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Photo review of our journey through Myanmar (Burma)


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I am posting this review of our journey along the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar here, on the Asia forum, rather than the River Cruising forum because I think that more cruise ships are now visiting Myanmar (Burma) and there may be some useful information for their passengers plus it may encourage more people to consider a longer visit to this amazing country.

Background;

My husband and I are keen cruisers and travellers (over 40 cruises so far and over 100 countries) and we cruise for destination rather than cruise line. We are from the Midlands in the UK and are in our late 60s. My husband is extremely active whereas I have some mobility problems and can’t walk long distances anymore. This restricts my adventurous nature somewhat.

 

My intention is to give practical information together with a limited blow by blow account of what we did.

 

We chose this cruise for 2 main reasons:

The first being the itinerary…we both love unusual, exotic and historical destinations and this cruise took us 600km up the Irrawaddy river from Yangon (Rangoon) to Mandalay.

The second being the tour operator. We had had a wonderful experience with APT (Australian Pacific Touring) and their 4* subsidiary ‘TravelMarvel’ in 2014 when we used them for an excellent tour in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This itinerary (Majestic Myanmar) was very comprehensive and the price included flights from the UK, all excursions except for the balloon ride over Bagan (more about that later), all meals and drinks at meal times. Another plus was that their ship, the Princess Panhwar, was only launched in February 2016 so was brand new.

 

We sailed in mid-October 2016 which, according to our guide, was on the cusp between the wet and dry seasons. This had advantages – it was never too hot as we rarely had blazing sunshine - and disadvantages – we had lots of showers and it was often muddy under foot.

 

It was important to remember that Myanmar has only recently been opened up to tourism and is, by western standards, a very poor country with a limited infrastructure and, having been to other developing countries, we were prepared to see and experience things that seem horrible to our sensitivities. We quickly learned, however, that the proud, happy Burmese people may have lacked material possessions but they certainly made up for in community spirit and family life.

 

Firstly, let me say that we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and the ports of call. I am a compulsive note taker and, although the information is only from my personal experience, I hope it will be of use.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION.

MYANMAR.

Most local people prefer to call the country Burma as they feel the name 'Myanmar' was imposed by the military government.

The currency is the kyat (pronounced chat).

Approximately 1,000 kyat = US $1.

Currency can be obtained at ATMs in the airport, at hotels and banks. There was a kiosk at the Shwadagone Pagoda in Yangon (our first day) for money changing.

NB - ATMs and banks are few and far between in rural areas.

Changing money.

It is possible to change small amounts of money on board the ship. It is advised to get some local currency as it is virtually impossible to use US$s, cash cards or debit/credit cards anywhere other than in a very few stores in Yangon and Mandalay. I changed US$50 on board the ship and had more than enough Kyats for the whole trip.

It was completely impossible to use £/$ or credit/debit cards during the first half of the river trip. Once we reached the tourist mecca of Bagan, street vendors would accept US$.

We didn't bargain in the first week but we did with the very persistent souvenir hawkers once we reached Bagan and the stops up to Mandalay.

TIPPING.

At the moment, the people of Burma do not expect to be tipped. But, should you choose to give something then it should be in Kyats because the recipients don't have the facilities to exchange other currencies. Burmese culture dictates that people help each other with no expectation of recompense. This, of course, may change as the tourist industry grows.

MOSQITOES.

We were recommended to apply plenty of insect repellent which I did although we saw very few flies.

MARKETS.

We visited several markets, some in towns and others in the villages. They were all bustling and colourful but some were easier to browse around than others.

I thought the markets in MINHLA and MAGWE were the perfect places to shop.......clean and no hassle.... whereas the market in NAUNG OO, BAGAN was awful........dirty, narrow streets, very muddy and lots of pestering.

The stalls within the temple complexes were much nicer although there was quite a lot of pressure to buy if you showed any interest.

SCHOOL VISITS.

Before we left home, I had seen information that we would be visiting schools and it was acceptable to hand out school supplies. I had a lot of pencils and pens left over from a long teaching career so I packed those along with small packs of paper and some cheap calculators bought from a charity shop.

Once on board, we were informed that we would be visiting 2 schools and to give things to the children rather than the teachers (?!). I actually found this rather distasteful as some children ended up with huge amounts of items and some got hardly anything. I would have preferred to give things to the teachers or school principle for distribution to the classrooms.

The guides gave us opportunities to purchase school supplies in the markets.

 

PRINCESS PANHWAR. The ship seemed typical of the few others that we saw along the river so I assume that some of this information may be relevant to ships used by different tour operatives.

31744205685_8fc1ed1319_c.jpgIMG_5382 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

The ship has:

3 passenger decks –

There were 68 passengers on our sailing. Their ages ranged from mid-40s to late 70s and we came in a variety of shapes and sizes. People came mainly from the UK, Australia and New Zealand with a sprinkling from the US and Canada.

Main deck comprises of:

cabins, all of which have large picture windows which open wide onto a ‘Juliet’ balcony.

The Mandalay restaurant.

The reception desk.

The shoe baskets. These are numbered by cabin. Before disembarking, you put your 'slip-on sandals' (provided when we first boarded) in the basket and collect your clean outdoor shoes. Once back on board, you put your outdoor shoes in the basket and put on the sandals. All outdoor shoes are then cleaned by crew members.

