Myanmar 27 Jul - 2 Aug Part III (Mandalay)

Picked up at our Bagan's hotel at 12.30 pm with van to be transferred to bus. But hey it's not.... After got to bus station, we continued with the van, being the last person to be picked up surely didn't leave us the best seat. Sitting  at the back rows for 6 hours? it was okay after all since we were able to reach Mandalay by 5pm instead of 7pm. 

Along the way, suddenly the van stopped, the driver and his helper went down, squat down and pee by roadside... What?? Yess, just like that. I might forget to mention that their traditional cloth for guy is sarong. I wonder they wear undie haha.

Greeted by greener view, can tell Mandalay is not as dry as Bagan, we can see they got a few rivers running. Seemed the economy is better as well, later by reading, I found Mandalay was the capital city of Myanmar until 1885, and it was to be the last royal capital of the last independent Burmese kingdom before its final annexation by the British.

Reached there with 1 stop only, at around 6.30 pm, and because we took van, we were dropped in front of the hotel ... Yeah .. Everything was happened for a reason. In Mandalay we were staying at Smart Hotel, 42 USD/night including breakfast, for the next 2 nights before returning to Singapore.

Smart hotel is a small hotel, I guess by counting the room number of 5 floors, it's around 55 rooms only. Me personally didn't like the look, classic but not so classic, made the hotel looks old, although it's pretty new. The manager of the hotel, Terrence himself greets every single guest that coming to check in, at least on the day time. We, and can tell most of the guests, were directly offered options for tour service while checked in, but they were helpful to explain about the whole city and map was provided as well, although I guessed its for the hotel's rating in TripAdvisor, we were kept reminding to write good things which I don't mind at all since the service was good. 

Since we had two days only, so we took the deal to explore non-Mandalay for one full day with taxi for 60 USD to see 4 ancient cities : Inwa, Amarapura, Sagaing, Mingun, and for Mandalay, we decided to rent a motorbike. Normally people do the non-Mandalay tour in 2 days but we just squeezed it in one day and didn't seem to miss any.

After showered, it was around 8.30 pm already, we rushed out to find foods, because we had to be back by the latest 10pm since there was curfew in the city. Walked to China town, which didn't look like China town at all, only a few food stalls. There were one food stall that full of people but didn't look appetite, added by Yangon's experience of the tasteless local food, didn't interest us at all, so we kept walking towards the mall, but it's closed at 8pm because of the curfew. Along the road, not many restaurants we could find, we were hungry so we stopped in a bakery, but only saw fried chicken, bought two for 4,000 kyats. Stopped at another bakery, nothing so only bought 4 bottles of 1,000 ml mineral water for 550 kyats, a little bit more expensive because normally only costs 200 - 300 kyats/bottle. Thought would just have Herbalife Shakes again, but hey....we took a different road on walking back and saw this Singaporean restaurant, no harm to try, ordered take away fried rice for 3,000 kyats, and spicy noodle for 3,200 kyats. They tasted great which made us returned again tomorrow.

Picked up at 8am the next morning after breakfast, first was to visit Mahamyatmuni Paya, Myanmar's second holiest pilgrimage site. It is a 4-metre high Buddha statue, made of gold and decorated with precious jewels. 

Unfortunately only guy can touch it. So there were two part of altars where women have to stay on the 2nd part

In Mandalay, most of the sites apply 1 USD for camera for tourist, but since we entered from the side, we didn't pay for it oops. 

Next we were taken to Mahaganayon Monastry to see 10,000 monks (didn't really count it) lining up to have their lunch together, it's in Amarapura (1st Ancient city we were taken to) which we were back later to see the U Bain's bridge for sunset.

Each of them carries two bowls (mostly), big black bowl for rice and very small (compare to black rice bowl on picture) for side dishes and in Myanmar the monks eat meat. 

They queued up then will be served by people (not sure who they are and if they stay in Monastery), we were shocked by the amount of rice served, mountain high dining plate, how in the world they stay skinny. But later explained by the driver, they only eat two times a day, and 10 am is the latest.

2nd ancient city, Mingun, was pretty far away and we went through rough and dusty roads to get there, the driver told us that common road which is better was under construction, and it's worst because it was an old car, AC was not cold at old in the hot day. 

