Mandalay, Burma: part 1

Mandalay Burma
Eindawya Paya Pagoda
Mandalay Burma
Slum city Ayeyawady riverside

Mandalay Burma

UBein Bridge

Mandalay Burma
Burmese tea with doughnut filled coconut shavings. Aung Pyemoe teahouse.
Mandalay, Burma
Bridge to slums

Mandalay Burma

Ubein bridge

 

Mandalay, Burma
Sunrise

Mandalay Burma

Mandalay, Burma

Mandalay Burma
Sunset by Mandalay Royal palace

Burma is unlike anywhere else I have traveled and one of few places that has always been on my bucket list. I remember counting down the months to go. Reading about the culture and its customs did little to give me an insight to what I would experience. The first day I spent in Mandalay I was overwhelmed by the scale of poverty in every direction. Purchasing tickets at the Railway station for the next destination, I discovered it was a place many call home. Homeless people congregate not only by Mandalay Central Railway Station, but by the slums near the riverside. My second day in Mandalay, I took a bike tour that The Lonely Planet recommended. On one of the stops, I was amazed by the sheer amount of people living in the slums. Children would run around bare foot and women picking up scraps. However I observed that these people seemed cheerful and full of smiles. The men were happily chewing beetle nut and chatting away. Passers along the street would say hello and smile at me. I smiled and they smiled. I waved and they waved back. The Burmese were very curious towards me. It was really endearing and you just can’t help but smile back. Without a doubt the most positive experience to come out of this trip were the people of Myanmar. Unconditionally friendly and exuberant despite years of political hardships. In contrast to the poor side of the city, I caught the sunset by the Royal Palace. What an impressive complex surrounded by the moat. I got the  chance to capture the beautiful reflections of the palace walls with palm trees.

The next morning at 5.30am I made my way to Amarapura to catch the sunrise, and to cross the famous U Bein bridge. It is believed to be the oldest and longest teak-wood bridge in the world. Crossing the bridge I could see decaying wooden pillars holding the worn teak planks that shake and creak as you walk along it. The bridge’s beauty does not only lie in its history and structure, but also in its traditional use by the local community. Hundreds of locals and saffron-robed monks walk or ride their bicycles along it, and fishermen go about their daily work in its shadow or fish quietly from the bridge’s vantage point with a single fishing rod and a lot of patience. I waited patiently for the sun to show up. It was about 6.30am and the sun didn’t show until 7am. The whole atmosphere was quiet. It was fascinating to observe the bridge come alive as a new day emerged. When monks appeared I was ready to take a picture with them and they were delightfully happy to be in the picture. The last thing to do in Mandalay was to climb up the Mandalay hill. The journey up proved interesting. Ascending by foot, I could see an abundance of pagodas and monasteries. By random I encountered two novice monks. They were happy to converse and to practice their English with me while going up. They spoke about their way of life and surprisingly about how they chose the path of monastic life.

Two days full of rich experiences and beautiful scenery. Days like these provide the reason for why I am so driven to travel to new countries and to experience other cultures. Again it was my experiences with local people, not the sights, smells, sounds or food that made this the most memorable days in Mandalay.

INSTAGRAM

[instagram-feed]

Copyright © 2024 OUTLANDERLY · Theme by 17th Avenue

Copyright © 2024 · Couture on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in