It has been a long time since I last posted. There have been many travels, just not enough time to write my blog proper, especially since I like making sure I have my trip well recorded so I remember the interesting details I experienced and learned in my travels, which I would love to share with whomever planning trips to destinations I've been to, or simply to share with those living vicariously through me. Whatever it is, I hope you enjoy my journey and take home something new ;)
Let's start with my most recent trip to Bagan, Myanmar. I heard about Bagan when I visited Yangon, Myanmar in 2015 to run the half-marathon (where I achieved my personal best - Completing 21km in 2hrs 8min). Yangon is fairly flat and cool in January when we went, which certainly helped our performance. A joyous personal best moment!
Photo: Reuters
That is the kind of image I have in my head of Bagan. That saying, the statement isn't meant to lead to any feelings of being shortchanged. Except that it was still (the end of) the rainy season the month we went, in September, hence all Hot-air ballooning activities will resume only in October.
I have been warned before of the steep price of going on a hot-air balloon flight. I thought that meant around USD180-250 per person. But I was wrong. It costs between USD250 and USD380 per person........ My
jaw dropped.
There are about 3000 ancient temples in Bagan. Everywhere you look, you'll find a temple, stupa or pagoda hidden amidst the bushes, trees and cacti (picture above), or if a temple is big enough, you'll find it protruding out of the greenery.
This is why every tourist is required to pay an Archaeological Fee at the airport upon arrival. The fee is 25,000 kyat per person (about US$18). 'Kyat' is their local currency, pronounced 'chart' without the 'R'.
This is another Pagoda that was being restored while we were there - Dhammayazaka Temple - the temple closest to where we were staying, in Bagan Lodge.
Another one of my favourite villages is the quiet village of Minnanthu - where ancient stupas, temples and pagodas seem to randomly sprout out from the bushes.
So, what is the difference between a stupa, temple and a pagoda?
The monuments in the picture above are Stupas. A Stupa is a dome-shaped Buddhist monument that is used to house relics of the Lord Buddha, while a Temple is a place of worship. A pagoda, on the other hand, houses relics of the Lord Buddha (Stupa) and is also a place of worship (Temple).
Opposite this site, is a monastery, where there is an area that is off limits to ladies....!!
This is the ordination site for novice monks turning 20. I would like to think there are similar ordination sites for novice nuns too.
If you're looking for more peace, serenity, and a place to reflect, there is a place called Sin Byu Shin Complex for meditation, that is not too far away from Minnanthu Village.
The entrance to Sin Byu Shin Complex is serene enough, with the green tree-lined path in.
I thought the flight of steps before was dark and steep enough, but this totally beats that. This was darker, much steeper, narrower and the ceiling much lower. Tough for a big person. The steps were also uneven in thickness. Felt like we were on a little adventure!
It was another lovely view when we went one floor up! The view is always better when you're slightly elevated. That's a picture of me and our very knowledgeable guide: Tun Tun Lin. What a cute name.
Not too far away from Minnanthu Village is a little local village where they hand-make some beautiful brocade using traditional looms.
I love this picture of a 91 year old lady spinning cotton, 73 year old lady happily smoking her massive hand-rolled cigar, and at the background - their 15 year old grand daughter busy on her smartphone..... #generationgap...... All I can say.
Here's a video of the ladies in action:
You notice the lady on the left has this yellowish-white patch on her cheeks? That is quite a distinctive feature of Burmese culture, commonly seen applied in a circular patch, or the shape of a leaf, or striped with their fingers on the cheeks of women and girls. Sometimes it is also applied on the nose, forehead and arms of women and girls, and used to a lesser extent by men and boys.
This picture was taken in the Nyang-U (pronounced Nyang-oo) Market. It is not the clearest picture, but I hope you can see the yellow-white patch on the lady's cheeks. That yellowish-white paste is called Thanaka, made from ground tree bark.
The Thanaka tree bark has a scent that's somewhat similar to sandalwood.
Apart from cosmetic beauty, Thanaka also gives a cooling sensation and is used as protection against the sun. It is also anti-fungal.
