Email to Friends: The Road to Mandalay (And Off to Laos)‏

Caught an early bus from Mandalay to Hsipaw. Once I got there, someone laughed and said I was on the cargo bus, which would explain the cheaper but pretty uncomfortable seats on a run down old school bus full of lumber and pipes and things on the aisle. The drive was pretty through mountain winding roads, passing motorbikes with baskets full of flowers heading for the Mandalay flower market. But treacherous, as the driver goes very fast. The driver also closes his eyes to pray when we pass temples, and there are only about a bagazillion temples here. Now I'm not one to judge anyone's driving, since I can't drive, but pretty sure you should try to keep your eyes open! But arrived safely and checked in to Mr. Charles' Guesthouse, one of the only guesthouses in town for tourists.

Walked around the small town (told the total population is around 10,000). Saw the noodle factory and stopped for these fried batter things made with coconut milk, scallions, and a small chickpea bean in the center and topped with chopped peanuts and a tamarind and fish sweet and sour sauce from a roadside stand for four for 10 cents. Met a French guy who was here in 1997 and in 2006. Interesting to hear how it has changed. He also had a local friend with him from Mandalay who had interesting conversation about the country and tips on where to stay and where there was a free shuttle to the airport once I return to Mandalay. We all had a delicious dinner at a roadside stop I had found exploring the town earlier. The local man said I found a good place where the food tasted like his mother's cooking. There are lots of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in this area that are delicious to try. I think my favorite is the dragon fruit that is bright magenta, even on the inside (stains your fingers with the color), that has way more flavor than the typical white ones. Topped off the evening with local rum made in town and fruit juice.

Took a two day trek through the mountains to a little tribal village with two really nice Italian guys and a local guide. The first day was really rainy, so it was slow going as everything was really slippery (passed the Scottish ER nurse coming down who said one tourist had already broken her leg and they had to splint it with bamboo). But the scenery was so green and beautiful and I love seeing the rice fields and water buffalo. We reached our home stay at a small village of about 900 people to a wonderful home cooked lunch. We all just talked into the night, listening to the rain fall.

In the morning, we woke up early and headed next door to the monastery. Instead of other towns I have been in where the monk processions go around town collecting alms, all of the village women come with flowers and food and the monk comes out and they all put their offerings in a basket. Sadly, I didn't get many photos because my camera lens was foggy inside the camera from all the moisture. I was afraid I would have to buy a new one in Bangkok, but my awesome guide had a great idea to put it in a bag of rice. It drew the water out in a half hour as we ate breakfast, and good as new! Later we walked trough the town. We all took photos, mainly of the cute kids who love seeing their picture in the camera.

Hiked back down the mountain to Hsipaw and tried to wash all the red mud off myself and my clothes and said goodbye to my new Italian friends who caught the night bus. Ran into the French guy again and we went back to the same restaurant, and the family was happy to see us. They took us out back to the garden and let me try all different kinds of fruit from their trees. They made us a special plant an root drink that was suppose to be good for high blood pressure and vision. They invited us into their home next to the restaurant and we had a lovely chat, even with the language barrier. The woman was 62 and her husband was in his 70s and was a retired police officer. We headed back to the hotel to bring the woman some French perfume that the French guy brought and ran into the Scottish woman and a woman from Holland and brought them back to the restaurant for the delicious traditional Myanmar fish soup. The family sat with us, gave us treats, and then put the anica face paint on all of us (and ground some as a present for the Scottish girl who wondered where to buy it). We took a picture and said goodbye, and they said we were family and that we must come back to visit.

