conductor!

The rest of the train ride was a little hard for me. I felt awful. The rocking of the train was not sitting well with my nauseous stomach. I really hate train bathrooms...they are not clean and are awful when you are sick. I took a sea sickness tablet because I knew it would allow me to sleep and ease my stomach. When we arrived in Hsipaw I was happy to see Mr. Charles Guesthouse waiting to take me to my room. I was sweating and running a fever. I told the man that I had a reservation and he took my bag. He asked me several times if I was ok. When we arrived at the guesthouse he took me straight to a room and brought me tea and water. He took my passport and filled in the paperwork. I appreciated it as I was sick. Whatever I had eaten the day before was at war with me. I have never had such bad food poisoning. The staff was good at checking on me. I went down for some hot tea the next morning and the girls told me to get back to my room because I was green. I asked about trekking and she told me "none for you today." She was nice and brought me ginger and lemongrass tea to settle my stomach. I went back to my room and spent the next 24 hours wishing I felt better. I was sad because I had planned on doing an overnight trek into the villages. I just had no energy and was wiped out. As I lay in my room wishing I was feeling better, I decided no more meat. It was going vegetarian until I got back to Thailand. I think the food cleanliness with the meat was the problem. I had to decide what to do next. Stay here a few more days or give up on the trekking and go to the Mon State in southern Myanmar. I spent a second day trying to get well. The next morning, I went down at breakfast to talk to the trekking guides. I wanted to see if anyone was going or if I would have to pay the single fee. As I talked to a guide, he told me that nobody was doing a village hike. I would be the only person and I would have to pay the full cost myself. That was too much money and one of the downfalls of off season travel. I told him how I had been sick for 2 days and he suggested a day exploration I could do on my own. I decided to rent a bike and go see the Shan area that he suggested.

I noticed the map had the Shan Palace labeled in the area  he had suggested I explore. I had read the book Twilight Over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess by Inge Sargent. I also had read in the guidebook not to bother the residents of the home. So, my plan was to bike out and see the palace through the gate and continue on my path.

Gate of Shan Palace

As I stood looking in the gates and taking a few photos, a woman walked up and asked if I wanted to visit. I asked if it was allowed. She said of course I could visit. Historically, the government had cracked down on visitors over the years and Mr Donald, the nephew of the last Shan Prince, had been imprisoned for talking with tourists. As I went down the driveway, I could see the palace which was in need of repair.

Shan Palace

Ms. Fern, came out and welcomed me to her home. She told me I could go out and see the private prayer room. As I wandered out there I saw beautiful butterflies and the spirit houses. The prayer house was falling down and was in need of repairs like the rest of the property. As I walked back to the home, Ms. Fern invited me into her home.

Ms. Fern with photographs of the Shan Princes

She shared pictures of the Shan princes in the room where ceremonies took place. She talked to  me about what had happened to the Hsipaw Shan Prince and to her husband, Mr. Donald. Mr. Donald had been arrested by the government for talking to tourists in 2005. The government charged him with sharing state secrets because they had found a book that tourists had written in when they visited the palace. Mr. Donald was sentenced to 13 years in prison. He was eventually released after four years and placed under house arrest. He was ordered not to talk to tourists. Ms. Fern explained that the government allowed her to visit her husband in prison once every 2 weeks for 15 minutes. She would pack up food that would stay edible for 2 weeks at a time. I was shocked as she told me about their life. I asked again if she should be talking with me. She assured me that it was ok now and that I could write about our visit without any harm to her or her family. She told me the head of Myanmar tourism had visited her and Mr. Donald last fall and said there were no problems with them talking to foreigners. She wanted to share their stories and about life in Hsipaw and the difficulties of the Shan people. It was a part of their history. I noticed she had a large library of books. She explained that she loves to read true life stories about people and showed me the books. I asked her how she got all the books and she told me tourists had left with her. One of my favorite stories she shared was about the tractor out in front of the house. I knew from reading Twilight Over Burma: My Life as a Shan Princess,  the last Shan prince had bought tractors to try to help the his people become more productive with agriculture. He bought tractors and allowed his people to use them to help farm their lands. I was inquisitive and noticed that there was a tractor under a tarp outside and asked if it was one of the tractors originally bought by the Prince. Fern told me how the military government had taken it and returned it wrecked. She told me it had sat for 30 years before Mr. Donald got it running again. It took 4 months of work and the help of friends and tourists but it is now used to mow the lawn.