They even provided this Thanaka set for guests to use, at the entrance of where we stayed, in Bagan Lodge. The set consists of the Thanaka tree bark, a grinding board, water sprayer, and a brush for application to the face (or using your fingers are fine too).
This is a video I took of one of the lady vendors in the Nyang-U market applying Thanaka on her face.
Would you like to guess what this is for?
This is a traditional water-cooler which we saw in the same brocade village. The earthen ware is used to cool warm or room temperature water. When I touched the earthen pot, it was very cool and damp. The stainless steel bowl at the bottom is used to collect water that seeps through the porous earthen pot. Very old school, natural and effective!
Funny flappy-eared village dog staring at me, as I admire its beautiful beaded necklace. What a cutie!
While visiting Ananda Temple, our guide Tun Tun Lin mentioned that there are 3 different lanes for worshipers - the furthest lane from the Buddha Statue is for Laymen, the middle lane for the Middle-class, and the lane closest to the Buddha Statue is for Royalties.
The first thing that came to mind was of course of Class, Status and Segregation. Perhaps that's still partially the case. But our guide pointed out something really interesting about the different view of the same Buddha Statue that people from the different lane sees.
This is the view from the lane furthest away from the Buddha statue - the Laymen's Lane.
This is the view from the middle lane - for the Middle-class.
This is the view that the Royalty get. What do you notice?
Perhaps you could just view the contrast between the first picture for laymen and the third picture for Royalty. Do you notice the difference in the Buddha Statue's smile?
The view which the laymen get, is of a Buddha smiling widely and warmly -- It is meant to give the poor laymen Hope and Encouragement. While the view which the Royalty get up close, is of a calmer Buddha looking down at them -- It is meant to keep the Rich Royalty humble. I found that very interesting and smart.
Another very interesting thing we observed about their transportation and road system is that they observe right-hand drive, like most Commonwealth Countries, but instead of driving on the left side of the road, they drive on the right side of the road!
It's not the clearest picture, but take a good look at the driver on the right and the on-coming traffic on the left! The reason I'm surprised is because, imagine as a driver on the right, you're not able to see on-coming traffic easily. You may, in certain situations (especially when overtaking), need help from the passenger to tell you if it is safe or clear to make a move, or you just have to crane your neck for a better view.
The reason for this, according to our guide, is that Myanmar used to be ruled by the British until 1972, and when the military took over after 1972, they decided to go against the British style by driving on the right side of the road instead, but keeping all cars the same British-style right-hand drive.
Another little observation is that most public vehicles like buses and taxis are scraps from Japan. The picture above was taken in the airport shuttle in Myanmar.
Alright, I've sidetracked. But these were just interesting observations too cool not to share.
On our final day in Bagan, we had to visit the very special and dramatic sight of Mount Popa, just 1hr 20mins drive south east of Bagan. On the way, we stopped by a little Jaggery (palm sugar), Peanut and Sesame Estate/Factory (Picture above).
This was what greeted us:
That is how they'd grind Peanut and Sesame for its oil in Myanmar.
They also showed us how Jaggery (Palm Sugar) and Palm Wine (Toddy) are made.
The tapper will first have to climb up a palm tree, slice the flower and fasten a container at the flower stump to collect the sap, which tastes very sweet.
The Palm sap begins fermenting immediately after collection, due to natural yeasts in the air.
To make Palm Wine (Toddy), the Palm Sap is mixed with Glutinous Rice and Water and left to ferment for 3 days.
It is then distilled and what's collected in the glass bottles are Palm Wine.
To make Jaggery (Palm Sugar), the palm sap will have to be cooked in low heat for hours to get rid of the water content.
As the water content goes lower, and the consistency becomes thicker, it is crucial to keep stirring to avoid having the melted palm sugar stick to the bottom and get burnt. Once it reaches a desired consistency, it is left to cool and they will then roll the palm sugar into balls like in the right of the picture above. It tastes so naturally sweet, it was lovely! I ended up buying a few packs - one pack of Jaggery with Sesame, another with Candied Ginger. Delicious!
And now, it's time to head to our main destination - Mount Popa.