31368156060_858749c313_c.jpgIMG_5632 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The embarking/disembarking area.......before disembarking you hand your key to the receptionist who then gives you a numbered boarding card. You reverse the swap when you return to the ship.

Upper deck.

All cabins have narrow balconies.

The 2 suite cabins are forward facing and have larger balconies

Sun deck.

There is a bar, comfortable undercover seating, sun loungers, towels, chairs and tables and an open sun deck.

31626750371_bfc1771edb_c.jpgIMG_4406 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

There is a spa and a small gym plus the Kipling Lounge which has a bar, comfortable seating and a screen for presentations.

31326888730_f232f15917_c.jpgIMG_5316 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Dining.

The Mandalay restaurant is on the main deck and all meals are taken here.

It is nicely furnished with a selection of tables and booths which all seat 4 people - all meals are 'open seating'.

There is a central island from where food options are collected.

Drinks are waiter served.

An example of each 'Main course' meal was displayed at the restaurant entrance and a member of staff was available to explain the ingredients. This was very helpful as it enabled us to make more informed choices.

31625551431_4f5797f185_c.jpgIMG_5550 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31595017992_37f8a5a8de_c.jpgIMG_5489 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Breakfast.

Usually served between 07.00 and 09.00 but is subject to alterations if necessitated by the itinerary.

It is all self-service.

The food options are mainly western style. There is an egg station where omelettes etc. are made to order.

Other options include:

Cold items

Fruits, yogurts, cheese, cold cuts, cereals, juices, breads, jams, marmalade, honey, peanut butter, marmite and pastries.

Hot items

Bacon, sausage (not as we know it), baked beans, tomatoes, hash browns and waffles/pancakes.

Lunch

Usually served between 12.15 and 13.30 but subject to change.

Appetisers and desserts were self-serve along with salads and sandwiches. There was a choice of 3 hot dishes which had to be ordered. There was, also, a stir fry station where individual choices of ingredients were cooked to order.

Dinner.

Usually served between 19.00and 21.00 but subject to change.

This was all waiter service.

The menu consisted of choices for appetisers, salad, soup, main courses and desserts. The food was a mixture of international and local dishes.

Portions were small but adequate.

Drinks

House wine and beer was complementary at lunch and dinner. Soft drinks were complementary all day.

Complementary tea and coffee plus small biscuits were available at the sun deck bar from 06.00 until 18.00

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Cabin 108. (lower passenger deck)

All cabins except the 2 suites have the same floor space.

Our cabin has a large picture window where the 2 middle sections open and there is a 'Juliet’ balcony.

We have a large king sized bed with a duvet and 2x2 good quality pillows.

31705320276_686933422e_c.jpgIMG_5397 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31606246871_e49bf2e0a0_c.jpgIMG_4781 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Other amenities are:

Bedside tables with lamps, a large desk with 8 drawers and a cupboard plus a desk chair, a flat screen tv, desk lamp, 8 bottles of water.... replenished as needed, telephone, fridge, safe, wardrobes with coat hangers, 2 arm chairs and a small table, bench seating, bath robes, hair dryer, ice bucket, plug sockets which take US/European plugs and

2 radio receivers and their charger

En-suite bathroom

Large shower cubicle with movable shower head and fixed overhead 'rain' shower head, toilet, sink, face, hand and bath towels.

L'Occitane toiletries - shower gel, liquid soap, moisturising lotion, shampoo, conditioner, shower cap, sewing kit.

MISSING I was a bit disappointed that we didn't have

Tea and coffee making facilities in the non-suite cabins and a full length mirror.

TVs don't have the facility to play DVDs and TV reception is very infrequent and patchy.

 

TOURS AND GROUPS.

There are 3 English speaking guides so passengers are divided into 3 groups. Our guides were charming and spoke excellent, although sometimes quirky, English.

The guides rotate so the groups get a different guide each time

There are 2 types of tours.......ones that involve transport and ones that are just walking tours.

Passengers choose their group for walking tours on the basis of their walking ability - fast, moderate (regular) and slow (gentle).

Passengers were allocated groups by their cabin number for the coach tours at the beginning of the cruise and we remained in those groups for the duration.

Myanmar is very much a 'developing country' with a much poorer infrastructure than we, in the west, are used to so it was important to realise that the quality of the transport vehicles, the road systems, toilet facilities and sights were very different from what we would expect at home.

Most tours tended to be short (generally 2.5 hours) mainly because there wasn't a lot to see.

The Burmese people were delightful and found us very interesting. For the first week, until we reached the Bagan area, they were 'tourist unaware' so we were never pestered to buy things and prices were not increased because we were there........no doubt this will change over time as more tourists visit the lowered reaches of the Irrawaddy.

Once we reached the more well-known areas we did get pestered and were offered, sometimes quite aggressively, a range of souvenirs at outrageous prices. It was important to bargain and payment could be made in US$ and local currency.

 

Day 1 and 2 were spent travelling as we stayed overnight in London before our Thai Airways flight to Bangkok so

 

Cruise Day 1. Saturday 29th October 2016

Bangkok to Yangon

A.M. Bangkok - Overcast and muggy

P.M. Yangon - Overcast with a short shower around noon and then it cleared up and it was sunny during the afternoon. Hot and humid

 

The flight from London landed on time at 05.50 in Bangkok so it was 11 hours from take-off to landing.