The next morning, we all were on the same bus to Mandalay. The tour guide from Mandalay booked a shared room for Sarah, the Scottish girl and I at the good hotel, Royal City. He is so kind and is always treating us to things, even though we both would rather pay. Mandalay is really hot! Sarah and I wandered the city looking for yummy street food. We visited the Mahamuni Temple, a gold pounders shop where they make the gold foil that people rub on the temples, a workshop where they weave the silk traditional clothing, and a working Monastery where many monks come to learn to be monks. Sarah laughs when she sees how many do the "What are you?" stare or walk up to me and speak to me in Burmese (a monk at the monastery actually stopped in the middle of his prayer studies to ask where I came from). We ended with a trip to U Thein bridge, an old teak bridge over the river and relaxed, watching the wooden boats pass, kids jumping into the river, and many people walking the bridge as the sun set. We tried more street food, including the fried crab that I had wanted to try.

After our sightseeing, we rang our new tour guide friend and he met us for dinner. I ran into an older French couple I had met at Hsipaw who had also been helped by the tour guide and we all enjoyed dinner together for my last night in Myanmar (lamb and potato curry, tamarind relish, green beans with crushed peanuts, bamboo shoots, and lentil soup). Sarah, our guide friend and I jumped on the back of his motorbike to go get coconut ice cream. We drove past the entrance to the Royal Palace which was lit up with lights, making it almost look like Christmas.

This morning, I eat my last Shan noodle soup for breakfast and head to the airport. I am really quite sad to have to leave this wonderful country. It is definitely on my top 3 countries I love, and maybe even top 2 (Colombia, here, and Botswana). But Laos adventures await, and I fly from Mandalay to Bangkok and then to Vientiane tonight. I hope to visit Myanmar again someday and see how it changes over time. I really hope that it stays as full of friendly, honest, genuine, and kind-hearted people as I did this trip.

Myanmar trip photos are online or you can view them as a slideshow.

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: I'm On a Boat! (Okay, Well I Was...)‏

The slow local boat from Bagan to Mandalay was fun. Downstream, the other direction, it takes about 15 hours. But heading to Mandalay takes 2 days. We left Bagan at 5:30. Watched the sunrise over the Arewaddy. The boat is full of mainly older women, two 16 year olds, and a couple adorable small children, and the cutest pudgy, smiley baby. Everyone takes very good care of me, sharing food and buying me treats. I played with the babies and kids and made paper fans out of the Lonely Planet pages I was finished with to help us all try to cope with the hot sun and humidity. When a vendor didn't give me my change after buying a pineapple, the older women used hand gestures and their very expressive eyes to let me know I needed to go get it back (I had chalked it up to a $4 learning experiences and was going to let it go). It helped knowing they had my back, and the change was given back without question.

We stop at lots of small villages along the river as the boat loads up. Some villages are right on the water and you can see they make ceramics or floating huts and some stops seem like empty fields or jungle-ey forests, but the loud boat horn has people running out of seemingly no where to catch or greet the boat. The bottom of the boat is full of rubbish (empty bottles, plastic, cardboard) being taken out of the villages and the top is where we all hang out. They have the tourists area with plastic chairs.

There is another couple on the boat who took up part of the tourist area and took up space in the locals area with their mat. The girl is dressed in shorty shorts with her butt hanging out and an off the shoulder top with bra showing and they are being very rude to people on the boat. Everyone on the boat stares at them and makes faces begin their backs. After about 10 hours of this, I finally had enough. The guy and I had words as I tried to convince him to move his mat to the tourist area to give some of the families squished up against the wall more room, since they were not allowed in our area and they were essentially taking up two spots. He refused, and I wanted to throw their backpacks, him, and his skanky girlfriend into the river, but I showed restraint (for me, any way) and left it alone and said he could choose to be whatever kind of traveler he wanted to be. But it makes me really angry and sad that in a country that has been closed off to tourism for so long, that this is the impression of tourists that they were going to leave. While the rest of the boat couldn't understand a word of our discussion, the people were even nicer to me after. I was invited into the captain's chamber, was given a wonderful meal of rice, veggies, pickled mango, chicken, and papayas. Sunset on the river was beautiful.

