Récits de voyages autour du monde

(JANUARY 15 TO FEBRUARY 9, 2020)

ITINERARY:

Yangon

Kin Pun Sakhan (Mount Kyaiktiyo)

Malawmyine (Moulmein)

Bilu Kyun (Island of Ogres- Excursion from Malawmyine)

Hpa-An (Tower of the caves of the region)

Mandalay

Amarapura, Sagaing, Inwa and Mingun (Ancient cities – Excursion from Mandalay)

Nyaung U

Old Bagan

New Bagan

Inle Lake

PHOTOS OF MYANMAR (Click on the photo above)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15

MANILA – SINGAPORE – YANGON (former capital of MYANMAR or BIRMANIA)

Myanmar Pop: 53.4 million / Yangon Pop (formerly Rangoon): 4.3 million

Our alarm came out of a deep sleep. Our short five-hour night at the Lourdes Inn in Manila still did us good. Our lunch was served on the gallery on the3^rd floor. We could see the planes landing and taking off very close to us, the runway being glued to our neighborhood. On the horizon were the silhouettes of the skyscrapers of Makati, Manila’s wealthy business district.

At 7.30am, we took a Grab Taxi to the airport. Our first flight, which lasted 3 hours 10 minutes, took us to Singapore. We ate a seafood soup on the plane ($5 CAD each) with the buns I had taken care to bring in my backpack. The view from the air over the islands and atolls of the Philippines was impressive and of great beauty.

We waited 4 hours at Singapore Airport, reputed to be among the most modern in the world. We had dinner on the3^rd floor and went to see the beautiful cactus garden on part of the roof on the same floor. The sun was bright and the temperature very hot (32 degrees C).

We finally flew to the6^th country of our World Tour: Myanmar. (Flight time Singapore to Yangon: 3 hours 10 minutes.) We arrived in Yangon, the capital, at 8:30 p.m. local time. (There is – 1 hour and a half jet lag between the Philippines and Myanmar.) Before leaving the airport, we took care to exchange our money for Kyats and buy two SIM cards for our cell phones for the month. We travelled by Grab Taxi to the Zara Hotel, in the Padedan district, in the heart of the city center.

The change of scenery was quickly felt; the Philippines and Myanmar have little in common. Here, it’s another world! Here are some examples:

Wearing longyi (tissue attached to the waist and down to the ankles) is very common.

The steering wheel is on the right and the cars are driving to the right! You have to cover your shoulders and take off your shoulders everywhere.

People chew bettel nuts, spit it on the floor and have red teeth.

Burmese people apply Thanaka beige powder (tree) on their cheeks and sometimes elsewhere on their bodies to follow religious tradition and protect themselves from the sun. (This powder is good for the skin.)

Monks of all ages seek food and money at the doors of the shops, dressed in their long tunic and shaved head.  

Motorcycles are prohibited from riding in Yangon. (Elsewhere in the country, foreigners are generally prohibited from renting a motorcycle.)

Myanmar is a cultural mosaic. Here are the 7 main ethnic groups: Burmese, Shan, Arakanese (They live in Rakhine State, which the current Burmese regime calls Rakhine), Kayah, Môn, Chin and Kachin.

Here is an article I found on the internet that gives the pulse of the political situation of the country (https://www.populationdata.net/pays/myanmar-birmanie/):

« Democracy wins but remains fragile »

« Myanmar (or Burma) is a country in mainland Southeast Asia (formerly called Indochina). It has common borders with  Bangladesh,  China, India,  Laos  and  Thailand. It is bordered by the Andaman Sea to the south and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, with about 2,000 kilometers of coastline.

A bloody dictatorship ruled the country between 1962 and 2011. Since then, Burma has become a parliamentary republic. At the end of 2015, the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize party, Aung San Suu Kyi (held under house arrest for almost two decades and finally released at the end of 2010), took power thanks to the first elections since 1990 (which had been annulled by the military junta). In 2016, a president from his political party (National League for Democracy), Htin Kyaw, was finally elected by parliament. The situation of the Burmese is catastrophic from a health and social point of view. Forced labor is still widely used by the military, particularly for the continuous improvement of tourism infrastructure. This country is indeed a true historical treasure, one of the most famous places is located near Mandalay, in the center of the country, in Bagan. Hundreds of ancient temples can be admired in a huge plain.

Tourism is one of the main cash inflows in the country, with the sale of oil and gas, produced both on land and offshore at sea, notably by the French oil tanker Total. Opium is still produced in large quantities and fuels international drug trafficking. Despite its recent opening, the country remains isolated on the international stage. The military, who still rule much of the country and institutions, are orchestrating a real war against the Karen population. They are fighting for the survival of their people in the eastern mountains. The Rohingya population, a minority Muslim community on the west coast of the country in Rakan State, has also been persecuted for years. The. population, which includes about one million people, is counted separately in the administrative censuses.

In 2006, in order to escape possible attempts to overthrow the regime, the junta decided to transfer the country’s political capital to Naypyidaw (or Nay Pyi Taw), 320 km north of Rangoon, the country’s former capital and economic metropolis (5.2 million inhabitants). This new city, built from scratch in the middle of the forest, has seen its population explode since then, from a simple country town to a large city now exceeding 1.1 million inhabitants. »

I continue here the story of our day. So, we arrived in the evening at the Zara Hotel. We were placed in a large windowless room on the4^th floor. (There was a water problem with the room of the 2^nd floor we had booked.) Claude was eager to shower and apply the antiseptic purchased at the Singapore airport pharmacy. We went to bed in the middle of our long day of transport but happy to have arrived in this country which surely reserves new and beautiful discoveries, adventures and encounters.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16

Yangon

Our excellent night’s sleep did us the greatest good. Claude got up late and spent the morning resting in our room to speed up the healing process of his purulent wounds. He almost passed through Aurélie Valognes’s « Minute, Butterfly, » a book he had found when he arrived at the hotel.

As far as I was concerned, after having lunch, I went to the pharmacy to complete our first aid kit. I loved my walk in the neighborhood. I was really out of place; I felt like India, a country I particularly love. After helping Claude change his bandages, I went for a walk around. I walked past the Narsapuri Moja Sunni Jimae Mosque, the New Bogyoke Market and the Junction City Tower, a modern office tower that also houses a luxurious shopping center.

I crossed the street to see Holy Trinity Cathedral in Yangon and then headed to the famous Bagyoke Aung San Market. This traditional market is huge and sells everything: jewelry, clothing, fabrics, shoes, wooden sculptures, decorative objects, watercolors, etc. The small streets around are an extension of the market. It’s easy to get lost. I was tempted and bought a necklace, a bracelet, a rush and a pair of jade earrings and two hair curls. The whole thing really didn’t cost me much.

I had dinner on the important Anawrahta Road. I ate an excellent rice with vegetables and chicken ($3.20 CAD). However, I left the coleslaw served as an accompaniment because the sauce was far too spicy for me. I went back to see Claude at the hotel. We moved our luggage to a large room on the2^nd floor, with window and balcony. This one is unfortunately messy because many pigeons have taken up residence in the attic. We hear their back and forth all the time. Our neighbor across the street feeds them, which encourages them to stay around!

I went to get some curry chicken for Claude at an Indian restaurant on Anawrahta Road. I spent the early afternoon with him in our room. I took the opportunity to book our plane tickets Colombo (Sri Lanka) to Amman (Jordan). These are necessary for our future e-visa application for Sri Lanka.

I went for a walk alone in the late afternoon. I took Anawrahta Street and crossed this busy thoroughfare by the pedestrian walkway, discovering the beautiful Sule Pagoda at the end of the street of the same name. I took off my sandals at the entrance to the pagoda and paid $5 CAD to visit it. This pagoda is a Burmese stupa dating back more than 2600 years. It is located in the heart of Yangon city and is a political, religious and historical focal point. (It served as a rallying point for anti-government and pro-democracy protesters during the 1988 uprisings and the 2007 saffron revolution.) The golden stupa top is surrounded by pavilions of the same colour. The end-of-day lighting was reflected nicely on the gilding, making the décor rather magical.

As I left the pagoda, I crossed the roundabout, discovering the Town Hall in all its glory. This beautiful building dates back to 1926. Its construction was completed in 1936.

Opposite City Hall is Maha Bandoola Park. This huge park serves as a meeting place for young and old. In the centre stands the monument of independence proudly. The park was named after General Maha Bandula who fought against the British in the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826). I sat next to one of the water fountains to enjoy a bitter green mango cut into thin strips with peel and served with a seasoning to remove the bitterness. I then bought a boiled Indian wheat that I ate with a tender thought in mind of my late dad who loved this vegetable so much in season.

I went to see the magnificent colonial building of the Supreme Court up close (1911). It is renowned for its British-style architecture of Queen Anne, including its clock tower and its red brick exterior.

