Mandalay 2016
Up Bangkok 2016d
 

Postcards from:


Las Vegas Nevada
Bangkok Thailand a
Bangalore India

Goa India
Panaji India
Bangkok Thailand b
Xi'an China
Bangkok Thailand c
Mandalay Myanmar
Bangkok Thailand d
Back Home


 


Myanmar 2016: A decorative architectural feature on the Mandalay Airport terminal building.


Myanmar 2016: This sign on an arrival corridor at the airport reads: Welcome to Myanmar International Airport.


Myanmar 2016: In the airport arrival hall I found this darling little girl wearing the cosmetic decoration traditional in Burma-Myanmar. As soon as I spotted her smile I began to really feel welcome in her country.


Myanmar 2016: Decorative display of tomatoes included in the breakfast buffet in the Hotel Marvel.


Myanmar 2016: One of the set luncheon menus which changed daily and always provided an elegant gourmet feast for guests. The 12,000 Kyat price works out to about $11, including wine or beer.


Myanmar 2016: This is the main course one day with the set menu special $11 luncheon at the Hotel Marvel which changes daily and is always a gourmet extravaganza; I have never had better meals... at any price. Chef, Myat Thu is a genius as well as an artist!


Myanmar 2016: Dessert with the set menu special $11 luncheon at the Hotel Marvel which changes daily and is always a gourmet extravaganza; I have never had better meals... at any price. The chef is a genius as well as an artist!


Myanmar 2016: Staff seen in the dining room at the Hotel Marvel all wear these beautiful uniforms.


Myanmar 2016: Vegetable sculpture decoration seen in the dining room at the Hotel Marvel.


Myanmar 2016: Each evening the puppeteer performs for guests using these classic puppets at the Hotel Marvel.


Myanmar 2016: View from my fifth floor room #525 in the marvelous Hotel Marvel where I stayed for more than a week.


Myanmar 2016: King-size bed in my fifth floor room #525 in the marvelous Hotel Marvel where I stayed for more than a week. The soft pillow top mattress and fluffy duvet insured a restful sleep.


Myanmar 2016: Shower in my fifth floor room #525 in the marvelous Hotel Marvel where I stayed for more than a week.


Myanmar 2016: Fresh fruit plate like this delivered to my fifth floor room #525 in the marvelous Hotel Marvel where I stayed for more than a week. It happened several times.


Myanmar 2016: Another fresh fruit plate delivered to my fifth floor room #525 in the Hotel Marvel. See the surrealistic monkey face in the arrangement of the fruit? I missed it for a long time. Intentional? I guess, yes.


Myanmar 2016: A Hindu temple located along one of the cluttered, crowded E-W streets between the Bagan King and Marvel Hotels.


Myanmar 2016: Another Hindu temple located along one of the cluttered, crowded E-W streets between the Bagan King and Marvel Hotels.
 

Myanmar 2016: Another view of that Hindu temple located along one of the cluttered, crowded E-W streets between the Bagan King and Marvel Hotels.
 

Myanmar 2016: Typical view of cluttered sidewalks found all over the city. In truth, few sidewalks actually could be used for walking.

 


Myanmar 2016: Typical view of cluttered sidewalks found all over the city. In truth, few sidewalks actually could be used for walking.


Myanmar 2016: In the downtown area sidewalks are always full of dangerous hazards and cluttered by stuff stored by property owners. They also are commonly used as parking lots for motorcycle owners where riders park their bikes haphazardly without any regard for pedestrian use.


Myanmar 2016: One group of men playing a game called Kyway En, said to be popular among the young princes and Kings of ancient Myanmar. The perfect blend of luck, skill and strategy. Players roll Cowry shells in their attempt to get the shells to land smile side up. You are allowed up to 3 rolls per turn and you can roll any or all of your shells each turn. The strategy increases as scoring points becomes more difficult and penalties and bonuses apply.


Myanmar 2016: Another group of men playing Kyway En.  Instead of a dice, 6 small seashells are used, depending on which side the shell ends up facing determines your movement on the board.


Myanmar 2016: Another group of Buddhist nuns in pink making their regular daily begging tour. It rained briefly almost everyday; notice the umbrellas also used as parasols.


Myanmar 2016: Betel Nut juice spit "art" seen on the streets of Mandalay. "Art," after all is in the eye of the beholder, not always that of the creator. Do you see art here?


