|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23 Jan 2005: Qatar Airways Gatwick to Rangoon. Nick seems to be enjoying the flight... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As soon as we'd dumped our packs at the hotel, we
were off to Rangoon's famous Shwedagon Pagoda in the north of the city. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shwedagon Pagoda: This is the
huge main stupa... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shwedagon Pagoda: Many different shrines
surround the main stupa. The marble is very hot to walk on... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The main stupa was having its annual overhaul - it
was covered in bamboo scaffolding... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back in central Rangoon, there were lots
of old buses like this one... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sule Paya in central Rangoon. This forms
a traffic island in the centre of Rangoon from which all distances in Burma are measured. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic all backpacked-up and ready to go, about to leave the Thamada Hotel for the station... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We walked across the road from the hotel
to Rangoon's impressive railway station... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We boarded the 15:15 Special Express from
Rangoon to Mandalay. This is our 4-berth 'special sleeper'. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
With the pane of glass secured out the
way, there's nothing between you and the scenery.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We remembered to stock up on beer for the
sleeper journey - 'Myanmar' brand, of course... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Passing Bago on the train, where old-style
semaphore signals & a mock-Tudor signal box make it seem very British... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On our first day in Mandalay we visit the
fort. It's 2km square and surrounded by a wide moat. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic finds some exercise equipment by the moat-side... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic on the bridge across the moat into the
fort, with Mandalay Hill in the background. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mandalay: The reconstructed royal palace inside the fort. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Artists impression of the palace complex inside
Mandalay fort. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mandalay: The reconstructed royal palace. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We get around Mandalay on trishaws... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Political slogan, road junction outside Mandalay fort. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the foot of the walkway up Mandalay Hill.
That's Mark, there on the left... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View of the fort & moat from Mandalay Hill... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buddha image, Mandalay Hill, pointing out
where to build the city. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A macabre image on Mandalay Hill... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Monument to the Royal Berkshire Regiment, who liberated Mandalay Hill from the Japanese in 1945... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mandalay High School library. We were invited
to the school by a novice monk we met on Mandalay Hill. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A tablet forming part of the world's largest book,
in a temple at Mandalay. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The world's largest book. Hundreds of these
shelters house one tablet each. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Myit Ayer Phyar Hotel, Mandalay. Nic is pooped... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
It was an early start - the train left
Mandalay at 04:45. This shot was taken soon after dawn... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
View from the train from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin &
Gokteik as it climbs into the mountains... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We pass through Pyin Oo Lwin en route to the Gokteik Viaduct... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the train from Mandalay to Gokteik... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We're travelling in ordinary class - note
the fruit and vegetables everywhere... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This kid on the train insisted that Nic took his photo... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flower sellers, meeting the Mandalay-Gokteik train. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ordinary class on the Mandalay - Gokteik train.
We returned from Gokteik to Pyin Oo Lwin in first class. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In Pyin Oo Lwin, we took tea at 'Croxtons',
an old colonial house, now a hotel. A shame we didn't stay there. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The main street and Purcell Tower, in Pyin
Oo Lwin. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Political slogans in the phone book in our hotel room, Royal Parkview Hotel, Pyin Oo Lwin. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
'Candacraig', an old colonial house now a hotel, Pyin Oo Lwin. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The main form of transport in Pyin Oo Lwin
is these mini- stagecoaches. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We hired bikes to get around Pyin Oo Lwin. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lunch, Pyin oo Lwin, our bikes in the
background..! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark in one of the miniature stagecoaches in Pyin Oo Lwin. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Inside the ticket office at the station, waiting for someone to issue our ticket back to Mandalay... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Back in Mandalay, we take a morning trip
by boat up the Irrawaddy to Mingun. This is the riverside scene... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kids by the riverside as we wait for our
boat to Mingun... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At last, we board a fleet of small boats for the
11km trip to the ruins at Mingun. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the boat from Mandalay to Mingun... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our boat from Mandalay approaches Mingun... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The ruined and unfinished but still
incredibly impressive Mingun Pagoda... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Climbing the Mingun Pagoda... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View of the Irrawaddy, from the top of the Mingun Pagoda. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another shot of the Mingun Pagoda. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Striking the Mingun Bell... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Striking the Mingun Bell II |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dawn - we leave Mandalay by the 06:00 Express Ferry down the Irrawaddy River to Bagan (10 hours) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Express Ferry passes under the road/rail bridge near Sagaing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sundeck at the rear of the Express Ferry. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Up front on the Express Ferry. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the Irrawaddy River, we see all sorts
of craft, from river steamers to canoes... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
And we see many stupas in the countryside along the
banks... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally, at 16:30, the Mandalay-Bagan Express Ferry arrives at Old Bagan. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We stay at the Hotel Thande Bagan, in a
deluxe bungalow, as no economy rooms are left, which doesn't upset Nic.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our bungalow has a veranda with a view
right across the Irrawaddy... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Palin temple, Bagan, near our hotel... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horse-drawn carriages are the normal way to get
around in Bagan... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of four golden Buddha images inside the Ananda temple, Bagan. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The outside of the Ananda temple, Bagan. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sunset across the Irrawaddy, seen from our bungalow
veranda... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We hired bikes so we could cycle round the temples
and pagodas... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A few pagodas could be climbed, for a view across
the temple-studded plain... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic wasn't pleased when on the third day her bike
chain came off and we had to walk back... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trotting along on our way from the hotel to the
restaurant in town for dinner... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We hired a taxi to get from Bagan to Inle
Lake, a 13-hour drive. We stopped to see people grinding peanuts to make peanut oil for cooking... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They sent someone up a palm tree to collect the
palm sap... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
...the palm sap was used to make palm
spirit (seen being distilled here) and palm sugar. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We stopped to climb up to the monastery at Mount Popa. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foot of the walkway up to Mount Popa... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic was intrigued by the Monkeys on Mount Popa... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The view from the top of Mount Popa. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Going back down the walkways... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We drive on, overtaking bullock carts and trying to
navigate around all the potholes... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We have to wait half an hour while diggers remove a landslide blocking the road to Inle Lake... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finally we reach Nyaungshwe on Inle Lake.
