Next stop Pagan (Bagan)...................

This post is coming to you from Bangkok....................

From Mandalay we caught a flight to Pagan. Myanmar's road infrastructure is poor to say the least, so we flew between each place!  Located on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, Pagan is an ancient area situated on Myanmar's dry, flat central plain and home to hundreds of payas & stupas dating from 1057. We spent 3 days in an around Pagan and for me it was the highlight of the trip. The scope of the pagodas is an astonishing sight, hard to capture in a photo but the following will provide a glimpse of our first day in Pagan ...........................

An example of a stupa dateing from around 1100.............

We climbed a pogoda for a view of the area - absolutely astonishing! The photo doesn't do it justice.........

A buddha in one of the payas...............

And more stupas....................

In the midst of pogodas we came upon the local market. These ladies are selling locally grown vegetables which looked delicious!!!

Shopping in the market for a local outfit to wear at our final group dinner. Of course, I had to have the top made to measure, the local women are mostly tiny & the markets don't cater to the fuller figure!!!

Note the bouganvilla. Grown widely in this area it is lush and beautiful.......

A paya built around 1150 from local bricks & partially covered in gold leaf............  

Local women inside the paya deep in prayer in spite of the tourists!

This old lady, one of the market stall holders was smoking a huge roll your own cigarette!!

Most away as I'm running out of internet time & also must be off to the airport for my flight to Sydney................ and so ends my great adventure in Myanmar. Will provide more on my return home.

Unitl the next post, K...........................

On the roads around Mandalay................

Greetings, we are back in Yangon & my grand adventure in Burma is nearly over! Needless to say internet access outside Yangon is non-existent. There are internet cafes in some towns & computers in the hotels, the locals say "the internet is working today but very slow" - I found this to be code for not working ............... I guess they don't like to disappoint the traveller!

In general Myanmar is completely different to what I had expected. While many people here are obviously poor there is none of the visible homelessness, abject poverty and chaos of places like India. Everywhere I went the local people were welcoming and I was impressed with their obvious pride in their home and their community and their capacity to get on with living in spite of the effects of government oppression and international economic sanctions. It is an experience to be here at what is a critical time in the country's political history.

Now back to the sights and sounds............. This has been an amazing experience and of course there is much to tell. I'll start with the exotic sounding Mandalay! Located on the Irrawaddy River, Mandalay is Myanmar's second largest city. Some highlights:

U Bein's Bridge one of Myanmar's most photographed sites. Built over 200years ago this footbridge is made of 1060 teak posts and spans 1km across a shallow lake. We hired boats and were able to see the bridge closer from the water & what a spectacular sight it is!

A close up of the bridge with a local fisherman in the foreground about to cast his net out!

What a sight - a bit tricky to walk along as there are no hand rails and it creaks & moves!

We visited a pagoda on Mandalay Hill to watch the sunset over Mandalay. Unfortunately the heat haze made it difficult to capture the sunset but we did travel up to the pagoda in style - in the back of a ute as the climb was too steep for our bus!

Young monks waiting to catch the sunset...

Traveling in style!

When visiting Maymyo, the former British hill station 2hrs north of Mandalay we experienced another stylist form of transport - a local horse & cart!! It was a bumpy ride but all part of the adventure!

This lady was outside a pagoda we visited in Mandalay selling flowers as an offering to Buddha. She was ever so proud of her baby who was very cutely dressed & decorated! The paint on the baby's face is sunscreen which many people wear but usually only on their cheeks.................

The pagoda's bell ringer, peacefully in prayer!


Just outside Mandalay we visited Bagaya Kyaung, a beautiful monastery built entirely in teak dating from 1834. It is now home to a monastic school providing education to children from the local village.

I'll finish this post with a Buddha, one of many we saw along the way...............................

I say farewell to Burma tomorrow & travel to Bangkok, so will try another post there where the computer facilities are a bit more modern!!

Until the next post, K.....................

Burma - I've arrived.................

Mingalabar (hello) from Yangon (Rangoon) - arrived here on Friday 13th! The travel company provides the following description of Burma: "Myanmar, a land of ancient kingdoms, jewelled temples and devout monks. To this day, this country remains one the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world - a land of breathtaking beauty and charm only recently emerging into the modern world." At first glance this description may well be apt................