I enjoyed my time with Ms Fern at the Shan Palace. It was an interesting insight into Burmese life and struggles under the military dictatorship. She and her family went through very hard times. Friends turned their backs on them for fear of being persecuted. Their only source of income had been the donations given by tourists. When Mr. Donald was arrested and ordered to not talk to tourists, times got very difficult. I was impressed with their perseverance and admired them for believing in future. Ms. Fern is hopeful that Myanmar's future will be brighter. As most Burmese, she is waiting to see what happens in the 2015 elections. As I said my goodbyes, I thanked her for the time and history she shared with me. I was happy as I left the palace. I had been given a personal account of the history of the Shan people.

I was back on my bike and headed towards little Bagan. As I cycled down the small dirt path with bamboo fences on each side, I saw a sign for Mrs. Popcorn's Organic restaurant. Why not try it? Mrs. Popcorn was the sweetest lady. She greeted me and took me to a spot under a large tree. As I looked at the menu, she brought out a plate of fresh pineapple. Mmm! I ordered a tea leaf salad with a fruit plate and a mint iced tea.

We talked and when she saw a vendor going by she said she had a special treat for me. She came back with a small bowl of rice and chicory root topped with coconut. I tried it and it was good but very sweet. I could only eat a small amount. After relaxing in the garden, I was cooled off and I headed for little Bagan. It was an area with small pagodas similar to Bagan. My favorite was the one with a tree growing out of it!

I came across a monastery and stopped. Two young novices were playing marbles in the front. I stopped when they greeted me. I watched them play marbles and soon I was invited to play along.
I giggled as they were better than me. If I said anything in English they repeated it and giggled. We all know I have a soft spot for novice monks. So of course, this was a fun hour just playing marbles.
I had spent most of my day chatting with people and had lost track of the time. It was 4 PM and I noticed the sky was getting dark. Rain was coming and I wanted to get back to Mr. Charles Guesthouse before I got soaked. I was a few blocks from the guesthouse when the rain started. Whew! I was ready for a shower and a hot dinner.

I woke up early (5:00 AM) the next morning and decided to walk down to the morning market. I had been told it is a good market. I have visited a lot of markets in SE Asia but this was a first. Everyone was selling their fruits, vegetables and meats by candlelight. It was a beautiful sight.

Candlelight market in Hsipaw

Woman loading her purchases onto her motorbike

I am not sure how the people see what they are getting. I suspect they rely on the sense of smell to know it is fresh. I wandered back to the guesthouse a half hour later and checked the weather forecast. Rain was predicted for the next 3 days. There would be no hiking into the villages. I decided to book the overnight bus to Yangon. I was sad to leave without hiking to the villages but I had great experiences the day before that made the trip to Hsipaw worthwhile.

I sat outside in the cabana as I waited for the evening bus. I had a 16 hour trip to Yangon. It was scheduled to leave at 4:30PM. I was dreading this trip. It was going to be long and painful. I just wanted to sleep through it. As the bus pulled up I was pleasantly surprised. I have been on many buses in my years of travel and this was the nicest. It had big business-sized seats that reclined with foot rests and a stewardess on board. She walked up and gave me a bag with water, snacks and candy. Then she handed me a pillow and a fuzzy soft blanket. When she came back I wondered what else she could have to offer me. This time she opened up a box and asked if I wanted aspirin, motion sickness pills or sleeping pills! Wow! I declined and decided to stick with my own medications. I curled up in my seat with my headphones, blanket and pillow and slept most of the night. They woke everyone up for a bathroom and dinner break at 10:00 PM and 1:00 AM. It was an odd time but we were all forced to sit outside for a half an hour each time. Otherwise the trip was uneventful. I arrived in Yangon and back to the hotel I had stayed on my first week in Myanmar.  