 

The 'assistance' was waiting as soon as we disembarked and we were whisked through the security screening and very large airport to the gate......very efficient!

 

While we were waiting at the gate several more 'Irrawaddy Cruisers' arrived so we will have 'English' company on the ship.

 

The Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Yangon was only 85 minutes so I was surprised to get a hot snack and hot drink. We had a very tasty noodles and chicken dish followed by a chocolate cake. There was a small bottle of water and we then had a choice of hot/cold drinks.

30902288504_b3c3e506a0_c.jpgIMG_5341 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The flight was smooth and there was an 'assistant' with a wheel chair waiting at the plane exit and once again I was whisked through the formalities. I had pre-purchased the e-visa and that speeded up the process.

 

Once we had got our cases we headed out of the secure area and were met by 2 TravelMarvel reps who informed us the ship was undergoing some necessary maintenance work so we were being taken to the PARKROYAL hotel for the night.

This was disappointing but, in the end it worked out ok. The hotel was very nice and the food was excellent.

 

At 15.30 the group got together for our first trip which was to the GREAT SCHWEDAGONE PAGODA......the largest in Myanmar.

Before we set off Terry, our cruise director, gave us information about the tour, arrangements for joining the ship and handed out the receivers and ear pieces that we would be using to hear our guide.

We were told that, on all visits to holy places we must walk barefoot as it is considered disrespectful to wear something on your feet. We would be provided with 'wet wipes' at the exit.

 

It was a 20-minute drive to the Pagoda so we saw a bit of central Yangon which is a bustling city full of fast fading colonial buildings and lush but dishevelled park areas.

31743876425_6fd7a80577_c.jpgIMG_5372 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31596886802_d9c05a037a_c.jpgIMG_5364 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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The GREAT SCHWEDAGONE PAGODA complex was huge, very colourful and very busy with tourists and local families.

The buildings were impressive, especially the magnificent gold stupas. We spent about 2 hours walking round as our guide explained the significance of the different buildings and the actions and beliefs of the Buddhist faith.

31706561186_68ea1104df_c.jpgIMG_4247 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30932948933_bbba5362c6_c.jpgIMG_5394 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31744057185_6c5125b4d0_c.jpgIMG_4292 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

Practical information.

We were divided into 3 groups and had one of the cruise staff members as a guide and another as an assistant.

Shoes and socks had to be removed at the entrance.

Shoes were put in a basket along with those from the other people from our coach.

There were toilets and a small shop at the entrance.

Everyone was security screened.

There were lifts to take us up to the temple complex.

The temple complex is huge and there was quite a lot of walking involved.

Photography was allowed in almost all areas but we were asked to be discreet when taking pictures where there were people.

We were given wet wipes to use on our feet as we collected our shoes.

 

We returned to the hotel at 17.30 and it was great to have a shower after the long journey and hot afternoon walking around the Pagoda.

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Cruise Day 2. Sunday 30th October 2016

Boarded the Princess Panhwar and set sail for Maubin.

A.M. Overcast, heavy rain and muggy in Yangon.

P.M. hot and sunny.

 

The day started when the alarm went off at 05.45 and I made coffee and finished packing as the large cases had to be out for collection by 06.30.

We all met in the lobby just before 07.00 for the 15-minute transfer to the ship.

30933147093_185387b8c1_c.jpgIMG_4333 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Once on board we explored our room (108), which was very nicely appointed, before going for breakfast at 08.30.

 

We spent the rest of the morning unpacking before we had to attend the 'orientation meeting' at 11.00.

 

After lunch, we played scrabble on deck and enjoyed watching the ever-changing scenery. It was wonderful to see the small villages, Buddhist temples and people going about their daily tasks along the river bank.

31596148812_3706019f43_c.jpgIMG_4338 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30901381744_ebef899376_c.jpgIMG_4345 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

At 14.30 the ship pulled into the small town of Maubin where we were greeted by local people performing a traditional dance.

 

At 15.30 all guests were invited to take part in a walking tour of the town. There were 3 groups and passengers chose which one fitted their walking speed. DH did the 'adventurous' group (fast) which had the most people and I chose the 'gentle' group (slow)......3 passengers, the guide, Zaw, and his assistant.

We were shown the best of Maubin which, to be honest, consisted of a few very decrepit colonial buildings and a few shops, food stalls and a temple. Materially, compared to us, the people are incredibly poor but everyone smiled and made us feel very welcome although I'm not sure whether it was the locals or us that were the attraction.

Zaw, our guide, explained about the area and how the people live. We were invited into the local lawyer's home which just confirmed what a 'hand to mouth' existence the people lead. However, we were made so welcome it was almost heart-breaking.

Our walk lasted for 90 minutes and, once back on board, the ship continued on its journey up river.

31596033612_55c873919f_c.jpgIMG_4391 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31596073862_6a0b933326_c.jpgIMG_4372 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31595913662_0e24694a01_c.jpgIMG_5411 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We sat up on deck for a while and watched the sunset before returning to the cabin to get changed for the evening.