Docked in a tiny village around 8pm for the night. Someone loaned me a tarp to sleep on. Can't say it was the most comfortable sleep on the uneven wooden boat deck. There were a ton of little moths that were drawn to the boat lights as people prepared for sleep. It was to the point where the whole canvas roof was crawling with them and they dropped off into your hair and flew in your eyes and mouth. I made a cocoon out of my sleep sac and fell asleep, trying to ignore all the critters I could hear moving around me.

The boat set off again around 5am. Bought a coffee and watched everyone wake up. Some of the older women decided they were going to do my face like a Myanmar woman. They hand grind this wood to make this yellow stuff to paint their cheeks and forehead in designs with a fine brush. They have me sit down and all take turns making the designs. Much laughter and smiles had by all. My area has turned into the kids play area. I remembered the little bag of super balls and tops that are in my backpack for kids to play with (although in a place full of cheap toys made in China, my toys are not that interesting). I give each kid a toy and we play with them on the boat deck. We only lost one overboard (toy, not child) and the kids climb on me and chatter away at me in Burmese and I just nod my head in agreement. I have to say, Burmese children may just be the cutest kids ever... maybe even cuter than Vietnamese kids :) I have a picture of one if my favorites on my camera that I will download when I get home.

Grabbed a trishaw at the boat dock and checked into a more expensive hotel in Mandalay. It kind of sucks, but the location is near the bus terminal and there is hot water (which I haven't had in quite a while) with a tub, which was probably not intended to do laundry in, but that is what they get for being overpriced. I don't know that I have ever been this grimy and dirty, so it is worth it for the two showers I needed just to clean up. And now time to get dirty again! Up before the crack of dawn once more to head to Hsipaw by bus and do some mountain trekking in tribal villages.

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: Ancient Temples and Lazy Days

I love Bagan. Staying in Nyaung U, the town nearby. Very relaxing and enjoy watching life. Mix of old and new, as there are farmers with ox and carts carrying loads, old trucks, new cars and motorbikes, older women carrying market purchases on their heads, men in traditional longgyi, and a few teenagers in western jeans. The temples are fantastic and everywhere. They say there are 3000-4000 in this area alone. My horse and cart driver took me to some really great ones (one even with bats hanging from the large Buddha statue). Each temple has a key master to let you in, and you have to wander around looking for him at the smaller ones with no people. The bigger ones have guides, and there are young trainee guides who just graduated and have to practice before becoming a real guide. They showed me around and taught me a lot, an then you give them feedback at the end. One had his teacher with him, who filmed us so I might end up in some video for Burma tourism.

Had a lovely dinner of my favorite dish here, Shan noodles, for 50 cents with an ER nurse from Scotland who just finished volunteering in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo (my final destination). The food is pretty greasy here, but the fresh fruit and vegetables are delicious.

Morning was spent negotiating a ride to Mt. Popa, a temple with monkeys up in the mountains. Found a ride for me and 3 girls from Spain. Spending the day with them made me glad to be traveling alone, as they talked non-stop, didn't pay much attention to their surroundings, and were dressed in short shorts and skimpy tanks which would be like showing up to your friend's church in night club attire. The locals interaction (and cost of things) with us was very different than when I am alone. But the weather was cooler, the view was pretty, and the monkeys were entertaining when not being aggressive and trying to steal bags.

Nice to see the village life, with traffic stopping for the herds of cow, oxen and goats in the road. Children and adults all wave hello. Also saw peanuts being ground into peanut oil using an ox around a circle to grind (he even let me try).

Napped during the heat if the day, like everyone else and took a walk to the jetty in the evening to watch the sun set as the men and women bathed and washed clothes and the children all played in the Arewaddy River. Not much to do at night but watch American action movies with Burmese subtitles (and the power goes out in town frequently), so just enjoyed a Myanmar beer under the bagazillion stars.

This morning, I woke up super early. Decided to walk the couple of miles to watch the sun rise from the top of a temple. I found myself walking with a procession of monks, and one little monk boy hung back and walked with me. He pointed out things he thought I might like a smiled the sweetest smile. As we finally parted ways, he motioned for me to hold my hand out. As I did, he dropped two earrings in my hand (2 little plastic letters, P and D, with sparkles on them) and smiled a huge smile before running off to join the older monks.

