The sprite of a girl stood half hidden behind the bamboo gate leading to her family home. “Bye bye,” she said, waving and giggling. “Mingalaba,” I replied, using one of only two Burmese words I learned during my tour of Myanmar. This was not the first time I had felt welcomed during my two week … Read more
Interior of Shwenandaw Monastery, also known as Golden Palace Monastery, in Mandalay, Myanmar. The structure was originally part of the royal palace at Amarapura, before it was moved to Mandalay, where it became part of the king’s royal apartments. Both the exterior and the interior were once heavily gilded. Although the interior is still covered … Read more
Women from Yandabo pottery making village near Mandalay, Myanmar. The entire village is involved in the business of making clay pots, from throwing them on the wheel, to decorating the outside with various designs, to firing thousands in giant piles of ash and straw. After cooling, the final product is carried down to the riverbank … Read more
After my Viking River Myanmar Explorer Cruise/Tour ended, I returned to Bagan for an additional five days to explore more of the thousands of temples in the area. During a stop at Soe Min Gyi Monastery, a local girl who spoke excellent English excitedly told me about a funeral for a high ranking monk from … Read more
“There are only 54 steps to the top,” said my guide, Mu Mu. Easy-peasy, I thought. I can do that without even breathing hard. Halfway up the face of Shwesandaw Temple, I realized I must have tuned out the part where she’d said each step was at least two feet high and the climb was … Read more
