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Funemployment - Part I
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Funemployment - Part I

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  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler

    Getting My Groove Back

    September 1, 2017 in Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    When I left Australia, I was feeling fatigued and unsure if I could sustain this travel. After Australia, I went to Singapore for four days. Family, friends, and food helped lift my spirits. A painful but much needed massage helped relax my weary muscles and joints.

    To top that off, I had an unexpected boost to my post-travel job prospects. When I left my old job, I passed word around that I would be on the job market. While in Singapore, I received an email from an executive who had hired me in the past as a consultant... he wanted to meet! His assistant arranged for us to have lunch when I return to Honolulu.

    With all this happening, I got my spring back and I felt ready to tackle Myanmar!    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Opposite the May Shann Hotel.
    The block where I stayed. May Shan Hotel is in the middle (partially hidden) with the red sign.The mosque on the corner.Wedding couple at Maha Bandoola Park.Maha Bandoola Park.Maha Bandoola Park. Note the huge tv on the government building.Independence monument at Maha Bandoola Park.A large church next to Maha Bandoola Park.The crowds watching the televised soccer match Maha Bandoola Park.The crowds watching the televised soccer match Maha Bandoola Park.Street scenes around Yangon.Street scenes around Yangon.Street scenes around Yangon.Street scenes around Yangon.Street scenes around Yangon.Street scenes around Yangon.Street scenes around Yangon.My first sighting of the Ayeyarwaddy.The restored Strand Hotel.Parts of Yangon have really bad traffic.

    Yangon: Initial Explorations

    September 4, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌩️ 28 °C

    I landed in Yangon mid-afternoon on Monday September 4th.

    Not long after stepping into an airport taxi, I realized something didn't feel right. It took me about ten minutes before I figured out what was wrong: almost all the steering wheels I saw were on the right... and the cars drive on the right. I asked the taxi driver about this and he said that they switched from driving on the left to driving on the right a few years back, but most cars still have their steering wheels on the right. I then recalled a conversation I had in Singapore with a friend in the car business, who said that a lot of used cars from Singapore and Japan end up in Myanmar. That explains all the right hand drive vehicles.

    En route, I noticed that the sky was overcast. I was aware that this was the tail end of the rainy season. True enough, the skies opened up not long after I checked in and while I was having an early dinner at Black Hat restaurant. Returning to the hotel, I opened my Netflix app and it worked! Yes! If I was going to be marooned by rain this was the best possible outcome.

    I booked two nights at the May Shan Hotel, which I selected primarily for its central location. The room cost US$30 per night through Agoda. The guide books weren't joking when they said that rooms in Myanmar were expensive relative to other places in Southeast Asia... and this was the low season with discounts of up to 50 percent. I wouldn't have paid anywhere near $30 for this room in Indonesia or Thailand, let alone $60. Don't get me wrong, though. The rooms were clean, the staff were friendly, and I knew I was paying a premium for location.

    For my one full day in Yangon, I decided to wander around downtown. After breakfast at May Shan, I wandered out into the street with a vague plan to walk around the old town, make my way to Botahtaung Pagoda, wander around some more, and then finish my day at Sule Pagoda before the inevitable late afternoon downpour.

    Leaving the May Shan, I wandered around Sule Pagoda. Not many cities can boast having a 2,000 year old golden pagoda in a roundabout as their main downtown landmark. Next to Sule Pagoda was Maha Bandoola Park, with the Independence Monument as its centerpiece. Around the park were all manner of colonial buildings, and they were in varying stages of upkeep, from abandoned and decaying to beautifully restored and maintained. From the park, I set off east in the vague general direction of Botahtaung Pagoda, taking in the sights and smells of the morning markets, watching morning commuters, and getting a general feel for the city. Walking in Yangon is less hazardous than Bangkok or Bali; there are fewer street vendors blocking your way than in Bangkok, and the sidewalks are much more contiguous and better maintained than in Bali. Crossing streets is hazardous, though; motorists don't necessarily observe pedestrian crossings. The best way to cross a street is to follow the locals and cross with them.

