Mandalay - Day of Exploration

Today was at a more relaxed pace and I think everyone was ready for the change. First thing this morning we went to an area in town where a majority of the world's best jade is sold, traded, and crafted into a variety of finished products. It was a busy and frantic atmosphere with a shoulder-to-shoulder mass of people and motorcycles weaving through.

Buyers and sellers displayed the raw stone for some bartering.

We were shown how to tell if a rock was genuine by using  a bright light. If it is genuine it will have a greenish translucent color.

We watched as cutters worked with the stones to grind them down and shape them into usable pieces.

The grinding wheels were powered by the worker pushing on bicycle pedals.

Attaching small stones onto the end of a stick using wax so they can be ground down into a finished stone.

The guys around this young girl wanted me to take her picture. She was sweet.

We then left the frantic jade market and went down to the Irrawaddy River for a boat cruise up to the village of Mingun. The boats were docked side-by-side 7 deep. 

We had to walk across planks from one boat to another to reach ours.

The river cruise was so relaxing and peaceful. There were small boats searching for logs that had fallen off a transport boat lying on the bottom of the river. Once they found one by using a long pole to feel along the bottom, a diver would go down and attach a rope so it could be pulled back ashore. Phyo said they would make $300 - $500 per log depending on the size.

You could see little settlements along the river banks.

These women were doing laundry in the river.

Washed clothes laying out on the shore to dry.

Once we arrived at the village we docked beside other boats and had to "walk the plank" to get ashore.

There were sellers waiting for us to buy their wares and brahma teams pulled a taxi.

Dominating the village is the unfinished ruined Mingun Pahtodawgyi Pagoda. It was being built in 1790 by a king to be the largest pagoda in the world when an astrologer told him that if he finished it he would die a horrible death. So he stopped. An earthquake in 1839 caused it to crack.

Another pagoda in the village on the river bank.

The king had the bell cast to go with his huge pagoda. It is one of the world's largest ringing bells today. It is still uncracked and weighs 90 tons. I once again shared my good fortunes with others by ringing the bell.

Phyo bought some lilies and showed us how to make necklaces out of them by breaking the stems in little alternating sections then tying together.

Transportation bus fully loaded.

Going for a taxi ride.

One of the highlights of the village visit was we went to the home for the aged. As a treat for the residents, we purchased a dessert tray of sorts and went with the ladies we bought it from to deliver it. They would stop at a dormitory and call out to let them know we were there to offer a treat. They were so appreciative and were saying thank you prayers for us.

We gave our lily necklaces to some of the women. I gave mine to this lady. She gave me a big hug and wanted to have her picture made with me. I got down on one knee and I was then the same height as her. Too special!

They invited us to come into their dormitory where they did a song and danced for us. Such humble living and big giving souls.

When we hear of boats overturning and people drowning it is mainly because of situations like this where they are way overloaded.

A boat carrying large pots and one carrying barrels.

Some of the river people live on these large barges. Notice the satellite dish and the outhouse on the back corner.

After lunch we went to a weaving shop. They were making cloth to be used in making longyi (the traditional dress for both men and women).

Look at the mirror in the center of the picture  to see the intricate design of this piece.

We proceeded to Taung Thaman Lake to take a long tail boat for a sunset cruise under the U Bein Bridge.

U Bein Bridge is believed to be the oldest and longest teak wood bridge in the world. It was built using reclaimed wood from the burnt down Royal Palace in 1850. It has 1,860 pillars (some have had to be replaced with cement) and is 3/4 of a mile long. 

There is a farm out on the jetty. 

Raising ducks for local restaurants.

As you can see the lake, isn't very deep. This man was casting his net for fish.

The sunset was fantastic. It was peaceful out on the lake.

We got out of the boat on the other side and walked back across the bridge. It was pretty wobbly at times.

There were no side rails on most of the bridge.

A pagoda down by the lake.

Well, that concludes my visit to Myanmar. It is hard to believe that I have been here for a week already. I will do a summary post on my observations tomorrow after I get to Bangkok, Thailand.

Kyei: Zui: ba (jay zoo baa)  - Thank You!