Myanmar 2016:
Betel juice spit "art" seen on the streets of Mandalay. How about here? Is this art?


Myanmar 2016: This Buddhist nun is counting her collected money. People donate mostly food, but some give money.


Myanmar 2016: A typical scene of commerce along the streets of Mandalay. Notice the guy's long "skirt" called a longyi worn by both men and women.


Myanmar 2016: Mandalay city has its clock tower, too.


Myanmar 2016: This family caught my attention when the little kid noticed me passing and did a double take. So cute initially, he quickly became stubborn when his father in the background motioned for me to take a picture. I took several with the father's continuing encouragement, but never caught the kid acting cute again. The mother's yellow cosmetic also interested me and that does show in this photo.


Myanmar 2016: This family caught my attention when the little kid noticed me passing and did a double take. So cute initially, he quickly became stubborn. I took several with the father's continuing encouragement, but never caught the kid acting cute again.


Myanmar 2016: Notice the chain and lock on this private pump along a busy public street. Mandalay is facing severe water shortages this year and I'll bet there is an intriguing story behind this protected private well source.


Myanmar 2016: One of the buildings on the grounds of the Royal Palace.


Myanmar 2016: Start of the road from the east gate entry point to the Royal Palace itself.


Myanmar 2016: Main entrance to the Royal Palace of Mandalay.


Myanmar 2016: Some of the lawns used in the landscaping of the Royal Palace grounds.


Myanmar 2016: Information about the Great Audience Hall in the Royal Palace of Mandalay.


Myanmar 2016: Part of the board walk inside the Royal Palace.


Myanmar 2016: Part of the board walk inside the Royal Palace. The old monk in the picture shortly after this photo smiled and waved "hello" to me.


Myanmar 2016: Part of the board walk inside the Royal Palace.


Myanmar 2016: Inside the Royal Palace compound showing one of the major pagodas.


Myanmar 2016: View from the top of the spiral, timber-walled watchtower on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.


Myanmar 2016: Inside the Royal Palace compound showing one of the major pagodas.


Myanmar 2016: Some of the lawns used in the landscaping of the Royal Palace grounds.


Myanmar 2016: After a long determined search I finally found the "terminal" for the airport shuttle bus. Located not far from the Hotel Marvel, no one seemed to know much about it. One way fare is 4000Kyats, about $3.50. It starts hourly runs from both ends of the route on the hour and picks up passengers at their hotels when requested.


Myanmar 2016: After a long determined search I finally found the "terminal" for the airport shuttle bus. Located not far from the Hotel Marvel, no one seemed to know much about it. One way fare is 4000Kyats, about $3.50. It starts hourly runs from both ends of the route on the hour and picks up passengers at their hotels when requested.


Myanmar 2016: Stopping to inspect this carefully "manicured" pile of logs, I enquired if they might be fire wood using a striking match gesture. "Oh no; these logs from the Thanaka tree had an important cultural use!" The seller then pulled a flat grinding stone out from under the pile of wood and showed me how the yellow face powder called THANAKA is made by grinding the the flat ends of the logs on the stone.


Myanmar 2016: These bundles of logs from the Thanaka tree are the raw ingredients for making the Burmese cosmetic, Thanaka.  The yellow face powder is made by grinding the the flat ends of the logs on a rough stone surface. The powder is moistened into a paste for application to the face.


Myanmar 2016: Stopping to inspect this carefully "manicured" pile of logs, I enquired if they might be fire wood using a striking match gesture. "Oh no; these logs from the Thanaka tree had an important cultural use!" The seller then grabbed one of the flat grinding stones and showed me how the yellow face powder is made by grinding the wood on the rough stone surface.


Myanmar 2016: This is a view of the parking lot outside the arrival lounge at the Mandalay Airport terminal building. That big blue bus is the shuttle I used to get into the city.


Myanmar 2016: That is the Mandalay Airport control tower in the distance as seen from the arrival exit of the terminal.


Myanmar 2016: This tiny "designated smoking area" off to the side of the outside entryway at the airport amused and delighted me. I saw very few public smokers while in Mandalay and most seemed to be indulging their habit responsibly.

 

End of column.

30 June - July 9 2016

 

Greetings from Mandalay, Myanmar

While still in Bangkok and puzzling over the continuing gum infections after a consultation with my dentist, I decided to manage the chronic gingivitis with aggressive hygiene and antiseptic mouthwashes until the scheduled appointment with their gum specialist in a few weeks. That settled for the immediate future and with my current Thai visa set to expire soon, I decided to run over to Myanmar for a short visit.

