Oct 13: Night, Bagan
Those who are looking to add a new dimension to their fitness routine should try rambling amongst the ruins. When you reach your destination, set your heart racing by hiking up those steep and narrow stairs on the sides and interior of the temples. Bring a torch because certain parts are quite dark.
After one particularly challenging stretch, my muscles were clenched and quivering. But, we often found our reward at the end of all that huffing and puffing. In this case, a wonderful vista of Bagan
greeted us from the open terrace. A fine view, indeed, and the more Annie and I walked and climbed, the fitter we would become at the end of our stay. Another fine bounty!
Bagan is very spread out. Many of the ruins are too far to walk to. Those who bike should hire one to give them added mobility. Otherwise, bargain hard with your favourite horse cart driver, a rather time-consuming activity as we found out.
Once we got our horse cart, I discovered that clambering up and down the vehicle was a mini-exercise in itself for a five-footer. The front seat next to the driver was especially high. But, once we got used to this mode of travelling, we grew comfortable on the padded seats and even enjoyed the rolling gait of the cart as the horse 'clip-clop' along.
Our driver was Mr Khin Zaw, a 26-year-old enterprising and gregarious chap. He also proved to be fairly knowledgeable about the major sights. He kept up a chatty yet relevant commentary along the way and never hurried us at each stop. When we could, we left our cart to wander around (and, yes, struggle up steep stairs). It was an idyllic day.
Footwear: At every ruin with staff, we had to remove our shoes outside the compound (not outside the temple) and walk barefoot all over the sandy ground and floor. Few of the places were clean; there were bird droppings, ants and pebbles. Once into the temple, it was cleaner, but by then, everyone had also trekked in dirt from outside.
Before this day-long excursion, we did a quick look-see of the nearest ruins, those we could manage on foot. After that eye-opener, we ditched our shoes for slippers for the next few days.
Quick-dry slippers are much easier to wash and dry than shoes (You don't want to coat the inside of your shoes with mud.). And they are also infinitely more convenient to slip in and out of. Of course, they have less grip compared to sturdier walking shoes.
Touts: At all the major attractions, souvenir sellers and children hounded us. Some of the more audacious sellers set up shop in the interior of the temples! The kids followed us around and asked for sweets. Both children and adults asked for money!
Snakes: On our first visit to the ruins, a snake dropped off the wall above. I sensed movement from the corner of one eye and looked up to see a coiled bulk hurtling towards me. As I leapt away, the startled snake hit the ground and slithered into the grass. Eeek! But, I think it might have been a harmless reptile.
Budget (for two in US$ or kyat as indicated)
Room >> US$8 + Lunch >> K1,250 + Postcards (4x) + donation >> K360 + Dinner >> K1,500 + Horse cart (per day) >> K3,000
Next... Bali bomb blast
Oct 12: Night, BaganTired. After taking a leisurely trishaw ride to check out New Bagan, we walked more than seven kilometres from that somnolent town (with expensive food and mid-range accommodation) back to Nyaung-Oo, with several delightful detours for sightseeing and photos.
Ah, transport. Every rickshaw, trishaw and horsecart driver quoted foreigners a price in hundreds of kyat, even for a distance you can stroll across in five or 10 minutes. And if you want a longer ride or to charter your personal carriage, be prepared to deal by the thousands in kyat. Truly a stimulating arena to sharpen those bargaining skills dulled by fixed-price living.
We are staying between Nyaung-Oo and Old Bagan, near the food places yet still within shouting distance of the nearest Bagan ruins. We found this hotel by accident. Actually, the hotel manager found us.
We were out for a walk after our 7am breakfast. As soon as we were out of sight of our guesthouse, a tanned, lanky man attached himself to us. He introduced himself as the manager of a nearby hotel and offered us accommodation and breakfast at the same price as that of our guesthouse.
Obviously, the market was very competitive and he had done his homework. He knew how much we had paid for our bed and breakfast in that guesthouse, with nary a word from us. Ah, shades of industrial espionage and the invisible hand of market forces at work. Harsh reality amidst misty, ancient splendour, but possibly advantagous to a couple of budget-conscious yet pampered tourists!
Since we were just metres away from his hotel, we went for a look. His place had been built for packaged and more upmarket tourists, who had not arrived in expected droves. So now, for the same price charged by our guesthouse, we were offered added facilities such as aircon, cable TV and breakfast at the open terrace on the roof.