The ruined Mingun Pahgodawgi is incomplete monument stupa and now being the largest pile of bricks in the world (readings in the internet)

Entrance fee supposed to be 2,000 kyats/person (The driver told us so) but the selling office was closed for lunch then later we cancelled to go up there anyway, it's 12 pm and super hot for climbing up with bare feet, I didn't have any intention to get burned, so front look was good enough for me

King Bodawpaya also built a gigantic bell next to this huge stupa, Mingun bell, weighing at 90 tons next to the ruin, they said is today the second largest ringing bell in the world.

Next was Sagaing, went up to the temple on the hill, overseeing the city, the driver told us it's well known for the 30 caves, we were looking for it so we walked the small paths that connect to each other behind the temple. However, no luck in finding the caves, only a few small complex of houses and abandoned "park".

So we went back to the temple and found.. oh lala......the caves mentioned are the walls of the temple itself where all the Buddha stupas were built.

Third ancient city was Innwa (some called Ava), it's reached by "ferry", it was actually a small boat to be exact, they left every 15 - 20 minutes or after the boat has 4 or 5 persons. It took only 5 minutes cross the river (I think it's Ayeyarwady River). Google maps showed and even the hotel's guy told us that can get to Innwa city by car, anyway was okay for experience on the boat for 600 kyats/person

Reached there and all the horse carts were waiting to take you to the sites for 8,000 kyats (it's strictly for 2 persons only, even we saw maybe because they are family, three of them in one cart). It's owned by 1 person, so we still need to tip the driver, gave him 2 USD after, since he was a good rider, we saw some had to get down furthermore chasing their carts on bumpy roads. And believe me walking is not an option, seemed pretty close but no, we were fast one since we were only interested with 2 monasteries and palace, still took us two hours to finish the tour, and be prepared to hold the needs to pee because all the toilets have no water over there. Although we found one Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastry, the persistence of my man sometimes is really helpful.

Mandalay also have Zone Fee ticket for 10,000 kyats/person, being told that it's sold in a few major cultural sites, including 2 monasteries in Innwa city, but looked like they were managed improperly, most of us could ignore to buy even on Me Nu Oak Kyaung, no ticket available for sell, they can only stamp). We bought it on our 2nd day when visiting Mandalay Royal Palace, USD is not accepted by the way.

The horse carts rode us to impressive, but lack of care, the  fine teak Monastry (Bagaya Kyaung), although outside was hot and melting, but inside was cool and darks, the carving on the door were just amazing.

then Nan Myint Watch Tower

Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastry (Me Nu Oak Kyaung)

We skipped the palace, passed by but was not interesting for us. 

We read about Inwa bridge, since we still had some time before sunset, we asked to be driven to the bridge, it's actually just a connecting bridge and its nothing. But thanks to him, he insisted that's not what he saw in the internet, later the bridge keeper showed us where photographers normally take pictures, we have to go down the steps to find it.

The last one was back to Amatapura to see sunset on the U-Bain Bridge, I was hungry and very tired and the bridge was nothing, not really a nice spot for sunset photo, or maybe if we walked till the end of the bridge (we walked only half way) we will have better view and didn't know the Kyauktawgi Paya is at the end of the bridge till writing this blog. But I was cranky enough, was better that we left instead of ruining the rest of the day.

Reached hotel about 6pm and we directly booked motorbike for tomorrow so we can use it tonight as well. Lucky we were informed that's only 15 USD for a day, as he asked for 15 USD/hour. Got the motorbike, showered and left to find dinner, this time we thought of visiting the mall and around there. Couldn't find any petrol station and saw a lot of petrol kiosk on the side of the road so we just topped up 1 bottle (i guess around 1 lt) for 5,000 kyats. Do not expect to get a new motorbike and worst it's semi-automatic but luckily he can manage it.

The hotel also gave a free welcoming drink in the lounge, which we took it later at night when coming back from dinner, not a good idea of having alcohol on hungry tummy.

Rode to the mall, and to be honest, found no restaurants, so we only bought mineral water in the supermarket for 220 kyats/bottle and decided to go back to the Singapore restaurant for dinner.