I came back to find Claude at the hotel. We left together for dinner. We opted for a Thai restaurant located on our street, a short walk from our hotel. Our meal turned out to be delicious ($5 CAD each).

At the exit of the restaurant, we went around the ATMs of the neighborhood in order to make a withdrawal of money. We finally found one that worked at the Junction City Tower shopping center. We then returned to our hotel. We booked our next bus and our next two accommodations.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17

Yangon

We had breakfast in the dining room with a Belgian couple and a French couple, sitting at the tables next door. Being all six frequent flyers, we obviously talked about our travel experiences. How nice to talk with people who are on the same wavelength as us and who are driven by the same passion for travel!

We washed some clothes and hung them on the clothesline that we installed under the roof of our balcony, in the Burmese way of the neighborhood. Hopefully, our clothes won’t get dirty with pigeon droppings!

We went in Grab Taxi. We visited the Chauck Htat Gyee Buddha Temple, the most famous Buddhist temple in Bahan Township in Yangon. It houses one of the country’s most revered images of a recumbent Buddha. The huge Buddha statue is 66 meters (217 feet) long and is one of the largest in Burma.

A taxi driver offered to take us to our next two destinations for 5,000 Kyats ($5 CAD), which we accepted on the spot. So, we went to the Temple of The Ngahtatgyi Buddha. This temple houses the original 20.5-foot (6.2 m) high Buddha statue that was donated by Prince Minyedeippa prince in 1558. A Buddha, 45.5 feet (13.9 m) on a pedestal, 30 feet (9.1 m) high and 46 feet (14 m) wide was erected at the temple in 1900.

The same driver then drove us to Kan Daw Gyi Lake. We went back to a nice Chinese restaurant. Seeing that the prices were over budget, we went out to the Royal Garden to enjoy the view of the lake. The garden is wooded and dotted with large rocks, giving it a Zen atmosphere. On the lake, you can see a magnificent boat built in the style of the royal barge and home to the Karaweik Palace restaurant which offers meals with cultural shows.

We shared shrimp egg rolls and a carrot salad in a waterfront restaurant. After quenching our thirst with a fresh lemonade, we climbed to the5^th floor of the Utopia Tower built of big rocks, to enjoy the panoramic view of the lake and the surrounding area.

A Grab Taxi then took us to the National Museum of Myanmar. We had no expectations at first, but we were pleasantly surprised; this museum is extraordinary. It is the principal of the two national museums of Burmese art, history and culture in Myanmar. Founded in 1952, the five-storey museum has an extensive collection of ancient artifacts, ornaments, works of art, inscriptions and historical memorabilia. The main attraction of the museum is the only surviving original Lion Throne of the Burmese monarchs. There are more than 4000 permanent objects in the museum. Don’t miss it!

We returned by taxi to our hotel ($2.10 CAD). Before going up to our room, we had a small beer in the dining room. We relaxed at our room before going out to dinner. We walked to the corner of 17th Street looking for a restaurant. We were told the restaurant of the Best Western Chinatown hotel. We had fish and chips and an excellent Greek salad. When we left the restaurant, we went to see the 19th Street Night Market. In fact, it’s a « Street Food. » The street was crowded. Locals and tourists are seated in restaurants and directly on the street. We set out on our way back, passing through Maha Bandoola Street decorated with thousands of red lanterns, to the 28th Street where our hotel is located. I did some washing and a writing session before going to bed for the night.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18

Yangon

We had lunch in the dining room and went in Grab Taxi to the famous Shwedagon Temple, also called Golden Dagon Pagoda. The 326-foot-tall (99 m) pagoda is located on Singuttara Hill and dominates the Yangon skyline. It is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, as it is thought to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa. These relics include Kakusandha staff, Konagamana water filter, a piece of Kassapa’s dress and eight strands of gautama’s head.

Here is some interesting information from Wikipedia:

« The pagoda is accessed by stairs and elevators at the four cardinal points. Two monumental chinths  (mythical lions) guard the southern entrance; they were offered by King  Tharrawaddy during his visit in  1841. The main pagoda is located in the middle of a vast complex of 72 other pagodas, pagodas, prayer halls,  tazaungs,  pyatthats and other religious buildings with typically Burmese architecture, as well as numerous statues of Buddhas and  nats.

The main pagoda:  The stupa reaches the height of 98 meters. Its base is made of bricks covered with thousands of gold plates. It is surrounded by a forest of 64 small pagodons that form a small enclosure with 4 larger temples located at the cardinal points. On the spire is a kind of umbrella, called the  hti  in  Burmese, where 1065 gold bells and 420 silver bells hang, as well as a weather vane decorated with precious stones. It ends with the seinbu, a small gold sphere encrusted with thousands of diamonds including a 76-carat  emerald. »

The temple is very impressive to visit. There are so many beautiful things to see! We met a retired French couple, globetrotters like us. Too bad we didn’t have more time together because we got along really well.

We took a Grab Taxi to get to the Ferry Terminal. On board the crowded ferry, we crossed the Yangon River to Dalah ($2 CAD each per crossing), on the other bank. The view of Yangon city centre is not very impressive and the crossing only takes a few minutes. When we arrived in Dalah, the uncleanliness and bad smells of the local market took away any desire to dine in the surrounding area. We bought sliced cheese, rolls and iced black coffee at a convenience store and went on a motorized tricycle ($20 for the round trip). We were brewed for half an hour on the only road leading to the Temple of Snakes (Baungdawgyoke Pagoda). Upon arrival, we found a small shelter in the shade and ate our provisions. A young man and a little girl stayed with us watching us eat in the hope of selling us bread and small fish for our visit. The temple is accessed by a small wooden bridge over a large artificial lake filled with water lilies and fish. For $1, we fed the fish with breadcrumbs and were asked to throw three small fish into the lake probably for religious reasons. We reached the temple, discovering the 45 pythons that inhabit it. They are two to three meters long and live freely with worshippers and tourists. They are everywhere: on the floor, above the windows, around the Buddhas, offerings and high branches of the Buddha tree. Our young guide encouraged me to have my picture taken with a python on my shoulders. A little scared, I still dared. The heavy snake began to curl up in my crotch. I was holding him by the neck and he suddenly started pointing his mouth at my face. I got scared and screamed. I could feel his strength, which was not reassuring at all! The photographer intervened, freeing me from the impressive reptile. Phew!

I went to see the Chinese temple on the lake, just a few meters from the Snake Temple. Pretty statuettes decorate the small lake adjoining the temple. A few rabbits jump into a fenced enclosure. The temple is beautiful, but we quickly go around it.

The motorized tricycle driver had patiently waited for us. The way back seemed much faster than on the way. The man dropped us off at the ferry. Under a still very hot sun, we crossed the Yangon River and took a taxi to our hotel. At supper time, I went out to get supper. Still affected by Dalah’s bad smells, we weren’t very tempted by the local food. So, I came back with two cheeseburgers that we ate with appetite in the dining room of our hotel. We then went up to our room to spend a little relaxing evening. Claude’s wounds close quietly, and the pain has decreased a lot. The bandages are no longer necessary, which is encouraging!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19

YANGON – KIN PUN SAKHAN

We took our luggage down at the front desk, had lunch and left by taxi. The Central Bus Station is far from the city center. It took us almost an hour to get there ($10 CAD). At 9.30am, our bus left the station towards Kin Pun Sakhan, a small village 4 hours south of Yangon. We have seen plains, many hardwoods and some banana trees, rather poor towns and villages and dry landscapes, a sign that the monsoon is over. The bus driver dropped us off directly at our hotel, the Golden Sunrise, located on the main road. We were pleasantly surprised to see the beauty of the place. The buildings are traditional wooden style and straw roofs and are surrounded by beautiful tropical vegetation. Our room, bathroom and patio are very large, and the view of the garden and mountain is very nice and peaceful.

We dined at the hotel restaurant, at reasonable prices (lentil soup and fried fish). I then booked our next bus tickets at the reception with the two young employees. They gave me a map of the area and explained to me what to do in the area. While Claude napped while resting his still a bit of painful wounds, I headed to the small-town center which is only a 10-minute walk from our hotel. While walking down the main road, I discovered hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, small grocery stores, etc. I made my way to the bus terminal. From there, I climbed behind the driver of a moped. He took me to the Datpaungsu Pagoda, at the top of the mountain ($7 CAD round trip). So, I saved two hours of walking. When we arrived at the temple, the young man took the time to tour the place with me. The centerpiece is a huge rock painted yellow. Small pavilions each contain a Buddha. Some buildings serve as the residence of the monks. The panoramic view of Kin Pun Sakhan and the surrounding area is magnificent. Other temples can be seen in the distance, through deciduous forests. My driver took me straight back to my hotel. I joined Claude in the room. We had a coffee on the gallery to the sound of birdsong.

