For our last half day in Myanmar was a bit anti-climactic as we did very little else besides shop for some last minute souvenirs, but we did spy a few interesting things along the way.
Here's a local "bus", for those whom the normal mode a transportation is too slow. Hop on one of these and you speed to your next destination. Just hang on tight if you should happen to get one of the outside seats.
This is a puppet used in some of the local shows. This one is called a "nat", which is a sort of spirit.
We had lunch on the top floor of one of the taller buildings. A nice view...
But look a bit closer and you'll see how run down the buildings are. I suppose this is what happens when the government doesn't invest it's money for things that might benefit the regular people.
But stepping of my little soapbox for just a second, I will say that one thing they do have is great beer.
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*Sigh*, goodbye Myanmar. It's just one of those places that gets under your skin. I know I say this for every place I visit, but I really hope to be back one day. Soon.
For our third day in Myanmar we took a day trip out to the city of Bago - it's a couple of hours outside of Yangon with plenty to see along the way.
Anyone going on a road trip traditionally makes an offering before heading out. Here's David and our guide for the day, Nyi Nyi, with our leaves and flowers to hang in the car, ensuring we have a safe journey.
Our first stop was a WWII memorial that was so radically different that anything else I'd seen in Myanmar that it was a bit unsettling. Perfectly manicured and clean, not another soul in sight. I like my culture a bit more gritty and crowded, but austere can be nice, too, I suppose.
The next stop was my favorite - a local market. Apparently very few tourists ever wander though because people were so surprised to see us they would jump and exclaim "Oh!" when we were spotted. And then stare. Always the staring. But a purely open curious stare, which was pretty refreshing after the Indian leer and the Vietnamese glare.
And they called to us constantly. Nyi Nyi told me that people were calling out to tell me I was beautiful. I'm not sure if this was true, but I pretended it was and of course it did wonders for my self esteem.
Spices, meats and betel nuts galore.
You know how awful fish sauce smells? Try bucket loads of the stuff... pre-juiced. These are piles of fermented fish.
I couldn't get a straight answer as to why these chickens were yellow. Turmeric is my guess.
Outside the market, people were more than willing to have their picture taken.
I can't bring you the scents and the heat, but at least I can bring you the sounds.
Next stop was another large monastery. I wonder if they find it funny that one of the most popular things to do here is watch them eat.
I never thought I'd have too much of watching hundreds of monks eating lunch, but I supposed I never thought I'd find my self in Myanmar with fermented fish on my shoes, either.
Someone had sponsored lunch for the day, and also donated new sandals for everyone.
Here's one of the ladies who sponsored dessert for the day.
Beautiful kids everywhere!
Finally reaching Bago, our main destination was another golden stupa, this one even taller that the one in Yangon. It would have been way more impressive if the entire thing wasn't covered in bamboo for the yearly re-guilding.
These places seem like so much fun for kids running and climbing around.
The story of Bago goes something like this: "On his [Buddha] return journey while crossing the Gulf of Martaban, which happened to be at low tide, he saw two golden sheldrakes sitting, female on top of male, on a peak of land protruding out of the sea just enough for a bird's perch. Viewing this strange phenomenon, he predicted to his disciples that one day a country where his doctrine would thrive would come into existence in this vast sea area."
Here's Buddha, pointing to the birds, just in case you might have missed them.
We went to another pagoda that was supposed to have some sort of festival and dancing going on. Unfortunately the show was cancelled today, and so we wandered around a bit looking at statues or whatever else there was to see. Why the lady on the right is dressed in a bee suit and has a bull on her head is anyone's guess.
All the kids who were expecting a show were there, but since it had been called off, we appeared to be the next best thing for entertainment. They followed us everywhere.
Leaving my new little friends, we made one last stop for another reclining Buddha.
He's reaching nirvana, which is why he's not actually leaning on his arm, just sort of elevated above it.
Bago is perfect for those to whom many Buddhas are never enough. This was not us, though, and we whipped around the last quartet of Buddhas pretty quickly before heading back to Yangon.
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Thank you so much to Mr. Tan (our driver) and Nyi Nyi, we had a great day!!!
And thank you to my littlest Bago friend. I never learned your name, but you're in my favorite pictures!
The second half of the day was spent at a monastery and convent. At the convent, the girls have the same deal as the boys - shaved heads, begging for their food, lots of studying. But they get to wear pink!
I think these girls are coming back from class...
This young lady talked to our guide for a while (something about our guide helping her brother get his cleft palate fixed, I think our guide is some sort of saint), and she was so pretty I asked her to take a picture with me. Of course as soon as the camera turned on her, she got all serious.
Until I finally got her to laugh. She has the best smile.
In case you're wondering what the classrooms look like. Yes, they sit on the floor here, too.
Taking a break from staying...
We still had a bit of time before lunch at the monastery, so we hopped over to the Buddha Sacred Tooth Relic Temple just down the road. We have one of these in Singapore, too, but this one is totally different. Much older, and build in the way-cooler Myanmar style.
If you wanted to give an offering, you put it in this little tinsel-covered boat and use a pulley to send it to the top.
Inside was the tooth. Not the real one, but I guess it's an exact replica of the real Buddha tooth that's in China. For some reason I wasn't expecting the whole tooth, I thought it would be just a chip or something. But this was huge, I think it was an entire molar.
Back at the monastery, the monks were starting to file in with their alms bowls (lunches inside) that they had gathered during the morning.
Lunch bell! Well, not a bell exactly, it was a a tree trunk that he banged with a mallet. Louder than you'd think, though.
They lined up by age, and then started filing in. There are mostly young monks at this monastery. Since room, board and education is free, many of the poorer families send their kids here, so it's sort of like an orphanage.
Inside, they all pray together and then dig in. They're not allowed to talk, so it's a bit eerie to be in a room with hundreds of boys and not a sound except for the clicking of spoons on plates.
As we were leaving, this little guy came hurrying in late for lunch, with a puppy trotting at his heels. Adorable pair.
And in case you're wondering - they shave their heads every three days, and no, they don't wear underwear beneath those robes.
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After a long day watching other people eat, we retired to our hotel. I'm not sure I could handle the monk's life. I like my hair. And room service.