Mount Popa rises dramatically from flat plains at 736m above sea-level and has a Buddhist monastery perched at the top.
There are 777 steps which are sheltered with Zinc roof all along the way to the top, so you don't have to worry too much about the rain.
The steps are very steep. I'm not sure if the picture shows just how steep it is.
It was also such a pity that it was filled with litter on the sides of the steps. There are cleaners who'd clean the steps often especially since it's a monastery and everyone has to walk barefoot, but the sides are just filled with rubbish which was sad to see.
You should also beware of assertive macaques around. Keep your food zipped up in your bag!
After all that, it was great to chill at Mount Popa Resort where you have a spectacular view of Mount Popa and the Monastery. I wish I had a more powerful camera to better capture how dramatic the view was. It was breathtaking, relaxing and cool up at Mount Popa Resort.
Due to the rainy season, we didn't get to see much of a sunset. There are some good, recommended spots for Sunrise and Sunset: Shwe San Daw Pagoda was one of the spots closer to us. We didn't visit Shwe San Daw Pagoda as it was just too cloudy and perpetually threatening to rain. So we could always make it for Happy Hour drinks and early dinner :)
On our last evening, we decided to go on a relaxing river cruise, where we were brought upstream by a local family. The skipper will then turn off the engine and allow the river to slowly and gently allow us to flow downstream, enjoying whatever sunset we could see between the clouds. It was very calm.
Since it was the rainy season, and no Hot-air Balloon Flights were operating, here's an alternative place I would suggest to enjoy the sunset with an unhindered, expansive view of Charming Old Bagan. Head to Bagan Viewing Tower at Aureum Palace Tower -- the tallest structure in Old Bagan. Worth checking out!
You'd need to pay an entry fee of USD5 per person. Unless you're having a meal up at the tower, then you won't need to pay the entry fee.
The view up at Aureum Palace Tower was breathtaking, but I won't post my pictures as it just won't do justice to the place due to the rain and clouds which actually added to the mystery of the place, but just didn't turn out too well in my pictures. Must visit!
As for food in Bagan, we really enjoyed Queen Restaurant and Sanon. Both are very local and down-to-earth with good, honest food. Queen has a nice vibe, and Sanon is a restaurant that trains underprivileged youth on the Food and Hospitality Industry. They were both great!
Despite the politically unstable climate in the East of Myanmar (Shan State) and the religious uprising in the West (Rakhine State), it was still a very enjoyable and interesting trip, both in Bagan and our few days in Yangon after.
For more on my travels, you can follow me on Instagram, where I certainly am more actively on.
Instagram: @kayli_lum
See you there!
But hey, my jaw-dropped equally wide when I climbed up a dark, steep flight of steps to the first floor of one of the ruins in South Guni to enjoy this view... The temple furthest away is the biggest temple in Bagan - Dhammayangyi Temple.
Despite the steep price for a hot-air balloon flilght, it was still highly recommended by friends who had been. Old Bagan is beautiful enough on ground (which we'll see more of from my pictures). I can already imagine how breathtakingly gorgeous the view would be from up in the air, having a birds-eye-view of the wide-sweeping landscape of ancient temples.
Despite the steep price for a hot-air balloon flilght, it was still highly recommended by friends who had been. Old Bagan is beautiful enough on ground (which we'll see more of from my pictures). I can already imagine how breathtakingly gorgeous the view would be from up in the air, having a birds-eye-view of the wide-sweeping landscape of ancient temples.
There are about 3000 ancient temples in Bagan. Everywhere you look, you'll find a temple, stupa or pagoda hidden amidst the bushes, trees and cacti (picture above), or if a temple is big enough, you'll find it protruding out of the greenery.
Bagan, to me, feels like Siem Reap in Cambodia, but on a larger scale, with many ancient temples a stone's throw away from each other. There are a few ways to explore Old Bagan. You could either hire a driver and be in an air-conditioned vehicle, get a moped so you can scoot around freely, or ride on a horse cart.
A horse cart under a beautiful cassia tree, right outside Thatbyinnyu Temple - the highest temple in Old Bagan that's currently being restored after the 6.8 magnitude earthquake which hit Bagan last year - August 26, 2016.
