This is an elementary school (in session) and I caught the kids running back into the class from recess. Note white shirts and green trousers as the uniform. Other schoolkids wore green loungyi (lou-n-jee), skirt-like clothing that men and women all over the country wear. I bought one and it really kept me cool during the hot afternoons.
Some houses built on stilts. I visited in the winter; during rainy season apparently the water level rises a little bit.
Water buffalo hiding out in the brush... that was as close as I got!
Hidden temple... I was definitely lost in the middle of nowhere and it was gorgeous (pretty damn hot too!)
Nuns lie up for morning donations of rice from a local store.
picture of the countryside... those are willows (known in Japan as susuki)Now... to Mandalay! An overnight bus and....
Down at the docks of the mighty Ayerwaddy River.
Sunset from Mandalay Hill. When it got dark, there was only a little to see because often the city is without electricity! Lots of loud, smelly diesel generators fill the night air (noise and exhaust!)
Looking a bit south... some temples to the left. The waterway in front of you is one of the four sides of the royal compound... it was (is) a fortress. And pretty intimidating. And HUGE. The previous picture shows the closest side.Next morning (only day 2 in Mandalay)...
From inside the compound ($10 later); a picture of the royal palace (which is not actually used AND the capital is Yangon now!) Mandalay is only 150 years old so this is all pretty new history in regards to the fact that royalty were located here for a little while.
That is Mandalay Hill in the background. And this is the grounds of a temple complex that you can see from that southern picture. The multitude of white stupas all house a Buddha. And there are many reasons to pray, each stupa is for a different reason.
This is my favorite piece of architecture in Myanmar. It is called the Golden Pavilion. It is super old and was actually moved to its present location from about 20km away. The woodwork was so fine and that contrast with the white (presumably British) colonial stuff made me stare for a lot longer than I had done during the trip.
A picture from (not of) Mahamuni Paya (pagoda). This is the third of the Big 5 holy sites in Myanmar.
A picture of the U Bein's bridge near the ancient (Capital) city of Amarapura. The 1.2 km teak bridge is apparently the longest in the world, and it allows folks to cross over the Taungthaman Lake. I didn't get a chance to see it for very long because of such a rushed day, but that's the way it goes.... trading time in one place for another. No regrets. Glad I caught the sunset there though!
Here it is! My friend Katrine and I hired a boat for the sunset and we reckoned it was near-perfect timing! This is the picture (there are actually a half-dozen!)
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