Mosquitoes here there are aplenty. I've been nibbled several times. Fortunately, the Zika virus has not established a hold in this part of the world so far. The hotel housekeeping sends someone around every afternoon to spray likely hiding places in my room here at the Hotel Marvel, but that doesn't get them all. Burmese mosquitoes must be a hardy breed.

Learning the Burmese phrase for "thank you" has been complicated by the variety of ways people pronounce it... or the way my degraded hearing receives it. I've finally settled on "CHEE DU BUY" which most people do apparently recognize as their polite "thank you" pleasantry.

The use of traffic circles seems to impose no rules on drivers, other than be careful and get through fast without hitting anything. From my vantage point in the hotel dining room I have watched for hours as drivers manage without anyone obviously having the right-away like in the US where those trying to enter one of the circular lanes yields to vehicles already in it! I witnessed a couple near collisions, but no actual accidents.

The streets and sidewalks are a jumbled mess in this city. Most sidewalks are disconnected concrete slabs over open sewer channels and mostly are used for a store's auxiliary storage or marketing displays... or more commonly for motorcycle parking in the most obstructive way possible to insure anyone foolish enough to actually walk on the sidewalks will need to make frequent detours! I've got pictures of the mess.

The sewer cover walkways with their "hand hold" cutouts serve another important function... which I personally observed several times: people squat and publicly pee into the openings to the sewers below without any apparent embarrassment, their dignity shielded by a long wraparound or tubular "skirt" called a sarong or longyi worn by both genders. As people squat for other reasons, one can never be completely sure when someone is taking a comfort break.

On one of my frequent walks I found myself on a long stretch of unobstructed sewer cover sidewalks until I came to the spot where two guys had set up shop under the only shade cover in the block, forcing pedestrians like me to work their way around them. Unfortunately, a low hanging portion of the steel frame cover posed an unseen hazard and I bumped my head. My reaction to the violent impact startled the two guys who merely shrugged and returned to their conversation.

During my many morning walks through the city groups of pink robed nuns could be seen on their regular begging rounds. Ages of the nuns ranged from pre-schoolers to ancient ones... all carrying the obligatory begging bowl. One cannot but be impressed by the uniformly serene expressions on the faces of these compassionate ladies performing their ancient daily rituals with such consistent devotion. The orange undergarments peek out from under the pink outer robes creating a striking and unique, unforgettable contrast.

Walking a lot, 15K and 17K steps the past two days alone, means coming back to the hotel dripping wet with sweat. Summertime is HOT in this part of the world. One of my walks took me west to the river where an amazing array of chaotic sports activity and commerce mingles with families enjoying quiet picnic outings.

There is no regular city bus system; everyone uses the fleet of pickup trucks equipped with benches along the back sides or hires a motorcycle-taxi. I see the occasional Pedi-cab but relatively few pedestrians! Given the horrible condition of what sidewalks there are, it is no wonder.

Get some of the local people to smile and you will see the evidence of an old habit still practiced by many: Betel Nut chewing which stains the teeth red and requires an occasional spit of the excess "juice." The sidewalks and streets are covered with the unique stains created by the habit. Eventually I noted that some of the thousands of random splatters actually appeared rather attractive: accidental art to my eye.

The government is aware of the serious health hazards of chewing the Betel Nut, but so far has been unable to deter people from pursuing the habit. New determined but controversial efforts are underway. Cigarette smoking by contrast is relatively rare by world standards; most public smokers I saw appeared to be foreign tourists.

The two hour flight from Bangkok arrived in Mandalay shortly after noon for one of the easiest immigration & customs processing I've ever enjoyed in a foreign country. Smiles and signs all shouted "welcome." In the arrival lobby a tiny tot munching on a cookie, her face smeared with the yellow "cosmetic" worn by most females in the country, looked up at the gawking foreigner beaming a bright "welcome" smile. I paused to snap a picture before rushing on to locate my airport shuttle bus into the city some hour distant.

Persistent taxi touts swarmed around me and the other arriving passengers despite the obvious shuttle bus counters and bright signs. Each had his own pitch showing how much more practical his service was than the alternatives. All taxis seem to offer private rides into the city for 12K Kyat ($10) or 4K Kyat ($3.50) shared. The bigger, more comfortable shuttle bus fare is a flat 4K Kyat. All claim to drop passengers at their hotel.