Coming from the city, being so used to seeing big machineries, I found it impressive how simple and old-school they were in using good ol' manpower, and the pulley-system to bring up bamboo - to be used as part of the scaffolding, as you can see in the video below:
Coming from the city, being so used to seeing big machineries, I found it impressive how simple and old-school they were in using good ol' manpower, and the pulley-system to bring up bamboo - to be used as part of the scaffolding, as you can see in the video below:
This is why every tourist is required to pay an Archaeological Fee at the airport upon arrival. The fee is 25,000 kyat per person (about US$18). 'Kyat' is their local currency, pronounced 'chart' without the 'R'.
This is another Pagoda that was being restored while we were there - Dhammayazaka Temple - the temple closest to where we were staying, in Bagan Lodge.
Apart from the few must-visit temples/pagodas on every tourist's list -- Dhammayangyi (the Biggest), Thatbyinnyu (the Highest) and Ananda (the Finest) which are all worth-visiting for its architecture and history (of mad, ruthless kings - the notorious 46th King really stood out for his madness!), there are many other temples and pagodas which are pretty quiet (if you're looking for seclusion). There are, after all about 3000 temples, remember?
This is one of my favourite quiet temples in South Guni. This big Buddha actually gave me a huge surprise, as I was unaware what was behind me until my friend instructed me to: 'Stop' and snapped this picture. I then turned around to find this BIG, Beautiful Buddha sculpture behind me!
Less than 10 metres ahead from where I was in the picture above, came a dark, steep flight of stairs which we had to climb, since each step was rather chunky.
The amazing thing is that many of these temples are still functional, as in locals would still go pray, and leave their offerings, often flowers or flower garlands, even in quiet, secluded temples one would assume are ruins.
However, we should explore these ruins carefully, at our own risk. One dark and quiet little temple which we entered, still had twigs, branches, dried leaves, sand and puddles of water on its jagged temple grounds, all of which, resulted from the earthquake in August 2016. Unfortunately, smaller temples do not have the funds to go through restoration to make it clean, tidy and safe again.
This is one of my favourite quiet temples in South Guni. This big Buddha actually gave me a huge surprise, as I was unaware what was behind me until my friend instructed me to: 'Stop' and snapped this picture. I then turned around to find this BIG, Beautiful Buddha sculpture behind me!
Less than 10 metres ahead from where I was in the picture above, came a dark, steep flight of stairs which we had to climb, since each step was rather chunky.
After getting past this flight of steps, we were greeted by this view...
The amazing thing is that many of these temples are still functional, as in locals would still go pray, and leave their offerings, often flowers or flower garlands, even in quiet, secluded temples one would assume are ruins.
However, we should explore these ruins carefully, at our own risk. One dark and quiet little temple which we entered, still had twigs, branches, dried leaves, sand and puddles of water on its jagged temple grounds, all of which, resulted from the earthquake in August 2016. Unfortunately, smaller temples do not have the funds to go through restoration to make it clean, tidy and safe again.
Note: You must remove your shoes and socks when entering all temple compounds in Myanmar. So it's probably better to wear a simple pair of flip-flops for ease of removing and putting them back on.
Another one of my favourite villages is the quiet village of Minnanthu - where ancient stupas, temples and pagodas seem to randomly sprout out from the bushes.
So, what is the difference between a stupa, temple and a pagoda?
The monuments in the picture above are Stupas. A Stupa is a dome-shaped Buddhist monument that is used to house relics of the Lord Buddha, while a Temple is a place of worship. A pagoda, on the other hand, houses relics of the Lord Buddha (Stupa) and is also a place of worship (Temple).
Opposite this site, is a monastery, where there is an area that is off limits to ladies....!!
This is the ordination site for novice monks turning 20. I would like to think there are similar ordination sites for novice nuns too.
If you're looking for more peace, serenity, and a place to reflect, there is a place called Sin Byu Shin Complex for meditation, that is not too far away from Minnanthu Village.
The entrance to Sin Byu Shin Complex is serene enough, with the green tree-lined path in.