Of course we took him up on his offer. Earlier, the nice lady at the front desk of our hotel in Yangon had recommended this hotel. She told us the manager (that lanky, tanned man as it turned out) was her classmate in school.
Bagan is for ruins buffs. Walk, jog or bike down one road and you will come across some ruins, usually sooner rather than later. Feast your eyes on weathered stones, aged grandeur and a stately dignity untarnished by creeping roots, winding roads, pestering hawkers and gawking tourists. Kings, marauders, explorers, archaeologists and tourists come and go. And through the centuries, Bagan remains.
Modern visitors, meanwhile, have to endure all sorts of people peddling trinkets and souvenirs just about anywhere with a tourist footprint.
While taking a leisurely trishaw ride, various people on bicycles and on foot came level with us and started to sell us paintings and pony cart rides. The painter entrepreneur unrolled one of his works and held it up. No? How about this one, then? And another painting was unfurled after his first one was stowed away. All the while, he was paddling his bike to keep pace with our trishaw. Awesome feat! Unfortunately, our appreciation of his fine balance and industry was miscontrued as a healthy enthusiasm for his works. Finally, we had to shake our heads firmly before he got the message.
Before we could settle down to enjoy our suddenly-not-at-all-leisurely ride, another man rode up. Waving his kyat at us, this one offered to change money on the spot, er, move! The Myanmarese has given the concept of a mobile stall a new twist.
Other enterprising locals set up business among the ruins. When we visited, they tried to sell us Buddha figures, souvenirs, gems (glittering like rubies) and postcards. Most trying was when these hawkers followed us while we were admiring the interior of the temples. We were not singled out for any special attention; the hawkers were very indiscriminate as they latched on to each and every visitor. Alas, no peaceful comtemplation to be enjoyed in the sanctuary.
Someone has posted this observation on a travel website: tourists are walking dollars to the locals. How right, but I think we will spend more money on souvenirs and such if the hawkers simply allow us to enjoy the ruins in peace and browse their wares at leisure.
Budget (for two in US$ or kyat as indicated)
Room >> US$8Trishaw to New Bagan >> K600Lunch >> K1,650H20 >> K600Dinner >> K2,200Next... Snakes and touts (where are the ladders when you need them?)
Oct 11: Night, Bagan
The ferry ride to Bagan was lovely. Glimpses of life along the Irrawaddy - women washing clothes and kids bathing and waving to passing boats. Very placid. In the distance, the ruins looked so stately, dignified. Some glittered under the sun.
Bagan looked very spread out, even from the river. As our boat approached the jetty at Nyaung-Oo, we saw some of the ruins. Old stones thrill me the way a Birkenstock or Brazil-versus-England football match excite some people, I guess. But first, to disembark.
The jetty at Nyaung-Oo was just a few planks put together to form a rickety bridge to connect us to shore. Then, it was up some steep and uneven steps to a desk under a tree. There, we were told to pay the US$10 entrance fee.
After that, it was time to deal with the local transport racketeers. Unsurprisingly, prices to town was controlled and inflated. The other option was a long walk to civilisation; footpaths leading somewhere were clearly visible. Some locals, hefting packs of something (I can't recall what, being too busy organising transport and bargaining.) on their backs, trudged on these paths and soon disappeared into the undergrowth. A couple of the budget-minded backpackers also headed off in that direction.
Meanwhile, those who had arranged their accommodation and ride into town through their travel agents had already roared off in their 'gilded' carriages. After strenuous bargaining, Annie and I piled into a cab with a group of backpackers, an excellent way to spread out the cost.
After settling into a guesthouse, we took a walk around the village, then an early dinner and thence to bed. Even though this is tourist season, there are few tourists around. We have bumped into the same few several times already, including some of those from our boat trip.
Budget (for two in US$ or kyat as indicated)
Taxi to pier >> K1,500
Coffee & tea onboard ferry to Bagan >> K400
Entrance to Bagan >> US$20
Taxi to guesthouse >> K1,000
Room >> US$8
Map of Bagan >> K300
Biscuits >> K150
Dinner >> K1,750
Rickshaw >> K200
Next... Old to new and back to old
Oct 10: Afternoon, Mandalay
Sixteen and a half hours by bus from Yangon to Mandalay. Entertainment during our ride was in the form of Van Damme kicking his way in and out of yet another slam-bam-wham movie.When Van Damme took a break, current English and Chinese pop covers came on.