There was a cocktail reception with drinks and canapés while the crew members were introduced, the hotel manager did the safety drill and the CD explained about the groups for tomorrow's tri-shaw ride in Danuphyu.

 

The outside of our bedroom window was covered in flying insects.........I don't think we shall be sitting out on deck after dark!!

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Thank you for your kind words. I would highly recommend Myanmar as a destination and here are a few more instalments....

 

Cruise Day 3. Monday 31st October 2016

Danuphyu.

A.M. Hot and sunny.

P.M. hot and sunny.

 

After breakfast, we went up on deck to watch the birds and see the docking of the ship at the small town of Danuphyu.......that's a bit of a euphemism as we stopped alongside the river bank and walked across the mud flats to the edge of the town.

 

Terry, the CD, was waiting for us and he demonstrated the correct way to get onto the seat of the tri-shaw before we were taken to our group.

Each group leader had a corresponding coloured paddle so we could identify him. All the tri-shaws for the group had correspondingly coloured flags.

30932607623_bc0051dae6_c.jpgIMG_5454 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

Once we were settled in our tri-shaw (a bit close fitting for anyone with larger hips) we set off in convoy through the town where we were as much on display as the locality. People smiled and waved to us throughout the trip.

It wasn't the most comfortable ride because the road surfaces were very uneven but it was a real experience and gave us chance to see 'everyday life' for the local people.

30901022954_c756fba278_c.jpgIMG_4431 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

Our first stop was at the local Buddhist monastery where we toured round the various buildings and saw what spartan lives the monks have.

We saw the novices, who were young boys, studying the religious texts, their sleeping quarters (just a large empty room...they sleep on the floor in their robes) and some other rooms where various religious activities take place.

By western standards the buildings were extremely dilapidated and unkempt but we are learning not to judge by outward appearances.

31626681531_13b2dfe035_c.jpgIMG_4458 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31627924021_cd1b2bbc45_c.jpgIMG_5469 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31369585680_e26cc685c5_c.jpgIMG_4444 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We were back on the tri-shaws again for the shortish, but bumpy, ride to the 'cheroot' factories. These turned out to be ordinary houses in the town where women worked to hand make a type of 'cheroot' from a mixture of tobacco and maize husks. There were huge ones which took all day to smoke and smaller ones which the more affluent people bought. Each girl made around 300 cheroots a day.

30932020603_6c75b566c2_c.jpgIMG_5480 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Edited by soccerref
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Our last stop was the local market which was busy, noisy and colourful with a huge variety of stalls selling familiar and unfamiliar foods and other items. Unfortunately, we only had 10 minutes to explore as I would have loved to have seen more.

31742631335_51e842cc54_c.jpgIMG_4473 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We had a short ride back to the dock and got back to the ship at 10.30. We set sail up river as soon as everyone was on board.

 

The rest of the day involved relaxing on board. We sat out on the sun deck and played scrabble, dozed, chatted and read before lunch.

After lunch, we sat in the cabin and watched the world go by before attending the lecture about the Irrawaddy River Delta and, later on, the information about the following day's excursion.

 

It was a surprise to find the restaurant was decorated for Hallowe'en and the food at lunch was themed to match.

31625928151_d37e550d0e_c.jpgIMG_5490 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

After dinner, there was a Hallowe'en party on deck where the crew members were in fancy dress. That was good fun and lasted for just over an hour.

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Cruise Day 4. Tuesday 1st November 2016

MAYANAUNG

A.M. Hot and sunny with a strong breeze.

P.M. hot and sunny. Torrential rain and thunder storm late evening

 

The ship had been moored overnight by the river bank and was due to sail at 07.00 so DH decided to get up at 06.00 to do some fishing!!!

He didn't catch anything but it was funny to see him fishing out of the window.

31625913211_3effb4650f_c.jpgIMG_5498 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

The ship was sailing up stream for a few hours before stopping at MAYANAUNG so we had a lazy morning. It was extremely windy so we spent a bit of time outdoors but mostly inside. It was amazing to see the sand storms along the river banks and the tiny fishing boats rocking in the strong wind.

 

The ship arrived at MAYANAUNG at 14.15 and we disembarked at 15.00. There was a proper jetty and then some steep steps up to the road.

DH was in the 'fast group' along with about 30 others while I was in the 'slow group' with 3 other passengers.

31595157322_6ff6141336_c.jpgIMG_4496 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

I know we didn't see everything (we didn't get to the Catholic Church) but we did get individual attention especially in the market where we all bought lengths of fabric to be made into 'longyis' (the traditional wrap-round garment) for between 3,000 and 6,000 kyats (£2&£4). These were sewn into a tube for 500kyats (0.50p). We will learn how to wear them as the locals do tomorrow.

31741593185_eaebe22fee_c.jpgIMG_5534 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We saw the local school, temple, mosque, shops and many faded colonial buildings. The town seemed marginal more prosperous than the one we visited yesterday.

31594779162_8ee4ff12d5_c.jpgIMG_4533 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30899858674_945b7db5b4_c.jpgIMG_5540 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

Terry brought our group back to the ship at 16.15 and we sailed at 16.30.

31704071936_d8e411dab8_c.jpgIMG_4551 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We spent a bit of time in the cabin before joining the rest of the passengers for the briefing about tomorrow's itinerary at 18.45.

