Mandalay, Myanmar
I arrived in Mandalay around 3:30 PM on Wednesday (21 March) afternoon. Again the bus station was located well out of town - not sure why that is such a reoccuring them here - so I took a tri-shaw (bike powered taxi transport) into town. I was amazed that even in this large town - ~5 million people and Myanmar's second largest - a few people still waved at me with curiousity. Thailand and a lot of countries in southeast Asia have definitely lost that. It was too late by the time I checked in to see any sights, plus I was tired from waking up so early and the long, uncomfortable bus ride. So I didn't do much besides eat dinner that evening.
Thursday (22 March) I hired a tri-shaw driver to take me around the city for the day as the city is too spread out for walking. My first stop was Mandalay Hill. From the pagoda on top - ~250 meters up - you have some fine - if hazy - views of Mandalay and its surroundings. I spent a while there relaxing and watching people and sights. We drove around the huge Mandalay Palace but the unavoidable $10 admission which goes straight to the government was too much to bare so I didn't go in. It was an impressive structure however. My next stop was Mahamuni Paya which, while nice, was also just another pagoda, and I've seen my share of over the past 6 months. It was late afternoon by the time I was finished there so I decided to call it a day. Back at the guesthouse I booked my bus ticket to Bagan leaving the next day. There really isn't a whole lot to do in Mandalay and a lot of people don't care for it much. I however enjoyed it, but thought that a day and a half there was enough.
Friday (23 March) I took the bus to Bagan, Myanmar. This was the first bus that there had actually been other foreigners on and there were several on this one. Which is strange because there is a popular boat ride down from Mandalay to Bagan that many people take. I would have taken it but it was 5 times the price of the bus ride! Fortunately the most crowded and most uncomfortable bus ride to date was only 10 hours long....
Thursday (22 March) I hired a tri-shaw driver to take me around the city for the day as the city is too spread out for walking. My first stop was Mandalay Hill. From the pagoda on top - ~250 meters up - you have some fine - if hazy - views of Mandalay and its surroundings. I spent a while there relaxing and watching people and sights. We drove around the huge Mandalay Palace but the unavoidable $10 admission which goes straight to the government was too much to bare so I didn't go in. It was an impressive structure however. My next stop was Mahamuni Paya which, while nice, was also just another pagoda, and I've seen my share of over the past 6 months. It was late afternoon by the time I was finished there so I decided to call it a day. Back at the guesthouse I booked my bus ticket to Bagan leaving the next day. There really isn't a whole lot to do in Mandalay and a lot of people don't care for it much. I however enjoyed it, but thought that a day and a half there was enough.
Friday (23 March) I took the bus to Bagan, Myanmar. This was the first bus that there had actually been other foreigners on and there were several on this one. Which is strange because there is a popular boat ride down from Mandalay to Bagan that many people take. I would have taken it but it was 5 times the price of the bus ride! Fortunately the most crowded and most uncomfortable bus ride to date was only 10 hours long....
posted by Dustin at 3:51 AM
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