The days in Rangoon has been amazing, surprisingly (at least to me) it is a very clean, safe and relaxed city. That said, the roads, footpaths & other infrastructure are in poor condition - the biggest risk here appears to be the risk of falling into an open sewer drain (what a thought!!)

Among the amazing experiences are spectacular pagodas, much colonial architecture and of course the amazing Scott Markets which are a maze of market stalls selling all manner of things. They are 100 years old and used primarily by the locals. Today we also had the unexpected opportunity to visit a monastery where young monks & nuns are being educated!

A few glimpses of my days in Rangoon:

The amazing Shwedagon Pagoda (the most famous in Myanmar) it is believed to be 2,500 years old



The "food hall" at the Scott Market!!!



A woman using a Public Phone......... yes, a true story!!!

A young girl selling post cards in the streets - the cream on her face is sun screen!!

A young nun at the monastery...................

Young monks lining up to go to lunch..............

Young monks in the dining room having lunch - their last meal of the day.................

Another pagoda..................

We are off to Mandalay tomorrow - a very early 4.30am start! So must be off for an early night.

I can feel that trade wind in my sails, so until the next post. K.................

A note from Bangkok...........

We're not there yet...........but nearly!! Arrived in Bangkok late last night & fly to Rangoon tomorrow to begin my Burma adventure! When I emerged from my room this morning the first thing I saw was this sign on an adjacent building......................

For all the shoppers out there, looks like there is no escaping the January sales........... 70% off!!!! I went for a walk outside only to find the shops didn't open until later but I came across this oddity - Peter Kelly's store, selling bridal gowns & bicycles, work that one out if you can....................

Peter Kelly's Store - in Bangkok!!

I didn't succumb to the temptation to hit the sales but rather I took a tour of the city & its magnificent temples!

The centuries old reclining Buddha - made of gold with mother of pearl encrusted feet!

Reclining Buddha's mother of pearl encrusted feet......

A temple - home to one Buddha

Another Buddha - can't remember which one!!

Bangkok's famous Golden Buddha....

The Golden Buddha's new home - finished in 2010

Prayer bell at the Golden Temple

Surprise, surprise............the tour finished with a visit to a gem & silk factory where there was lots of pressure to buy, buy, buy.............when travelling, something never change!

Next stop Burma! Until the next post, K............

Burma (Myanmar) beckoning....................

The time has arrived and I'm on my way to Burma tomorrow! Initially I fly to Bangkok and then onto Rangoon (Yangon) on Friday morning where I will join an organised tour. I spend time in Rangoon, Mandalay, Pagan (Bagan) & the Inle Lakes before arriving back in Sydney on 28th January. I'm not sure what to expect but I'm looking forward to a grand adventure!

A hint of things to come..............

Inle Lakes - one of the places I visit.....

 I'm expecting to see many a pagoda & Buddha along the way.........................



A golden Buddha in Mandalay

I'm hoping to update the blog along the way but I hear that internet access in Burma is unreliable - so we'll wait & see. If I don't get the opportunity to post in Burma it will be one long post on my return! So stay posted.............
Happy days! Until the next past (hopefully from Burma), K .............................

Christmas, New Year & New Life.......

Happy New Year 2012, I hope your Christmas & New Year were joyful where ever you spent it. My family's Christmas was especially sweet this year with the arrival of a new baby - my lovely niece Rylie & her husband Craig, were blessed with the safe arrival of Isaac Patrick, born on Christmas Eve. I've been for a visit & a cuddle! He is a beautiful boy - all 8.5 pounds of him!

I spent New Years in the Hunter Valley in the company of good friends. As ever the Sydney Harbour fireworks were spectacular - we enjoyed them via the TV! 

Sydney Harbour New Years Eve fireworks 2011 



Looking forward - a taste of things I'm looking forward to in 2012:
-  Starting the year with a trip to Burma & am determined to travel light!! More about this later!
-  Weaving lessons are in the plan, hoping to begin in February!
-  Planning a trip to France & the UK - departing 13April.
-  Continue the Bridge lessons - which I'm really loving!
-  As ever there will be some patchwork & other crafts along the way............

I must say the 2012 has bought with it some hot weather - at last!! It's a very hot 39 degrees today..........

May 2012 bring you many blessings, joy & lots of fun!! Until the next post, K .........