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Oct 12, 2014, 12:02 pm

#20

Moomba

Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: London, UK

Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 6,221

Day 4 - Bagan to Mandalay & Sightseeing

Another early start today with a 05:30 wake up call. We ate breakfast and headed back out to the airport for our 07:40 flight to Mandalay.

The airport experience was pretty swift although the promised free wifi failed to deliver. There were no seat assignments for this flight and it was a continuation of the flight we had originally taken from Yangon and continued on with the same flight number.

Air Mandalay (operated by Air KBZ)
Flight 6T 0401 NYU-MDL Seat Not Assigned (Economy)
Aircraft: ATR72-200
Departure time: 07:40

The flight was on at ATR72-200 with much tighter seat pitch than the previous flight. The crew managed to do a drinks service offering juice, tea or coffee and then a round of sweets in the short 20 minute flight.

We touched down at Mandalay at 08:01 and after collecting our luggage we met our new local guide before starting our morning activities.

Today we first made our way to Ava the ancient capital of Burma. This entailed a short boat taxi ride to Ava.

River crossing

We were taken on cart and horse to visit the 19th century teak wood Bagaya monastery.

Bagaya monastery

Monks studying at Bagaya monastery

Bagaya monastery

Bagaya monastery

After this we visited the leaning tour of the Singyone Fort before that was leaning at a jaunty angle.

Singyone Fort

Finally we stopped off at the Maha Aungmye Bonzan brick and stucco monastery that was built up on stilts to avoid flooding from the river.

Our Cart & Driver

Maha Aungmye Bonzan monastery

Under the Maha Aungmye Bonzan monastery

Maha Aungmye Bonzan monastery

Today more than all our other days on this trip we were constantly hounded by locals selling tourist tat. We were a captive audience and they were waiting for us as we got off the taxi boat. They then followed us around our mornings touring on bikes and only let us have some peace when we were inside one of the attractions or at the restaurant at lunch.

After a spot of lunch we were then taking into Mandalay city to our hotel to freshen up for a couple of hours before our afternoon touring.
The afternoon began with a visit to the Royal Palace, that was a replica built in 1999. The original had been destroyed during WWII.

Moat around Royal Palace

Royal Palace

Artefacts at Royal Palace

Artefacts at Royal Palace

After a stop there we travelled on to the Golden Palace Monastery that had intricate carvings in the teak walls.

Golden Palace Monastery

Golden Palace Monastery

The final stop on the official itinerary was the Kuthodaw monastery that is home to the world’s largest book. Made from 729 marble slabs etched on both sides with scriptures from Buddhist teachings.

Kuthodaw Monastery

Model of site at Kuthodaw Monastery

Kuthodaw Monastery

After we had walked around the site we made an unofficial stop at a local market that only existed around this time as a precursor to some religious holiday. It was quite a site seeing a funfair with the old pagoda in the background.

We were able to sample some of the tasty street food on offer as we wandered along the roadside stalls.

Stalls at Festival Market

Stalls at Festival Market

Tonight we were able to do our own thing and ended up going to a local Thai-Burmese restaurant for some lovely grub. It was quite an event as the lights kept going out during the meal. Also the heavens opened up on us just before we were about to walk back to the hotel so our hosts booked a taxi for us.
Tomorrow the jade market and lunch with the Nuns.

More Photos

Last edited by Moomba; Oct 16, 2014 at 3:57 pm

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