Ancient Cities of Mandalay

I was on my way to Mandalay. After an hour taxi ride, I arrived at the airport in Heho to catch a 45 minute flight. I checked in and was handed a sticker for my shirt and told to wait for my plane. I asked the woman at the counter for my seat and gate information and was told to go to gate 2 and I could just pick a seat when I boarded the plane. Wow! That is simple. Now I knew why I was suppose to wear a sticker, they could pick out who should be on the flight very easily. Why waist time and trees with a paper ticket? As I sat waiting at the gate, a woman approached me and informed me that the flight would be arriving an hour late which would delay my flight. She asked if I had any concerns with the change in flight time. What could I do? I was fine and grabbed my computer out of my bag to get caught up on my blog. I got everything out and was working on my blog when the gentleman that checked my bag comes over to me and tells me it is time to go. My plan had arrived. What?!?! I grabbed my belongings and followed him. There was my plane! I boarded and took a seat. The safety announcement was made and the woman ended it with "I hope we arrive safely." I giggled and the Burmese men next to me looked at me and said "Not funny. Plane crashes. Boom!" Yikes! WTH! He bowed his head and was praying.  I questioned if this was a smart choice. The plane started to taxi down the runway and I looked at my watch. It was leaving 10 minutes ahead of the departure time! I had noticed in Myanmar everything was on schedule or ahead of schedule. I had been impressed. Now I just had to pray I would land safely in Mandalay!

It was a quick flight and the view of the mountains was beautiful from the plane. Everything was green and lush with clouds nestled in the valleys. We landed in safely in Mandalay. Whew!  I waited for my bag in the hot, humid airport. Mandalay was significantly warmer than Inle Lake. I was dripping sweat when my bag finally arrived. I wanted to get to a hotel and take a shower.  The hotel, Peacock Lodge, had arranged a car to pick me up. I found my name on a sign and was headed into Mandalay. My first impression was a big dirty city that I just wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible. When I arrived at the hotel, I asked about a taxi to the three ancient cities. She offered to arrange a car. As we talked, I told her I would like to see U Bein Bridge at sunrise. I was already tired of the sales tactics at the tourist sites. I hear it was really bad at sunset but nobody at sunrise.  Since I was going to be up at 4:00 am, she suggested I take in a local tradition. The girl tells me that Buddha's face and teeth are washed and few tourists attend the ceremony. This is what drew me in. I like the local traditions and especially if there are not many tourists. Sign me up!

So, I was up a 3:30 AM and ready for the taxi ride to Mahamuni Pagoda. It is dark as the taxi pulls up to the pagoda. He tells me to leave my shoes in the backseat and meet him in an hour after the service. I walk to the entrance and stand with 3 Burmese people. Soon I see a procession of monks headed to the pagoda with offerings of flowers and fruits. They stand and wait with us. A man asks where I am from and translates to the others. They stand smiling at me as we wait. When the doors are opened the man grabs my arm and tells me to follow him. He is going to get me a good seat. I was confused because there were only a few of us. I think we will all have good seats.

The Buddha at the Mahamuni Pagoda has become famous for becoming fat. Over the last 100 years, men have been allowed to purchase gold leaf and enter the pagoda and add it to his body. Woman are not allowed to go into the inner sanctuary. There is a corded off area for woman to sit outside the main area and watch the ceremonies on a tv. I was in the front and had a good view of the ritual. I heard a beating of a drum followed by a bell. A head monk entered and was followed by layman  dressed in white. They entered and placed an orange robe over Buddha's shoulders and then arranged towels and offerings in the front.  The other monks that arrived outside the gates entered with their offerings of flowers and fruits. These were placed on the alter as offerings and then the monks were given them back and exited to the left hand side. The head monk used a cloth and a gold spray bottle. He would spray the water onto Buddha's face or teeth and then wipe it off. That was followed by waving of a gold fan.