 

As we made our way up to the Kipling Lounge after dinner to watch a film about the Burmese sea gypsies we were surprised to see that we were in the midst of a ferocious thunder storm with torrential rain! The rain continued throughout the night but the wind abated by midnight.

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Cruise Day 5. Wednesday 2nd November 2016

Prome

A.M. Hot with sunny intervals. Light showers.

P.M. Hot and humid with mixed sunshine and heavy showers and some thunder.

 

We noticed that the landscape has changed as we sailed up river. We left the flat, low lying delta area and have moved into the hillier area. There are mountains in the distance.

 

At 09.00 the ship sailed slowly by the face of AKAUK TAUNG (Custom House Mountain) where we could see the hundreds of Buddha statues of all sizes carved into the rock. It was obviously a place of pilgrimage as there were boat loads of people heading towards the site. It was very impressive.

30931715133_8ba94bfd2d_c.jpgIMG_4560 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30931702903_67aea4f4de_c.jpgIMG_4567 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We played scrabble before going along to the 'longyi and thanakhar' demonstrations where we learned to tie the longyi and saw how the thanakhar powder was made. The powder is used as a facial decoration and is supposed to be good for the skin and also acts as sun protection.

31889452640_2a6556be19_c.jpgIMG_5448 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

It was fascinating to see how many different ways the longyi tube of fabric can be used.....as a lower limb cover, to make a form of shorts with and without a front pocket, headdress for fashion/as a pad for carrying things on the head/'hoody'/hijab, a baby sling and more.....necessity is definitely the mother of invention!

31625342491_fdd793c499_c.jpgIMG_5577 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30931356703_acc0febd32_c.jpgIMG_5578 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31625335401_8cc30fd0fb_c.jpgIMG_5580 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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At 13.30 the ship arrived at the mooring place in PROME (Pyay in Burmese). This turned out to be the riverbank with a few uneven dirt steps up to the roadway.

We all disembarked at 14.30ish to begin the tour.

We were in our 'coach groups', orange for us, and the coaches were modern and of a good standard.

Our guide on this trip was Zaw who told us a bit about the town as we travelled through the centre. It was a relatively modern city by Burmese standards with lots of shops and cafes.

31741368255_c5d2953239_c.jpgIMG_5589 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

The journey to the museum took us out into the countryside where we saw the rice paddy fields and the small farming communities.

31368295290_07d5dbf36b_c.jpgIMG_4588 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The museum was part of the SRI KSETRA COMPLEX which was the capital of the PYU kingdom from 1,000BC. It is the only archaeological site in Burma and is a World Heritage Site.

It was interesting although there wasn't a lot to see of the original buildings - just parts of the walls. The museum was clean and had information in English. I found the exhibits very interesting.

30931434043_3fbde26154_c.jpgIMG_4585 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31741354105_17da8a944e_c.jpgIMG_5605 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31741348715_f7e1ab020b_c.jpgIMG_5609 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

There were clean, western style toilets, a small souvenir shop and a visitors' information centre where I bought a beautiful hair slide for 1,000kyats (£0.60).

We spent half an hour there and during that time the rain started and there was a thunder storm.

 

Our second stop was a short walk around a Buddhist Stupa before we were taken back into town.

31594411852_c2fe0f3136_c.jpgIMG_5613 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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The last visit of the day was to the SHWESANDAW PAGODA - one of the biggest and most spectacular in Burma.

 

This Pagoda was at the top of the hill with 140 steps to reach the top. Fortunately, there was a lift as well so passengers had the option to walk or, in my case, ride…..thank goodness!

31625252201_5c6ac356fd_c.jpgIMG_5630 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

DH said that there were lots of souvenir stalls on the stairway.

30931408883_1e522c8350_c.jpgIMG_4597 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

Once at the top, the groups met up again. As it was still drizzling we had to be very careful walking as the tiled floor was extremely slippery. The rain also forced the guides to shorten the visit.

It was a beautiful Pagoda with a huge golden statue of Buddha plus an enormous statue built on the hill opposite the main Pagoda buildings. We were lucky to see a rainbow framing the statue.

31703617556_0009888207_c.jpgIMG_5626 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31703615546_2212e0d38c_c.jpgIMG_5628 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31368261120_9a32deb239_c.jpgIMG_4614 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The busses then took us back to the ship and we sailed just after 17.00.

 

We went up on deck for a little while before showering, having dinner and watching the programme 'the Last King of Burma'

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Cruise Day 6. Thursday 3rd November 2016

Thayetmyo

A.M. Hot and sunny

P.M. Hot and sunny

 

We docked at the small but busy town of Thayetmyo at 10.00.

 

It was a steep climb up the river bank to our chosen means of transportation for the morning. I'm glad that I had decided on the 'tuk-tuk rather than the pony cart as it was easier to get on and had more appropriate seating for me.

30897704784_ee919122aa_c.jpgIMG_5638 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30929436163_b74f1c61e6_c.jpgIMG_4624 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

Once everyone was settled we set off in convoy for the 15-minute drive through the countryside to our first stop which was, of all things, a golf course! This was built by the British and opened in 1887.

31592415172_5916400eb3_c.jpgIMG_5651 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The club house appeared to be just a wooden shed but there could have been a better building elsewhere. We spent 40 minutes having a putting competition between the tour groups which ended with the blue group winning the trophy.

