Another day with both a morning and afternoon tour. The morning tour was in Sagaing to Soon U Ponya Shin pagoda, a silver workshop, a monastery school and an orphanage.
We both opted to stay on board and totally relax.
We were still sitting at the breakfast table when the 'hotel manager' found us to double check that we would be 'staying on board with us' all morning.
After breakfast we went up to the deserted sun deck, sat on the loungers and read our books.
We could see the pagoda across the river, but whilst that visit would have been nice, a monastery and an orphanage was not on a list of things for us to do.
View from the boat of the Soon U Ponya Shin pagoda and The Yadanabon Bridge across the Irrawaddy.
Watching Sagaing village life...
Late morning we adjourned to our cabin and confess to a little nap, through until lunch time.
We sailed further upstream to our afternoon tour of Mingun. Where we would visit the Mingun Pathodawgyi, a huge incomplete brick pagoda.
See the Mingun Bell and the Myatheindan Pagoda.
We disembarked onto an almost level foreshore and assembled into our respective blue and orange groups. Then we followed Terry into the village.
We walked through a covered parade of stalls and shops but kept walking, we would get time to shop later.
Our first stop was just behind the foreshore, to view the amazing huge 'rock' elephants which stand over looking the river. They have lost their splendid covering but are still definitely elephants.
Then we carried on to the Mingun Temple. For those people who would prefer a more sedate tour a Tuk Tuk was available. Michael and a couple of others took this option. (The Tuk Tuk never strayed too far ahead, always within range of the Vox Box and Terry's commentary)
The building of Mingun Pahtodawgyi started in 1791, by King Bodawpaya. Had it been completed it would have been about 500 feet(150 metres) high, but it was stopped at 162 feet. The story is that an astrologer said that the king would die when the pagoda was completed, so they stopped building. The king died anyway.
The building was damaged by an earthquake in 1839.
Then we walked just around the corner to see the Mingun Bell.
King Bodawpaya had a gigantic bell cast to go with his huge stupa. it weighs 90 tons, and is the largest ringing bell in the world. There is a larger bell in Russia, but it isn't hanging and therefore can't be rung. Terry proudly claimed this Burmese bell as the world's biggest - it's not a bell if it can't be rung.
Across the road from the bell I spotted The Mingun Home for the Aged.
What a beautiful entrance. It was apparently founded by an old lady in 1915, it was the first home for the aged in Myanmar.
Just a couple of hundred yards from the great stupa and bell lies the beautiful white Hsinbyume or Myatheindan Pagoda built in 1816. (Burmas's Taj Mahal). It was built by Bodawpaya's grandson and successor Bagyidaw and dedicated to the memory of his first consort Princess Hsinbyume (Lady of the White Elephant, granddaughter of Bodawpaya, 1789–1812) who died in childbirth.
The seven wavy terraces around the pagoda represent the seven mountain ranges around Mount Meru. Some people opted to 'climb the 77 steps to heaven' and enter the pagoda but we were content to admire from outside.
Then we walked back to the commercial area of town, and all those stalls and shops! We had a very, very small list of souvenir items that we wanted - for Michael, a solar topee / pith helmet made of bamboo and for me, a traditional parasol, made of wood, teak, bamboo and cotton. The waterproof surface is made from cotton with traditional glue from the seeds of persimmon.
We found both, haggled a good price, so were very happy.
We also bought a woven shoulder bag / water bottle carrier and then fell in love with some more beautiful material, which although stitched as longyis can be made into something else (not sure what yet).
Just before we got back to the jetty Michael stopped to buy a packet of old Burmese coins, dated 1966 -1975, which covered the time when he was last in Burma so that was added to the purchases.
Then we were back on board, time for a shower and relax watching another lovely sunset. We left Mingun around 5pm and were soon approaching Mandalay. The river bank grew busier and busier, we saw a huge wood yard loading what we presume is teak onto boats.
There were lots of the old style cruise boats moored on the banks, some are obviously being refurbished but whether into modern cruise boats we don't know. By 6.00 we were moored in Mandalay. we moored alongside another modern cruise boat, operated by Cruise Co.
That night was "Crew Party" night with a Farewell Cocktail. Unknown ingredients - just had to pick a Gin or Rum base. I went with gin - it was bright blue and tasted very nice!
After dinner the entertainment was provided by the band and dancers from the Mandalay Fine Art School.
We joined our new friends, John and Lorraine, in the front row.
The band was so enthusiastic and we had our own little game of 'name that tune'.One was particularly easy - 3 blind mice.
Then Terry became MC and introduced the dancers and gave a short explanation of the meaning of the traditional dance to be performed.
The costumes and the dancers themselves were magnificent. An excellent show.
After the finale the passengers were encouraged to get on the floor and join the dancers, everyone had a fantastic time. A wonderful, wonderful evening.
We were moored overnight at Gaw Wein Jetty, Mandalay
Day 14 Wednesday Dec 13th
Our last full day arrived. We had a slightly earlier breakfast because our tour started at 9.00am. This morning we were to visit 2 temples and a monastery.
Our first stop was the Mahamuni Pagoda to see Mahamuni Buddha, the golden Buddha. It is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Burma. The pagoda was built in 1785 by King Bodawpaya. Mahamuni means ' great image'.
