Continuing on our tour of Mandalay and the surrounds…
We (and pretty much every other tourist in town) visited Maha Ganayon Kyaung Monastery in Amarapura, to watch the bare footed, crimson robed monks lining up to be fed. Normally monks head out on the streets to collect alms (food) in their bowls, but this monastery is somehow special and people come in to cook each day for the thousands of monks that live there. I wondered what the monks think having the tourist paparazzi poking long lenses and phone cameras in their faces day after day… I suspect it gets more than a little tiresome.
Then it was a short river crossing and a pony and cart ride around another ancient capital of Myanmar – Inwa/ Ava. The peaceful tree lined avenues were beautiful. The hoards of tourist tat selling children, in numbers totally disproportionate to the number of tourists, were less lovely. I think we managed to escape only having bought a handful of postcards and one “jade” bracelet.
When we were resting at one temple a group of Myanmar university students on a study tour came across us and reminded us how lovely the Myanmar people are. I am certain that no group of 20 something British men could ever be as polite and friendly as they were. We returned their loveliness by agreeing to feature in many photos with them!
Next stop was Sagaing, and the very unusually shaped golden Kaunghmudaw Paya.
People selling Thanaka bark sat in the shade around the edge of the pagoda. Thanaka is the bark that is made into a white paste and then applied on the faces of children and adults.
Next up was Umin Thounzeh with its many Buddhas, and great views out over Sagaing.
Final stop. Sunset on U Bein Bridge – the worlds longest teak bridge - back in Amarapura.
No comments:
Post a Comment