31592380572_c44a730249_c.jpgIMG_5660 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31592376142_c5c946d6ed_c.jpgIMG_5662 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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From there we moved on to the town centre of Thayetmyo. On the way, we had the fire station, 'correctional facility' and the hospital proudly pointed out to us.

Once in the town centre we were given 30 minutes to wander through the market and the streets.

31623564401_a08411ecb3_c.jpgIMG_4645 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31739511035_58f0d65d9f_c.jpgIMG_4653 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31592359372_8f06af4152_c.jpgIMG_5673 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We had a walk in the market which was a rabbit warren of narrow passageways filled to bursting with colourful stalls selling every imaginable product. There was no hassle and everyone was smiling and friendly. We caused quite a stir and became objects of curiosity.

I spotted a shop that had football strips hanging up outside so we went in to have a look and ended up with a strip for each of our two young grandsons for 7,000kyats (£4.20)

 

The last stop was the post office which was built in 1887 by the British and is still in operation today.

31366298230_22b86a0a29_c.jpgIMG_4655 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31592491032_a817daa8ac_c.jpgIMG_4654 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We were back on the ship at 12.00 and sailed almost immediately.

 

After lunch, we went up to the sun deck for a while but my nose was running so badly and I was sneezing and snuffling so much that I went down to the cabin and had a couple of hours on the bed where I had a doze.

Unfortunately, I missed the cookery demonstration but felt that it wasn't a good place to be under the circumstances.

In the end, we had dinner and I retired to bed as I didn't want to spread my germs any further.

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Cruise Day 7. Friday 4th November 2016

Minhla and Magwe

A.M. Very, very hot and sunny

P.M. Very hot and sunny with a heavy shower mid afternoon

Today was a bit different as there was a morning visit and a late afternoon visit with some cruising in between.

 

The morning tour was a walking tour to MINHLA FORT which was the site of a significant battle during the 3rd Anglo-Burmese war.

We docked at 09.45 and, once again, it was alongside the river bank where there was quite a steep climb up the mud steps to the road. There were plenty of crew members to assist passengers up the slope.

31366294100_b817791c5e_c.jpgIMG_4660 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

It was a 5-minute walk to the fort where Terry explained the significance and we had a few minutes to explore on our own. The fort, although small, is quite well preserved and people could walk around the walls where there were good views across the Irrawaddy River.

30897757304_64a101fe38_c.jpgIMG_4662 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31623309571_d2445d95cd_c.jpgIMG_5698 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31701590346_f7fe8cd0e6_c.jpgIMG_5699 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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From the fort we walked through Minhla village to the market where we had 20 minutes to look round independently. We were greeted with smiles and became quite an attraction ourselves.

31592465462_39107a3882_c.jpgIMG_4673 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30897729614_3945f1290c_c.jpgIMG_4681 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31739481695_ee7aaf23d0_c.jpgIMG_4684 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

On the way back to the ship, Terry showed us a typical Burmese village home and we were invited inside. 5 families lived together in a fairly small space with, to us, virtually no 'mod cons'.

31366256010_be3eda0dd7_c.jpgIMG_4689 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31739473415_4cb3b9daab_c.jpgIMG_4690 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We were back on board by 11.00 and set sail again.

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We docked in MAGWE after lunch and it was interesting watching local people using the river to wash themselves and their clothing and then seeing all the longyi laid out on the river bank to dry.

31366139480_7f2ab57cc0_c.jpgIMG_4702 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31701648766_4b8959d586_c.jpgIMG_4704 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30897475564_0a23f695e8_c.jpgIMG_5722 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We left the ship at 15.00 to board the busses for the tour of the town. Magwe is a regional centre so fairly prosperous with a bustling city centre and huge market.30897472314_0cf441d3e7_c.jpgIMG_5724 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31701646406_07f6abfdf2_c.jpgIMG_4705 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We had 20 minutes to explore the market area and I bought a watch to replace the one that had lost its glass. It cost 4000kyats (£2.40)

 

The bus then took us to see the statue of General Aung San Bagyoke, the founder of the modern Burmese army.

31366128180_2bf376311e_c.jpgIMG_4711 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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The last stop of the day was the Myathalon Pagoda.

30929123443_a59cd2fde1_c.jpgIMG_5727 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30897553254_cb3bf6ba38_c.jpgIMG_4721 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

31739201045_8b1e798224_c.jpgIMG_5732 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

30929120093_45c8779cf3_c.jpgIMG_5729 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We are getting used to taking our shoes off and also becoming familiar with the different parts of the pagodas.

This time we had been asked to find out the day on which we were born so we could ask for a blessing at the appropriate area of the Pagoda.

I was born on a Sunday so my symbol is 'Garuda'.

DH was born on a Friday so his symbol is a 'guinea pig'.

We found our symbols, poured water 3 times on the small statue of Buddha in the traditional way and then hit the bell 3 times to confirm the blessing.

31701633406_b69c610312_c.jpgIMG_4720 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The terrace of the Pagoda afforded great views along the river and the buildings were beautifully decorated. We spent 40 minutes at the Pagoda before heading back to the bus along the path lined with the cafes and stalls.