It was a crowded night, we ordered Vegetable Juice to share, 2 rice (come with love shape), pork green curry, spicy tofu. All were for 15,000 kyats. and these closed the night with happy tummy

Slept well because of free 2 glasses of vodka and OJ. Woke up fresh early morning and ready to explore Mandalay city.

The next morning we left hotel at around 6.30am, It was pretty scary with the stiffness to go up to Mandalay Hill by motorbike, and not too impressive honestly speaking, entrance for motorbike is 200 kyats and later parking at Mandalay Hill was another 200 kyats. Fee for camera is 1,000 kyats/camera or device. they were smart enough, they came to you after seeing you took picture with your camera or phone because they know tourists will avoid to pay it, but somehow after paying 10,000 kyats Zone Fee, still has to pay camera fee in each site doesn't seem fair enough as tourists will always take picture. At the end, Bagan was better deal with 15,000 kyats.

We passed by Kuthodaw Pagoda but didn't go inside, had enough with gold stupas and we were pretty tight with timing as well.

We had overnight bus to Yangon, so need to check out at 12pm. But overseen the palace from Mandalay hill, 144-square block grid patterned city looked impossible for us to walk within 3 hours. Sticky and smelly body seemed to be an absolute after the walks and motorbikes, plus the dust and worst shower were to be hold till in Singapore, ewww. So we checked with Terrence if possible to wash up before leaving, and yeahhh....he agreed to let us showered in staff's bathroom with towel and amenities, two thumbs up for the service. So we changed our plan, took a nap and packed to check out before leaving for Royal Palace.

When overseen the palace from Mandalay Hill, we were thinking how to walk a 10 km palace in short time, we were told 2 hours to explore whole palace. No wonder, motor bikes are allowed to enter and go around the palace, only you have to walk your motorbike on the entrance and exit (same place).

Inside the palace it's actually a small city, got people live in the complex and school, we were surprised by the name of the school, "drugs free school", 

not sure the meaning since what we saw were all primary students maybe from their size. Again, lack of maintenance made the place look abandoned, especially the Royal Palace, only dust and pictures, interested with door, it is designed to open up like stall's window, maybe it was garage for carts.

Left the royal palace within 2.5 hours, went to Golden Palace Monastery (Shwenandaw Kyaung), it is decorated with a very detailed word carvings, amazing and in love with it, it was even more beautiful than Bagaya Kyaung in Innwa City, we saw carved of creatures, animals and flowers. I read that it was originally part of the Royal palace in Amatapura, dismantled, transported to Mandalay and rebuilt in 1857. Later relocated by the son to its current location and converted into a monastery in 1880

Next to it is Atumashi Monastry, nothing apart from big and tall building with a big hall inside. 

We were hungry so did a quick photo shoot of The Gigantic Boboyki Nat, the guardians at the foot of Mandalay hill, that we missed in the morning going to Mandalay Hill, and Mandalay Clock Tower in Zeigyo Central market.

We didn't stop for Zeygyo Market anymore as it was very crowded and it was 3.30 pm already, so rushed back to hotel to wash up and hope to get some dinner before leaving, anyway couldn't resist to stop on this unique designed church

Reached back about 4pm, better had dinner nearby hotel, but didn't feel like to go back to Singaporean Restaurant so we tried Top Merit (Me me), it was cheaper and had more options, found out it actually tasted better as well.

We ordered Yoghurt Lemon Juice, Claypot rice, Spicy papaya salad, Fried Rice and Coffee Ice Cream. For this meal, I forgot how much I paid but around 30,000 kyats with another two take aways, Tom Yum Fried Rice and Me me rice (Capcai).

Got back to hotel around 5pm, gave back the bike, showered and it was not in the staff's bathroom, but they actually got single room, nice.... Left at exact 6pm, we ordered the taxi that drove us around for 6,000 kyats to drive us to bus station. We took JJ express again for 22 USD + 500 kyats (insurance)/person to Yangon.

The bus was VIP bus, reclining seat, TV and private headset for every single seat, with 5 channels if not wrong, so we finished one movie and our dinner before falling to sleep. Stopped in the same bus station while traveled from Yangon to Bagan, seemed like it's the connecting bus stop for inner city at least for Yangon, Bagan and Mandalay. then no stop till Yangon. 

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