I thought the flight of steps before was dark and steep enough, but this totally beats that. This was darker, much steeper, narrower and the ceiling much lower. Tough for a big person. The steps were also uneven in thickness. Felt like we were on a little adventure!
It was another lovely view when we went one floor up! The view is always better when you're slightly elevated. That's a picture of me and our very knowledgeable guide: Tun Tun Lin. What a cute name.
Not too far away from Minnanthu Village is a little local village where they hand-make some beautiful brocade using traditional looms.
I love this picture of a 91 year old lady spinning cotton, 73 year old lady happily smoking her massive hand-rolled cigar, and at the background - their 15 year old grand daughter busy on her smartphone..... #generationgap...... All I can say.
Here's a video of the ladies in action:
You notice the lady on the left has this yellowish-white patch on her cheeks? That is quite a distinctive feature of Burmese culture, commonly seen applied in a circular patch, or the shape of a leaf, or striped with their fingers on the cheeks of women and girls. Sometimes it is also applied on the nose, forehead and arms of women and girls, and used to a lesser extent by men and boys.
This picture was taken in the Nyang-U (pronounced Nyang-oo) Market. It is not the clearest picture, but I hope you can see the yellow-white patch on the lady's cheeks. That yellowish-white paste is called Thanaka, made from ground tree bark.
The Thanaka tree bark has a scent that's somewhat similar to sandalwood.
Apart from cosmetic beauty, Thanaka also gives a cooling sensation and is used as protection against the sun. It is also anti-fungal.
They even provided this Thanaka set for guests to use, at the entrance of where we stayed, in Bagan Lodge. The set consists of the Thanaka tree bark, a grinding board, water sprayer, and a brush for application to the face (or using your fingers are fine too).
This is a video I took of one of the lady vendors in the Nyang-U market applying Thanaka on her face.
Would you like to guess what this is for?
This is a traditional water-cooler which we saw in the same brocade village. The earthen ware is used to cool warm or room temperature water. When I touched the earthen pot, it was very cool and damp. The stainless steel bowl at the bottom is used to collect water that seeps through the porous earthen pot. Very old school, natural and effective!
Funny flappy-eared village dog staring at me, as I admire its beautiful beaded necklace. What a cutie!
While visiting Ananda Temple, our guide Tun Tun Lin mentioned that there are 3 different lanes for worshipers - the furthest lane from the Buddha Statue is for Laymen, the middle lane for the Middle-class, and the lane closest to the Buddha Statue is for Royalties.
The first thing that came to mind was of course of Class, Status and Segregation. Perhaps that's still partially the case. But our guide pointed out something really interesting about the different view of the same Buddha Statue that people from the different lane sees.
This is the view from the lane furthest away from the Buddha statue - the Laymen's Lane.
This is the view from the middle lane - for the Middle-class.
This is the view that the Royalty get. What do you notice?
Perhaps you could just view the contrast between the first picture for laymen and the third picture for Royalty. Do you notice the difference in the Buddha Statue's smile?
The view which the laymen get, is of a Buddha smiling widely and warmly -- It is meant to give the poor laymen Hope and Encouragement. While the view which the Royalty get up close, is of a calmer Buddha looking down at them -- It is meant to keep the Rich Royalty humble. I found that very interesting and smart.
Another very interesting thing we observed about their transportation and road system is that they observe right-hand drive, like most Commonwealth Countries, but instead of driving on the left side of the road, they drive on the right side of the road!
It's not the clearest picture, but take a good look at the driver on the right and the on-coming traffic on the left! The reason I'm surprised is because, imagine as a driver on the right, you're not able to see on-coming traffic easily. You may, in certain situations (especially when overtaking), need help from the passenger to tell you if it is safe or clear to make a move, or you just have to crane your neck for a better view.
The reason for this, according to our guide, is that Myanmar used to be ruled by the British until 1972, and when the military took over after 1972, they decided to go against the British style by driving on the right side of the road instead, but keeping all cars the same British-style right-hand drive.
Another little observation is that most public vehicles like buses and taxis are scraps from Japan. The picture above was taken in the airport shuttle in Myanmar.