    The photos in this entry record various scenes around May Shan Hotel on the day of my arrival, as well as sights seen en route to Bohtataung Pagoda the next morning.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon-Re…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Devotees paying respects, Botahtaung Pagoda.
    Scenes from the Ayeyarwaddy River on my way to Botahtaung Pagoda.Scenes from the Ayeyarwaddy River on my way to Botahtaung Pagoda.Entrance to Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Inside the main pagoda, Botahtaung Pagoda.Inside the main pagoda, Botahtaung Pagoda.The Buddha hair relic is kept in here.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.Botahtaung Pagoda.

    Botahtaung Pagoda

    September 5, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    En route to Botahtaung Pagoda, I wandered towards the Ayeyarwaddy River, saw more colonial buildings, peeked at street food stalls (the food smelled good but I was wary about eating at these stalls). I finally reached Botahtaung Pagoda after lots of wandering. I was a sweaty mess but I was loving it. Botahtaung Pagoda houses hair relics from the Buddha and it is a very holy site for Buddhists. The main highlight of this site was walking zig zag through the interior of the stupa where the hair relic is housed. All the walls were golden. The rest of the temple grounds housed various additional shrines and a terrapin pond. I saw no western tourists at this site, only Thais.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon-Re…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    A fellow Wednesday baby paying her respects, Sule Pagoda.
    The Sule Pagoda is situated within a roundabout..One of the entrances to the Sule Pagoda from the roundabout.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.The guide said that that this is roughly analogous to the Santa Claus of Myanmar.Offerings, Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda.Sule Pagoda at night.

    Sule Pagoda

    September 5, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    After Botahtaung, I wandered back towards the Sule Pagoda area where I had lunch and sorted out my travel to Bagan.

    After my travel plans had been settled, I went to Sule Pagoda. There, a guy claiming to be a student latched on to me and started explaining things. I groaned inwardly... this was probably an unofficial tour guide who will ask for money after showing me around, and he won't be upfront about it. Oh well, what the heck. Maybe I could learn something useful from him.

    As it turned out, I did learn a few things. At Buddhist temples in Thailand, I had always wondered about Buddhas labeled with the day of the week. I found out from my "guide" that there is a special shrine for the day of the week that you are born. He even had an app that told you which day of the week you were born on - mine turned out to be Wednesday. He then showed me how to pay respects to my Wednesday Buddha. He also showed me other parts of the pagoda and explained their history and significance. At the end of our 15 minutes, he asked a gratuity. I offered 5,000 kyat (about $3.50) and he accepted.

    After I parted ways with the "guide", I did another round in the pagoda and then returned to Maha Bandoola Park where I enjoyed observing the late afternoon crowds. Many people were glued to a soccer match being broadcast on a huge screen mounted on the nearby government building. At the park, one guy approached me to practice his English and I had a fine time learning about him and life in his village across the river. I headed back to the May Shan when raindrops began to fall, and I waited out the afternoon storm there.

    In the evening, I wandered out to find a vegetarian restaurant I saw earlier in the day. I noticed that the crowd at the park had grown and moved to the grounds in front of the government office, and that they were still glued to a soccer game (not sure if it was the same game). I tried to stay and see their reaction if a goal was scored, but no such luck. They remained quite sedate the entire time, compared to the crowds I saw in Colombia two years ago. I also wandered around the night markets before heading back to May Shan.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Yangon-Re…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    The snack served on Air KBZ.
    Boarding pass for K7 222.

    Yangon to Bagan

    September 6, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Air KBZ K7222 | RGN/NYU
    Economy Class
    Aerospatiale ATR72-500 | XY-AJT
    ATD/0745 | ATA/0905

    ===============================================================

    I decided to depart Yangon on this day because I was put in touch with another UCLA MBA alumnus, Ahmar, who happened to be arriving in Bagan by overnight bus on this day. I purchased a flight on Air KBZ and made plans to meet Ahmar at Ostello Bello.Read more

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  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    At lunch during our e-bike tour.
    Ahmar on our first day of exploring. This was the start of a long friendship.Ahmar, me, Dakota, and Tyson at dinner.