(To pay respect to the Buddha image, male devotees apply gold leaf to the image. As a result, the Mahamuni Buddha is covered with a thick layer of gold leaf of about 15 centimeters, which has distorted the shape of the image. Several old photos of the image in the temple show the difference in the outline of the image between about a century ago and now.)
This pagoda was the first place where we had to pay and get a 'camera pass', (APT paid for us all). The 'stalls' along the entrance to the pagoda were true commercial shops and there was no hawking of wares.
The Buddha is housed in a glass enclosed, inner sanctum where no women are allowed. Men only and there is a security portal to go through. Michael was content with the view from outside the security zone.
We wandered around the pagoda, where there are also some items from Angkor Wat in Cambodia taken as war loot in the 15th century. One is of the mythological three headed elephant Airavata..
A group of visiting school children was very enthusiastic and gave us all big smiles and "Hello"s, we responded with smiles and "Mangalabar".
There was a money changer in the temple!!! (maybe so you could get money to place on the shrines?)
Then we went to a workshop where they made gold leaf.
The gold leaf is pounded between multiple sheets of bamboo paper. This paper is made on the premises. It is made and cut into 6 inch squares. The sandwiched papers are placed on a steel plate and beaten with a hard wooden stick. The paper becomes strong, wax paper able to withstand the pounding pressure and the gold leaf particles will not stick to the paper.
Our next visit was to see The World's Largest Book.
The Kuthodaw Pagoda was built 1857. In rows of little white stupas are 730 marble tablets (729 contain the text, while the 730th describes their creation). These tablets are the tripitaka of Buddism ( the“three baskets,”which refers to the baskets in which the original Buddhist teachings were held). The tablets are 107cms (31/2') wide, 153cms (5') tall, and 13cms (5") thick.
When the tablets were unveiled in 1868, each line of writing was filled with golden ink and the stones were decorated with precious stones including rubies and diamonds. Unfortunately after the British invaded in the mid-1880s, the temple site was looted and the slabs stripped of their gold ink and gems.
Today the sprawling book stands with the writing refilled with black ink.
As we were leaving the pagoda a group of young girls wanted their photo taken with Michael, someone so tall (and good looking - his words).
We also came across a very attractive young lady on her way into the temple. Thomas said that she was either a model or a bride - she was a bride. She was going to have her photos taken. The wedding ceremony would be later in the week.
Then we went to Shwenandaw Monastery, another teak built monastery, which has many carvings of Buddhist myths. These were originally gilt with gold and glass mosaics but sadly none of this remains. It is built in traditional Burmese architectural style, and is the single remaining major original structure of the original Royal Palace
.
The vestige of gold is still just visible between the carvings in the photo below..
The coach stopped very briefly so that we could quickly take a photo of Mandalay Hill,from alongside the Palace.
Then we went back to the boat for lunch.
After lunch we resumed our sight seeing in Mandalay;
We drove to the 'marble carving street' Kuauk Sit Tan Street, where every shop is a marble / alabaster carving workshop. Thomas had brought a box of masks for us - very welcome they were too. The street was shrouded in white dust.
As soon as we got off the coach our glasses were covered in dust.
It was an incredible sight - every shop in the street was a carving workshop with a yard full of statues in various stages of manufacture.
The carving used to all be done by hand but now power tools are the preferred tools. A statue can be done in less than one day rather than 2 or 3 weeks. The face is the last thing to be carved, which gives a very strange view of the world.. Another passenger and I found that it was reminiscent of a Dr Who episode.
Some of the special, more intricate statues are done by hand but the bulk of the work is not. The men do the carving and the women do the sanding and polishing. It was quite awful to see all of this work with the dust everywhere being done with children sitting nearby. Everyone breathing in the dust.
The statistics for the workers show that they live well into their 60s, but I think that this might have been gathered when they were still using hand tools. With the use of power tools the dust has to have increased so I'm sure the statistics will have changed.
The workers don't wear face masks because in the humidity the masks get clogged within a couple of hours!!
We then went further down the street to a bronze statue workshop.
Here we saw the statues in all stages of manufacture.... wood carving, clay moulds, and finished bronze . It was interesting to see the polished (gold) bronze being welded and then the intricate inscription being added.
Not all of the statues were of Buddha, there was a huge one of General Aung San.
Then it was all back on the coach for the trip through traffic to the boat. Once again there were some interesting sights on the road.
All too soon it was time for the last cocktail, called River Water, - Gin, Fresh Ginger Juice, Honey and Lime. Just what you need for a sore throat. It was good but the ginger was very strong - one was definitely enough.
Then we went in for the last dinner and the final night's entertainment.
We found out that some of our fellow passengers were quite talented; entertaining us with a few songs. Unfortunately the Aussies were outdone by a couple from Wales who sang a lovely version of 'We'll keep a welcome in the hillside'. The welsh lady then went on to sing a beautiful Welsh hymn.
And so we spent our last night on MV Samatha on the Irrawaddy.
Burma is a lovely country. We saw no signs of trouble but we know that it has as many problems now as it's had throughout it's history. The people are wonderful.
APT was great, everything was well planned and nothing was too much trouble.
Our tour guides Thomas and Terry were a perfect pair. By alternating their days we got an interesting varied aspect of the country. Their mix of historical facts, cultural details and personal anecdotes was just right.
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