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Post by Netsuke on Dec 12, 2019 12:43:28 GMT
Always wanted to go to Burma, one of my uncles was there in the war. (WWII) Finally. Had to work my itinerary around a Pandaw Cruise, it was all going swimmingly until Pandaw cancelled it. There was only one that fitted in with my flights, which meant rearranging the itinerary ... again!
Arrive 30 December - 3 nights Yangon, 2 nights Inle Lake, 3 nights Ngapali Beach, 2 nights Bagan, 2 nights Mandalay. Then Cruise Mandalay to Bagan 11 January to 18 January. 1 night Yangon. January 19: Depart Burma.
I’ve booked a balloon flight for Jan 8th. No amount of searching has really come up with any touristy things to see and do. Apart from Schwedagon Pagoda and overnight trips, what would you suggest?
Domestic flights and hotels are booked. Will be in Rangoon for NYE but hard to find set things to do. All suggestions welcome. Thankyou.
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Post by whatagain on Dec 12, 2019 17:43:20 GMT
Hello From somewhere we went to see a reserve for elephants and actually washed one. Mandalay obviously going to the hill with the pagoda to watch sunset. There is a small plate commemorating the Gurkhas taking the ridge. There is a grotto full of bushes but outside is what is nice. Lots of sculpted small plates have been glued to the rocks. What else ? On lake Inle we went touring the lake. Je n Mandalay we toured a shop making golden leaves one where they made dresses etc. Quite nice actually. Have a good trip !
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 12, 2019 19:03:10 GMT
I haven't been to Burma in more than 30 years, so the only thing that I can confirm is that the Shwedagon Pagoda is outstanding.
Back then, I stayed at the Strand Hotel for US$20. These days the going rate is US$340. Things have changed!
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Post by casimira on Dec 12, 2019 19:53:42 GMT
I acquired a Burmese cookbook many years ago and experimented with several recipes. (Many of the ingredients were not easy to access here).
However, the cuisine does seem to be quite good and I would imagine far better when prepared by native chefs.
Do keep us posted!
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Post by questa on Dec 14, 2019 13:10:33 GMT
It's past my bedtime, but I'll give you some tips tomorrow.
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Post by questa on Dec 17, 2019 8:14:15 GMT
Hello, Netsuke. Welcome to the Forum. ..I love the name you have made...Clever.
There have been many changes since I was there in 1992. The military controlled everything and tourism was not encouraged. We had to travel in a group under supervision, could only get 7 day visas and were only to change money at Govt. changers. Here we received 5 kyats to the US dollar while on the street it was 96 kyats. Those in the group who had a few US dollars tucked away found the trip more enjoyable. The currency is called a Kyat said as “chat”
As you have 3 days in Yangon it would be good to take one of the full or half day tours that you book from your hotel. There are lots of historic buildings and temples and the lake to see but they are scattered aound and in the humidity you won't feel like long walks.. Just watching the watercraft moving around the river and the life in the markets is interesting. Ask at the desk where you can see the monks on their food collection procession...it will be very early am but great for photos. You can hire a bicycle-taxi to get around...check out the food markets and street sweeping ladies with their make-up freshly applied.
The people, although mainly Buddhist also have spirit creatures called Nats. These are often negative and need appeasing, usually through a medium. Ask at the hotel and you MAY be able to watch a ceremony. Mainly involves a woman with a bottle of whisky dancing, loud music, crushing crowd and repeated asking for dollars . It was too much for me so I eased out of the room and explored the back streets to the alarm of my 'shadow.'
NYE will probably have street parties etc and you will be encouraged to join in. Have a good time but stay fully aware of what is going on around you. Leave your valuables in the hotel safe and if needed carry a photocopy of your passport and papers. Stay with the crowd. (This applies to any travel, any where).
Tomorrow...Inle Lake
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Post by questa on Dec 18, 2019 7:01:55 GMT
I forgot to mention..If you do a day or half day tour in Yangon you will see the Shwedagon temple. It really needs a longer look so the last day might fit that in.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 18, 2019 13:53:02 GMT
I was able to get an individual 7-day visa around 1982, but it was actually kind of creepy to be independent. People would sidle up to me and ask "can we talk?" and then add "just walk alongside me but don't look at me so that no one will know that we are together." These people just wanted to talk to somebody from the world outside. As for changing money, we were informed to do it directly with the taxi driver from the airport, and that's what we did. The rate wasn't as great as in a back alley, but at least it wasn't a back alley.
There was also a way to be able to stay 14 days, but only we airline people knew about it. Anybody whose flight was cancelled had their visa extended automatically. The thing to know was that Biman Bangladesh airlines had a weekly flight from Dhaka to Rangoon, but absolutely every other week the flight was cancelled. Always. Without fail. Very convenient to anyone privy to that information.
