muzoconnor

Up early 5.30am to see the sun rise but too cloudy and could not get a decent one. Cold shower which they could not fix but we can use one down stairs, then breakfast, with Scrambled eggs, toast, jam, fruit really good. We stopped at 9am and went to a pottering village Yandabo were able to watch how they made the pots very from the beginning to the finished product. Back on the boat and we were all given fresh watermelon juice, really nice and must try it at home. After Tea we were entertained by the crew with singing and guitar playing for my birthday, they were really good and we had a great night topped off a great day. Went to bed and out of rose petal's they wrote happy brithday with love hearts, ... read more

Woke to a dance ceremony outside the hotel 6am with music and a dancer being blasted through a mega phone and money collected was bought out for it, called it the Kaban Festival and the money collected goes towards new robes for the Monks. They had the money still stuck on the boards put into utes and with a escort of Police they left for the Monastery. We picked up our washing, 50c an item on average. Lym and Coca took us to a big Market where Mick bought a shirt and chiming bells. We then stopped at Sugar cane plantation, we were given a traditional welcome with snacks and green tea provided. We watched a man climbing the palm trea to get palm oil and an ox crushing nuts. They also used the palm sugar ... read more

Pouring rain today, T2 picked us up at 8am to take us to Heho airport, 1hr drive, interesting on dirt roads. OHS is not something that exists here saw road workers working on steep cliffs with a Jack hammer and no support at all. Arrived in plenty of time for our flight, very wet which is unusual for this time of the year. Said goodbye to T2. Our plane K7 - 264 was supposed to leave at 10.20am, with no power for most of the time. Flight left 40 minutes late and we arrived at Hotel Royal Bagan after Lym and the driver Coco picked us up, called at the bank for change and Lym will pick us up in an hour giving us time to settle in. Stupa 1 Gubyaukgyi with amazing Mural Paintings, done ... read more

Off to Inle Lake today with T2. 1 1/2hr drive through beautiful lush country side, cows, bullocks, horse and carts, people tilling fields with a bullock and stick as Mick put it. 13500 Kyat per foreigner to get into Inle Valley through Rice paddies, which grow in summer and breed ducks for their eggs in winter. Arrived at the Emperial Inle Hotel, very nice and traditional walking distance from the river where most transport occurs. Picked up 1/2 hr later and left by boat on the Lake for the Inle Heritage Restaurant, T2 took us to the east of Inle Lake and tomorrow we are going west, Huge lake surrounded by mountains just incredible scenery. Lunch at Inle Heritage just magnificent and all proceeds go back to the community. Lotus stem 4000 for a scarf, the ... read more

Jo John picked us up at the Hotel at 9am and we set off for the day sightseeing beautiful Yangon. Swedadagon Pagoda - Truly amazing and one of the wonders of Myanmar culture. We then had a coconut water and the inside of the coconut very nice on a hot day. Reclining Buddha in downtown Yangon 65 meters long and 16 meters high, housed in a big shed North of Kandawgyi Lake completed renovation in 1907 by the Buddhists and foreign tourist donations. National Museum located in Dagon of Burmese art, history and culture in Myanmar. Founded in 1952, the five-story museum has an extensive collection of ancient artifacts, ornaments, works of art inscriptions and historic memorabilia related to the history, culture and civilization of Burmese people. Kandawgyi Lake one of two major lakes in Yangon. ... read more