As the bus left the airport parking lot I noticed the unusual architectural embellishments on the terminal building itself screaming: "This is Burma. Welcome!" The leisurely bus trip offered a chance to enjoy the unusual rural countryside. Farms, fields, and animals all expected so far from the city mingled with a surprisingly large number of gleaming Buddhist temples and shrines. Sparkling golden pagodas popped up every mile or so, making it obvious Buddhism remains the principle religion of this country, though Christianity and Islam each represent a few percentage of the population.

The best choice of hotels in Mandalay listed by the Agoda booking agent seemed to be the colorful Bagan King at $58. Fortunately, our 4000 kyat airport shuttle bus dropped each passenger right at the door to their hotel. The facade of the Bagan King Hotel looked nothing like what I imagined from the photos presented in the booking website! But, a team of colorfully clad hotel staff jumped out of the entryway doors for an enthusiastic welcome and the historically themed lobby decorations made it clear I'd enjoy a unique lodging experience in this house.

The room itself continued the exotic emphasis on cultural identity, but I soon discovered most comfort aspects of the room compromised for the sake of esthetic impressions: a rattan stool for a desk chair, cramped bathroom with no counter surface near the sink and an open shower stall without a splatter barrier so that the bathroom floor remained wet after a shower, no storage space anywhere in the room at all. The Internet access did work fairly well and the view from the seventh floor dining room at breakfast provided 360 degree vistas intermittently obstructed by the wide frames around narrow slit windows.

The manager demonstrated a "hands on" approach to keeping the place running smoothly and staff showed the results of his emphasis on treating guests like royalty... starting with the fresh fruit welcome drink, ice cold wet washcloth and a group of staff providing enthusiastic attention for every new arrival... and a similar farewell.

After checking into the Bagan King and taking notice of the deficiencies I immediately went hotel shopping as is my habit. Of the half dozen places investigated, none seemed like an improvement over the compromises required at the Bagan King. On that first walk I did notice the unusual Hotel Marvel situated in the upper stories of the old central railroad station. The exterior gave me the impression it had been an afterthought and I declined to even do an inspection. Back at the Bagan King I checked for information on the Internet and found more encouraging descriptions at Agoda, but also uncomfortably high room rates reflecting its deluxe four star category.

The next morning after breakfast I walked over to it again and did a proper inspection. Opened only six months ago, it is first class in every respect and Angela, the resident manager informed me they currently had a special promotional offer for the $76 deluxe rooms at only $45 net including breakfast (Superior @ $35!). I would have booked a room that very minute except I had already told the Bagan King manager to extend my stay there at least one more night. Standing there talking with Angela I made a snap decision: I'd go back, swallow my pride and cancel that additional night at the Bagan King... which I did with some regret, though the Bagan King receptionist displayed no unusual concern over my cancellation.

My first night in the Hotel Marvel I fell asleep not long after dusk and awoke about 1AM to find no way to turn off the bright overhead lights. Search as I might, no light switch could be found. So, down to the reception desk I staggered. When the sleepy hotel maintenance guys arrived I watched for them to perform some magic trick I'd overlooked. But no, the switch bank had been installed right at the head of the bed... but below the top of the king-sized bed mattress and out of sight. The room had been designed for a pair of twin beds so the switches would be located between the two beds as expected with that configuration.

Breakfast has been delightful during my entire stay in the Hotel Marvel, but the set-menu lunches have been extraordinary beyond belief! Chef, Myat Thu is a food preparation genius as well as a presentation artist! The dishes set before me looked so beautiful I felt they deserved to be displayed as art on a prominent wall somewhere, not devoured. However, when finally relenting and digging into each dish I discovered the true virtues of the chef's culinary art. From selecting fresh, premium ingredients to perfectly cooking each item, I have never enjoyed gourmet meals anywhere more than in this obscure, recently opened hotel restaurant. His accompanying sauces especially deserve mention. This is one of the reasons I now think of this house as my Hotel Hidden Gem in Mandalay!

The hotel's location is unusual; the old remodeled apartment building sits on top of the three story central railway station. The sounds (noise) of railroad traffic at all hours clearly is a detractor for some guests, but I found the occasional muffled whistles and bumping a pleasant audio ambiance and enjoyed it immensely... even in the early morning hours. (My railroad buff friend, Ed Arbuckle will understand this.)

