Myanmar Map

 

 

            Map of Southeast Asia

latest picture: January 21, 2017

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262  1/18/2017; 5.30am: Our ”Government

Boat” leaves the IWT Gawain Jetty in Mandalay

(C 21.97020/96.05609). It will sail with us during 14

hours for US$29.60 (= 2 people) on the mighty

Irrawaddy River to Bagan. It’s still night. Only a

few lights are visible on the shore of Sagaing

263  It dawns slowly. On the western –

later the northern – hilly riverbank we can

recognize some pagodas rising skywards

around Sagaing Hill

264  The first rays of the sun are catching

a golden Buddha in Sagaing – a special

eyecatcher in the early morning hour

265  The sunrise announces itself with a

soft red and spreads a mystical atmosphere.

Once more the “Sone-U Pone Nya Shin

Pagoda” on the top of Sagaing Hill

266  The two bridges over the Irrawaddy River

in Mandalay; the first is the longer Inwa railway/

road combination (3'948 ft.) [1’203m] from

1934, while the newer (2008) Yadanabon road

bridge (3'694 ft.) [1’126m] is visible behind it

267  The skies glow at sunrise (6.50am)

and reflect in the calm surface of the mighty

Irrawaddy River, the biggest river of

Myanmar (1'373 miles long) [2’210km]

268  A dwelling of palm leaves nestles

between the red earth bankside

and the stately trees

269  A picture that characterizes unmistakably

Myanmar, be it on the Irrawaddy River bank,

be it in towns or in the countryside: Golden

pagodas are rising up everywhere

270  A small settlement of modest huts snuggling

into the shade of trees: It must be somehow

connected with the road network. Why a pickup

truck would otherwise be parked there?

271  Our supply boat “Tain Kyohsaung” goes

ashore to unload and load. Those moments are

the most interesting for us as they reveal still

authentic live of a country that has been cut

off from the rest of the world for decades

272  View into the clean engine

compartment of our rather age-worn

vessel, manufactured 1955 in Japan

273  Emil plays with his tablet and is

checking our current location with GPS.

At many places was telephone network

reception (2G), thus also slow internet

274  The only vendor on board sells snacks,

sweets, bananas and apples. At the board

kitchen there is hot coffee and tea and

simple rice and noodle dishes

275  Contrary to us tourists who are sitting

on chairs, locals are lying or sitting on the

floor wrapped up in blankets. During the

first morning hours it is still bitingly cold …..

276  ….. they are not much interested

in the passing-by scenery,

but kill the time gossiping

277  From our seats we have a good

view over the only “exotic corner”

with the locals

278  At a stop, a vendor comes on

board to sell food. She wears the

typical Myanmese sunscreen make-up,

called “Thanaka”

279  A girl is huddling in front of the apple

bowl. She still wears her woolen beanie. It is

warming up only slowly. While there are only

around a dozen locals on board, we count

40 western backpackers and tourists

280  A grove of palms with planting

comes into sight. The scenery at the river

bank of the Irrawaddy changes constantly

281  A gold dredging pump on a boat

on the Irrawaddy River. The people of

the Irrawaddy (Kachin, Shan, Bamar)

have been gold panning for centuries

282  A few huts on the shore, where its peoples

live a modest life. It recalls our 21 days' adventure

in March 1991 on the River Zaire in Africa (now

DR Congo) and our river trip on the Madeira

River in the Amazon in Brazil in April 1988

283  Ready for the boat trip –

just waiting for the last passenger

284  The people of the Irrawaddy depend on

the river that flows (1'373 miles long) [2’210km]

from the far north across the country southwards

into the Andaman Sea. Here laundry is made …..

285  ….. and clothes are tapped on stones

286  A sterile tourist boat overtakes us. Tariff:

$32 to 52 p.P., while we on the government

boat pay only $15 p.P. They do not land any-

where, drive faster than us and the passengers

hardly experience the exotic activity ashore

287  Cargo boats are moored at the river

shore loading goods onto small trucks.

The Irrawaddy River is often the only

connection to the outside world

for the Irrawaddy people

288  Porters with heavy bags balance

over small wooden planks to the shore

289  Vendors are waiting to be let onto

our ferry, hoping to sell there some

fruits or precooked food …..