31366029560_6f8fee233c_c.jpgIMG_5741 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We were back on board just after 17.00 and, after having a shower and attending the 'team briefing' we enjoyed dinner.

We watched the final instalment of the film 'The Lady'......the story of the daughter of General Aung San before

retiring for the night.

Edited by soccerref
wrong photo
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Cruise Day 8. Saturday 5th November 2016

Salay

A.M. Overcast and hot with sunny intervals

P.M. Hot and mainly sunny

We were sailing for most of the day so there was a lecture at 10.00 about Buddhism and then we docked at 15.00.

We had options today on which group to be in:

The fast walkers group was doing a complete walking tour of the village, the regular and slow walkers groups had transport provided for at least part of the way.

DH went with the fast walkers, of course, and I went on the local open sided mini-bus.

31348551430_35ce6dc124_c.jpgIMG_5779 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We had our first taste of souvenir sellers today who were very persistent and even followed the group on motor bikes to the monastery!

We drove through the village of SALAY which was founded by the British Oil Corporation (BOC) in the 1860s so there were quite a few colonial style buildings.

 

We were taken to the Yoke Sone Kyaung monastery which was the oldest surviving wooden monastery in Burma and dates from 1882. It was an attractive building but the best part was seeing the skill of the resident artist who created monochrome paintings of local scenes and sold them for 2,000kyats each (£1.20).

31684247896_e0e930e76e_c.jpgIMG_5790 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31721865915_a33b885001_c.jpgIMG_5789 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We walked a little way to another Pagoda where we had a short time to look round before being taken back to the boat in the local transport.

30911886313_65b61b1681_c.jpgIMG_5798 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31721833135_62c70a2e2e_c.jpgIMG_5797 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

The 'fast' walking group were given the opportunity to stop at a cafe/bar where DH had a local beer before they walked back to the ship.

 

It was 'longyi' party night so the briefing was earlier than usual, at 18.15, before the 'Mr & Mrs Princess Panhwar contest' took place. It was nice to see so many passengers dressed in their longyis and fun to see crew members dressed up too.

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Cruise Day 9. Sunday 6th November 2016

BAGAN AND TANT KYI TAUNG

A.M. Overcast and hot with sunny intervals.

P.M. Overcast and hot with sunny intervals.

 

The morning excursion was to the Tant Kyi Pagoda which was situated at the highest point on the TANT KYI mountain range.

Our mode of transport was in mini busses and, with just 4 passengers per bus, there was plenty of room.

We left the ship at 10.00 and headed along a very bumpy road to a car park beside what looked like a large barn. Terry had told us the night before that there was a surprise and we were surprised when we had to get off after only a 3-minute journey. We were escorted into the 'barn' where we were entertained by the village band and 2 young men doing the 'elephant dance'..... a bit like a Chinese dragon dance. Virtually all the people in the village had come out to see the show and took great delight in seeing us.

31348153340_54d803c99d_c.jpgIMG_5813 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31575072002_0ab9631f07_c.jpgIMG_4789 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31575077002_0766b65152_c.jpgIMG_4785 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

From there we got back in the busses and headed along extremely bumpy dirt roads which took us through villages, across streams and up into the hills. After 20 minutes, we reached the Pagoda where there were spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and the Irrawaddy River.

31605744601_b7c25ea4b1_c.jpgIMG_4813 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30911516313_aa2406820b_c.jpgIMG_4815 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We spent 45 minutes at the Pagoda complex where there were toilets and a small selection of souvenir shops before embarking on the equally bumpy return journey.

31744201695_9edf157e92_c.jpgIMG_5826 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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30879063294_9cf7c58acf_c.jpgIMG_5844 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31720915005_c8f89443d2_c.jpgIMG_5845 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We were back on board at 12.30 and the ship sailed across the river to Bagan while we had lunch.

After a short rest, we got off at 15.00 for the walk along the river bank to the waiting coaches. It was strange to see 3 other river cruisers moored alongside after so many days without really seeing other tourists.

31683441776_8e95ae7c10_c.jpgIMG_4903 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31348244430_4b1fd42f3f_c.jpgIMG_4816 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

It was only a short ride before we began to see some of the 2,237 religious buildings that are scattered across the plain of BAGAN. The scene was so familiar from having seen many, many pictures of Bagan and yet it was still very moving to actually be there.

The bus travelled along several different roads so we could see pagodas and temples of all shapes and sizes.

We had chance to get off at 2 of the smaller temples for short guided tours

30911489853_03b090d986_c.jpgIMG_4837 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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We spent most of the time at the SHWE SANDAW PAGODA where it was possible to climb up to the 5th level for amazing views over the other buildings. The staircases were extremely steep and a bit precarious so I didn't go up but the more agile passengers got some fabulous photographs from the top.

31605704801_ddedd73197_c.jpgIMG_4842 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31348190120_65edcce28b_c.jpgIMG_4849 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31347738390_dfe44aa63d_c.jpgIMG_4891 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30911450623_4a79d80885_c.jpgIMG_4871 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31721439785_05a8688e95_c.jpgIMG_4861 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31348177050_fb8f1598f7_c.jpgIMG_4858 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

There were a lot of food stalls, souvenir stalls and hawkers around the base of the temple which got a bit annoying.

Passengers had the option to return to the ship at different times depending on how long they wanted to spend at the temple.