Everyone on the staff in this hotel goes out of their way to be helpful and polite, from the resident manager, Angela to the waiters and housekeepers. Truly, guest relations training of the staff has been superb. Not everyone on the staff speaks perfect, understandable English, but many do and I've been able to get whatever information I needed throughout my stay.

Internet access in the Hotel Marvel has been strong and reliable, but requires a login renewal every time the machine is turned on, an irritation, but worth the increased security and reliability.

My last visit to the country in 2002 only allowed me to explore the capital, Yangon. Transportation outside the city proved to be next to impossible due to the military government restrictions in place at that time. In the intervening 14 years things have changed significantly. Travel to most places of interest to tourists is now pretty much encouraged.

Knowing that, I had planned to head down to Bagan, center of the old ancient kingdom where there are more ruins according to some Internet sources. However, enjoying the amazing $45, 4 star Marvel Hotel has made me reluctant to leave all this comfortable and affordable luxury. It is truly one of the lodging gems I've found during all my world travels. The persistent gingivitis is never far from my mind, so I'll return to Bangkok and my dentists on Saturday, 9 July for the remainder of my time on this side of the great Pacific pond.

Peace,

Fred L Bellomy

PS: Worries about the world's financial markets after the BREXIT cataclysm appear to have been short lived as the major indices all have rebounded during my stay in Myanmar. Hooray; no poor house for this vagabond... at least for a while longer! FB

 


Myanmar 2016: Hotel "Hidden Gem" is what I call this fabulous find. A part of the Amazing Hotel & Resort group, the actual name is Hotel Marvel... and it is marvelous! Situated in the very center of the city, it occupies the upper floors of the unimposing train station building.


Myanmar 2016: This elephant mascot stands next to the reception desk in the lobby of the Hotel Marvel where I stayed more than a week while in Mandalay. A young musician played the harp at its foot periodically throughout the day creating a magic atmosphere.


Myanmar 2016: This is the appetizer course one day with the set menu special $11 luncheon at the Hotel Marvel which changes daily and is always a gourmet extravaganza; I have never had better meals... at any price. Master Chef, Myat Thu is a genius as well as an artist!


Myanmar 2016: View of the railroad yard below my fifth floor room in the Hotel Marvel where I stayed more than a week.  Comments by previous guests often mentioned the train noise, but I found them to add a pleasant atmosphere to the hotel.
 


Myanmar 2016: Betel juice spit "art" seen on the streets of Mandalay. There are thousands of them, perhaps millions! Most are just filthy, ugly stains on the sidewalks, but a few like this one may actually appear beautiful to those of us prepared to ignore the source,

 


Myanmar 2016:  Sanatan Dharma Hindu Temple located along one of the cluttered, crowded E-W streets between the Bagan King and Marvel Hotels.

 


Myanmar 2016: Part of the buffet breakfast display in the Bagan King Hotel: not elegant, but in keeping with the historical theme of the interior decorating.

 


Myanmar 2016: View of the city from the seventh floor buffet breakfast room in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: This tree obviously has an unquenchable thirst for life. It reminds me of the mangroves of Florida without the swamp water.

 


Myanmar 2016: View of the city from the seventh floor buffet breakfast room in the Bagan King Hotel.  The telescope allows guests to take a closer look at the landmark hill in the background.

 


Myanmar 2016: A group of Buddhist nuns making their regular daily begging tour.

 


Myanmar 2016: Pedi cabs like these still are being used to transport both people and more commonly, cargo. However, I see very few obvious foreign tourists riding in the things.

 


Myanmar 2016: "Filler up... with supreme." This sign over the entrance to a restaurant-bar caught my attention, making me wonder how beer drinking in Myanmar differs from that in say, Bavaria.

 


Myanmar 2016: View of the city from the seventh floor buffet breakfast room in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: View of the city from the seventh floor buffet breakfast room in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: Two guys enjoying the shade provided by a screen over the sidewalk. Mostly unobstructed, the walkway is here interrupted so that pedestrians are forced to make a detour as I did, walking right into that low hanging steel bar in front of the obstruction.

 


Myanmar 2016: During one of my walks around the city I stumbled on this beautiful pagoda structure... not sure which one it is.

 


Myanmar 2016: View from my fifth floor room #525 in the marvelous Hotel Marvel where I stayed for more than a week. The vehicles shown here are a fleet of "buses" used by most people to get around the city.