290  ….. this Burmese carries a

bowl with fruits on her head …..

291  ….. while this girl sells fried chicken parts

292  Another stunning colorful picture,

which fascinates us

293  Everything is transported on the

Irrawaddy River – even bicycles. Because

there are no bridges between Mandalay an

Bagan (84 miles by road [135km]), everything

has to be ferried by all sorts of floating means

294  The banks of the Irrawaddy

are dotted with golden gleaming

stupas, temples and pagodas

295  A youngster in his traditional

Longyi is watching life on the river

296  The young girl is wearing

an especially decorative beanie

297  Grandmother and granddaughter are

watching from the shore the activity on our boat

298  Fishermen built some modest sun

protecting shelters on a broad sandbank.

Possibly it works also for housing

299  At a village carefully piled up clay

jugs are waiting to be transported.

They will be sold on markets

300  Passengers leave our boat with luggage

on their head, on their shoulder and in their

hand over the wooden planks pulled out

and pulled in by the ship’s crew

301  Passengers who left our boat but live

on a different place or on the other side

of the river carry their baggage to the

already waiting small ”feeder vessel”

302  Everything has to be transported

to isolated communities, also petrol barrels.

It needs strong men to pull them up a sandbar

303  Everything is organized, also the taxi:

A bullock cart is on the scene to transport

residents and goods to their final destination

304  Also a monk is leaving our boat

305  A delicate undertaking: This Burmese

is climbing up a steep hill, balancing 10 layers

of raw eggs on her head – likely about

40 pounds [18kg]. If it only goes well!

306  A fishing boat is floating peacefully

on the water. Memories of Africa pop up!

(check picture #282)

307  Liliana’s preferred spot on our river

boat. She loves to watch the exotic happening

at the landing stages and to take pictures. The

boat stopped eight times and each time it was

differently exciting

308  The Irrawaddy-Pakokku bridge is visible

at sunset. We passed 88 miles [142km] and

13 hours earlier at sunrise the previous road bridge

at Sagaing/Mandalay. It’s now still 13 miles

[21km] to Nyaung-U, the landing stage for Bagan

309  The golden ball of the sun sets

behind the bridge. The impressing 14-hour

journey from Mandalay to Bagan on the

Irrawaddy comes to an end although

the river is navigable to the mouth

310  Early morning hot air balloons with

tourists are silently rising skywards to watch

the sunrise over Bagan‘s uncountable shrines

and stupas. A 45 to 60 minute adventure

cost more than US$380 p.P.!

311  The magic of Bagan: From the terrace

of our “Sky View Hotel” we enjoy the sight

over the temples as the first rays of sun

make the pagodas gleam. In the background

Mount Popa, beeline 27 miles [43km]

312  Abandoned overgrown temple ruins in

the steppe-like landscape of Bagan invite to be

explored. Tha Gyar Hit Phaya, north of Bagan–

Nyaung-U road. The top of the right temple

collapsed during the latest earthquake on

8/24/2016 (C 21.18410/94.88190)

313  The Schwezigon Pagoda in Nyaung-U

with its bell-shaped stupa is the mother of all

Bagan pagodas. It was built by King Anawrahta

in search of a dignified location to host a bone

of Buddha. When his white elephant carrying

the relict kneeled down at this place, it was

considered as a divine sign (C 21.19534/94.89390)

314  This is how the Schwezigon Pagoda

looked before its dome was covered due

to the damage caused by the earthquake in

August 2016. The quake with a magnitude

of 6.8 damaged at least 185 pagodas

315  After his temple visit, Emil sits

down on a bench next to a Buddhist

nun to put his socks and shoes back.

Holy places are only allowed to enter

barefoot – recommendable: flip-flops

316  Trees of golden flowers adorn parts

of the Schwezigon Pagoda (downright).

They add to its special beauty

317  The two of us in the inner courtyard of

the Schwezigon Pagoda – another one of

the important pilgrimage sites of Myanmar

318  Liliana is admiring the richness and beauty of

the golden shimmering Schwezigon Pagoda. It sits

on the right hand side on three tall square terraces

319  Near the entrance of the Htilominlo

Temple a huge bell attracts our attention

320  The Buddhist Htilominlo Temple was

built in 1218 from brickwork. It is 151 ft.