 

Dinner was at 19.00 as usual and the evening entertainment was a general knowledge quiz.

 

As we left the lounge the rain was torrential and I wondered whether we would be able to do the balloon ride the following day. The balloon experience was the only optional tour offered by APT and I had booked it several months before we travelled. It cost £206pp.

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Cruise Day 10. Monday 7th November 2016

Bagan and balloon ride.

A.M. Overcast and hot with sunny intervals.

P.M. Overcast and hot with sunny intervals and heavy showers.

 

I didn't sleep well last night as I was excited and nervous about the balloon ride over Bagan.

The alarm went off at 04.15 so we had time to get up and do ablutions before leaving the ship at 05.00.

We had received tickets and a waiver to sign yesterday and had been told to wear long trousers and a long-sleeved top.

There were 9 of us and we met in reception just before 05.00 where our ship's escort was waiting to guide us along the river bank to the pick-up point.

It had obviously been raining hard during the night as the sandy bank was very wet with rivulets running into the river and, as I couldn't see any stars, it was obviously still very cloudy so I was beginning to doubt if the flight would take place.

When we got to the bottom of the steps we were met by a representative of the balloon company who handed out cards which confirmed my expectation.......the flight was cancelled due to the weather conditions! Oh well, we can't have everything but it was disappointing and I don't think we will have the opportunity to do it tomorrow.

We were back on board at 05.25 and ready for breakfast....

 

Today's morning tour was by coach and we set off at 09.00. The first stop was the market in NAUNG OO, BAGAN. It was a 20-minute drive across the Bagan Plain so we got to see more of the pagodas along the way.

We had 30 minutes there but I think everyone had had enough after 10 minutes because the passageways were narrow and the floor was muddy after last night's torrential rain. The vendors were very persistent and almost aggressive so we were glad to get back on the coach.

31574223232_94e540478b_c.jpgIMG_4904 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30879139754_b9450deb8e_c.jpgIMG_4905 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31573948052_01a708751d_c.jpgIMG_5861 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

On the way to the second stop we had a photo opportunity at the SHWESIGONE PAGODA.

31347703040_8252983109_c.jpgIMG_4912 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31605151581_cc6eef44f5_c.jpgIMG_4915 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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The second stop was at the very beautiful ANANDA TEMPLE which has undergone an extensive programme of cleaning and restoration so it was possible to see the outside of the temple as it would have been when it was built.

The 4-enormous standing Buddha statues were also extremely impressive.

There were souvenir stalls along the passageway to the inner sanctum and toilets were available.

We were there for almost an hour but could have spent more time.......very unusual!

30878822924_44092d77ae_c.jpgIMG_5894 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30910583563_e03fc5b53c_c.jpgIMG_5878 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31683326616_34170ce99a_c.jpgIMG_4926 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31347652400_d2a58b8c54_c.jpgIMG_4937 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31347648700_b77c7f7d68_c.jpgIMG_4940 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

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Our last stop of the morning was at the HTILOMIMLO TEMPLE COMPLEX where we had 50 minutes.

31683292446_62c2477097_c.jpgIMG_4958 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31604921201_1632b3f1ae_c.jpgIMG_4989 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

The temple itself was a fine example of the genre but the most interesting part of this visit was the chance to see the 'sand painters' using the ancient technique to create beautiful religious artwork

30858605674_f381ea6be6_c.jpgIMG_5902 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

and the ladies of the Kayan tribe who are sometimes called the 'ring neck' people.

30910712593_33392e83a6_c.jpgIMG_4964 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31347503960_fd81ea7a73_c.jpgIMG_4969 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

I had always thought that the practice of extending the length of a person's neck with metal rings was a tradition in parts of Africa but it has been used in parts of Burma for a long time although it has virtually stopped now.

 

There were a large number of souvenir stalls but, thankfully, very little 'hard sell'. Toilets were available.

30890280623_b002a5eb2a_c.jpgIMG_5913 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

We were back on board at 12.15 and lunch was a little later at 13.00-14.00.

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The afternoon excursion left at 15.30 and was to the LACQUER WORKSHOP. It was a 20-minute drive through a different part of the Bagan Plain so we saw more of the edifices before arriving at the workshop.

We saw the process of producing lacquer work articles from the original bamboo stems through the long process of creating the object shapes, the layering of the lacquer, the decorating and the polishing to the final product. It is a long and labour intensive activity and it became understandable why real lacquer objects are so expensive.

31700173665_f7b72a2f1c_c.jpgIMG_5914 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31327695790_5f3851559c_c.jpgIMG_5920 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

31683235346_107f624d61_c.jpgIMG_5002 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

 

30890237773_4b5cb4f70c_c.jpgIMG_5928 by isabel Rushton, on Flickr

We had the opportunity to buy ware in the shop after the demonstrations. The visit was scheduled to be over an hour but that was too long. Unfortunately, it began to rain heavily so we weren't able to have a stroll around the area so a lot of us sat on the bus.

 

There was one stop on the way back to the boat which was at another group of temples and then we were back on board at 17.30.

 

The evening entertainment was a puppet show put on by a father and daughter team. Terry and Se Thu explained the significance of each puppet and the meaning of the dance. It was very good but got a bit repetitive towards the end.

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