Alright, I've sidetracked. But these were just interesting observations too cool not to share.
On our final day in Bagan, we had to visit the very special and dramatic sight of Mount Popa, just 1hr 20mins drive south east of Bagan. On the way, we stopped by a little Jaggery (palm sugar), Peanut and Sesame Estate/Factory (Picture above).
This was what greeted us:
That is how they'd grind Peanut and Sesame for its oil in Myanmar.
They also showed us how Jaggery (Palm Sugar) and Palm Wine (Toddy) are made.
The tapper will first have to climb up a palm tree, slice the flower and fasten a container at the flower stump to collect the sap, which tastes very sweet.
The Palm sap begins fermenting immediately after collection, due to natural yeasts in the air.
To make Palm Wine (Toddy), the Palm Sap is mixed with Glutinous Rice and Water and left to ferment for 3 days.
It is then distilled and what's collected in the glass bottles are Palm Wine.
To make Jaggery (Palm Sugar), the palm sap will have to be cooked in low heat for hours to get rid of the water content.
As the water content goes lower, and the consistency becomes thicker, it is crucial to keep stirring to avoid having the melted palm sugar stick to the bottom and get burnt. Once it reaches a desired consistency, it is left to cool and they will then roll the palm sugar into balls like in the right of the picture above. It tastes so naturally sweet, it was lovely! I ended up buying a few packs - one pack of Jaggery with Sesame, another with Candied Ginger. Delicious!
And now, it's time to head to our main destination - Mount Popa.
Mount Popa rises dramatically from flat plains at 736m above sea-level and has a Buddhist monastery perched at the top.
There are 777 steps which are sheltered with Zinc roof all along the way to the top, so you don't have to worry too much about the rain.
The steps are very steep. I'm not sure if the picture shows just how steep it is.
It was also such a pity that it was filled with litter on the sides of the steps. There are cleaners who'd clean the steps often especially since it's a monastery and everyone has to walk barefoot, but the sides are just filled with rubbish which was sad to see.
You should also beware of assertive macaques around. Keep your food zipped up in your bag!
After all that, it was great to chill at Mount Popa Resort where you have a spectacular view of Mount Popa and the Monastery. I wish I had a more powerful camera to better capture how dramatic the view was. It was breathtaking, relaxing and cool up at Mount Popa Resort.
Due to the rainy season, we didn't get to see much of a sunset. There are some good, recommended spots for Sunrise and Sunset: Shwe San Daw Pagoda was one of the spots closer to us. We didn't visit Shwe San Daw Pagoda as it was just too cloudy and perpetually threatening to rain. So we could always make it for Happy Hour drinks and early dinner :)
On our last evening, we decided to go on a relaxing river cruise, where we were brought upstream by a local family. The skipper will then turn off the engine and allow the river to slowly and gently allow us to flow downstream, enjoying whatever sunset we could see between the clouds. It was very calm.
Since it was the rainy season, and no Hot-air Balloon Flights were operating, here's an alternative place I would suggest to enjoy the sunset with an unhindered, expansive view of Charming Old Bagan. Head to Bagan Viewing Tower at Aureum Palace Tower -- the tallest structure in Old Bagan. Worth checking out!
You'd need to pay an entry fee of USD5 per person. Unless you're having a meal up at the tower, then you won't need to pay the entry fee.
The view up at Aureum Palace Tower was breathtaking, but I won't post my pictures as it just won't do justice to the place due to the rain and clouds which actually added to the mystery of the place, but just didn't turn out too well in my pictures. Must visit!
As for food in Bagan, we really enjoyed Queen Restaurant and Sanon. Both are very local and down-to-earth with good, honest food. Queen has a nice vibe, and Sanon is a restaurant that trains underprivileged youth on the Food and Hospitality Industry. They were both great!
Despite the politically unstable climate in the East of Myanmar (Shan State) and the religious uprising in the West (Rakhine State), it was still a very enjoyable and interesting trip, both in Bagan and our few days in Yangon after.
For more on my travels, you can follow me on Instagram, where I certainly am more actively on.
Instagram: @kayli_lum
See you there!
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