[46m] tall and counts to the big structures in

Bagan (C 21.17858/94.87930). It also suffered

damages due to the 2016 earthquake

321  Buddha shrine at the Htilominlo

Temple. The array of styles of

Burmese Buddhas is strikingly wide

322  To which ethnic group might this

woman with her beautiful turban belong?

She’s probably from the Pao tribe.

Myanmar is a real treasure box of colorful

ethnic groups. Some fight still a war

323  Beautiful traditional parasols

are part of the many souvenirs

sold at shops near the temples

324  A woman from the Padaung tribe –

also called Kayan Lahwi – which is a sub-

group of the “Red Karen” (Karenni people),

but named also “Long Neck Karen”,

is working on her weaving loom

325  Built in a different architecture is

Alodawpye Phaya Temple

(C 21.17686/94.88261) …..

326  ….. its wall paintings are

still quite well preserved …..

327  ….. in the temple compound two

dazzling white monk figures carrying a big

bell on a long pole are eye-catching

328  Main entrance to the 164 ft. [50m] tall

Ananda Phaya Temple. Built in the shape of

a cross with four entry halls, it is considered

as Bagan’s most beautiful. It was built bet-

ween 1091 and 1105 (C 21.17084/94.86769)

329  One of the four Buddhas placed

in all four cardinal directions at the

Ananda temple. Also this temple’s top has

been damaged during the 2016 quake

330  One of the dozens of niches in

the Ananda Temple showing a master-

piece of a scene of Buddha’s life

331  Two porters are carrying a bowl into

the interior of the Ananda Temple which is

constructed in Indian style architecture

332  An especially beautiful example of

a Buddha statue carved from stone in an

outer niche of the Ananda Temple, the

most important shrine in Bagan

333  Burmese ladies at a temple complex

are busy counting money and playing with

their ubiquitous smart phones

334  Abandoned and forgotten temples in

Bagan’s steppe – altogether about 2’200

335  The Dhammayangyi Temple southeast

of Old Bagan sits in an attractive garden-like

compound and is outstanding in its shape of

a pyramid (C 21.16206/94.87291)

336  Wherever we look, temples are

looming everywhere in Bagan’s landscape.

On the right-hand side in the background

the 201 ft. [61m] tall Thatbyinnyu Temple

337  The Sulamani Temple was constructed

in 1183 under the reign of King Narapatisithu.

Especially attractive are its stucco facades.

Unfortunately it lost also its whole top during

the August 2016 earthquake (C 21.16492/94.88133)

338  An immense Buddha statue

at the Sulamani Temple

339  Forgotten ancient temples rising in the

Bagan plains. View from the Sulamani Temple.

Besides the Shwesandaw Paya (pic #344) and the

Pyathada Paya (C 21.15830/94.88932) Temples, one

of the few which still are allowed to be climbed

In each direction, the plains around Bagan are dotted with temples and monuments (view from the Sulamani Temple)

340  Northwest

341  East

342  South

343  The Thatbyinnyu Temple

(C 21.16876/94.86300) northwesterly of

the Dhammayangyi Temple (pic #335)

344  Not anymore an insider tip! The

cameras are ready. Hordes of tourists have

gathered at the platforms of the Shwesandaw

Pagoda (C 21.16377/94.86608) for sunset and

still more are arriving …..

345  ….. no wonder that Emil’s face does

not look very happy, because in the crowd

of tourists the ‘special experience’ is lost.

In the background the Thatbyinnyu

Temple (pic #343) can be seen

View from Shwesandaw-Pagoda: Bagan, the capital city of the ancient Burmese kingdom looks quite surreal when the setting sun puts its glow

over the temples scattered across the plain. On an area of barely 15½ mi² [40km²] there are still about 2’200 temples and monuments in Bagan

346  East

347  Nor'-nor'-west

348  Southeast

349  The market woman in Nyaung-U

(Bagan) is grating a kind of vegetable

bulb into a bowl

350  Sitting behind her heap of bananas and

besides some coconuts, the market woman in

Nyaung-U (Bagan) is waiting for customers

351  The range of vegetables at Nyaung-U’s

market is ample: Cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini,

carrots, celery, cabbage, potatoes, beans,

onions – everything was carried freshly from

her village early morning by the market woman

352  Each of the three golden shining turrets

in an entrance at Popa Village hosts a Buddha

statue in a small niche

353  The pagoda at the base of Mount

Popa delights with its richly ornamented

golden Buddha figures …..

