On the third morning of our trip, Drew was still feeling under the weather a bit from a minor stomach bug, so I went by myself to the Shwezigon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist site in Myanmar. This pagoda was absolutely huge, both in it own size and the size of the grounds around it, which included lots of other smaller pagodas, temples, and gathering places. It is covered in solid gold, and is completely funded by donations from citizens. That is a big contribution from a community where the average Joe doesn't have much.
There are four main gates into the Shwezigon complex, each one facing a cardinal direction. I entered from the south, which included a long flight of steps filled with shops where you could buy flowers, incense, books, gifts, whatever. Beware of the giant croc!
Inside the stairwell it was nice and cool, as there was limited sunlight getting in due to this massive ceiling structure. You must take your shoes off when you enter the complex, no shoes or socks in respect of the Buddha, so it was nice and cool on your feet here.
Tada! So massive. they were installing a section of scaffolding around the top, probably to re-guild it in gold.
The next few buildings are halls and temples surrounding the pagoda. Some had special purposes, such as to house a Buddha relic, while others were just gathering places for people to sit.
A solid jade Buddha statue.
I love the lady sitting on the floor behind the umbrella.
The green carpet is actually to protect your feet from burning on the marble floors when the sun gets too hot. Luckily I went early enough in the morning that the tiles weren't too hot yet.
All around the outside of the temple were shrines dedicated to the day of the week that you were born. You were supposed to pray and wash the Buddha corresponding to that day. For instance, this is the Wednesday corner. I was actually born on a Friday, but I didn't know it at the time.
These are the men putting the bamboo scaffolding together. No harnesses.
After the Pagoda, we packed our bags and headed to the domestic terminal to catch a 1-hour flight to Heho Airport, gateway to Inle Lake. Surprisingly, air travel is relatively safe in Myanmar, and much more comfortable and convenient than taking a 8-10 hour bus ride. We didn't have the time or the back pain tolerance to handle a bus ride like that. I was a bit nervous about the planes, so I made sure to research in detail which carriers were the best. My conclusion was Air KBZ, and I think I was correct. They were on-time, and they seemed like the largest carrier with the most planes and most personnel, making them seem the most professional. I recommend them to anyone flying domestically in Myanmar. While the planes weren't brand new, they looked to be in good shape, even the interiors. The ride was smooth and comfortable. I got over my nervousness very quickly.
After arriving in Nyaung Shwe, the largest town closest to Inle Lake, we went for a walk to find a dinner joint. It ended up pouring while we were out, but a bit of rain can't dampen our spirits!
Need some wine bye the glass? :) Actually very clever, but not intentional. The price was about $1.
Dinner consisted of a stir fry with green beans and potatoes, followed by a pumpkin soup. The soup was not our idea of pumpkin soup, which is creamy and thick. This was more chicken broth with boiled chunks of pumpkin in it. Still good, but not the same. Probably way better for you though.
There was actually a festival going on in Nyuang Shwe when we were there, so there was a huge market, as well as a fair almost, with carnival rides etc. This made for great sightseeing, but also meant we didn't get alot of sleep, as the loudspeakers were blaring all night. These people are selling branches of the thanaka tree, the bark of which makes that yellow paste.
A ferris wheel! You couldn't pay me to get on the rickety thing. The motors used to run these things were ancient. Young people seemed to be having fun though!
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