We had dinner at our hotel restaurant. On the menu: spicy Thai soup, pineapple chicken and rice. The whole thing was delicious!

In the evening, we went for a walk downtown in cooler temperatures than during the day. (From 35 degrees C, the thermometer had dropped to 15! It’s the cold air currents of the Chinese winter that are coming down here.)  The many small shops on the main road were still open. We discovered with astonishment a crowd of small shops stretching over several streets at the bottom of the main road. We returned by motorized tricycle to our hotel while making a stop to buy some sweets made from nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

MONDAY, JANUARY 20

KIN PUN SAKHAN

Around 4ham, we were awakened by a man’s voice giving a long sermon in a microphone. Traditional music followed, being heard throughout the village. We knew later that the music would last until noon and that it was tradition at funerals. Earplugs and warm vest on my back because the temperature had dropped dramatically, I managed to get back to sleep and Claude too.

After a hearty breakfast with shawl on my back, I settled down at the front desk (only place with internet at our hotel) and made our e-visas requests for Sri Lanka. We then went on a motorized tricycle to the truck terminal to the Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, also known as the Golden Rock. The « truck » was crowded (2000 Ks/person or $2 CAD). For 30 minutes, we were stirred on the narrow mountain road with steep turns. It looked like we were sitting in a round-up. Heavily clinging to his in front of them, people shouted every time we reached a curve. What a dangerous and frightening road! However, the view of the mountains is really superb. 

We made a stop halfway. A man in Longyi climbed to the side of our truck and gave a long sermon in Burmese. He then collected donations from the passengers. We made another stop, this time at Ya-Tho Mountain from where a cable car starts to climb up to the Golden Rock ($10 CAD/person for the one-way trip only). No passenger chose this option. We all stayed on the truck to get to the famous Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda.

Upon our arrival at the site, Claude and I walked for about ten minutes along the path lined with small shops to get to the official entrance where foreigners must pay 10 CAD each to gain access to the temple. Barefoot, we walked on the hot cement and white marble stained with dirt and red spitting, which was not very stewing! However, the extreme beauty of the landscape and the satisfaction of finally seeing the famous Golden Rock helped us to forget the lack of maintenance of the place.

The huge rock is famous both for its religious symbolism as well as its unusual and rather unstable location. 6 meters in diameter, it is covered in its entirety with gold leaf and almost miraculously balances at the edge of a steep cliff at an altitude of more than 1200 meters. Legend has it that the rock would be maintained in this way only by a Buddha’s hair. The rock is overlooked by a small pagoda of about 7 meters, the pagoda of Kyaiktiyo. The Golden Rock is an important pilgrimage site for all Buddhists in Southeast Asia. As a woman, I could not touch the monolith, let alone put a gold leaf on it, which I found rather frustrating even though I knew it before I went. Claude was not able to get close to it either because he was not wearing a longyi. I had lent him my pareo to put over his Bermudas but, you could see his ankles, which is not acceptable for the Burmese.

I went down the steps and went around the huge rock with the impression that it was going to fall on me. I joined Claude in the shade of one of the pavilions. We snacked and were asked to be photographed with locals. We had to get up to stop the requests. We then met a retired French couple. We returned to sit side by side in the van, making us stir again on the winding road. Upon arrival at the terminal, we greeted them and returned to our hotel by mototaxi. We had an excellent dinner (me fish and Claude a Thai soup). We enjoyed our beautiful gallery for much of the afternoon, suffering a bit from the extreme heat although we were in the shade.  

At the end of the afternoon, I left Claude to read him and went for a walk in the village. I’ve taken my exploration further than the day before. I took some nice pictures of the life of the neighborhood. I have seen how poor people live, often in the most complete destitution. And the level of hygiene is not at all the same as in North America!

Back at the hotel, Pierre, a great traveler of French origin, joined us for dinner. We talked at length about our respective travel experiences, which was very nice. The songs and traditional music of the village festival echoed to us. Fortunately, when we went to bed for the night, the music had stopped to make way for the silence of the night.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21

KIN PUN SAKHAN – MAWLAMYINE (118 km)

I started my lunch with Claude and finished it with Pierre, the Frenchman we had had dinner with the day before. A small van picked up Claude and I at 9ham to drive us to the small bus agency office in downtown Kyaikto. Sitting on plastic chairs on the sidewalk, we waited for our bus for about thirty minutes. We drove three hours by bus to Mawlamyine. We were on the same bus as two French couples, one of whom was at the same hotel as us in Kin Pun. I got really hot during the ride; air conditioning was not working well. Phew! My back was wet. Upon arrival at the Mawlamyine bus station, we wished the French a good trip and boarded a van to get to our motel, the Pilon Pann. We have a nice room. The owner is friendly and so are his employees. The city center is 2 km away. It is easily accessible by mototaxi or tuk-tuk.

We had dinner at the motel restaurant. I then went to the front desk to get a map of the city and information about the sights to see. While Claude stayed in the room to rest his still wounded leg, I went to walk on the hill with many pagodas. I visited several of them before realizing that the main ones to see were further afield. damn! Having known, I would have kept all my energy for the most interesting. I went to the end of my strength by continuing my way to the last pagoda. I came back with a migraine.

Here is the list of the main places I visited on the hill:

– Uzina Pagoda

– U Khanti Pagoda

– View Point and its beautiful sunset on the river

– Hindu Temple

– Bamboo Thread Buddha Image (Buddhist School)

– Seindon Mibaya Kyaung Monastery (I have not visited the interior which is apparently   very beautiful to see)

– Yadanar Good Mynt

– Kyaik Tan Lan Pagoda (Following 7 consecutive days of heavy rain two years ago, one side of the pagoda collapsed. The site is therefore under construction to repair the damage.) This colorful pagoda is the oldest in the city. It is accessible by a long staircase or by an elevator. The view of the river is beautiful! I ran into the young French couple who were on our bus. We chatted for a moment before we went back to each other.

-Mahamuni Paya. This pagoda is new and very modern. To get there, you have to take the escalator. The giant gold Buddha is surrounded by shiny silver walls. It’s very flashy.

I returned to the motel by mototaxi (1000Ks or $1 CAD; 3km). I had dinner at the motel restaurant with Claude. My avocado salad was sublime, my soybean rice was ordinary. A French couple were sitting at the next table. We stayed with them before finishing the evening at our room. I went to bed early, still bothered by my late-day migraine.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22

MAWLAMYINE

We had lunch with the French before going on a day trip with Myo Ko, our guide and tuk-tuk driver (35,000Ks or $31 CAD). We crossed the Than Lwin River Bridge to Belu Island, also known as Coconut Crazy Island. We made 7 stops:

-Slade Black Boards (Artisanal slate-making workshop in the village of Mudong inhabited by the Môn ethnic group.)

-Rubber Bands (Rubber elastics. We were able to see all the stages of manufacturing, which was very interesting.)

-Smoke Pipe (Workshop for making objects of all kinds in wood and shop. We were made to sit on small plastic benches upstairs and a woman offered us tea and delicious very thin pancakes. The wooden objects were laid out in front of us on the floor. I bought two massage sticks and a bracelet made of small wooden balls for the modest sum of $2.50 CAD.)

-Bamboo Hats (House where Asian pointed hats are made with bamboo bark.)

-Myint Mo Mountain (Pagoda accessible by the ascent of 233 steps. The view from the surrounding area is stunning (View Point). At the back of the pagoda, a path leads to a Buddha lying down.)

-Textile fabric (We saw about six looms under a traditional house on stilts. The workers had gone to dinner!)

-Dinner at the home (We are stopped at a friend of Myoko, our driver. A ball game was taking place in the courtyard of his house and several men were watching the game with interest.

Myoko’s friend invited us to dinner at his house. What a great welcome we received! In the main room of the house, we were seated around a small lounge table and we were brought appetizers (fresh coconut chair and Burmese culinary specialties whose names I forgot).

We then sat on the floor around a circular coffee table. The women, many in the kitchen, had deposited several small bowls filled with different dishes (rice, fried fish, pork served in a sauce, mixture of cooked vegetables, cucumber, corn kernels, very spicy garlic sauce, etc.). The head of the family sat down to eat with Myoko, Claude and me. The food was excellent, but Claude and I were a little afraid of getting sick because the level of hygiene is not the same as at home and apparently many tourists get sick during their stay in Burma because of contaminated food. When we left, we wanted to give an amount of money to thank our hosts but Myoko insisted that we not do it. I think it would have been perceived as an offense to our hosts.

Leaving with Myoko in a tuk-tuk, we left the island to go to the famous site of the world’s largest elongated Buddha (« Win Sein aw Ya or Reclining Buddha »). We were sickened to see the state of the place; a festival had taken place and the floor was literally covered with rubbish (glasses and plastic bags, Styrofoam plates, etc.). On the road leading to the famous site, life-size statues of monks in procession appeared to be in the middle of a dump.