 


Myanmar 2016: A group of Buddhist nuns and monks, all mere children, take a rest break during their regular morning begging rounds which is a part of their obligation while attending the order's school.

 


Myanmar 2016: Looking into the compound from the south-east corner of the moat toward the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: This is the bridge across the moat into the eastern gate and the only one open to the public for a visit to the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: Entrance to the Royal Palace walled compound as seen from the inside end of the bridge across the moat.

 


Myanmar 2016: Entrance to the Royal Palace compound flanked by two ancient cannons.

 


Myanmar 2016: Display showing the layout of the Royal Palace compound.

 


Myanmar 2016: Inside the Royal Palace compound showing showing some of the lush green lawns.

 


Myanmar 2016: View of the spectacular spiral, timber-walled watchtower on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.

 


Myanmar 2016: Information about the Promenade Hall inside the Royal Palace compound.

 


Myanmar 2016: In the sweltering summer heat sights like this are not uncommon. Of course, I saw many scruffy, homeless people camped out on the sidewalks, but some ordinary people like this guy get horizontal in the shade to wait for a cooler time to be active.

 

Myanmar 2016: This huge billboard facing the arrival exit at the airport terminal is easily readable and promotes the Hotel Marvel where I spent most of my time in the country. Strangely, I didn't spot it until I arrived at the airport for departure!

 

 

End

 

 


Myanmar 2016: Identification marking on the exterior of the Mandalay Airport terminal building.

 


Myanmar 2016: A decorative architectural feature on the Mandalay Airport terminal building.

 


Myanmar 2016: Airport shuttle bus ticket stand in the arrival hall of the airport competes with hoards of taxi touts insisting they have better services. Taxi fares are $10 or $3.50 shared. The shuttle bus is $3.50 and drops passengers at their hotel. Using the service to get back to the airport proved somewhat more complicated.
 


Myanmar 2016: This wood sculpture standing next to the Bagan King Hotel entrance looks like it could have been created by artisans in South America. But, it must be a representation of the namesake king of old Burma.
 


Myanmar 2016: External view of the Bagan King Hotel where I stayed the first night in the city. With a lot of exotic atmosphere and ultra attentive staff everywhere in the house, the dysfunctional organization of the sleeping room prompted me to change hotels after just that one night.

 


Myanmar 2016: This wood sculpture group dominates the lobby of the Bagan King Hotel. To me they look like Mayan or Aztec figures.

 


Myanmar 2016: Decorative puppets displayed on the wall next to the elevator on the seventh floor dining room of the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: Close-up of one of the figures in the wood sculpture group which dominates the lobby of the Bagan King Hotel. To me they look like Mayan or Aztec figures.

 


Myanmar 2016: Decorative plaque displayed on the lobby wall in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: Seventh floor dining room in the Bagan King Hotel where I stayed my first night in the city.
 


Myanmar 2016: Decorative plaque displayed on the lobby wall in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: Part of the buffet breakfast display in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: Decorative plaque displayed on the lobby wall in the Bagan King Hotel.

 


Myanmar 2016: The Sanatan Dharma Hindu Temple is located to the west of the railroad lines only a couple blocks from the Hotel Marvel where I stayed.

 


Myanmar 2016: One of a pair of elephant statues on either side of the entrance to the Sanatan Dharma Hindu Temple shown in the photo above. Hinduism remains a vibrant minority religion in today's Myanmar.

 


Myanmar 2016: This lineup of staff bid me farewell as I departed the Bagan King Hotel. Every guest I saw leaving the hotel got this same royal treatment.

 


Myanmar 2016: This station for thirsty travelers probably is provided by resident Muslims, as is their custom. The brightly painted tree attracted my attention, no doubt the purpose.

 


Myanmar 2016: Not far from the first, this station for thirsty travelers probably is also provided by devout local Muslims in this predominantly Buddhist country.

 


Myanmar 2016: The local beer which I soon learned to enjoy. It came as an included part of the set luncheon menu each day for anyone not choosing wine.

 

Myanmar 2016: That seven inch diameter orange and red sphere looks like an object of art, but actually it is a fire extinguisher. They are located all over the hotel including one in my room's closet. I finally learned who makes them and how they work... they "explode" in high heat spraying retardant.
 


Myanmar 2016: Another group of Buddhist nuns making their regular daily begging tour.