    Hosteling

    September 6, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Ahmar told me he had booked at Ostello Bello Hostel in Bagan, and that it came highly recommended. When I set out in this trip, I had resolved to not stay in dorms because I am a light sleeper and I was wary about sharing rooms with partying twentysomethings. My past experiences with hostels over 20 years ago weren't too favorable - they were primarily crash pads for people who stumbled in at all hours. At my age, I value my sleep. However, I got good vibes from Ostello Bello's website, and so I decided to chance it and book one night with them. Part of my motivation was also to socialize, as weeks of solo travel was wearing me down. While I'm not normally an outgoing guy in my own home environment, I do love socializing with independent budget (and budget-ish, like myself) travelers as they're a different breed of people - by and large, they are adventurous, hardy, and, most important to me, curious about the world... basically the type of people I like to surround myself with.

    Ostello Bello turned out to be a great experience. I booked a four person dorm and was placed in a room with three other American guys (Ryan from San Jose, Tyson from Chicago, and Dakota from LA). In all, there were eight Americans in the hostel (the others were Ahmar, Justin and Danielle from Philadelphia, and Arin from DC). I had not even seen this many Americans so far this trip. Danielle from Canada also hung out with us.

    When I wasn't sightseeing, we hung out, ate meals together, and drank a lot. It felt so good to connect with people I could communicate easily with (i.e., I didn't have to speak s-l-o-w-l-y and repeat myself). It was the fix I needed. I came to realize that the American part of my identity had become culturally isolated on this trip. I had never felt this culturally isolated since my early days living in Bangkok. The Singaporean part of my identity has been well indulged during this trip, though!

    The other thing that surprised me about Ostello Bello was the demographics of the crowd there. There were only a handful of students and post-college gap year kids. While most of the guests were in their twenties, many of them had jobs and were on vacation, or were in-between jobs like me. Many of them could easily afford hotels, and I was surprised they chose to stay in hostels. I was by far the oldest guy there. I was pleased that I could blend in so easily with this crowd, and not just the Americans. I guess in a way I was a curiosity to some of them. A couple of people even said that they were inspired by me.

    I ended up staying two nights at Ostello Bello. As much as I enjoyed it, I did sleep badly. I checked in to a nearby hotel for my other two nights because I needed to catch up on my sleep, and because I could not sustain all that drinking. While I am now a convert to hosteling, I will still approach it with caution. I think the average hostelite traveling in Myanmar would be different from the type that goes to Thailand, for example, as Thailand is much cheaper and more geared towards a party crowd. Regardless, I resolved to balance hosteling with staying in hotels for the remainder of my time in Myanmar, so that I get to socialize with travelers but still have the alone time that I love (and that so many people misunderstand about me).

    My two post-hostel nights were at the Arthewka Hotel. I booked a $20/night budget room and got upgraded! I also had access to a pool which was most welcome as Bagan is hot.    Read more

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    Offerings, Mt Popa.
    Villagers begging at the side of the road to Mt Popa.Mt Popa from below. The weather made it difficult to get a good shot.Walking to the base of the stairs.The stairs leading up Mt Popa.The stairs leading up Mt Popa.Me, with a view of the surrounding countryside behind me.There were many monkeys around. I suspect we were stepping on monkey poop with our bare feet.The festival was related to some of the nats. Here is a statue of one of them.Mt Popa.Mt Popa.Mt Popa.Mt Popa.Devotees, Mt Popa.Devotees, Mt Popa.Devotees and some of my hostel mates, Mt Popa.Devotees, Mt Popa.Devotees, Mt Popa.Mt Popa.Mt Popa.

    Mount Popa

    September 6, 2017 in Myanmar

    Ostello Bello made it very easy for its guests to see the sights around Bagan. One of the regular activities they organize are excursions to Mount Popa, a religious site about 1 hour 20 minutes outside of Bagan. On the day I arrived, I signed up for the afternoon trip. When departure time came, we were transported there in one car and one minivan. We had been pre-warned that there was a religious festival at Mt Popa that day and that it would be crowded. That didn’t faze me. In fact, I was excited at the prospect of seeing the festival in motion.