This is the Inle Inn, complete with Bamboo wallpaper..! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They make interesting use of 7-up caps... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The next day, relaxing over noodles and
lassis, oh, and the odd beer, in a restaurant in Nyaungshwe, Inle Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic buys a hat in the market in
Nyaungshwe. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the afternoon we take a canoe trip
round the various canals around Nyaungshwe... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stupas at Nanthe, near Nyaungshwe, seen from our
canoe... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Our canoeist stops at his house (one of the houses
on bamboo stilts) so we can see his wife and sisters making cigars. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following day we take an all-day powerboat trip
around the lake proper... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
More houses on stilts, seen from our boat, on
Inle Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The fishermen on Inle Lake plunge a conical cage
into the water to trap fish, then spear them... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Water buffalo being washed in a canal, Inle
Lake.... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We stopped to see the market and these old
stupas at Inlein, Inle Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic in the market at Inlein on Inle Lake.
This part has mostly dried fish... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paper making (for parasols), Inle Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parasol making, Inle Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yet more houses-on-stilts... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Metal working, Inle Lake. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Floating gardens, Inle Lake. The
tomatoes weren't yet ripe... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of Inle Lake's strangest sights:
The jumping cats at the 'jumping cat monastery'. They really do jump... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking back at our boatman and the jumping cat monastery,
which we had just left. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More fishermen, in the canal from the lake to
Nyaungshwe... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We leave Nyaungshwe by taxi to Shewnyaung
11km away, for the 08:00 'Slow Train to Thazi'. This time we travel Upper
Class... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The train stops briefly at Kalaw, between Shwenyaung and Thazi. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The train passes through the mountains,
with excellent scenery, the line looping right back on itself in places... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
...and in one part the train descends a
mountainside on a series of switchbacks. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At Thazi we change trains, have a meal, and manage
to upgrade to a sleeper on the train to Bago. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bago pagoda - remarkably similar to
Rangoon's Shwedagon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bago pagoda - part of the original pagoda
ruined by the earthquake in 1917. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oops. In our 5th floor room in the Emperor Hotel, Bago,
Nic shows the window which just fell out when we tried to close it... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
...fortunately, it landed on the roof below
so no-one got killed... The window is the square thing..! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The next day at Bago station we board the
morning train for Moatama (for the ferry across the river to Moulmein) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We see a steam locomotive on an
engineering train at Bago... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nic in our upper class seats on the Bago-Moatama train... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brickworks, seen from the Bago-Moatama train. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At Moatama, we boarded the ferry across
the river to Moulmein. This is the city at sunset, seen from the ferry. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
In Moulmein, we stayed at the old colonial
Thanlwin Hotel. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Our huge room at the Thanlwin... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
This is the ceiling of our room, which
must once have been part of a much larger function room. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The Moatama-Moulmein ferry, now (almost) replaced by the new bridge. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One of Moulmein's ancient mosques, and one
of its equally ancient buses... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Another mosque in Moulmein. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The walkway up to Moulmein Pagoda, on the
ridge above Moulmein. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moulmein prison, viewed from the old Moulmein pagoda. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chinese new year celebrations, Moulmein... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Advert, Moulmein... This brand of
bike is good for escaping when chased by lions... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St Matthew's church, Moulmein. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The clock mechanism in the tower, made in Leeds... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The bell, minted in Madras in 1858... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clock tower, Moulmein town hall, 1912. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This time, we were driven to Moatama across the
brand-new bridge across the Thanlwin, the longest bridge in Burma |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Waiting at Moatama station, across the
river from Moulmein, for the train to Rangoon. Due to leave at 10:00, it actually left at 15:00. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sunset from the Moulmein-Rangoon train...
It was due to arrive in Rangoon at 19:40, but we actually arrived at 08:00 the next
day..! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the station we grabbed a taxi and went straight
to Rangoon's most famous (and most expensive) hotel: The Strand. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is the view from the second floor down into
the lobby... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They just happened to have a suite available
immediately, and let us keep it until 16:00 the next day... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our suite at the Strand Hotel. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In our suite at the Strand... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A wonderful dinner at the Strand Hotel. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Merchant Street, Rangoon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bell in the Shwedagon Pagoda. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Picture showing the British accidentally dropping
the bell into the Irrawaddy. They said the Burmese could keep it if they could
recover it..! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rangoon town hall, near the Sule Paya. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Port Authority building, Rangoon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Law court building, Rangoon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reclining Buddha, Rangoon. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