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Post by questa on Dec 18, 2019 22:05:27 GMT
It was a strange place back then.Bottles of Johnny Walker and 555 cigarettes were accepted as legal tender in many places. Using travellers Cheques was useless as it was USD 5 for a litre of water. I soon found that green tea was free so filled my water bottle with that. I wanted to buy a lacquer bowl but not pay USD 60 for it...the seller did a deal with what I had in my purse...2 rolls of sticky tape, 2 hotel pens and a nail file! The flight into Mandalay was late but we arrived at 2pm and were told to go to our rooms and rest until 6pm. A chap from USA and I waited til things were quiet, then sloped off to explore. Immediately a lad left the bicycle rickshaw area and followed us to the nearby Palace. He was hopeless as a 'tail' trying to hide behind small trees or doing up shoelaces while wearing sandals. We had a good interesting walk then back to the fireworks at our hotel. My new buddy had arranged for us to be picked up at 5am next day by 2 of the rickshaws and we visited the markets and interesting places not on the itinerary. The long line of monks collecting food, the fog which gave a spooky mood and the gardens made us a bit late for breakfast. Naughty kids!hehehe.
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Post by questa on Dec 18, 2019 22:21:57 GMT
Inle Lake. If you are able to wake up early you can see the people travelling to the market in all sorts of boats They carry vegetables and fruit that they grow in floating gardens.These are rafts of bamboo with long grass, then soil from the shallow lake floor building up to a garden. The can be towed to different places as needed. Also the leg-rowers are unique. Mostly fishermen, they stand on the very front of their canoes on one leg with the other wrapped around a long oar. With both hands free to cast their nets, even the extra height is clever. There is a Concrete pylon supported Temple which houses the Karaweik Barge...a mythical bird.This carries the holy statues around the lake each year. In colonial days the wives of the officers would spend the hot season at the lake. it is worth taking a boat ride around the lake It is very calm and beautiful..
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Post by casimira on Dec 19, 2019 16:24:48 GMT
What a lovely portrait Questa.
So many places have changed in all manner of ways for both good and bad. Even reports I have read and personally exchanged my experience with people who visited places I did many years before I did are so radically different than my memory of the very same place.
Thanks for your sharing yours.
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Post by questa on Dec 20, 2019 3:06:04 GMT
Thanks, Casi. Once tourists were encouraged then the industry took off and the changes would be far-reaching. I am only telling Netsuke what I know about. I forgot to tell about a Burmese Cat sanctuary at Inle Lake where you can see and play with these lovely cats from 11am to 2pm.
Bagan. From your balloon you will have a brilliant view of this open plain almost covered with grand temples, some being restored and others just piles of stone. Bagan was the capital of the country and very rich. Genghis Khan envied this and flattened the temples.Now they are being restored and are so varied that it is hard to find a favourite. Your guide will show you some of the better ones. The scenery is beautiful and the Irrawaddy River curves past to the west. There is a temple near the river where you can sit and watch the sun set...the ground, river and sky turn a rich gold colour
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Post by questa on Dec 21, 2019 0:20:43 GMT
When I was there in 1992 there were only bullock wagons and pony carts for the local transport around the plain. We were in a small bus that had started out as a 1951 Russian school bus. The dirt roads bumped us along from the various temples to the airports. We had to fly from one destination to the next as time was so limited. The air fleet had 3 Fokker Friendship planes and a Fokker Fellowship. They looked like they hadn't been overhauled since the Brits had left them in 1948. We got patted down before each flight to check if we were carrying rubies. I am sure you won't have this happen to you...you will have your own adventures.
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Post by questa on Dec 24, 2019 8:12:51 GMT
Mandalay...such a romantic name. We arrived late and were taken to the banks of the river.As the timber-cutters cut down the big trees up-river they cut them into logs and point them downstream and the river delivers them to the various destinations. While the young men run and jump on the rolling logs, there is another section where the logs are being pulled out of the river and dragged up the muddy riverbank to be loaded onto some old trucks. There were 2-3 bullocks per log and they were slipping and sliding as the driver had to get them to pull at same time and angle.
Then off to a house where the women did embroidery with gold and silver thread on to fine velvet cloth. I think there will be many places to see this...ask at your hotel.
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Post by whatagain on Dec 24, 2019 9:52:49 GMT
Hello I didn't see a log at Mandalay. I think it is where we went on a wooden bridge with a superb view. Where we were to be taken on the evening but asked to go to a cave thousands of bats were flying out of the cave at sunset. Maybe hundreds of thousands. A spectacular sight. We were there on Xmas last year and had a great meal - but too fast. Myanmar is now a normal country. You go by yourself talk to whomever you want. We went alone in Yangon and some other places and were with a guide most of the time.
