Monywa to Pakoku, to Bagan

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On Dec 25, 2006, after our morning visit to Thanboddhay temples, we took the afternoon bus to Pakoku.

The reason we go to Pakoku is to take the boat from Pakoku to Bagan.

We arranged to stay at the guesthouse raved by the Lonely Planet.

Our host, Mr. Tin San, who is an 76 year ex-boxer, met us at the bus.

His wife, Mya Mya, spoke almost perfect English. I later found out she learned English from the nuns.

The hosts are very welcome. Unfortunately, the room that we stayed is really below par. The bathroom is dirty and smells.

Two things worth mentioning of our stay in Pakoku:

1) We hung a bag of samosa (like spring rolls) on a nail on a pole before we go to bed, but it was gone the next day. Gary thought a cat might have come into the room to take the food.

2) At 4 am, we heard the monks chanting, via a loudspeaker. The chanting was followed by buddist music, then followed by more chanting, until 7 am. We later learned that this happens every day. The monks want to wake everyone up, to cook for them. So that when they come on their offerings procession, every family will have cooked something for the monks.

Our host arranged for a trishaw to take us to the boat jetty for the 1 pm boat the Bagan.

While waiting for the boat to arrive, Phyllis traded her two t-shirts (which she intend to give away anyways) and half a bottle of shampoo for a Burmese blanket.

After we arrived in Nyuang-U (the backpacker hub for Bagan), we checked into our guesthouse.

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Photos

2006-12-25 12-40-56
In the rural area, this is a gas pump with a cloth filter. Buckets of gasoline are poured into this bucket and into the vehicle through the tube.

2006-12-25 17-45-43
The guesthouse owner took us out to a near by temple.

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Intricate wood carvings.

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The guesthouse owner and ex-boxer is 78 years old. He took Phyllis on his bike and paddled for an hour.

2006-12-26 09-26-46
We bought some shampoo and this sale lady shows Phyllis how to apply Thanaka. In the end, she gave Phyllis 2 packs of Thanaka as a gift.

2006-12-26 09-56-28
A Myanmar family.

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Road side butcher.

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Kids across the road from the guesthouse

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As the pig looks on ... women and children halvest riverbed pebbles (for road building material?). I wonder who has a better life?

2006-12-26 12-04-42
Phyllis is trading T-shirts with a blanket vendor.

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Inside the boat to Nyuang-U.

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Two very lively children sitting behind us. I still don't know they are boys or girls.