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Published: January 7th 2013
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We were eager to explore the town and set off down the strand road which ran along the river. It was a beautiful walk and so much to see. There are a few local jetties along the way. People were busy unloading and loading boats, trucks and vehicles of all types, including hand carts and rickshaws. The local markets are close by and they were a bustle too. The riverside area past the jetties is much quieter and is a relatively peaceful place to sit and watch life on the river. The river is full of local fishing boats and a lot of traffic comes in and leaves for the neighbouring islands.
After having lunch at a restaurant called something like Grandfather and Grandmother. Apparently the profits go towards supporting the local elderly population. It has a very nice atmosphere as it sits right next to the river. With a nice breeze blowing it is relaxing way to eat lunch watching the boats go about their business on the river. After lunch we headed off to see a few more of the sights. We located a Chinese Temple but it was closed. We had read about a Methodist Church, the
first built in Myanmar. It wasn’t really that impressive. There was also National Museum close by but it was closed. We wandered back into town and waked down the main street. We walked past quite a few internet cafes but they were all closed. When we did find one that was open we discovered it had no connection. Probably the reason all the others had been closed.
There are many old colonial buildings in Mawlymyine, most in a state of disrepair. Along the main street there are 2 mosques. One is a Shite mosque the other a Sunni. They add a quite a bit of splendour to the street. Like many of the towns we have bben to or through the streets here are dusty and the footpaths can be a bit of a hazard with broken concrete slabs over the drains below. In many instances they are simply missing. Walking along here in the dark can be pretty hazardous.
When it became extremely hot we retreated to our nicely air-conditioned hotel room. We made sure we saw sunset tonight and walked down along the Strand Road again. The sunset over the river was spectacular. The river side
in the late afternoon is much quieter than during the day and the local people gather along the river walk to see the sunset also. Many of them were feeding the seagulls, which appeared to be a regular event as a heap of birds had congregated there. It was a once in a lifetime sight with the sun setting in the background. We had seen a little place we thought to try for dinner during our walk around town. It was simple Burmese food but a great meal. Everyone we have met has been so friendly. It is New Year’s Eve and there have been many little eateries set up along the river near the Strand Hotel where there is a dinner being held. Even though it is not their New Year the locals are celebrating anyway r at least making it possible for the tourists to celebrate.
During the course of the night firecrackers were set off many times. It seemed like everyone was celebrating New Year when it occurred in their home country. At midnight here there was a long loud display of fireworks. Happy New Year!
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