We left Yangon in the evening the previous day. The road we took was well-used. Joining us enroute were many goods trucks, buses like ours and private and army vehicles. Many check points to go through and the toll booths were huts.
The road was also very bumpy. And so, we had a jarring night.
When two large vehicles passed by, one had to slow down and edge to the side of the road to let the other pass. Sometimes, one of the drivers even had to stop his vehicle. The road was THAT narrow on certain stretches.It was also rather dark. On most of our journey, there was no street lamp. Areas of habitation were scattered and the houses there were not well-lit.
The loos at our pit stops were disgusting, but usable in a pinch.It got very cold early morning, at about 4am. In the dark of night, with little man-made light, I looked up and was treated to a night sky of gadzillion twinkling stars. After 4.30am, the day started to brighten. The stars paled into the light of day.
A list of supposes
(1) This entry is supposed to be about Mandalay, but I don't know what to write about the town.(2) We're supposed to stay in Mandalay for two or three days. This is, after all, the city that inspires literary works. Remember Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca and Rudyard Kipling's Mandalay? But, we're leaving tomorrow.(3) We suppose we would enjoy historical Mandalay. This is, after all, the last capital of the reign of King Mindon, who ruled over what might arguably be considered the golden age of pre-colonial Burma. But, we see a sleepy, dusty town with seedy touts and the occasional blackout (on our way back from dinner) instead. The food was somewhat disappointing too.
So, come the morrow, we leave for Bagan. Perhaps we're too hasty in wanting to flee this once fabled city. I would like to re-visit Mandalay and I'm sure it will prove a less indifferent experience.Until then, here's a more touching rendition, an illustrated version of Kipling's poem, Mandalay.
Budget (for two in US$ or kyat as indicated)
Oct 9
Donation (Sule Paya) >> K100 + Lunch >> K700 + Coffee >> K1,300 + Dinner >> K800 + Taxi to bus station >> K2,500
Oct 10
Taxi to hotel >> K1,000 + Room >> US$12 + Lunch >> K900 + Drinks >> K160 + Ferry to Bagan (next day) >> US$36 + Biscuits & H20 >> K250 + Dinner >> K1,650
Next... A leap through time
Oct 8: Afternoon, Yangon
I'm watching the Star Sports channel and writing my diary. Football or soccer is on. It's Real Madrid versus Alaves.
Alamak! I should have checked out the TV when we arrived two days earlier, but it was more interesting exploring the city. However, we could not leave for Mandalay today because the bus was full. So we were told.
And now, I'm watching Spanish soccer in Yangon.
I'm not sure, but I think Myanmar (then Burma) had a respectable soccer team in the 70s or 80s, although we in Singapore don't hear much about their soccer exploits these days. Thailand, I believe, is now the regional powerhouse in this sport.
Back to our failed mission to bus to Mandalay. We think there is a racket going on.
An Indian man followed us to the Leo Express bus office and even got in before us. When we wanted to buy two tickets from the guy behind the desk, the ticket seller told us he had no more tickets on sale for buses leaving today. It was still early morning and offices had just opened for business. Maybe we should have booked earlier?
At our moment of dismay, the Indian man promptly plonked himself next to us. He said he could get us tickets for today, same bus type, even the same company! Of course, the price was higher, but only K400 more per ticket (K3,000 compared to K2,600)! Surely a pittance to travelling foreigners, right?The day before, one of the staff from our hotel did tell us that we could buy black market tickets from some Indian guys seating with three desks by the road, just a throw away from the Leo office. I thought she did not sound overly enthusiastic about this mode of transaction.But, to have a scalper actually selling tickets in the bus office itself! I see we have much to experience in Myanmar. Anyway, we politely smiled at him and then turned to the Leo employee to ask him about seats for the following day.
He took out a piece of paper. It had a diagram of the seating arrangement, with passenger names printed on each seat. After scrutinising it, the man took a bottle of blanco from his drawer and painstakingly brushed out two adjacent names. When the surface was dry, he penned in our names. These people had cancelled, he explained. We got our tickets and the Indian disappeared.