  

My body was falling asleep as I sat on the floor. It was extremely hot and I was dripping sweat. I thought the ceremony had to be almost over. I looked at my watch and realized only 20 minutes had passed!! I was going to faint if I sat here any longer. I got up and moved outside to the courtyard. The fresh air felt good and I had a chance to cool off a little bit. My stomach started to cramp. No! Not again! I was having a hard time kicking this bug and the heat did not help the matter. I sat and sipped my water for 15 minutes and then decided it was time to go back to the taxi. As I exited the pagoda, a group of young monks surrounded me and asked for money. I said no and continued to walk. One boy actually kicked me. I was taken back and not expecting it. I looked at a woman that was watching. She said "you are a foreigner with much money, give each of them $5 USD. It will not hurt you. You have so much." I was shocked and appalled by this comment. I realize that I have more money but for a Novice monk to act that way and the woman to comment was rude. I know this is another tactic used to get the western tourists and they do it because it has worked in the past. But, I stuck to my guns and continued walking. I will not play that game.

My next stop was U Bein Bridge, easily one of Myanmar's most photographed sites. I was joining all the travelers that have tried to get the beauty of the bridge captured to remember their travels.

Their were few tourists waiting for sunrise. I walked out to the west side of the bridge. Dogs followed me as I looked for a good spot to take photos. I was watching the sky and snapping a few shots. A large black dog walked up to me and started to jump on me. I was protected by a frisky little brown and white dog. Before I knew what was going on, the 2 dogs were in a fight and I was in the middle! Crap! I can't get bit. I chose to skip the rabies shots that the CDC recommended. I got out of the middle of the dogs and they followed. I am not a mean person but I did not want to get bit and have to get a rabies shot. I kicked sand at the aggressive black dog and yelled at him. They moved away but I felt bad for kicking sand at them. Not the way I wanted my morning to start off but I was safe and keeping my eye on those troublemakers.

U Bein Bridge is the longest teak wood bridge in the world. Built in the mid 1800's, the 1.2 km long bridge spans over Taungtaman Lake. In the early morning, the Burmese were making their way across the bridge for exercise or on their way to work or school. I started my walk across the bridge. I was fine for the first section. But as I continued, the bridge wobbled and I was freaked out! The wood planks creaked with each step. They were uneven and I found myself watching to make certain I did not trip and fall off the side. The Burmese would laugh as they saw my hesitation. I made it a third of the way and realized I had to repeat this walk back to the taxi. At that point I had experienced the bridge and the view and decided to turn back.


The taxi took me to a few other sights in Amarapura that I did not want to visit. I told him I was ready to move on and then he started to take me to his friends shops (marionette salesmen, wood shop and bronze factory). He would sit trying to talk me into buying things I did not need. Ahhh! I politely asked him to please only take me to the places we had discussed. We had a disagreement and he insisted it was his choice. I had no patience to sit in this heat and wait around for these men to get caught up on their daily gossip while I was hassled to buy souvenirs. I told him I was ready to go back to my hotel. He was not  happy but I wasn't either. It was best for both of us to call it a day. I will find another taxi to take me where I wanted to go. And it was fairly easy. I gave the new taxi driver a list of the sights I wanted to see and he asked me to tell him if I would like him to pull over at any times. This was service!

Sagaing was the first stop with my new taxi driver. As we followed the river the view was beautiful. Pagodas and monasteries crowd the numerous hills along the ridge running parallel to the Irrawady river.

The city was the royal capital briefly in the mid 1700's. I asked the driver to take me to a few pagodas with views of the area. Some of the pagodas were under repair. I watched as workers balanced on the bamboo scaffolding and waved hello to me.

Others were not only used as a religious and tourist site but the center of daily life. As I pulled up in the taxi, I see a shop keeper giving his son a bath in a bucket. Each time his father poured water over his head, he giggled happily. Until he saw me. He was not sure what to think of me. He just stared at me and looked at his father. I thought he was adorable.

My final stop was a visit to Innwa,  an ancient imperial capital of successive Burmese kingdoms from the 14th to 19th centuries. Throughout history, it was rebuilt numerous times. The capital city was finally abandoned after it was completely destroyed by a series of major earthquakes. Today, only a few traces of its former grandeur remain. The taxi dropped me off at a jetty to take a boat across to Innwa. As I arrived on the other side of the river, I felt like I had taken a step back in time. Horse carts were waiting to take me on my journey around the island.

