After traveling for 11 days, we were ready for some R&R at the beach. Arriving at the beautiful Hilton Resort in Ngapali, we were pleasantly surprised that our status as a Gold member got us upgraded to a villa with a private pool facing the ocean. This sleepy fishing village is everything that we could hope for, crystal clear ocean, fine white sand, and peace and quiet to recharge for a few days before heading back to work.
This morning we woke up early and rode our bikes out to one of the temples to watch the sunrise, and were rewarded with the sight above. The hot air balloons rising over the temples of Bagan in the early morning makes for a magnificent sight. In addition, with the thick fog rolling in from the river, it also creates a sense of mystique to the whole shot.
You know the expression “…until the cows come home”? It means having to wait a long time for something. Well, today I saw a literal enactment of this idiom when all the cars and buses on their way to see the sunset at Pya Tha Da Pagoda had to wait patiently for the cows to make their way home.
In the small village of Mingun, just an hour boat ride north of Mandalay, you can catch an ox cart taxi to take you around town. Even though the town is small, it is famous for the unfinished Pahtodawgyi Pagoda. The King at the time wanted to build the largest temple in the world that would rival the Great Pyramids of Giza. His ambitious project drained local resources and was an unpopular undertaking. When he passed away, the pagoda was left unfinished and currently stands as an impressively gigantic dilapidated pile of bricks.
This photo was inspired by one I saw when I first looked up Mandalay, and one of the reasons why I wanted to come to this city. Getting up at 4 am, stumbling around in the dark and falling in the mud was totally worth it when we got to see the sunrise over the world’s longest teak bridge spanning 1.2 km across the Taungthaman lake.
This picture is of the citadel at the corner of Mandalay palace. The sun was just setting as we drove by and I couldn’t help but admire this scene. Intense colors, scattering clouds, and a clear lake created a setting for this stunning photo.
We were fortunate to be visiting In Dain during a festival. People traveled from villages all over the Inle lake region to congregate at the temple. Women got dressed up in their finest garb; men set up the family shrine and sat back and had drinks with their friends; while kids ran around in excitement. The mood was festive. As the afternoon approached, the sound of the drums got louder. Monks from all around came and joined the procession going from the top of the temple down to the market area. As they walked by, bowls of alms filled with rice are offered to the Buddhist monks, some of whom are quite young.
Today we headed north to Inle Lake, an area full of small fishing villages. While visiting one of the villages on the lake, we saw a procession of children. School had just let out and they walked across the bridge to the dock where they waited to be picked up by boat to go home. Like children everywhere, these kids were quite happy to be done with school for the day.
On our second day we headed to downtown Yangon where you will see countless old colonial buildings in the historical wards. As a result of the country’s isolation for many years, some parts of Myanmar have remained much like they were a century ago. While the buildings look like they have stood still in time, the streets below are bustling with modern day activity. The store fronts are open for business while cars and people jostle to pass through the narrow roads.
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After flying for two days, we finally made it to Yangon. We’ve only been here for a day and we’re already head over heels in love with this country. As my mom likes to point out “you like everywhere you go”, which is true, but there is also something special about this place. At first glance, it reminds me a lot of Thailand, especially the golden pagoda and temples. “Same same but different,” as they say. Here at Shwedagon Pagoda, instead of hoards of tourists, you’ll see Burmese people in their colorful longyi. Visiting the pagoda as a family affair. Even though it’s a sacred religious place, people bring their food and have a family picnic in the temples after praying.
life after 9to5 