What a horror! We just couldn’t believe it! Arriving at the foot of the stairs leading to the elongated Buddha, we took off our sandals and climbed the dirty and dusty steps. We crossed the bridge and entered the statue. There was a large pile of rubbish at the bottom of the stairs leading to the floor. It was too much for Claude, he immediately turned around. For my part, I bypassed the rubbish and climbed, driven by curiosity. I discovered three floors divided into fifty rooms where painted plaster figures depict scenes from the life of Buddha and scenes of cruelty inflicted by the demons of hell on those who led a bad life on earth. In the surrounding hills, there are stupas, giant Buddhas, etc.

Claude was buying some fruit when I joined him. Returning to tuk-tuk, we left the site to go to the Kyauk Ta Lone Taung Pagoda. It is a rock with strange shapes and steep walls rising from the surrounding farmland and crowned with stupas. I climbed the many steps to the top, overwhelmed by the intense mid-day heat. My efforts have been worth it; The panoramic view of the surroundings was superb! I almost went down to the race pace so that Claude, who had been waiting for me downstairs, did not find the time too long.

We set out on our way back by tuk-tuk and arrived around 4pm for showering, coffee and writing. We had dinner with Caroline and Dominique, two French people who had retired from teaching and had worked abroad (India, Kenya, Australia, Portugal and Morocco) for 25 years. What a great life experience they have! I found them very inspiring. Our dinner continued until the restaurant closed at 9:20 p.m.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23

MALAWMYINE

We had lunch and made a few calls to Canada. We then left by tuk-tuk with Myoko for a half-day tour of the city center and the pagodas of the hill. Here’s what we saw:

-St. Matthew’s Baptist Church

-The first Baptist church in Myanmar (founded by American Adoniram Judson in 1827. This man was the first person to translate the Bible into Burmese. Today, Myanmar is the third country in the world with the highest number of Baptists after the United States and India.)

-Mon Cultural Museum of Mawlamyine (On two floors, this museum contains beautiful collections of artifacts, Buddha statuettes, traditional musical instruments, bamboo objects, carved wooden furniture, etc. reflecting the life of the Mons.)

-Ebenezer Baptist Church

-Town hall and Clock Tower

-Mawrawaddy Park (With mandala and beautiful landscaping)

-Mosque, Seventh-day Adventist Church and Sri Siva Tample, these three places of worship of three different religions are located next to each other, illustrating the religious diversity of the city.

-Hindu Temple (Orange and Gold)

-Other Hindu temple with colorful statuettes

-Zeigyi Central Market (Fruit and vegetable merchants are located at the front of the market. Inside the large two-storey building, everything is sold by section: jewellery, sandals, women’s and children’s clothing, men’s clothing, fabrics, etc.

-Downtown streets

COLLINE OF TEMPLES: (Claude hadn’t been there yet so I went back with him.)

-Mahamuni Paya (Modern Temple)

-Kyaik Tan Lan Pagoda (ancient and colorful temple with magnificent views)

-St. Patrick’s Baptist Church

-Seindon Mibaya Monastery (I had not yet visited the interior of this very ancient monastery. The building is dilapidated and almost unsanitary. Monks still live there. Claude turned around, disgusted by the mess of the environment. I joined him a few minutes later.)

-View Point

-Zina Pagoda

We returned to the motel in the late morning. We had dinner with an Israeli and then Caroline, our girlfriend we met the day before. We spent a quiet afternoon at the motel.

At supper time, the four of us, Caroline, Dominique, Claude and I, left in Myoko’s tuk-tuk. He took us to the Bamboo restaurant, north of the city. We had a great meal in a nice traditional setting. Myoko then took us to the « Night Market » downtown, along the Than Lwin River. We walked through the food stalls and quietly continued our walk on the boardwalk. Before we went back to the motel on the tuk-tuk, we quenched our thirst for sugarcane juice. What a beautiful evening we spent in the company of our new friends with whom we have a lot of affinities!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24

MALAWMYINE – HPA AN

While having breakfast at the motel, the charming owner gave me a little Burmese class. It’s not an easy language! At 8ham, we were picked up by van and taken to a small boat. We sailed for three hours on the brown waters of the Than Lwin River with eleven other tourists including two French couples (a young couple on a world tour and the retired couple who were at the same hotel as us in Kin Pun Sakhan) and Benoît, a Quebecer who participated in the Canada World Youth program three years after me (in 1985 in Mali) and who worked part-time for 15 years in the selection of candidates for JCM thereafter. I spoke at length about the reunion I had with my friends at JCM and my host families in Kendari and Lembo, Indonesia. I was moved just to talk about it! My eyes were in the water; What beautiful and incredible memories!

We made a 30-minute stop halfway to the U Na Auk Monastery, 1 km from the jetty in the village of Kawhnat. We took a mototaxi and crossed the small traditional village. The monastic complex of the late 19th century is one of the jewels of the south of the country. It consists of the ordination hall (a visit forbidden to women), the Dipinkara and Hna Kyeik Shit Su pagodas, the Mahamuni temple and the monastery itself. Nice stopover!

When we arrived in Hpa-An mid-day, we disembarked from the boat, being careful not to slip through the mud by climbing the mound leading to the road. (This is a good example of the country’s lack of tourism infrastructure. This is probably what makes it charming with tourists in search of authenticity.) Under a blazing sun, we reached the Galaxy Motel in a van, right in the heart of downtown. Unfortunately, we will have to move tomorrow as we made a date error when booking on Booking and no room is available here for two more nights. Heck! Our room with gold-yellow walls is located on the3^rd floor. The narrow window lets in daylight and overlooks the street dotted with small shops.

We went to dinner at Lucky Restaurant, just around the corner from the local market. Our food was delicious! We went back to rest at our room and went out alone to take a walk around in the late afternoon. I headed to the Clock Tower. I then forked out onto the street leading to Phoe La Min Super Market. I took a quick tour of this department store with 3 floors where we sell everything. I came out with three little notebooks of notes. I continued on my way and discovered The Martyrs’ Square and the magnificent Shwe Yin Mhyaw Pagoda. The reflections of the setting sun on the golden stupa, on the river and on the karst formations were simply magnificent! Some Burmese asked me to be photographed with me and I played the game, to their delight.

Claude came to join me at the Night Market on the riverside promenade. We looked curiously at some Asian foods with rather weird colors and textures that cannot be named. We opted for a large grilled fish that was served with rice, Chinese cabbage and curly lettuce. Yummy, yum! Not feeling very well, even a little feverish, I suggested to Claude to go back to our motel. I went to bed when I got there, hoping to feel better the next day.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25

HPA-AN

The lunch included at our motel was nothing like a continental lunch, apart from black coffee (served with powdered milk!). We were surprised to see the French who were with us at the Golden Sunrise in Kin Pun Sakhan. (In general, we are surprised to see the large number of French people visiting Myanmar.)

Still not feeling very well, we decided to postpone our excursion until the next day. I stayed in our room all morning. I wrote and took a nap while being overcome with chills. Around 1:30 p.m., we changed hotels for the next two nights. The Golden Palace is also in the city center, close to a beautiful pagoda. Our room is large and clear with its pristine white walls. I spent the afternoon there, always feverish. Time passed quickly; we worked on the balance of our Myanmar itinerary and proceeded to book our bus tickets to Yangon and our plane tickets to Mandalay. At dusk, I was drawn to the loud music of a percussion orchestra playing in our street. I ran down the stairs to see what was going on. A group of young men were playing cymbals and drums in a van on the occasion of the Chinese New Year. Actors dressed as giant dragons were doing their act in front of every door in the neighborhood. Fireworks were on display, adding excitement to the party. I wisely returned to our room to rest. Claude kindly brought me dinner: a good rice with vegetables and chicken from Lucky restaurant. I went to bed early, weakened by the fever.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26

HPA-AN

When I woke up, I was happy to see that I was no longer having a fever, but I didn’t feel that I had regained my strength. We had lunch and, instead of going on a day trip with a group (7000Ks each), we decided to pay ourselves a private driver (35000Ks or $31 CAD), keeping a door open to shorten our visits if I didn’t feel well.

The city of Hpa-An is not extraordinary in itself and has little to offer. What is beautiful to see are the karst formations, the surrounding countryside and the temples in the caves. This day trip is well worth it. We made eight stops:

1)Kaw Ka Taung Cave: At the entrance to the cave, along the road, there is a long succession of statues of monks. On the site, we can see a huge plaster snake, a procession of monks carved into the rock, thousands of small Buddhas carved on the walls of the cave, a pagoda in the middle of a lake, etc.

2)Textiles: Two huge sheds contain looms where workers sort hard, with repetitive movements, to weave traditional clothes of good quality.