    On the road to Mt Popa, we witnessed some disturbing sights: hundreds of people lined up along the road begging for handouts. We could not figure out if this was related to the festival or if it was an everyday occurrence. I suspect and hope it is the former. Anyway, we saw vehicles ahead of us toss cash and goods out of their cars and motorcycles without even slowing down, and there was a mad scramble to retrieve those items, with some people running into oncoming traffic to get the goods. As far as we could tell, those vehicles were occupied by locals and not tourists. It is a miracle we didn't see anyone get hit. Our minivan driver did not know enough English to tell us what was happening. From my western-biased perspective, if this was about making merit, it is a seriously screwed up way of doing it.

    As we approached Mt Popa, it was clear that the place was going to be one big cluster. There were vehicles all over, and people and motorcycles were trying to squeeze past the cars in the jam. The driver of the car stopped and told everyone to make their way on foot. He told us to stay together and come back together, and gave no further instructions on where and when to meet. Gee, what could possibly go wrong? Fortunately, he did give one guy his phone number.

    Alighting from the vehicles, we walked to the base of Mt Popa on foot through the rain. We walked between the cars and roadside stalls, and squeezed past people and motorcycles. I wish I were eloquent enough to describe the atmosphere. It was a big mess. I was bewildered most of the time, but in the best possible way.

    Before long, we reached the first of many staircases that make up the 700+ steps to the top of Mt Popa. We had to remove our shoes and socks and cover our knees. The floor was wet and muddy, and there were monkeys all over. I dread to think about what I was stepping on with my bare feet. There were, of course, throngs of people climbing up and climbing down, so it was slow going. Along the way up, there were various shrines. At the top, there were more shrines and lots of golden stupas. I loved that we got to see Mt Popa as a living place of worship.

    It shouldn't come as any surprise that our group didn't stay intact during this trek. It was impossible to stay together. At the base of the steps, we gathered and waited for everyone to come down. We waited and waited, and finally all but two of us were down. We called the driver then and he came to get us. He was of course unhappy that two were missing (I actually heard him cuss "Oh My Buddha", which I found hilarious). After he and the minivan driver got us back safely to the two vehicles, he sent the minivan driver back to find the last two. Finally, after about an hour of waiting, we set off back to Ostello Bello.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sacred-mt-popa

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

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    Me on an e-bike.
    My ride for the day.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda, with Dhamma Ya Za Ka behind.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.View from Tha Mu Hti Pagoda.

    Bagan - The Greatest Hits Tour

    September 7, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    On my second day in Bagan, I joined the free tour of Bagan organized by the hostel. Setting off on a rented e-bike, the tour is led by a local guide who receives tips as payment. This was a "greatest hits" tour of Bagan as he pretty much led us to the major temples in the vicinity.

    I'm too cautious to make a good motorcyclist. But, riding an e-bike is the best way to explore Bagan. Rental is cheap at $4/day, and they even throw in free laundry (maximum 5 pieces). Normal pedal bikes were also available to rent, but who wants to do that in Bagan's heat? So, with Ahmar coaching me, I managed to get the hang of it. It isn't that hard, and the max speed isn't that fast either so I wasn't terribly nervous.

    Ahmar and I set off later than the main group. We missed the first stop (Dhamma Ya Za Ka), but we caught up with them at the second stop, Tha Mu Hti Pagoda. We could go up one level to a viewing patio with 360 degree views.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bagan

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Ananda Pahto.
    Ananda Pahto.Ananda Pahto.Ananda Pahto.Ananda Pahto.Ananda Pahto.Ananda Pahto.Ananda Pahto.

    Ananda Pahto

    September 7, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    Our guide brought us to our lunch spot at a vegetarian restaurant called The Moon Be Kind To Animals. Some of the hostelites grumbled. After lunch, we went to the nearby Ananda Pahto which featured an impressive interior with gold Buddha statues.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bagan

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.
    Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.Visit to an orphanage in Nyaung U.

    An Uncomfortable Orphanage Visit

    September 7, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌧 32 °C

    I wasn't thrilled about this stop as I'm unsure about the ethics of orphanage tourism. The guide also mentioned that the children in the orphanage were from minority ethnic groups - that to me was a red flag as I kept wondering if these kids were orphaned due to ethnic violence, and if they were having their ethnic identity whitewashed by being trained as novice monks.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bagan

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Thatbyinyu.
    Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.Thatbyinyu.Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.The view from Thatbyinyu.

