Bagan to Mandalay and Inle Lake
A few more images before departing Bagan
Various images of Buddha
Visiting Yandabo, a village on the bank of the Irrawaddy, which is well-known for its pottery-making.
A few pictures taken on our way back to our boat.
The next day our first stop is Inwa, a small town in close proximity to Mandalay. We travel by horse-drawn cart to visit yet another monastery, and then after taking a ferry across the Myst Nge river, arrive in Amarapura, the “city of immortals”, and take a sampan to watch the setting sun behind the world’s longest teak wood bridge spanning Taung Tha Man Lake. The bridge was constructed over a century ago and measures 1.2km in length. Later, we proceed up river, to our next ports of call, Sagaing and Mingun. This area is famous for its hundreds of monasteries - the Mingun Pagoda, still unfinished is said to be the largest pile of bricks in the world. Here we also see one of the world’s largest bronze bells.
Mandalay, the end of our cruise, but not the end of our adventure. Our final day before disembarking the AmaPura and flying to Inle Lake, we tour this city of 6 plus million, visiting yet another pagoda housing the Maharani Buddha, covered with many layers of gold leaf and as we find, congested with many of the faithful. To complete our short visit to this most famous city, the crossroads of the far East, we visit one of the few remaining gold leaf hammering shops, a tapestry work shop, marble cutting and wood carving, all to pay tribute to Buddhism.
Inle Lake
On to Inle Lake, a very different look and feel to this country of varied sights and sounds. Here, away from the crowded streets of Yangon, and Mandalay, visitors can relax, shake the dust out of their clothing and enjoy a marine lifestyle. Located in the Shan region,bordering China to the North, Laos to the East, and Thailand to the Southwest, it is best known for its floating gardens, iconic ethnic Intha boatmen, silver and goldsmiths and weavers. Hotels are located around the edge of the lake and buildings are built on pilings above the water, with boats instead of cars for transportation.
We visit a variety of establishments to see the making of cigars, weaving of clothing, and smelting of silver to be made into jewelry and religious ornaments, plus spending time with the famous ‘long-neck’ people, the Kayans, where the women wear brass coils placed on their necks from age 5. Done for reasons not verified, these rings are added and the weight pushes the collar-bone down to give the appearance of an elongated neck. This practice is now rapidly disappearing as women gain their independence.
We visit a variety of establishments to see the making of cigars, weaving of clothing, and smelting of silver to be made into jewelry and religious ornaments, plus spending time with the famous ‘long-neck’ people, the Kayans, where the women wear brass coils placed on their necks from age 5. Done for reasons not verified, these rings are added and the weight pushes the collar-bone down to give the appearance of an elongated neck. This practice is now rapidly disappearing as women gain their independence.
The Many Faces of Myanmar
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" On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay! "
……………… Rudyard Kipling
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay! "
……………… Rudyard Kipling
Our trip at an end, we continue on to Shanghai to visit family and then think "where in the world do we visit next".