Our first stop was the Bagaya Monastery which was built with 267 teak wood posts. The largest post is 60 feet high and 9 ft in circumference. It was impressive, nothing I had seen before. The monastery was also famous for educating the royals. I saw young monks studying in a corner. There were maps a globes where they could locate a tourists home.

I crawled back into the horse cart. We passed other carts and the ancient wall of the city. Other pagodas looked similar to the pagodas of Bagan.  

The driver stopped to let me explore the ruins of pagodas ruined in an earthquake. Storm clouds were looming and I knew I would not have much time before the rain arrived.

I made it back to the horse cart just as the heavy rain started. We circled the remains of the old city and passed farmers on their way home from the fields. I am still amazed that they use ox and a cart in 2013.

I returned to the boat ferry and made my way through the mud and back to the taxi. I was ready to leave Mandalay and the heat and move northeast to the hill country.

Biking Inle Lake

The Inle Lake area is serene. One day was not enough for me so, I decided to rent a bike and explore the surrounding areas. I was particularly interested in visiting the hot springs and the Red Mountain Estates Vineyard. But visiting Inle Lake is also about meeting the locals and understanding how the rural people live their daily lives. That is so much easier when I travel independently.

The area surrounding Inle Lake is relatively flat and good for biking. The Teakwood Inn offered bikes for rent ($1.65) and provided a map of the area. At breakfast, I talked to a woman, Serica, and we were both interested in biking the area so we decided to do it together. We had been told there was a local festival at the pagoda west of town so, we started in that direction. As we left town, we cycled down a rocky road with many locals dressed up for the celebration. We followed the crowd and arrived at the pagoda 30 minutes later. We paid a guy to watch over our bikes and climbed the steps to join in the festivities.

Many of the locals looked shocked to see foreigners in attendance. We were welcomed by the people and it was fun to attend a local celebration. The grounds of the temple were full of people selling foods, music, videos, fireworks and gifts for Buddha.

In the temple, boys and monks were walking around the parameter with lay people giving offerings. The temple grounds were a flurry of activity. We heard drums beating and singing coming up the hill. A group of men were clapping, singing and dancing towards the temple. They were carrying a large money tree towards the temple. Everyone clapped to the beat as the procession surrounded the temple. The men were followed by young girls bringing gifts (flowers and cash) to the temple. 
We joined in the celebration clapping to the music and watching the activities.  After a while, I was hot and the afternoon sun was getting stronger. We eventually decided it was time to continue on our bike ride. We returned to the bottom of the hill and jumped on the bikes towards our next stop, the hot springs.

The hot springs were not what I had expected. I thought it would be more natural. The area was surrounded by farmland and woman working in the fields. It was relaxing and peaceful. There were three pools surrounded by tables and lounge chairs. We were given towels, soap, shampoo and a locker as we entered the women's restrooms. Serica and I had the hot springs to ourselves. We figured everyone else was too hot to sit in hot water in the afternoon.  It cost $8 and felt good even in the summer heat. We relaxed in the warm pools and then had lunch.

After lunch, my stomach started cramp and I was not feeling well. I told Serica and she said she was tired and would like to go back to Nyaungshwe. I agreed and when we left to get on our bikes she mentioned that the easiest and quickest way back would be hiring a boat at the next village. Typically the route continues a short distance to Kuang Daing village and then you hire a boat across the lake to Maing Thauk village and back up to Nyaungshwe. A man noticed us discussing our plan and asked if we needed a boat across the lake. We explained we wanted to go back to Nyaungshwe and he agreed. He told us to follow him to his boat. He was on a motorcycle and we followed. At one point he was driving very slowly. I pulled up behind him and yelled out beep-beep. He turned and looked at me and laughed. He realized he could go a little faster. We entered the small village and he grabbed a container of fuel and told us to follow. He started down a path that was too narrow for us to ride our bikes. It was up and over a bamboo bridge, down a muddy hill, across a porch and down a couple of steps. Then we had to wander through waist deep grass to the lake. We finally arrived at five boats. He got in and I handed him my bike. He carried it from boat to boat until he got to the 5th boat. Then he returned to get Serica's bike. I lifted it and felt the boggy ground give way. I started sinking into the mud. I decided to jump on the boat. As I crawled onto the boat my other leg sunk into the mud. I was knee deep in mud. The man looked at me and said "No, don't step there! Very muddy!" I laughed as I pulled my leg hard and hoped my sandal would stay on my foot. Luckily it did! I stood there with mud all the way to my ankle. The young man was horrified and told me to stay still. I told him not to worry and lifted my leg to put it in the lake water on the other side of the boat. He said no and grabbed a bucket of water to wash off my foot. He was so sweet and cleaned my foot off. I just laughed and told him it was fine.    

