Part 1
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Mandalay
Burma
THE ANCIENT CITIES OF MANDALAY AND BAGAN, RIVERSIDE VILLAGES, MOUNTAIN HILL STATIONS, MAGICAL INLE LAKE, AND THE RAMSHACKLE CHARMS OF RANGOON.
Long hidden from the outside world, Burma was "quite unlike any land you know about", as Rudyard Kipling famously wrote. Its ancient history, deep cultural traditions, and extraordinary landscapes were captivating. We journeyed by riverboat along the peaceful waters of the Irrawaddy River, visited temples by horsecart, floated in a balloon over a thousand splendid stupas, skipped along in long-tail boats visiting bustling markets along the shores of Lake Inle, and explored the charms of Rangoon, where the towering Shwedagon Pagoda glints in the sun. We traveled from one exquisite destination to another, enjoying excellent cuisine while meeting many friendly, deeply spiritual people all along the way. It was a beautiful country all wrapped up nice and tight in one big Buddha Bow.
"The Road to Mandalay"
For the wind is in the palm trees an'th temple bells they say: Come you back, you British soldier come back to Mandalay
"Rudyard Kipling"
Our flight arrived directly from Bangkok Thailand and our driver and guide were there to welcome us. We had arrived in Burma, a land that not long ago was closed to travelers.
The first stop was the Mandalay Hill Resort to check in and relax a bit over some Margaritas in the Kipling's bar, quite a popular hangout for hotel guests and tourists alike. We couldn't linger for too long as we were being picked up to travel to a festival south of the city. The drinks were great and the hotel was stunning. It was set within 12 acres of lush landscaped gardens at the foot of Mandalay Hill, and at the top, there is a beautiful view of the pagodas surrounding the Royal
Palace.
Mandalay Hill Resort
It was time to go. Our driver arrived to transfer us to the Kaunghmudaw Pagoda Festival located in the Sagaing Region of Burma.
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Kaunghmudaw Pagoda Festival
As we approached the area where the festival was being held, we passed ox-drawn carts carrying fresh produce, hand-crafted goods, mats, and baskets to sell at the market that springs up around the grounds of the temple. Slowly, along with all the farmers pouring in from around the countryside and under the light of the full moon, we approached the Temple Grounds. The huge temple finally came into view. One of the most venerated temples in central Burma, the Kaunghmudaw Pagoda was totally white and shown brightly, reflecting the moon's light. Our driver decided to just drop us off and we agreed on an arranged meeting time for the return. For the next few hours, we just wandered the grounds enjoying the carnival-like celebration.
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One thing we couldn't help but notice was the number of people that had their faces painted. We later learned that face painting has been done for thousands of years. The paste comes from the ground bark of the Murraya tree and is said to have protective properties. This form of beauty is perhaps what makes Burma so incredibly unique. It was getting late. It was already time to find the driver and head back to the hotel. This immersion into the culture was the perfect start to our travels around the country.
After the festival, we returned to the hotel for dinner. Tomorrow is an early wake-up. We have hired a private boat to travel upriver to Mingun and then back downriver to the beautiful 14th-century Sagaing area, where beautiful pagodas line the hills on each side of the river.
