Mandalay and Area Trip

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May 29th 2009

Published: July 3rd 2009

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geoffandmazi

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more road work. Early in the morning around 730am

The progression of the road work was impressive, most of which was done by hand. We went out on another excursion at 730am and the workers were already starting the day and when we came back around 530pm the workers were just finishing. Long hours for only making about 3000 khats (US $3) as we were told. We commented it was not very much; the response we received was the job does not pay much but it ensures a daily income. Although it is the way of life in Myanmar it was tough to see young children working. Interestingly and uncomfortably, you also see children the same age begging just nearby. Its a shock to see and a harsh reality. Later, we had discussions with our driver about the situation which revealed a lot about his opinions and principals regarding these children. We agreed that it didn't seem right that some children (who are often forced to by others) beg and receive freebies while others find jobs. Locals do not like giving to the beggers because it gives he/she the realization that holding out a bowl can make money or food. He believes there are options and the children can go

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Laying out the stones. Amazing how flat the hard working workers can get the ground, watching them looks like they are working on a massive stone puzzle. Under the blue tarp are where the officers sit and sip on drinks to supervise the workers.

to school through monkhood. A common job for boys somewhat older than that we saw working on the roads is to become a server at tea shops. Regardless, of their way about it, its really about survival. This discussion opens "a whole can of worms" and it's difficult to say what is accurate and inaccurate about the lives of the children and people. In our opinion it's sad to see young children, even moms with infants begging out on the street. Its difficult, as tourists and foreigners to understand the circumstances but we want to try.

We went out exploring more of Mandalay and places around the city. We hired a mini taxi and took our driver with us as a guide and we went to a shop making Tapestries, visited villages where people cast and sculpt bronze Buddhas, watched the Longyi weaving process, and absorbed the scenery as we drove to Sagaing (Sa gai). Sagaing, 'sa' meaning the start and 'gaing-(gai)' meaning the curve; "the start of the curve". Sagaing is a hill which is wrapped by the river and is covered with temples and monasteries. It is very unique and beautiful. From the top of the hill

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A boy carrying the stones to the work site.

you can see payas, nunneries and monasteries at every angle. Water surrounding the hill, beautiful pagodas, and stupas make it a very peaceful place to rest.

Mysterious Myanmar has much to offer, it opened our eyes to the 'real life' in Myanmar as many locals were eager for us to experience. Seeing old machinery, things being made by hand and locals simply having a daily routine surviving made it felt like we were stepping back in time. Even though cities in Myanmar try to advance towards the modern world it is still very far behind. When we were in the city we saw the separable mix of modern and the old. Seeing cell phones were rare (we read that it's more than US $1000 to connect a cell phone) but cyber cafes are common, some younger crowds wear western cloths and not the traditional 'longyi' - (a long tube skirt for both man and woman). The cities Yangon and Mandalay we visited are not too different from cities in other countries, it's crowded and busy. There is one noticeable difference from other cities who have advanced towards modernization, the roads are very bad and electricity cuts out often and

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Sorting stones. Very young workers and some did not look over 10 years old.

it's not provided all the time. Most shops and restaurants have the lights off to save diesel fuel for the generators or there are simply none available. One of the electricity jokes was most locals run on three different electricity systems, the government, the chinese (massive generators), and personal mini generators. Even with all three don't expect to have electricity to be running at all times unless you are in mid to top-end restaurant or hotel.

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