The sunrise was rather overcast, but there was a cool breeze and it was beautiful to see the sun rays cast light over the different temples. Spent most of the day eating fruit ice cream to cool off and jamming out to local Burmese music, and talking to locals at the local tea shop. They taught me several Burmese phrases with lots of laughter at my horrible pronunciation. Saying my goodbyes as tomorrow I have an early departure (5am) on the local slow boat up the Arewaddy River to Mandalay that supposedly takes two days and stops in lots of little villages to pick people up and drop people off. Then trying to head north for trekking through villages outside of Hsipaw (I have been given advice, which I will follow, on where not to go due to safety issues). No Internet for at least a few days.

Okay, I better get this sent off in case the power goes out again. Chan na, chan da ba ze (good health and good wealth in Burmese, although that is probably spelled wrong, since they could only write it using Burmese letters).

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: Minglabar...‏

Or hello from Burma!

My last evening in Yangon, I was suppose to meet up with a couchsurfer who lived there, but I was too tired from the day and it was still raining really hard. Hung out and chatted with other travelers at the hotel. Lots of business people here checking out opportunities in Burma. This place is going to be really big in just a few years, I suspect. Met some Indian and Malaysians business men, a woman from the Netherlands, an Australian teacher, a Chinese engineer who invited me to Beijing, and a Canadian who now lives in Saudia Arabia. Interesting conversations about politics and religion (both of which I do not generally talk about... Especially here in Burma), but interesting with such a diverse group.

Spent the next day exploring the city again on foot, visiting the morning food markets and stumbling into the construction/hardware stores area of town (I am not sure how I always end up at the hardware stores, no matter where I go... It is like I am channeling my dad!) It wasn't raining, but super humid and pretty warm. Everyone is so friendly, and after two days, I am running into familiar faces and stopping to chat every few blocks or so. There are the occasional touts selling bus tickets or offering money exchange, but they aren't at all pushy. Lots of children monks who are more persistent about asking for money, but I am getting better at saying no.

Just for fun, I heard there was a cheaper way to get to the bus terminal out of town. So I jumped in a truck "ferry" that brings all the boxes and packages from the stadium in the city to the bus terminal out of town with a few locals and saved a few bucks. The bus to Inle Lake was very full and I realized they sold me a local bus ticket. Many locals have said I look like I am from Myanmar, so I may be getting away with a little more than I should. But apparently, I don't look enough like a local because I was surrounded by boat, taxi, and tuktuk drivers as soon as I got off the bus at 5am.

Inle Lake was kind of a bust. Super touristy and expensive with people trying to sell you stuff everywhere. Didn't like the town so negotiated a boat deal for the day to look for cheap accommodations on the lake and then show me around. Places were $60-$100 a night, but one of the nice women at the pricy hotels helped me out and called a friend. Ended up staying in a room in a house/restaurant named Ngwe Zin Yaw for $35 right across from Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda in Thale Village. Beautiful spot except there was a loudspeaker for non-stop chanting (well, occasionally they would have to stop and cough). At least it stopped at 6pm, but they wake up even before the chickens and start back up at 4am. So ended up seeing the morning market (which was great to see early, as most locals left when boatloads of tourist showed up several hours later and I just walked a few meters back to my room). Saw the jumping cat monastery but the cats were just sleeping so just wanted to float on the lake and watch the fishermen (who can row the boat using their leg while reeling in the net) but continually got steered towards super touristy stuff like "go see the ring neck tribal women", I had enough. Headed back to town to book a bus anywhere but there.

I stumbled into a booking office with the nicest woman at a spot called Century Travel. She sold me a bus ticket to Bagan and let me hang out there until the bus came. Met her wonderful family when her husband came back after picking up the kids at school (men here seem to take a very active role around the house and with their children) and they treated me and a couple who also booked the bus to a homemade Shan noodle dinner which was the best food I have had so far.