3)Mahar Sadan Cave: To access the cave, we must pass the entrance decorated with two huge elephants in plaster. Barefoot, we have several steps to climb to get to the golden stupa that stands in the middle of the cave. You can also see a large elongated Buddha, magnificent golden sculptures on the walls of the cave and a golden rock with a Buddha’s face. At the exit of the cave, many small traders wait patiently for customers to sell them traditional clothes, souvenirs or food.

We continued our way, sitting only only in our long van, crossing small traditional villages and enjoying a magnificent view of the rice paddies and karst formations of the area.

4) Falls in the village of Yae Ta Khon: The water from the mountain feeds the cemented pool where the children bathe happily while the adults come to wash or do their laundry. You don’t see a drop, but the good restaurants make this stop a good place to dine. I ordered a soup with vermicelli, vegetables and chicken (1800Ks or $1.60 CAD). What a delight!

5)Lumbini Garden at the foot of Mount Zwe-Ka-Bin: We made a short stop to take a free photo of the garden of the thousand Buddhas with the mount in the background. (It takes 90 minutes to get to the top. Admission: 4000Ks or $3.50 CAD)

6)Lake Kyauk Ka Lat Monastery: The site is beautiful with its huge lake and mountains in the background. The pagoda is accessed by a long bridge. A white stupa is perched on a high and narrow vertical rock. To get there, we have to cross another bridge. I made a donation to climb up to the stupa; the view from above is sublime. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed. I was frustrated that I couldn’t photograph a landscape. What right do they have to appropriate the nature that should be to everyone?

To get to our next stop, we crossed the Than Lwin Bridge. The view of the karst formations is great.

7)Kawgun Cave: At the entrance to the site stands two huge white lions (or dragons?). On the small path leading to the cave, long-tailed macaques jump nimbly from one vine to another and walk on rocks and roofs. The cave is very impressive with its Buddhas lined up, its sculptures engraved on the rock and its giant Buddhas. magnificent!

8)Ya The Byan Cave: Claude waited for me on the bridge separating the lake. For my part, I climbed the steps leading to the cave, discovering at the top a splendid view of the plain and the mountains. The cave is filled with golden Buddhas and a stupa of the same color.

Tired, we gave up the visit to the Bat Cave, the last usual stop of the excursion. It was with relief that we disembarked the van upon arrival at the hotel; the hours to be stirred and smeared with dust in this type of vehicle were rather trying!

After a good shower, I took two Tylenols and jumped into bed, shaken with shivers. damn! My fever was back! While I took a nap, Claude went on a cruise on the Than Lwin River from 5pm to 6.30pm (5000Ks). He came back excited by what he saw: sunset on the river and the karst formations and millions of bats coming out of their cave in an endless parade for fifteen minutes, at the mercy of the falcons.

MONDAY, JANUARY 27

HPA AN – YANGON – MANDALAY

Despite a night when I was disturbed by loud music, monks’ prayers, dogfights and fever, I got up relatively fit. After breakfast, we were taken to the bus agency, located next to the Clock Tower. We met Benoît and Claude, our boat partners, happily sharing our travel experiences together. We said our mutual farewells when our VIP bus arrived. The journey from Hpa-An to Yangon took 6 hours (14,000Ks/person) including a 30-minute stop halfway to dinner. A young Belgian nurse sat down with us during this stop and, of course, we talked about trips! Our hours on the bus have gone well apart from some inconvenience caused by the driver’s assistant; he was screaming all the time instead of talking normally and spitting every 30 seconds, which is rude and unacceptable in our culture. (The Burmese don’t make a case for it.)

We arrived at Yangon bus station at 4pm. A taxi driver immediately approached us and got us into his car. We stuck in this one for a big 15 minutes, surrounded by other taxi cars with no driver on board! It was a really ridiculous situation! As we had a flight to catch, we began to get stressed and consider changing taxis. That’s when things started to move, and we were finally able to leave the highly congested bus station to get to the airport. The driver landed us in the wrong place. We had to take the shuttle service from the airport to get to the right terminal. At the Air KBZ counter, bad news was waiting for us: our airline tickets purchased on the internet had not been issued to the airline. Heck! Fortunately, we were able to buy more on site. So, everything worked out and we even had time to have dinner before boarding the plane. 😊

Our Yangon to Mandalay flight lasted 90 minutes. We then took the shuttle from the airport to the city center. (We had to wait a good half hour before the van was full.) It took us an hour to travel the 32 km of road. The driver drove us directly to our accommodation, the Capital Hotel, located 3km from the city center. The hotel is chic and clean. We like our large room very much.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28

MANDALAY (Pop: 1.2 million)

Mandalay is Myanmar’s second largest city, after Yangon. It is located on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, 716km north of Yangon. It is the economic center of Upper Myanmar and considered the center of Burmese culture. The city was founded in 1857 by King Mindon. It suffered extensive destruction during the Japanese conquest of Burma during World War II. In 1948, Mandalay became part of the newly independent Union of Burma.

After a great night’s sleep, we went for breakfast at the hotel restaurant, located on the8^th floor. How beautiful the view of the city is! Unfortunately, we have seen how polluted the air is; an opaque cloud of pollution floats over the city. (We checked the internet and the pollution level indicated « high. ») The Burmese call this pollution fog « snow »! Air pollution comes from the waste and fields that The Burmese burn, from wood cooking and vehicles. The cold of the night (about 10 degrees C) keeps pollution on the ground.

We dedicated our first day to visiting the city of Mandalay. We took a tuk-tuk (2500Ks) to the Royal Palace. The ticket to the palace and a few pagodas costs $10 CAD per person. We went to the palace, located in the center of the citadel, in a van. This palace is the last royal palace of the last Burmese monarchy. It was built between 1857 and 1859 when the new royal capital of King Mindon was founded. It was the main royal residence of this king and King Thibaw, the last two kings of the country. The palace comprises several buildings, the main ones being watchtower, Lion’s Throne Room, large courtroom and Glass Palace (Hman-nan).

When we left the fortifications, we met a young couple from Quebec around the world with Gaelle, their 8-year-old daughter. We can follow their journey on Facebook under the name « Trip à trois. »

We accepted the offer of our tuk-tuk driver to continue our tours of the city with him. Here are the stops we made:

1)Shwenandaw Monastery

2) Athulash Monastery

3) Kuthodaw Pagoda (Pagoda surrounded by thousands of white stupas)

4) Mandalay Hill (Pagoda Su Taung Pyae)

Back at the hotel, we dined on the^8th floor terrace under the warm rays of the sun (30 degrees C). I then chatted with the friendly owner of the hotel. He took the time to explain to me what to see around Mandalay and I booked a driver for the next day.

In the afternoon, Claude and I walked to the ZegyoMarket. The street to get there is very busy: cars, mopeds, many merchants with their goods on the sidewalks, etc. Zegyo Market is located in a large three-storey building. The walls are archi dirty and the smell of urine emanating from the toilet is to lift the heart. So, we took a very short tour of the building to get an idea of what is being sold there: clothes, fabrics, jewelry, cosmetics, etc.

We went in a tuk-tuk to the fish market. We discovered the makeshift shelters of fishermen living directly on the edge of the Irrawaddy River. Along Myo Patt Road, the vans were filled with huge baskets of fish and the fishermen were busy sorting the fish according to their sizes and then selling them at the market on a street perpendicular to the river. This market is teeming with life. There is a wide variety of seafood and fish.

We went for a drink at the Sky Bar on the5^th floor of the Ayarwaddy River View Hotel. We witnessed the sunset on the river. As the temperature dropped rapidly, the coolness of the night pushed us to leave. I didn’t want to get sick again!

We returned by tuk-tuk, passing through the flower market located just a little further than the fish market.

We looked for a restaurant around our hotel but came back empty-handed. Here, in general, street food does not attract us because hygiene is deficient and frequent smells of sewers cut off our appetite. We finally opted for dinner at our hotel’s8^th floor restaurant, which proved to be a great choice.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29

MANDALAY (Tour to AMARAPURA, SAGAING and INWA or AVA)

After an excellent breakfast, we went on a chauffeur-driven tour for the day (40,000Ks or $36 CAD). Here’s the route we followed:

SOUTH OF THE CITY OF MANDALAY:

1) Gold Leaf Workshop

2) Mahamuni Paya (pagoda): In the beautiful pagoda, men place gold leaves on the immense Buddha. Women, whose access to the Buddha is forbidden, pray outside the room and can see men in action on two screens. The site contains several pavilions, one of which is dedicated to impressive bronze sculptures. There is also a museum that is free to visit. You can see large and beautiful paintings.

