Unity Hotel Mandalay

... Sagaing i Inwa amb tots els mitjans de transport possible (des de pick-ups, a carros, barca i acabem fent auto-stop). La veritat es que s'ha de reconeixer que la visita d'aquesta manera tan improvitzada i dinamica es fa molt interessant no tant pel que veiem (mes i mes pagodes, mes i mes temples) sino pel fet que no sabem com acabara la cosa i ens permet a la vegada barrejar-nos amb la poblacio local i esquivar els controls turistics (aixi ens estalviem els 10$ de l'entrada que ...

... delicious local tea with condensed (sweet) milk. I ask her 'Inda ba malay?' and with a sigh she leads me through the dirt floor kitchen and vaguely waves at a pile of leaves out the back... Back in the teashop the match has started and Barcelona score a goal. It's hard to tell who the reserved Bamar are rooting for. We pay our bill (40c for two teas), locate Edgar in the teashop opposite, Barcelona score another goal and thinking of the impending ...

... also drawing from Myanmar's own gas reserves. Under the March 27 agreement, a gas pipeline will tap into Myanmar's reserves at the Shwe gas fields, and an oil pipeline will carry Middle East and African crude that is currently transported in tankers through the Malacca Strait to China. Construction of the US$1.5 billion oil pipeline and the $1 billion gas pipeline will begin soon and is expected to be completed by 2013. China's largest oil and gas company ...

... with water mixed with a type of fruit that makes suds. It is brushed and rubbed with beads that turns the bowl from white to a silver shine. It would take 2 men one month to create a large bowl (like the size you would use for a dinner party for a vegetable dish). <br><br>In the shop I purchased a necklace, matching earrings and a bracelet with charms for $35 US (bartered from $48). <br><br>I did not go into the next Paya. Bill went into Hsinmyashin Paya (the one with many ...

... at Royal City Hotel and we checked in. The young lady at the desk provided us with some tea and was able to book our boat ride (15 hours again) to Bagan and our flights to Inle Lake and Yangon. We met Bob Truant from Alaska in the lobby. He is teaching English here. He gave us some great advice on restaurants - To To ...

... of strange looks from the locals, but I'm getting used to that. At one point there was 5 people (including me) hanging off the back and 28 people sat inside. The pick up can comfortably sit 10. Amarapura is nice enough, but I was here to see the bridge. Walking along, there are people playing football, listening to music out of their cars and a photo shoot for what appears to be either a ...

... he had told it, we had heard it over a dozen times. The next day, we trek up Mandalay hill where we are assaulted by a bushel of cuteness. The first was a girl selling postcards at the bottom. It was easy to part with a 1000 Kyat for the postcards. At the top of the hill, I met a lawyer and one of his English students. He was looking to practice his English, and I accomodated, talking about the various simple things ...

... usually cross dresses with males taking the spirit form of female Nat's and vica versa. Although I had some insight I did not know what to expect on such a large scale. Taungbyon is approximately 45 minutes from Mandalay and on the way you really got the feeling that you where attending a festival. Everybody was on the roads and heading in one direction and there was a festival spirit in the air. Once we arrived we spent an hour or so wondering around. There were hundreds of stalls ...

... from the trees. A man quickly climbs to the top and hacks off all but the innermost leaves which fall to a companion below with an oxcart. I was pleased to capture the process on a video clip, but alas it didn't make it home. More on that later. Back at the Blue Taxi, we were once again surrounded by vendors. Debbie had forestalled them on our arrival by promising her attention after our tour. As the mob closed in, she showed me a ...