We were loaded on the boat and on our way back to our hotel. I was not feeling well and was ready to get back. The boat ride was quick and the young man motioned to get our cameras ready. I looked over the bow of the boat. There was a fisherman rowing his boat. I had another chance to photograph the fisherman of Inle Lake.

We returned to the boat dock in Nyaungshwe and the young man helped us carry our bikes to the shore. It was a good day but I was feeling sicker by the moment. I went back to my hotel and asked about travel plans to Mandalay. I had planned to leave the next day on the bus. I was surprised to find out that the bus ride was an overnight trip. Since I wasn't feeling well, the woman suggested I consider flying to Mandalay. When she told me the price was less than $50 and I would be there in an hour, I told her to book the ticket. I went to bed and gave up on seeing the winery. I was sad but did not feel well. I went to bed early and rested.

I woke up in the morning and felt really good. Since the taxi was picking me up at 1:30 PM, I decided to rent a bike and finish the eastern side of Inle Lake. I headed out of town in the morning and passed the winery. I followed dirt paths to see where they led. As I explored the area, I passed farm land and the people going about their daily activities. A man was on his way to the fields with his oxen cart, a boy walking cattle, children playing and swimming in the canals.

As I cycled through towns, I passed women doing their laundry and hanging it out to dry. At 10:00 AM, I headed to the Red Mountain Estates Vineyard. The winery sits on the top of a steep hill. I realized the hill was too steep for me and I was going to have to walk to the top. Since it would be a fun ride down, I pushed the bike to the top. Wine! I knew my stomach had issues the last 2 days but I decided the wine may kill off anything that was wrong. Maybe not the best idea but I missed wine. The view from the view from the winery was nice. Too bad it wasn't sunset. I sat down by the window and ordered a tasting and a fruit plate with grilled chicken. I relaxed and enjoyed the view and my wine tasting for $2.50. The wine was better than I had expected. I was happy and had a good day. I looked at my watch and knew I needed to cycle back to my guesthouse. It was a short 20 minute ride back to Nyaungshwe. I was happy to have finished my bike ride of Inle Lake. I had time to change my shirt and wash my face. Then, the taxi arrived and I was off to the airport for a quick flight to Mandalay.  

Bagan Bound by Bus

Ugh! Too much beer last night made for a rough start in the morning. I went to the lobby to wait for a taxi ride to the station. After a 45 minute cab ride we arrived at a large bus station. Each bus line has an office where you wait for your bus. I checked in at the small desk, recorded my country of residence and passport number and took a seat to wait for the bus. Once again I was the attraction. I laughed as the Burmese people would do a double take when they saw me and then went and got a friend. They would come over to the bus station and stand and giggle. When I looked at them and smiled or waved, they would laugh and then turn away. A few brave individuals would walk up and want to see my ticket. I realized quickly they wanted to see if they were on the same bus. I wonder if I will ever get use to this.

I had assumed that I would be able to buy something to eat and drink at the bus station. My choices were betel nut chew, tea and fruit. I went for the fruit and then tried to ask about cold bottled water. I was told no. Wow! This could be a long trip without water. I sat back down and young girls came with a small basket of goods. I looked in it. She had wet wipes, nail clippers, Myanmar books, nasal inhalers (she was really pushing this) and peppermint candies. I told her no thank you and she moved on. Monks were making the rounds for morning alms and I watched quietly. It was different than Laos. Most of the monks were given rice and bananas there but here it seemed to be money offerings.