3) Marble Carving

4) Wood Carving Workshop

ANCIENT CITIES:

AMARAPURA

5) Mahagandaryon Monastery: At 10:15 a.m., every morning, the bell of the monastery rings and the 1200 monks can be seen silently leaving the various buildings, bowl of food in hand, going in a queue to the monastery’s dining room. It is a beautiful sight to see but the crowd that watches them breaks their intimacy and must surely hinder their recollection. They almost look like circus animals. We can also say that it sounds like voyeurism. This presence of tourists should, in my opinion, be prohibited.

6) International Buddhist Academy: Beautiful temple with Buddhas representing different Buddhist countries in the world.

SAGAING

On the road, we met several young students in pink tunics, a school bag made of fabrics worn over the shoulder, at the end of school. Were they budding monks or regular students?

7) Pagoda Soon U Ponya Shin on Sagaing Hill: From the terrace of the pagoda, the view of the stupas of the hill is great!

8) Pagoda Min Thonze

9) Sagaing Hill Restaurant: My vegetable rice was excellent!

INWA (AVA)

We took the boat to Inwa. The short crossing takes 5 minutes.

On the other side of the shore, dozens of stallers await the arrival of tourists. For 15,000Ks ($13.50 CAD), we took a horse-drawn carriage ride in the country village and made 4 stops:

10) Ba Ga Ya Kyaung Monastery (Bagaya Monastery): Old monastery dating from 1782 and built of teak wood.

We passed the Inwa Archeological Museum without stopping.

11) Yadana Hsemee Pagoda Complex: Beautiful ancient temple resembling the sukhothai temples in Thailand.

12) The Nan Myint Tower (We only saw it from afar.)

13) Maha Aung Mye Bom San Monastery: Temple (1822) similar to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia.

The stallion took us back to the dock while repeating « Money please eat » over and over again. After about ten minutes, exhausted because she was very insistent, I got angry and said in a stern tone: « Enough is enough! » The woman was seized and fell silent for the rest of the journey. Claude was amazed to see me so angry! My good mood quickly returned when we crossed the river again. We met a couple whose man is from Corsica and his wife from Russia. We then joined our tuk-tuk driver to continue our tours.

14) Weaving workshop

15) Textile shop (fabrics, longyis, fabric accessories, etc.)

16) U Bein Bridge: We first had a coffee in one of the riverside restaurants with the view of the famous and iconic 2 km long wooden bridge. I went halfway to take some pictures of the beautiful landscapes at the end of the day.

We returned to the hotel, very pleased with our excursion. How we’ve seen beautiful things!

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30

Mandalay

After our lunch, we left our luggage at the front desk and left in a tuk-tuk under the cool of the early morning (13 degrees C). We went to the boarding point for Mingun, the fourth ancient city. We took the boat (5000Ks or $4.50 CAD round trip each) and sailed on the Irrawaddy River for an hour in the company of two very friendly retired French couples and great travelers: René and Marie, Didier (professional singer) and his wife. On Mingun beach, many tuk-tuk drivers were waiting for tourist boats to arrive. There was even a man with his taxi cart pulled by buffaloes who hoped to have customers to make a few pennies. After paying for our access to the tourist sites (5000Ks each), René, Marie, Claude and I decided to make our visits by tuk-tuk in order to save time.

1)Mingun Pahtodawgyi: Imposing ancient and unfinished stupa made of brown bricks. The ruins are the remains of a large construction project begun by King Bodawpaya in 1790 and left intentionally unfinished. An earthquake partially destroyed it in 1800.

2) Hsinbyume Paya: Beautiful white pagoda. Circular in shape, it is inspired by the physical description of the buddhist sacred mountain, Mount Meru. While Claude was having coffee in a restaurant across the street, I climbed the steps to the top of the pagoda to enjoy the great view of the surrounding area.

3) Mingun Bell: This huge and heavy bell dates from 1808 and was made to accompany the huge Stupa Pahtodawgyi.

4) The Giant Lions: Two partially destroyed giant guard lions also accompanied the enormous stupa Pahtodawgyi.

5) Sat Taw Yar Pagoda: White temple on the beach. There are a few Buddhas inside, one in the center and the others in the window frames.

Before returning to take the boat, we took a coffee break with René and Marie in a small restaurant set back from the many souvenir shops. Our boat return passed very quickly. We chatted the whole way with our four new friends. Upon our arrival at the Mandalay wharf, it was with regret that our paths separated, all having different routes.

Claude and I went tuk-tuk to the Capital Hotel. We had an excellent dinner on the8^th  floor terrace before going down to the front desk to greet the very friendly owner and his staff and pick up our luggage. We took a tuk-tuk, this time to the Iceland Hotel located in the northwest of the city. It is with satisfaction that we have « moved » into our new room. The room is huge and well lit with its three large windows, although these have a desperate need to be washed from the outside! We took a good shower, happy to get rid of the dust from the street. We took the time to relax before going out to dinner. We had an excellent dinner, sharing lentil soup, egg rolls and chef’s salad at the Rock Garden Café located around the corner from our hotel. When we left the restaurant, we walked down our street and made some purchases (brioche and a pink t-shirt for me). We ended the evening at our room, pestering against the unhealthy smells coming from the screwed air that was seeping through our windows.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31

MANDALAY – BAGAN

Fromthe 7^th floor of our hotel, we were able to enjoy the view of the city while having lunch. A minibus then picked us up from our hotel around 8.30am. We left the city of Mandalay around 9am, time to pick up other passengers, Burmese and two young French women. The five-hour journey quickly passed. We kept busy with watching a movie about Claude’s cell phone, reading a book and writing on my laptop. We arrived at the Nyaung U bus station at 2pm. From there we took a taxi with the two French women (7000Ks for 2 people). We had to pay a tourist tax as foreigners to gain access to the territory of Bagan (25000Ks each). Claude and I arrived first and bid farewell to the French. Our hotel, the Sunrise Bagan, was not far from the train station. Our village is quiet and in the middle of nature. The paved streets are quite wide. We liked the place right away. The nice owner gave us a large room lit by four windows overlooking the street. We dropped off our luggage and went to dinner at the King Star BBQ restaurant located a few steps from our hotel on our street. For 3000Ks, I ate an excellent plate of sautéed vegetables served on rice.

In the afternoon, we walked through the nearby streets, curious and attracted by the loud Burmese music coming from the festivities of a wedding. We saw a few people gathered in a courtyard but not the bride and groom! We bought some groceries at the small grocery store and came back to finish the day at the hotel (washing, blogging, reading, etc.). At 5:30 p.m., we climbed onto the roof to see the sunset. We chatted with Joelle and Hervé, a charming couple our age from France. Around 8:00 p.m., Claude and I returned to the King Star BBQ. We shared a rather spicy tomato soup and fried fish. We went to bed early to the sound of the music of the wedding that was still playing. Apparently, the music didn’t stop until 5ham but luckily it didn’t stop us from sleeping.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY ¹

NYAUNG U – OLD BAGAN

We had lunch on the roof. I was very excited to see a few hot air balloons flying over the temples in the distance. If I had climbed an hour earlier, I was told that I would have seen about thirty!

We chatted with Joelle and Hervé, on their departure for Mandalay, before leaving by « e-bike » (electric bicycle) for the day. We made several stops, starting with the local market of Nyaung U. This colorful market is teeming with life. It sells fish, chickens, flowers, spices, fruits, vegetables, rice, etc. (The best time to visit the market is from 8ham to noon.)

We continued our route, passing the city center of Nyaung U and heading towards Old Bagan. On our way, we began to see several temples. We visited the main ones:

1) Shwe Zi Gone Pagoda (This temple is composed of several pavilions reminding me of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.)

2) Kubyaukgyi Pagoda

3) Pagoda Htilominlo (1218)

4) Ananda Temple

Under the hot midday sun, we took a break for dinner at the vegetarian restaurant The Moon, recommended in the Lonely Planet guide. Our vegan and mango lassi (Indian yogurt-based beverage) were succulent. We then continued on our way, passing pottery stands while heading towards the gates of the Old Bagan precinct.

5) Phaya Aw Daw Palin

6) Thatbyinyu (We met a Frenchman who had been working in China for 15 years.)

We went to the « Cruise Jetty » on the edge of the Irrawaddy River. We were offered a one-hour boat ride (12000Ks) by a sailor. I was tempted by this proposal but Claude preferred to wait until the next day.

7) Uhamma Ya Zi Ka Pagoda (Outside the fortifications)

We returned to the hotel, enchanted by the region that has so much to offer: no less than 2000 ancient temples! They are everywhere and they are easy to access. It’s impossible to visit them all in three days. At some point, you have to let go and just miss it without stopping.