 


Myanmar 2016: A group of Buddhist nuns pause to accept the offerings of food or money during their regular daily begging tour.

 


Myanmar 2016: Looking across the eastern moat toward the Royal Palace compound.

 


Myanmar 2016: This is the eastern gate and the only one open to the public for entry across the moat to visit the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: Looking across the eastern moat toward the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: Intriguing sign posted near the entrance road leading back to the Royal Palace in the center of the walled and moated compound. I think it is some sort of safety warning to motorcycle riders, but who knows.

 


Myanmar 2016: Security office at the entrance to the Palace compound with special instructions for foreign visitors.

 


Myanmar 2016: Clock Tower on the grounds of the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: This family caught my attention when the little kid noticed me passing and did a double take. So cute initially, he quickly became stubborn when his father in the background motioned for me to take a picture. I took several, but never caught the kid acting cute again.

 


Myanmar 2016: View of the spectacular spiral, timber-walled watchtower on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.

 


Myanmar 2016: One of the pagodas around the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: Information about royal regalia in the Royal Palace of Mandalay.

 


Myanmar 2016: Part of the board walk inside the Royal Palace.

 


Myanmar 2016: Part of the board walk inside the Royal Palace showing one of the major pagodas.

 


Myanmar 2016: Inside the Royal Palace compound showing one of the major pagodas.

 


Myanmar 2016: Another view inside the Royal Palace compound.

 


Myanmar 2016: View from the top of the spiral, timber-walled watchtower on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.

 


Myanmar 2016: Interesting architectural feature of a building inside the Royal Palace compound.


Myanmar 2016: View from the top of the spiral, timber-walled watchtower on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.


Myanmar 2016: View from the top of the spiral, timber-walled watchtower on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Mandalay.
 


Myanmar 2016: This is today's selections with the set menu special $11 luncheon at the Hotel Marvel. Chef, Myat Thu created one of these everyday during my weeklong stay, one of the reasons I decided to stay so long.

 


Myanmar 2016: This is the appetizer course another day with the set menu special $11 luncheon at the Hotel Marvel. Chef, Myat Thu is an extraordinarily talented culinary genius!

 


Myanmar 2016: This is the main course; River Fish in one of the luncheon menus at the Hotel Marvel.

 


Myanmar 2016: View from my favorite spot in the dining room while enjoying meals at the Hotel Marvel. Studying the traffic circle it became clear there is no right-of-way rules being followed by drivers; I saw several near collisions as people jostled for position.

 


Myanmar 2016: This is the dessert with the set menu special $11 luncheon at the Hotel Marvel created by Chef Myat Thu.

 


Myanmar 2016: The city's open sewer channels are covered with concrete slabs like these. The hand hold notches create convenient public toilets for some people who simply squat and pee into the openings leading down to the sewer flow. As both men and women wear "skirts" everything private is kept private. I don't know how prevalent the practice is or by which classes, but I witnessed several ordinary looking people doing it.

 


Myanmar 2016: Our drive south to the airport took us through vast areas of sparsely populated rural landscapes like this one. Buddhist shrines like this golden pagoda visible to the left joined farm houses, animals and fields of crops. During the drive we probably passed fifteen or twenty.

 


Myanmar 2016: Our drive south to the airport took us through vast areas of sparsely populated rural landscapes like this one.

 


Myanmar 2016: An hour long drive south to the airport took us through vast areas of sparsely populated rural landscapes like this one. Farm houses, animals and fields of crops often joined Buddhist shrines like this golden pagoda visible behind the tree.

 


Myanmar 2016: Our hour long drive south to the airport took us through vast areas of sparsely populated rural landscapes like this one. Farm houses, animals and fields of crops often joined Buddhist shrines like this golden pagoda visible to the left. During the drive we probably passed a couple dozen.

 


Myanmar 2016: Our hour long drive south to the airport took us through vast areas of sparsely populated rural landscapes like this one. Farm houses, animals and fields of crops often joined Buddhist shrines like this golden pagoda visible to the left. During the drive we probably passed a couple dozen.

 


Myanmar 2016: Not many of these old Chinese trucks are seen any more outside mainland China. This one here on the streets of Mandalay is obviously still in working condition. It must be at least sixty years old.

 


Myanmar 2016: Identification marking on the exterior of the Mandalay Airport terminal building.

 

 

End of column.
Reference photo: author
September 2015
 

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