Christmas in Hsipaw

Raymond's Travel Page

Htilominlo Temple

December 22

We managed to see the palace at last. Only one section, the Shwenandaw Kyaung, remains of the original huge palace. The taxi could only go as far as the entrance and it was a long walk in but quite worth the trouble.

We took front seats in a pick-up to Pyin U Lwin, a hill station formerly known as Maymo. The trip was all uphill and we made a few stops to flush out the radiator. At one stop a vendor gave us a present of some small green apple-like fruits. They are obviously in season here, as we saw them everywhere along the way. It was delicious.

Our hotel was cosy but a little way out of town. We walked back into town and around the market area, where I came across a cobbler's shop. At last I had a chance to get my broken sandals mended. I try to make my shoes last forever in Asia as it is impossible to find my size anywhere. I walked all the way back to the hotel to get the sandals while Yoong waited around the market. While she was there she found a hairdresser and had a haircut for 200 kt. The cobbler did an excellent job on my shoes, and charged me 100 kt. Yoong then insisted I also go for a haircut. I did need it, and where else can you get a haircut for US 20 cents? She tells me I look ten years younger now.

In the evening it was starting to get cold. We walked out to a well-known Indian restaurant. On the way I got some more Indian sweets, which looked much fresher than the last lot. The restaurant seemed to be closed and under repairs, but we were ushered into what seemed to be the living room of the family house, complete with Christmas tree and decorations. We had an excellent set meal in a friendly environment. US$1 each for chicken curry, dhall, curry vegetables, papadams, rice and pickles. There were no other customers, but they told us they get a lot of tour groups for lunch. There were also no lights at first, but they had their own generator, which they soon turned on especially for us. When we finished it was cold and very dark, so we took a horse and carriage back to the hotel. Fortunately Yoong had just bought a hand-knitted sweater. This place is known for them.

December 23

This morning we got a horse carriage to the railway station where we bought tickets to Hsipaw. It was our first train trip in Myanmar. We travelled first class, but found the only difference from ordinary class is a thinly padded seat. It was a beautiful trip through the mountains and across the spectacular Gokteik bridge. The tourists were met at the station by a tout for Mr Charles Guesthouse, who asked us to follow him. We felt our bargaining power would not be as strong if we turned up with a large group, so we slipped away from the crowd and went to Nam Khae Mao (Clocktower) Guesthouse, which was more central and less grasping than Mr Charles, as we found when we went to check it out later in the evening. They were advertising a boat trip for US$30, the same one our hotel was offering for $20. However they did say we were welcome to join them for their walk to Shan villages free of charge.

December 24

We did the boat trip with four others. We travelled for about an hour along a very foggy river, then walked for one and a half hours to a logging camp. From there it was a short but difficult climb up to where we could see elephants working at dragging teak logs. Yoong did not feel she could handle this part of the trip, so she waited at the camp where they were sawing up the logs. The rest of us climbed up muddy slopes for about fifteen minutes to see two elephants hard at work pulling logs down the hill, destroying any obstacles in their path. It was a fascinating sight and the elephants came frighteningly close to us.

On the boat ride back we stopped at a popular pagoda and Shan village. It was a great day, the trip along the river being the best part of it.

December 25

Christmas Day. We thought we would join in the walk at Mr Charles Guesthouse. However this time an officious-looking lady announced that the walk was only for their own guests. We asked how much it would cost for non-guests to join the group. She thought for a while and said it would be a dollar each. We didn't really like her attitude (would two more tagging along make any difference?) and were a bit unsure about a four hour walk anyway. We had heard there was a Christmas service on at the Baptist church at 10 a.m. and thought it might be a good way to celebrate the occasion.

Thanks to the attitude of the Mr Charles lady we had a wonderful Christmas experience. The service began half an hour late at 10.30 and went on for two hours. It was almost all in Burmese, but no less than five choirs sang, one of them a capella (very good), the others accompanied by guitar, played by the preacher. The first group, made up of young people, sang two songs beautifully. Another group sang a carol in English.

Most of the congregation were dressed in colourful national costume. The sermon was a bit long (40 minutes), but the preacher was obviously very entertaining, as there was a lot of laughter from the congregation. He occasionally picked up his guitar and sang (or led us in) a song.

Someone gave us an old American hymn book and we sang Silent Night in English while most of the congregation sang it in Burmese.

After the service we were given a warm welcome and ushered into another building where lunch was laid on. It was a delicious Shan meal with chunks of pork, vegetables, noodles, rice and curry soup full of various goodies. Two ladies at our table were able to talk to us in English. They were Buddhists and had not taken part in the church service, but had just come for the meal. They bought us an ice-cream on the way out and walked with us to the guesthouse before continuing on their way home. They were in their fifties but looked considerably younger.

We spent the afternoon relaxing at the guesthouse and then walking out to a nearby pagoda and Shan village. What a delightful little town this is! It is so lively, especially in the evening and there are tasty Shan delicacies tempting us wherever we go. We bought, among other things, a black rice cake, samosa, three types of freshly made sweets and a cake for tomorrow's trip back. For dinner we managed to find the Yin Kyan eating house, which is supposed to have the best noodles in town. It was certainly delicious and they gave us serving after serving of complimentary tomato salad, far better than we had at the Italian restaurant in Bagan, all for under a dollar. However, as Yoong pointed out, the delicious flavour is a result of using lard, so it is not the healthiest of food.

I bought a small bottle of Myanmar whisky, which is cheaper than beer and quite okay, though not up to Scotch standard. I wish I had bought some fruit wine in Pyin U Lwin. We haven't seen it anywhere else.

We met the Hungarian girl who had done the boat trip with Mr Charles along with only two others. She had ordered a bag from a bag-weaver and we went with her to pick it up. They didn't have time to make one for Yoong, but she chose a ready-made woollen bag. It is a bit big for her, but it will make a nice present.

We are having an early night tonight as we have to get up at 5 a.m. for the bus to Mandalay. The hot shower worked tonight (just). The last two nights we had to get the staff to fix it up for us. The electricity is off half the time, so we have a torch ready at all times.