Got to Bagan yesterday morning and got a guy with a horse cart to take me around and find a place. Expensive here as well, but finally found Eden Guesthouse that had a small room with fan, AC, and private bathroom for $15. There is a nice rooftop deck, sunsets are incredible, and I should do just fine for a few days until I can catch the local slow boat to Mandalay (heard it comes on Wednesday or Thursday). Later this morning, I am heading out with my horse cart guy to see the ruins and temples. Then maybe I will have to learn to ride a bike, since that is the good way to explore (all day I got stopped and asked why I am walking and not biking... One guy kept bugging me about renting a bike and I told him I really liked walking 'til a monk shooed him away for me and smiled).

Not a lot of Internet here (and what there is is spotty and slow) but will send another update when I can. Just know all is well, and Burma is a magical and beautiful place. Perhaps the safest place I have ever traveled.

Love,
Betsy

Email to Friends: One Night in Bangkok and Now Burma‏

The trip over was actually pretty painless. Empty flight from Seattle to Tokyo, so I got all three seats to myself and got some much needed sleep. Short layover in Tokyo (I should have gotten a picture of the airport bathroom choices of stalls... squatty potty, regular toilets, spray-your butt toilets, and some kind of family toilet where you can strap your baby in to face you while you pee). Then Tokyo to Bangkok. Spent the night in the Floral Shire "Resort" which was basic but close and clean and had a free shuttle to and from the airport with breakfast for $20 when booked over the Internet. Woke up and wandered the neighborhood in the morning. Slowly slipped into vacation mode by watching butterflies on tropical flowers, checking out the hotel neighbor's random caged animal menagerie (chipmunks and different kinds of birds), and eating street food with a bunch of taxi drivers on the curbside (chicken grilled between a split piece of lemongrass). Found a 7-11 and went to see what flavor of Slurpees they had, but alas, no Slurpees. Headed back to the big airport to catch the shuttle to the little airport across town for my flight to Yangon, Burma.

Burma is beautiful. The people are friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Yangon is an interesting mix of old and new architecture, with people of all different cultures. I have met local people from India, other areas of SE Asia, and Pakistan. It feels very safe. My hotel, Beautyland II, has great staff and it is clean and centrally located near lots of yummy street food stands, Sule Paya, and several markets. I spent the day wandering the city streets and markets and chatting with the money changers and vendors, taking in all the sights and sounds (and food) that I possibly can. My jet lag isn't too bad, but could just be travel excitement.

In the afternoon, I headed over to see the amazing Shwedagon Pagoda. I have always been in awe at pictures of this Pagoda and it is even more impressive in person. It actually took my breath away when I first walked in from the entrance. The Pagoda is huge and gilded in gold with Buddhas of all shapes and sizes. It made for a very relaxing afternoon, watching monks of all ages in prayer and listening to all of the chimes and bells. One man said to me "You must like it here because you are smiling so big!" He was right. And not shockingly, I get the "where are you from?" question here even more than at home. And I seem to confuse people with how I am Vietnamese and American.

Yangon has been fun, but after seeing Shwedagon, I am ready to move on. I am not a big fan of cities when traveling, Yangon is expensive, and it is pouring buckets (people are very concerned that I don't use an umbrella and some have even offered to walk with me so I can stay under theirs). Anyhoo, after talking with others, I have changed up my itinerary a bit. I am on an overnight bus tomorrow to Inle Lake. I will stay around there for a few days and then try to bus to Bagan to see the temples and then boat to Mandalay, if possible. Not sure how the Internet will be outside of the city, so don't worry if I don't check in for a little bit.

Hopefully, by the next time I talk with you, I will have learned how to take a shower in the typical SE Asia all-functioning in one space bathroom without getting the toilet paper wet. At least there IS toilet paper... so far.

Love,
Betsy