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Post by questa on Dec 24, 2019 11:42:00 GMT
Pity I can't remember where the buffalo were. It was near a shanty town and the ferry that crossed the river. Probably the practise has stopped now. I'm sure Netsuke would be grateful if you could add your experience, mine is so out of date.
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Post by questa on Dec 26, 2019 11:18:56 GMT
The main things we saw that day were many smaller temples in jungle environs and temples being restored.We saw the Mahamuni Pagoda...Healing statues have bright shiny areas where people rub them. This shows where the pain might be.Lots of sore backs and headaches.Then to the other side of the river over the Ava bridge...only bridge over the the river from Yangon to Mandalay (then.)Had a look at Sagaing Hills and the various monks coming home from study. Overgrown and covered with litter was a collection of the Buddha's lessons. Each was carved in marble and beautiful but no-one cared anymore.They just took up space behind the Marble Temple. One statue that was cared for was a reclining Buddha. It was their pride and joy but I have forgotten all the statistics. Our last stop was the Mandalay Hill,where,in bare feet, people would climb the high hill to gain more blessings. Forgot to mention the Royal Palace that we had seen just a little of. It was made of decorated teak and would have been lovely in its day. Now too dangerous to go far in as it is rotting away. F
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Post by questa on Dec 26, 2019 11:44:29 GMT
Finally, Netsuke we come to the Shwedagon again. A bustle of people making offerings and buying items for the religious life of the families. You will hear of the many temples and places on the ground where people just sit in the heat or cold and don't feel it. You will look up at the roof made of plates of solid gold, and the wind chimes made of precious gems. We had been sent to different hotels when we came to Myanmar. Now back where I should have been I could see out my 6th floor window the bright golden. gleaming, stunning orb seeming to float on the dark blue sky.
I hope this gives you some ideas. I hope I haven't disappointed you by not being up to date with the information. Please let me know how it all goes (PM me if you like.)
By the way...the Road to Mandalay is a well-known poem/song written by Rudyard Kipling Of course you can see the Road is actually the Irrawaddy River which was the main means of transport north/south.
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Post by Netsuke on Dec 27, 2019 5:35:45 GMT
Apologies for not answering sooner - Christmas you know. Whatagain, thank-you for your suggestions. I'll be staying at Bagan King, recommendations for a good coffee shop and/or tea shop? My Pandaw Cruise covers some temples in Mandalay, but doesn't visit the Palace. Can you recommend a tour for this?
Would like to visit Pyin Oo Lwin on second day. Hire taxi or travel by train? Can I get a tour guide?
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Post by questa on Dec 27, 2019 6:13:03 GMT
Contact your hotel a few days before you arrive and set it up. Confirm details on arrival. Do this with all the guides you want. I would recommend a guide for Mandalay or get into a group...you cover a bit of transport there. There is nothing to see in the Royal Palace...the old teak palace was burned down since I was there. Team up with other people where you can.
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Post by Netsuke on Dec 27, 2019 6:54:21 GMT
I acquired a Burmese cookbook many years ago and experimented with several recipes. (Many of the ingredients were not easy to access here). However, the cuisine does seem to be quite good and I would imagine far better when prepared by native chefs. Do keep us posted! Thank-you, Casimira. If I can post from Burma, I will. Cannot eat spicy or curry.
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Post by Netsuke on Dec 27, 2019 13:24:25 GMT
The air fleet had 3 Fokker Friendship planes and a Fokker Fellowship. They looked like they hadn't been overhauled since the Brits had left them in 1948. We got patted down before each flight to check if we were carrying rubies. A bloke turned up at the Fokker Desk to buy a ticket, only to be told, “Sorry Ocker, the Fokker’s chokka” Rubies? I must look into that!
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Post by Netsuke on Dec 27, 2019 14:16:04 GMT
The cat sanctuary is a cafe and is still going. Will have a look.
Anyone been to Ngapali Beach?
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Post by Kimby on Dec 27, 2019 15:52:34 GMT
I acquired a Burmese cookbook many years ago and experimented with several recipes. (Many of the ingredients were not easy to access here). However, the cuisine does seem to be quite good and I would imagine far better when prepared by native chefs. Do keep us posted! Thank-you, Casimira. If I can post from Burma, I will. Cannot eat spicy or curry. Things have likely changed, but when we were in Burma/Myanmar in 1993, Indian food was the main cuisine. We were not aware of any “Burmese” dishes. And I got really bad food poisoning in Mandalay, the day I ate freshwater shrimp in the Floating Barge Restaurant. However when we got home and had our slide film processed, we were reminded that we had sampled the sugar cane drink earlier that day. (We knew enough to avoid ice, but the juice itself could have been contaminated.). Imodium saved our trip!
