Moomba

A more respectable 8am start today that had us performing a 15 minute re-acquaintance session with a bicycle. We cycled off on our journey to the village of Minnathu. The tour company supports the local community with a donation and the townspeople were more than happy to invite us into their homes.


Arriving at Minnathu village


Farmer & cart at Minnathu village

It had been a particularly dry year and the water catchment area was not looking too good for the end of the wet season.


Empty water catchment at Minnathu village

First stop was the local carpenter who was making a cartwheel and also some wall coverings.


Carpenter at Minnathu village


Carpenter at Minnathu village


Carpenter at Minnathu village

A couple of the local septuagenarians were smoking on some cheroots nearby.


Ladies smoking cheroot at Minnathu village


Ladies smoking cheroot at Minnathu village

Next stop was the blacksmith where could see the bellows and old style tools.


Blacksmith furnace at Minnathu village


Blacksmith bellows at Minnathu village

The village had no electricity as such all the work was done manually and cooking was done in kitchens beside the houses cooked on open fire only. Water also has to be carted from the wells to take up to the homes.


Carting water to home at Minnathu village

We were able to see some of the local life including people collecting water, smoking cheroots, playing and generally going about their life. We stopped to see a farmer and his wife who grew peanuts that they ground into oil. The oil was ground using a big mortar and pestle type arrangement that was turned by an animal pulling the stone around to grind the nuts.


Peanut crusher at Minnathu village


Chopping fodder for cattle at Minnathu village

We stepped inside the house and were able to ask the family about their life, family etc. This couple were extremely proud of the fact that one of their daughters had qualified as a teacher and was teaching primary students in a village about 15 minutes away.


Home visit at Minnathu village


Home visit at Minnathu village


Minnathu village


Minnathu village

After the village visit we hopped the bikes and headed to the Dhammayazika pagoda. This one was unique in that it was hexagonal rather than four sided.

The normal practice is to have four sides each representing the four past Bhudda at each of the cardinal points. This one has a fifth Bhudda image representing the future Bhudda. The pagoda was undergoing renovation with the gold leaf being replaced. The black spires were covered with a lacquer that was layered on so that the gold leaf will stick.


Dhammayazika Pagoda


Dhammayazika Pagoda


Dhammayazika Pagoda


Dhammayazika Pagoda


Dhammayazika Pagoda

We then rode back into town where we ditched the bikes and made our way back to the hotel for a break. After having a bit of a refresh we then went to a local lacquer production facility. We were able to see how the base for the plates, bowls etc were made from bamboo strips before being smoothed and then lacquered.


Lacquer production – making bowls from bamboo

Weaving horsehair into the bamboo framework made some of the pieces more flexible. The lacquer is then applied in many layers and patterns etched into the lacquer and then a new lacquer of a different colour is layered on to make the finished product.


Lacquer production – Applying lacquer


Lacquer production – Applying gold leaf


Lacquer production – Weaving in horsehair


Lacquer production – Etching lacquer


Lacquer production – Drying cellar

This chap was using a manual lathe to smooth the bamboo bowl before the lacquer is applied.


Lacquer production – Manual lathe


Lacquer production – manual lathe

After the lacquer stop we dropped in on a local village school to see the kids in action and learnt about their school life. With both the village visit and the local school visit the tour company make a donation to the village and school and we were also encouraged to buy pencils, paper etc to give to the headmistress of the school. I was interested to learn that these primary school aged children study five major subjects. The learn maths, geography, history, Burmese and English.


Village school visit


Village school visit


Village school visit


Village school visit

After a lunch stop we then headed down to the mighty Ayerawaddy River via a local market stop, as we were early.


Local Market rice seller


Local market street

We took a short ride on a boat down to an inlet where we hopped off and hiked up to the Kyauk Gu U Min temple set into the hill. Inside there were caves where the monk used to live.


Kyauk Gu U Min Temple


Kyauk Gu U Min Temple


Kyauk Gu U Min Temple


Kyauk Gu U Min Temple

Back on the boat we headed back up the river toward Bagan watching the sunset off to our starboard side. It was a very relaxing was to end the day.


Sunset cruise back up the Ayeyarwaddy River


Sunset cruise back up the Ayeyarwaddy River


Sunset cruise back up the Ayeyarwaddy River


Sunset cruise back up the Ayeyarwaddy River


Sunset cruise back up the Ayeyarwaddy River


Sunset cruise back up the Ayeyarwaddy River

The group decided we would like to go to a local puppet show with a lacquer tray dinner to round up the very long day of sightseeing.


Bagan puppet show lacquer plate dinner


Bagan puppet show


Bagan puppet show


Bagan puppet show


Bagan puppet show

When we arrived back at the hotel the houseboys had decorated our beds.


Decorated bed at Thazin Garden Hotel Bagan

Tomorrow on to Mandalay.

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