Walking around Yangon, we noticed a few things. We also joined the crowd in some of the activities.
(a) Betel nut chewingEarthern pots had been placed on the road for people to spit after chewing their paan, but many people spitted as and when they liked. Reddish brown spots littered the pavement everywhere.
(b) Impatient peopleThey pushed forward, did not give way and tried to jump queue if they thought it was not moving fast enough.
(c) Reading materialThere were many roadside stalls selling second-hand books. The scene reminds me of Singapore's Bras Basah in the 1970s. In a bookstore, we bought three-to-six months' old copies of Time and Newsweek for K150 each.
(d) NoodlesWe ate tasty Shan noodles for lunch. The accompanying pickles were very sour and went well with the slurpy noodles. We added an order of very delicious tofu, dipped in batter and deep-fried. There was little meat even if you ordered them in your rice and noodles. At best, you got a few slivers. Better to stick to vegetables and tofu with your starch.
(e) Branded stuffA can of Coke cost K500-K800, while the local Star Cola cost a mere K70. An ice-blended (or frappe) at Cafe Aroma was about K800-K1,000 and the house brew was K350 a cuppa.
(f) Majestic ShwedagonWe had to take off our shoes outside the temple compound, at the gates before the complex entrances. After that, it was barefoot up a long flight of steps, past shops selling religious paraphernalia, snacks and souvenirs.
Addendum: Night, Yangon
We just had chicken rice at a local fastfood joint called KSS Chicken. Its prime location on one of the main drags off the busy Sule Paya circle was no doubt aided by bright advertising in the form of a neon pink sign by the side of the building. This was our first dinner in Yangon where meat featured as the main dish.
I don't know if the situation is different in the upmarket hotels, but there appears to be a dearth of meat in the small, local eateries. While Annie and I are not voracious carnivores, we do like some meat in at least one main meal.
Each order of chicken rice consisted of two huge pieces of chicken and a generous bowl of chicken-stock flavoured rice. At K800 per plate, this was about three times the price of a bowl of noodles. While it was not very crowded, the joint did get a steady stream of visitors, including packbackers, while we were there.
Budget (for two in US$ or kyat as indicated)
Room >> US$15 + Bus (Yangon to Mandalay) >> K5,200 + Lunch >> K770 + Fruits >> K100 + H20 >> K200 + Mosquito coil >> K235 + Doughnuts >> K295 + Dinner >> K1,990
Next... Off to Mandalay
Oct 7: Night, Yangon
A tiring day. Walked a lot.
We did not see anything we wanted to eat, so we skipped lunch. We were hot, sweaty and grimy, and had no appetite.
The drivers were very annoying. They honked endless and most energetically. Many vehicles emited black fumes.
The songthaew minibuses were overcrowded. People hung off the back of the vehicle, which was where passengers boarded the bus. And then, there were the so-called 'Air Cond Bus'. Their windows were opened.
Yangon would have been a very pleasant place to explore on foot without these annoyances. At first, we walked happily on the wide and shady pavements, but were soon hopping over potholes and avoiding broken drain covers.
Then, we came to a wide road. Hardly suicidal, we observed the locals first. Crossing the road had evolved into an extremely frenzied, non-linear, activity in Yangon. Everyone (driver and pedestrian) weaved in and out of the traffic, adriotly (or hopefully) avoiding each other. Unlike the situation in some other countries, no driver here appeared to give a damn about the pedestrians. They honked impatiently and pounced into the empty space as soon as someone moved an inch out of their way.
You must exercise some determination if you want to travel around the country on a budget. Of course, you can simply pay US dollars for an air or train ticket. An overnight train ride from Yangon to Mandalay cost over US$30 without a sleeper.
Even then, you may not enjoy a comfortable journey. We met a German couple who told us that they got a sleeper at US$50 each because they wanted a good night's sleep. The woman then told us that the tracks were so bumpy, they could not sleep a wink!
Our hotel manager told us that bus fares should not cost more than 10-20% the price of a train ticket (without sleeper). We will try to buy bus tickets for Mandalay tomorrow. I am not looking forward to a bus ride of 15 hours or more.
Budget (for two in US$ or kyat as indicated)
Room >> US$15
Shwedagon >> US$10Drinks >> K925Dinner >> K1,700
Next... Real Madrid in the capital