Covered in dust, we took a good shower and then took a nap. We had dinner on the roof terrace of the Glorious Hotel under the watchful eye of the two young waitresses. Before returning to our hotel, we walked through the quiet, dimly lit streets of our neighborhood.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

NYAUNG U – OLD BAGAN

While having our breakfast on the terrace, we chatted with a young French couple on a world tour with their cute 4-year-old girl. We then left by electric bicycle to the Nin Myint Tower of the chic Aureum Palace Hotel. From the top of the 11th floor of the tower, the panoramic view of the temples of Bagan is extraordinary (Entry: 5000Ks per person or $4.50 CAD). The first floor of the tower includes wonderful collections of works of art: pottery, wood carvings, etc. It’s a real pleasure to have a look at it!

Continuing our journey, we continued to discover other beautiful temples and monasteries to complete our visits the day before:

– Iza Gawna Pagoda

– Kyat Kan Monastery

– Narathihapatae Phaya

– Sulamani Phaya

– Shwe San Daw Pagoda

– Thatbyinyu Phaya

– Bagan Archaeological Museum: (Entrance: 5000Ks per person) We didn’t visit it because the Bagan site is a large open-air museum and there is already so much to see!

– Bu Phaya: This temple is on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

We went to dinner at the Erawati Raft Floating Bar Café directly on the river. We shared an excellent chicken rice and a tomato salad. For a good hour we stayed to relax in the shade on the bridge. We had a coffee while enjoying this relaxing moment in a peaceful environment. Only the loud roar of the motorboats broke the silence as they passed.

As we went up the bank to return to our electric bicycle, we noticed the presence of pigs and horses in the small fishing village.

We set out on our way back while taking the time to stop at the temples that attracted our most attention. We returned through the city centre of Nyaung U, passing by the long walkway leading to the famous Shwe Zi Gon temple visited the day before.

Back at the hotel, we showered, enjoying the feeling of cleanliness after a day of rolling in the sand and dust. We gave ourselves a moment of relaxation before going out to dinner at the King Star BBQ. I chose what I wanted to eat on BBQ: pork skewers, tofu, mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus. Claude, for his part, chose a beautiful fish. The whole thing was exquisite!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3

NYAUNG U – NEW BAGAN – OLD BAGAN

We started the day with a good breakfast, sitting in the sun on the roof terrace. The temperature was cool (about 15 degrees C). We then set off on an electric bicycle for the third day in a row, exploring the temples. We went directly southwest of New Bagan, to the Lawkananda pagoda. Its huge golden stupa overlooks the Irrawaddy River.

Opposite the temple, there is a lake where very large fish, and a few giant turtles wait for the pieces of bread that tourists throw from the wooden bridge.

We then went to visit the U Ba Nyein Lacquerware Workshop, a lacquer workshop where I bought a beautiful lacquered bracelet (3000Ks).

We had a coffee next to the Golden Artistic Lacquerware Shop. I took the opportunity to take a look at their collections of lase objects. We then visited a second Lacquerware workshop where this time I was treated to a short-guided tour. The young Burmese explained the manufacturing process to me in English with a strong Burmese accent. Phew! It really wasn’t easy to understand what she was telling me!

We had dinner at the Sunset Garden restaurant. What a beautiful place! The view of the river, the sandy banks, Mount Popa, the mountains and the Lawkananda Temple is superb! We shared an excellent plate of fried noodles and a good tomato salad (7700Ks in total). We took our time, enjoying those moments of pure happiness by the river. In the afternoon, we visited a few more temples:

-Naga Yon Temple

Manuha Phaya

– Hindu temple, the only temple of this religion in Bagan

– Thatbyinyu Pagoda (We met a retired Quebec couple from Gatineau travelling to Southeast Asia for 4 months.)

In Nyaung U, on the way back, we took a drink at the K7 BBQ and Restaurant. We relaxed a couple of hours before going to dinner at the Bagan Sense Hotel restaurant. The food was so bad that we left after complaining to the waiter. The soup tasted like water, Claude’s spareribs were nerves, and the flesh of my chicken was red. Yuck! The employee offered to order other dishes, but we no longer trusted the kitchen of this restaurant. We left without paying and the poor employee merged into excuses. We finally had dinner at the Green Land Hotel restaurant. We shared a chicken rice with sweet and sour sauce and sautéed vegetables. This time we were not disappointed; it was even succulent!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4

NYAUNG U – INLE LAKE

Today was a long day of transportation. After lunch, we set off by minibus to Lake Inle. The first three hours were very difficult for me as we were four passengers for three seats in my row. So, I was sitting between two seats, feeling a metal bar in my back and between my buttocks. I tried to convince the driver to find a solution, but he didn’t care. I asked him if I could sit in front of him, but he told me that this place was reserved for the monk who was going to board a little further. So, I resigned myself to enduring my discomfort. After a couple of hours, I sat on Claude, changing the place sickness.

We made a few stops along the way, which allowed us to stretch out a bit. We crossed a mountain range to reach Inle Lake. The winding road over the steep cliffs is rather dangerous. Long stretches of road were under construction, making mountain driving even more difficult. We arrived in Nyaungshwe at 4pm. We quickly boarded a tuk-tuk to get to the Motel Album, a little off the main road. The place had been recommended to us by Dominique and Caroline, our French friends from Malawmyine. Our room with windows and balcony is large and overlooks the beautifully landscaped courtyard of tropical vegetation. Our hostesses are nice. In addition, we came across two friendly Quebecers, André and Jean-Luc, with whom we spent the rest of the day. We went to dinner together at the Little India restaurant. Catherine and her husband, the two Quebecers we met in Bagan, arrived at the restaurant to get a lassi. What a coincidence: six Quebecers at the same restaurant at Lake Inle in Burma! We chatted and finished the evening together at the Night Market.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

LAKE INLE

We slept well despite the coldness of our room (about 10 degrees C). Dressed warmly, we had lunch with André and Jean-Luc, enjoying this last moment together before they left. We then changed rooms, preferring the three-window room facing the sun and overlooking the mountain.

Claude and I went to the local Wednesday market by bicycle. We went around on foot, discovering with curiosity the local products. They sell everything there. We bought little oranges and leggins for me to keep my legs warm because I got rid of my jeans three months ago and I don’t have any warmer pants to wear.

We then drove on the access road to Inle Lake before turning around to return to downtown Nyaung Shwe. We made a stop at the beautiful Yadanar Manaug pagoda. We then continued our walk to the pier where all the long motor canoes are lined up waiting for customers to go around Inle Lake. (We’ll do this tour tomorrow.) At the tourist office, a charming Burmese woman gave us information on what to do in the area.

We had dinner at the Nyaung Shwe Restaurant (On the menu: vegetable soup, chicken rice and tomato salad for a big total of $4.50 CAD for both). In the afternoon, Claude went to the motel to rest while I went for a walk. I went to the Cultural Museum. Unfortunately, it was closed for the day.

I then took the inle Lake access road to Buddha’s Scripture Shweyanpyay Monastery. I was not disappointed; the old wooden monastery was occupied by young monks reciting their Buddhist prayers aloud. The layered laconic songs resulted in a rather singular cacophony to my ears. The monastery is a beautiful architecture built of teak and painted in red, dating from the 19th century. One of the remarkable features is its extraordinarily large oval windows that are part of the ordination hall. It is an iconic structure that can rarely be found in Myanmar. The monastery was built to accommodate boys who have a precarious situation in the area and who end up becoming novice monks after living here.

Next to the monastery, I went back to the shrine next door. There are hundreds of Buddha statues in red robes placed in niches along the corridors’ walls. The shrine offers a holy atmosphere for the meditation activity of the monks.

On the way back, I stopped at the local market. I went around again in search of a traditional set consisting of a longyi and a matching top. In the end, I didn’t buy anything. I came back to the motel around 4:00. I enjoyed the last warm rays of the sun on our large gallery. At dusk, we went to eat at Htoo Htoo Restaurant. Our typical Inle Lake dishes were excellent: pumpkin soup, grilled fish and avocado salad. We then went to the night market. I bought a piece of jewelry for my mother. Back at the motel, I uploaded photos to my blog, enjoying the good internet connection of the large common room. Meanwhile, Claude walked around the city to find a working ATM. He stumbled upon the Frenchman who was sitting next to me in the minibus going to Lake Inle. They went for a beer together and talked a lot about French and Canadian politics.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

LAKE INLE

When we woke up, it was cold (about 10 degrees). We had lunch with several layers of clothing on our backs. We were the only two guests of the motel, sitting in the large dining room. (The owners cancelled reservations for a bus full of Chinese for fear of the transmission of coronavirus that broke out in Western China last December.)

We left early on an excursion for the day. Win, our guide and boatman came to pick us up with one of his friends. Claude and I got behind them on their motorcycles. When we arrived at the dock, we settled into the long canoe. Under a biting cold, we sailed on the big lake, discovering the houses on stilts and then, the traditional fishermen who have a technique unique in the world: standing, balanced on one leg, they use their other leg to row. Their hands are busy skillfully handling their large conical fishing net. The sun rose on the lake and the bluish mist of the early morning created a magical atmosphere.