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Post by questa on Dec 28, 2019 7:48:45 GMT
You are more likely to have got a bug from your own grubby little paws. Travellers always blame the food or drink.Anything cooked fresh will be ok. It is the Bain-marie meals that bugs love...tourist food. You are touching grotty statues etc all day so wash or disinfect as often as possible.
When son # 2 turned 21 I gave him the "Lonely Planet S E Asia on a shoestring", a packet of immodium and pointed out the door. He wound up teaching English in Japan.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 28, 2019 14:47:43 GMT
That would be true if we weren’t so obsessive about hand cleanliness, especially while traveling. (Remember Wash n Dry packets?)
And BOTH of us got sick at the same time. My first bite of the deep fried freshwater shrimp was sooo good! But it was followed almost immediately by a distinctly seweragy aftertaste. I stopped eating it right away. Who knows what is discharged into the “fresh” water in Mandalay?
But the sugar cane press and its operator could also harbor zillions of bacteria, so we’ll never know.
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Post by kerouac2 on Dec 28, 2019 15:55:15 GMT
In my numerous trips, I have encounter a "bug" just twice -- once in Pakistan and once in Indonesia. I do not follow any of the Western rules when I travel -- except that I did in Pakistan because I was staying with a colleague's family in Karachi. We were told to never ingest any tap water and to drink only the water that had been boiled, which was kept in containers in the refrigerator. All of the food that I ate seemed perfectly fine, but I was definitely not feeling well during the morning that we drove to Baluchistan to watch he old ships of the world being dismembered. By midday, though, I was fine. Just about any sickness that I ever have lasts only 12 hours. As for Indonesia, I have always suspected the meal that I had at the Yogyakarta airport was responsible. I flew on to Jakarta, and the problem hit me in Singapore where we had an hour of transit. I spent 45 of those minutes seated in the restroom, but once I was completely purged, I was perfectly fine all the way back to Paris, including the stop in Bahrain. So I have never really had one of those major food poisoning episodes that about which I read so much or else they probably would have not been so brief.
I have always drunk the tap water in all sorts of countries where you are not supposed to drink the tap water -- never very much since it usually tastes awful because of chlorine -- but I really don't worry about it. No ill effects in Egypt, Jordan, Cambodia, Laos, Tunisia or Senegal (among many other places), and I do not obsessively wash my hands. I am pretty sure that i have an adequate 3rd world immune system. I can take ice in my drink like the locals and eat all of the raw vegetables that I want. But I do understand that not everybody is this lucky. And I also know that people who fear getting sick always get sick, often for psychosomatic reasons. This happened systematically during all of my seminars in Cairo. The fearful never left the hotel (Hilton, Sheraton…) and only ate there and only drank bottled water or soda… and always got sick.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 28, 2019 16:56:26 GMT
Mr. Kimby and I walked a comfortable line between over-cautious and reckless. We still got sick on occasion. The Mandalay experience was probably the worst, but I had bad (both ends) food poisoning in China and Cambodia, too.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 28, 2019 17:04:33 GMT
You rescued a rat?! >>shudder<< Actually, it's one of my "better" travel stories, though not told in polite company. Since this is Any Port, I guess I can continue ;D I'd had the runs for the better part of 3 days - after drinking the sugar cane drink and/or eating the freshwater shrimp in Mandalay - and had gotten up in the night to go yet again to the bathroom. Not wanting to disturb Mr. Kimby, I left the lights off, sat down, drained my liquid bowels, and then decided I should take a look to make sure I didn't have bloody dysentery. I turned on the light, and looked into the bowl, checking to see if there was anything solid coming out of me yet, so imagine my surprise when I saw whiskers and two beady eyes peering out from the mess in the bowl!!!! My first impulse was to flush the toilet, which I did, but as the water swirled in the bowl the little critter swam and swam, and managed to still be in the bowl when the flushing stopped. So I flushed again, and again he swam and swam, though it was clear he was getting tired (pooped?) by the time the flushing stopped. I figured any rat that survived being shat on and flushed twice deserved another chance! There was a waste pail with a lid in the corner of the room, so I extended the lid like a ramp to the rat and he climbed on. I dumped him in the bucket and slammed the lid on and took him outside, wearing nothing but a Tshirt with my bare cheeks peeking out. I let him go under a tree, thinking he would be happy to be returned to the wild. (Though he probably got pneumonia or some other horrible infection from the treatment I gave him prior to his release!) I later heard about "sewer rats" and wondered if he made a beeline back for another bathroom.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 28, 2019 17:09:06 GMT
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