    Thatbinnyu Pagoda

    September 7, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Our final stop on the Greatest Hits Tour was Thatbyinyu, which also featured a viewing platform.

    This tour gave me a good sense of the layout of the plain, and it gave me the confidence to venture out on my own the next couple of days to explore at my own pace.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bagan

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Dhamma Ya Za Ka.
    Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.Dhamma Ya Za Ka.

    Dhamma Ya Za Ka

    September 8, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    My first stop on my solo explorations was Dhamma Ya Za Ka, the stop Ahmar and I missed on the Greatest Hits Tour.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bagan

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

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    Just a selfie atop my secret pagoda.
    My secret pagoda from the outside.Buddha statue inside my secret pagoda.Buddha statue inside my secret pagoda.On top of my secret pagoda.Climbing the steep steps up my secret pagoda. Photo taken by Ewan F.Climbing down my secret pagoda. Photo taken by Ewan F.On top of my secret pagoda.View from on top of my secret pagoda.View from on top of my secret pagoda during the cloudy sunset.View from on top of my secret pagoda during the cloudy sunset.View from on top of my secret pagoda.View from on top of my secret pagoda.View from on top of my secret pagoda.My dinner after a long day of exploring.

    My Secret Pagoda

    September 8, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ 🌧 31 °C

    You can't go to Bagan and not discover your own secret temple, right? Well, I discovered the neatest little spot. It is a nondescript little temple along a dirt track not far from Dhamma Ya Za Ka. Inside, it has the ubiquitous four Buddha statues each facing a cardinal direction. Hidden at the back was a dark staircase that led you to the rooftop (there weren't any visible restrictions on climbing), from where you could scramble to the very top of the temple for unobstructed 360 degree views of the entire plain. It was breathtaking. The best part was, most people just rode past this temple as it isn't noteworthy from the outside. The one sunset I attempted to do from my secret pagoda wasn't a particularly good one due to cloud cover, but seven other people ended up joining me there; most of them were on their way to other viewing spots when they saw me on the top.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    A temple I encountered.
    This temple featured interior murals. Photos were not allowed.Bats on the ceiling of a temple.Buddha statue inside the bat cave.Remnants of the Old Bagan city wall.A temple I encountered.I also stopped and looked at a lot of small pagodas like this one.Temples on the plain.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.A temple I encountered.My route on my first day of solo exploration.My route on my second day of solo exploration.

    Other Sites Visited in Bagan

    September 9, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    Not surprisingly, the temples blended into one another. The photos in this entry show some of the random ones I visited.

    https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bagan

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

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    Setting off in the pre-dawn darkness.
    Sunrise over the Ayeyarwady.The first bridge we encountered.Just a selfie in front of the Myanmar flag.Our chairs on the boat.Bagan to Mandalay on the Ayeyarwady.Bagan to Mandalay on the Ayeyarwady.Riverside communities.Riverside communities.Riverside communities.Riverside communities.Bagan to Mandalay on the Ayeyarwady.Approaching Sagaing.Approaching Sagaing.Approaching Sagaing.Approaching Sagaing.Approaching Sagaing.I am a map nerd. I even recorded this boat ride on my MapMyRun app.

    On the Boat to Mandalay

    September 10, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    To get to Mandalay, I took a boat up the Ayeyarwady River on a ten hour trip north departing Bagan at stupid o'clock. At 4am, I stumbled out of bed, showered, packed, and met my pre-booked driver who took me to the pier at Nyaung U in time for my 5am check in at the boat. The boat departed at 5.20am with just seven passengers. This is one upside of traveling during the low/wet season - empty hotels and tourist transport. The top deck of the boat was comfortably laid out with rattan deck chairs. We each had lots of space to ourselves.

    After setting off from Bagan, I watched the sunrise over the Ayeyarwady, then I settled in for the long ride, observing the riverside communities and other boats as we passed them by. The main highlight for me was watching a rickety boat with five cows on it motor past me. It did get a bit monotonous after a while, but this was still a very pleasant way to get to Mandalay. Far better than an overnight bus along dusty roads which I am sure are no longer lined with the palm trees and tinkly temple bells that Rudyard Kipling once described.