Several stops were planned during this excursion. Here’s what we saw:

1.Ngwe Sin Tun Inle Traditional Silversmith Workshop.

2. Kayan Hand Weaving Centre: Clothing and accessories shop woven by long-necked women or giraffe women from the Padaung or Kayan tribe of Inle Lake. (Today, there are nearly 7,000 giraffe women. When the girls reach 9 years of age, they start wearing the collar. This is replaced by a longer spiral as they grow. An adult woman can have up to 35 necklaces with a weight of about 10kg. Some say it would be inappropriate to think that these women are not happy with this cultural trait so specific to their culture. According to their religious beliefs, Kayan girls generally prefer to embellish themselves in this traditional way. For them, the longer their necks, the greater their beauty and the wealth and power of their family.

3. Hnin Thit Sar paper umbrella workshop

4. Local Thursday Market next to the Phaung Daw Oo pagoda

5. Visit the Phaung Daw Oo pagoda

6. Royal Barque (?)

7. Khit Sunn Yin Lotus, Silk and Cotton Hand Weaving Centre (2 large weaving and shop workshops; a scarf made entirely with lotus thread costs $120 USD)

8. Cheroot Workshop: banana, cinnamon, mint, clove, etc. cigar factory.

We had dinner at the Shwe Yaung Inn Restaurant. This floating restaurant is connected to the cigar factory. On the menu: vegetable rice and a variety of vegetable salads. It was excellent!

After our dinner, we sailed through narrow canals, under a relentless sun. Nature was really beautiful and soothing.

9. Shwe Inn Dain Pagoda. At the bottom of the hill, there are several interesting ancient stupas to see. I then left alone towards the pagoda, which is at the end of a very long covered corridor filled with souvenir kiosks and traditional clothing. At the end of the corridor, I climbed the steps of the pagoda barefoot and discovered dozens of stupas. Wow! It was really impressive! The interior of the pagoda is remarkably sparkling.

10. Ancient monastery Nga Phe Chaung entirely built of teak wood.

11. Floating Gardens

On the way back, we met again traditional fishermen, to our delight. The morning mist had cleared and the landscapes were clearer. How beautiful it was and how good we were on the water!

On our return to the dock, we warmly thanked Win our guide. We walked to our motel, meeting Catherine and her husband, the two Quebecers we met twice before. We chatted a little before we continued on our way. We caught the late day sun on our gallery before going to dinner at the night market. We ate grills that turned out to be exquisite. Definitely, we eat well in Burma!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7

LAKE INLE

Today we had a big day of cycling. We drove 10km down the western corridor of Inle Lake, discovering farmland, duck farms, sunflower fields, aloe crops, etc. What a joy to walk around at our own pace, making a few stops as needed to drink some water or photograph an eye-catching landscape. Just before arriving at Khaung Daing village, facing the Natural Hot Springs, I climbed the steps to the top of the hill to get to the « View Point » of the Shwe Myin Htin pagoda. The view of the lake and the surrounding area is wonderful! Under the outer roof of the small circular pagoda, a group of men were busy making woven bamboo baskets. Claude had been waiting for me at the bottom of the hill. I joined him and we continued on our way. We ran into a man on a moped and asked him where the wharf was to cross the lake (12000Ks). He invited us to follow him. We entered the village Khaung Daing, taking several small alleys lined with traditional houses on stilts. A woman appeared with gasoline for the outboard motor and then a young boatman arrived to take our bicycles into the dugout and drive us to the east shore of Inle Lake.

Sitting on a braided carpet at the bottom of the dugout, Claude and I enjoyed this crossing on the calm waters of the lake. We once again enjoyed the fantastic scenery that was available to us. The birds of the lake flew gracefully near us and the fishermen seemed to perform a choreography, busy balancing on one leg and rowing the other.

Upon our arrival at the floating village Mine Thauk, we took a break on the long wooden bridge, amazed by the surrounding landscapes and curious to observe the coming and going by canoe in the main canal of the village.

We had dinner at the Tuborg restaurant on the edge of the bridge. What a pleasure to enjoy excellent Burmese dishes in an exceptional lake environment like this one!

We cycled 6km to the Red Mountain Estate Vineyards and Winery. On our way, we made a few stops to take a closer look: a restaurant decorated with dozens of bikes and a private school with buildings with more than original architecture!

When we arrived at the Red Mountain Vineyard site, we turned away our bicycles and climbed the street to the top of the hill. We tasted 4 kinds of wine, 2 whites and 2 reds, in an enchanting setting with views of the green vineyards, the mountain and Lake Inle. As I rarely drink alcohol, a sip of each wine was enough to make me laugh at the tears, cramped by the pranks made by my dear Claude. An Americano café gave me the strength to finish our bike ride to our motel. I came in exhausted and my legs were dead. It must be said that my bicycle was not one for professionals! I took a good shower and lay down while listening to French music. I then left on my bicycle. This time it was to get a massage at the Thae Su Traditional Inhar Family Massage (7000Ks or $6.40 CAD for an hour of massage including a cup of green tea and crunchy Burmese rusks as a welcome). This massage from the feet to the head did me the greatest good.

We went back to dinner at the night market. Our meat and vegetable skewers on BBQ were exquisite. A stage had been set up in the market square and we could see trophy presentations. What interested me was to see the traditional costumes of the different ethnic groups of the region.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8

LAKE INLE

Our hostesses served us a hearty lunch which we ate with appetite. We then cycled to the dock. We negotiated a custom boat tour for 16000Ks. What a joy to sail again on the beautiful Inle Lake! Our boatman took us directly to the blacksmiths’ workshop at the floating village Seinkaung. We saw the craftsmen heat up and beat the glowing iron. Various iron and copper items were on display for sale: swords, knives, bells, statuettes, etc.

We made a second stop to visit the Shun Thapyay canoe manufacturing workshop. A Burmese woman explained the manufacturing process to us. Four craftsmen take three months to make a long 15-metre teak wooden canoe. In the workshop, there are also some stalls of items made of wood.

We took a look at the Mya Hnin Si Cheroot cigar-making workshop, located in the building adjacent to the canoe shop. Some women rolled cigars and on wall shelves, various lay or wooden items were for sale. 

Our boatman then took us to shwe Kyar Pwint’s restaurant on stilts. We had an excellent dinner: vegetable soup, green tomato salad and avocado salad. Yummy, yum! It was nice to dine on the water while watching the canoes pass by. The only shadows on the table: the roar of the engines and the guilt of contributing to the pollution of the lake as tourists.

We crossed the lake from south to north to return to Nyaung Shwe. I took advantage of these last moments on Inle Lake to savour the unique and magical landscapes of this fabulous lake.

When we arrived at the dock, we rode our bicycles back to the motel. We spent the rest of the afternoon there, happy to have time in front of us to relax. At nightfall, we walked to the night market to enjoy the excellent grills one last time. As we were tired of our long bike ride, we returned early to the motel, passing through a bakery to buy a good banana bread. Sitting in the lobby, I ended the evening uploading photos to my blog while Claude was reading to our room. The monotonous and repetitive Buddhist songs of the young novices came to my ears. Eventually, I began to feel tired of hearing these plaintive songs when suddenly silence appeared. I mean, I thought! My joy was short-lived; our hostess began to recite her prayers right in front of me. When she begins, she has it for an hour and a half, singing the Buddhist texts in a loud voice at a frantic pace, stopping abruptly to grate her throat and go spit and go back to sit in front of the offerings to start her song again more beautiful. At 9:30 p.m., I couldn’t take it anymore, so I went to bed!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9

LAKE INLE – YANGON

We had one last breakfast at the Album Motel, under the attentive services of our hostesses. When we arrived from the van that picked us up and took us to the bus agency downtown, we bid them farewell, thanking them warmly.

The driver of the van picked up three other tourists: two Americans and a Frenchman. Claude chatted with him a lot while I went to the pharmacy and I took the hundred steps while waiting for our bus to arrive.

We left Inle Lake at 9ham, comfortably seated on wide, reclining and comfortable seats. Our 12-hour drive went well. We read, watched documentaries, a comedy show and a TV series on YouTube and Netflix in addition to having a thirty-minute stop for dinner.

To reach the new highway that starts from Mandalay and down to Yangon, we had to go through the dangerous and repair road that crosses the mountain. The height of the ravines was impressive and in the turns I had cold sweats. However, the scenery was breathtaking!

At 9pm, when we arrived in Yangon, we boarded a collective taxi. For 5000Ks ($4.60 CAD), the driver drove us to our accommodation, the Airport Inn, located just 1.1km from the airport. We settled for one night in our large room on the2^nd floor before going to the Friendship Restaurant to have a soup (Claude) and a honey melon juice (me). We returned to the hotel and soon went to bed, tired of our long day of transportation.

Follow our World Tour in the article « SRI LANKA 2019-20 ».