At 15 minutes before the scheduled departure we were told to place our bags under the bus and find your seat. I went to mine and sat down. Yes! There was a bottle of water, a bag (in case you got sick) and a wet wipe at each seat. The bus left the station at 14 seconds after the scheduled time! That was prompt! I can't wait to see if this is the way it will be the remainder of the trip. As the bus left the station, I watched out the window. When people saw a foreigner, they would wave and smile. I was excited to see the countryside outside of the city. I knew it would take some time to get out of the city and decided it was the perfect time for a little nap. When I awoke we were on the freeway headed north. The country was green and beautiful. I watched as farmers were sitting in wagons pulled by 2 large ox. Right down the side of the road! I felt like I had gone back in time. The bus stopped at lunch time for 30 minutes. I sat down and ordered a chicken fried rice. It was what the locals were eating so I figured it was turned over quickly. Then, I was back on the bus for a few more hours. We left the freeway and turned onto dirt roads. People started yelling out which I assumed was the locations where they wanted to be left off the bus. As we entered the small towns, I saw pickup trucks and horse carts shuttling people around town. The pickup truck beds had bench seats along the sides of the bed and a cover over the top. The bed of the trucks were packed full of people. Sometimes the people overfilled onto the back of the truck and the roof of the truck. They calmly road cross-legged on top as the trucks swerved down the roads. I am open to trying most means of transportation but I am not sitting on top of a truck that is traveling down a road!

As we entered one town, there were 4 tanks and army personnel sitting on the side of the road. This caught my attention because there have been some fights breaking out in towns around Myanmar but I had not read about anything near Bagan. As we entered a small town, we passed about 8 police officers with machine guns standing armed. I am not sure what was going on but it made me realize this country was still an emerging tourist destination. After 50 years of military junta, they were trying to become more democratic and to bring in investments and tourism. It has been said that as a tourist you are always watched and only allowed to go to areas allowed by the government. I had several places I had wanted to go but that had been closed due to the low tourist season or political instability. I was disappointed but there was plenty of the country for me to explore.

At 5:00 PM, I arrived in Nyaung-U. The girl sitting next to me told me this was not my stop. I needed to stay on the bus for 2 more stops. So I sat down and waited. Then, a young man got on the bus with 5 guys behind him. They walked up and wanted to know where I was going. He told me this was my stop. As I exited the bus, all 5 of the guys wanted to take me in their horse carts to my hotel. I gave the guy that spoke English my hotel information and he gave it to one of the men. They grabbed my backpack and I followed him. I crawled up on the back of the horse cart with my two backpacks and introduced myself to the driver. As the horse cart headed towards New Bagan where I was staying, I had time to take in the sites. We passed the first temples and I smiled. I had seen so many pictures of Bagan and was not disappointed.

We passed through the gates of Old Bagan and by small temples on the side of the road. My driver offered to take me to see sunset at the temples but I really wanted to get my things to the hotel and relax. It had been a long bus ride and I wanted to wait for tomorrow. I negotiated a rate with the driver for the next day (20,000 kyat) for the day. He pulled over to the side of the road a few times so I could get a quick look at what tomorrow would bring. I was happy when we arrived at my hotel an hour later. I forget how slow horse travel is!
I checked into Mya Thirda and was pleased with the small room. It was a bargain for $20 when most rooms were starting at $65 and up. The owner looked at the clock and asked if I wanted to see sunset. I told him I just wanted to relax. He said that sunset was not going to be great tonight (rainy season) but he really wanted to show me the plain. For 3,000 kyat ($3 USD) he would take me to a small pagoda with no other people and a great view of the Bagan plain. Oh, why not?!?!? We drove outside of New Bagan and parked. He grabbed a flashlight and took me to a small pagoda. We walked up 2 flights of stairs and looked out across the plains. It was a beautiful sight that I will never forget. I have traveled for many years, there are some sights that you remember seeing for the first time. The plains of Bagan is one I will always remember and cherish. I was so happy he insisted that I did it on my first night. Now, I was excited and anticipating my exploration of the pagodas in the morning!