    The boat trip cost US$35, and included breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, water, coffee, and tea. A great deal overall. As an added bonus, the river breeze was a wonderful respite after one week of intense heat and humidity in Yangon and Bagan. As we approached Mandalay, we were treated to spectacular views of temples scattered across the hills at Sagaing. The boat arrived in Mandalay at 3.30pm. As I have come to expect, it was raining yet again at this time of the afternoon. The dock at Mandalay is very close to downtown, and my pre-booked hotel was only a short ride away. Per my MapMyRun app, we traveled 109 miles in 10 hours.

    There is one other upside to traveling during the low season, and that is great hotel deals. Although I had noted in my Yangon entry that lower end accommodation can be pricey in Myanmar, there are good deals to be had in the three stars and above categories during the wet season. My room at Arthawka Hotel in Bagan was a bargain, as was the room I had initially booked for one night only (I was being cautious) at Mandalay City Hotel. After checking in, I was shown a very nicely appointed single room. The hotel also had a pool. The biggest draw of this hotel, though, was that it is set away from the road. The hotel is accessed by an archway along busy 26th street. Once past the archway, one goes down a driveway to a pleasant, tree lined property. I could not hear traffic noise from my room. This was a good deal better than other hotels I saw on agoda.com which were all multistorey affairs fronting busy streets. After settling into my room, I immediately went onto agoda and booked two more nights. At US$32 per night, this was a good deal.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.
    Street scenes en route to Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Street scenes en route to Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Street scenes en route to Maha Myat Muni Pagoda - these are the lights behind the Buddha statues.Street scenes en route to Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Male devotees placing gold leaf on the Maha Muni Buddha.Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.Maha Myat Muni Pagoda.

    Maha Myat Muni Pagoda

    September 10, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    I planned to spend two whole days exploring Mandalay; the first day on foot visiting the sights within the city, and the second day via car visiting sights outside the city.

    For my day on foot, I planned a route that would first take me southwest of my hotel to see the Maha Myat Muni Pagoda and the Shwe In Bin Monastery, and then northeast of my hotel to see the sights clustered around the palace. The map my hotel provided me did not have a scale, but I thought to myself that it shouldn't take that long to walk one block west and 20 blocks south to my first planned stop, correct? Not quite... I didn't factor in the poor sidewalk conditions and difficulty in crossing roads. It took me over an hour to get there! Along the way, I saw a cluster of jewelry and gem businesses, another cluster of motor parts businesses, and finally a cluster of religious artifact stalls at and near my destination.

    Maha Myat Muni Pagoda is renowned for its sitting Buddha which devotees continually cover with gold leaf. The pagoda itself wasn't immediately obvious from street level. To get to it, you have to go through a row of shops selling religious items. The Buddha was in a small, covered hall and there were lots of devotees sitting in front of it. Due to the positioning of the entrances to the Buddha, you could only see his lower half and the devotees filing past as they tacked gold leaf onto him. The gold leaf must be six inches deep by this point! It looks as if only men could place gold leaf on the statue.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

  • SiewchFunemployment - Part ITraveler
    Shwe In Bin Monastery.
    Shwe In Bin Monastery.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Door carvings at Shwe In Bin Monastery.Door carvings at Shwe In Bin Monastery.Peekaboo.Shwe In Bin Monastery.Door carvings at Shwe In Bin Monastery.

    Shwe In Bin Monastery

    September 11, 2017 in Myanmar ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Considering how long it took me to walk to Maha Myat Muni, I knew that at this rate, I would not be able to see all the sights in one day if I kept walking. I decided to take motorcycle taxis where appropriate. I'm a bit nervous about motorbikes, so I had to remind myself to breathe, and trust that the driver will get me to my destination safely.

    My next destination was the Shwe In Bin Monastery, a beautiful, teak building that was a welcome departure from the usual gold structures in Myanmar. I walked around the beautiful building appreciating its carvings. After that, I took another motorcycle taxi back to my hotel to freshen up.

    https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Burma/Mandalay-…    Read more

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