354  ….. and with its free standing

Buddha under a baldachin

355  The actual mountain “Mount Popa”

(mountain of flowers) is a 4’981 ft. [1’518m]

high inactive volcano, which erupted the last

time 250’000 years ago. 2 miles [3½km] west

of it rises the 2’156 ft. [657m] high volcanic

plug “Taung Kalat” with the monastery and

pilgrimage site “Mt. Popa” out of the steppe,

about 30 miles [50km] from Nyaung-U (Bagan)

356  777 steps lead to the “Mount Popa”

monastery with the “Tuyi n Taung” Pagoda.

Being a Buddhist sacred place, it is not allowed

to set foot with shoes in the whole area.

The steps however are littered with monkey

poo. The relatively aggressive macaques

are living there and are ‘imaginatively’

trying to get some food from visitors

357  The “Tuyi n Taung” Pagoda sitting on the

top of the rocky Mount Popa outcrop is beauti-

fully illuminated at sunset. Also the walkway,

consisting obviously of 777 steps with a

difference of about 200 ft. [60m] in altitude,

is lit-up. The whole mountain area is

now the “Mount Popa National Park”

358  At the foot of the Mount Popa outcrop

snuggles the same named village which

spreads an atmosphere of calmness and peace

359  The visa of our 28 day Myanmar

trip is coming to an end. Liliana is sitting

sadly in the airplane of Air KBZ that brings

us now from Nyaung-U (Bagan) to Yangon.

One day later we fly with Air Asia back to

Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia

360  The airplane is after bus, railway,

boat and shared taxi our last Myanmese

(Burmese) mean of transport with which

we crisscrossed for one month Myanmar.

We are boarding it in Nyaung-U with

destination Yangon (Rangoon)

More websites from Myanmar:

Myanmar (Burma) Part 1 – from Yangon (Rangoon) to the 'Golden Rock' of Kyaiktiyo

Myanmar (Burma) Part 2 – Bago (Pegu) - Shwenyaung at Inle Lake

Myanmar (Burma) Part 3 – from Nyaungshwe at Inle Lake to Mandalay and Goteik viaduct

The African trip 2013-16:

CapeVerde: Santiago/Praia part 1 – November18th to December 13th, 2013

CapeVerde: Fogo – Dezember13th to 23rd, 2013

CapeVerde: Brava – December 23rd to 26th, 2013

Cape Verde: Santiago/Praia part 2 – December 26th, 2013 to February 28th, 2014

Cape Verde: São Nicolau – February 28th to March 13th, 2014

Cape Verde: São Vicente/Mindelo part 1 – March 13th to 20th, 2014

Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Eastern side part 1 – March 20th to April 7th, 2014

Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Western side part 2 – April 7th to 10th, 2014

Cape Verde: São Vicente/Mindelo part 2 – April 10th to 29th, 2014

Namibia Part 1 – from Walvis Bay to Windhoek

Angola Part 1 – September 26th to October 4th, 2014

Angola Part 2 – October 4th to 22nd, 2014

Namibia Part 2 – from Windhoek to the Angolan border, back again and on to South Africa

South Africa Part 1 – from Namibia border to Capetown – January 22nd to February 23rd, 2015

3rd Major Repair of our LandCruiser FJ60 - 1982  (due to two broken sideshafts)

South Africa Part 2 – from Capetown to Tsitsikamma National Park – February 24th to March 13th, 2015

South Africa Part 3 – from Addo National Park to the Lesotho border – March 13th to April 7th, 2015

Lesotho – April 7th to 15th, 2015

South Africa Part 4 – from the Lesotho to the Swaziland border – April 15th to 23rd, 2015

Swaziland – April 23rd to 28th, 2015

South Africa Part 5 – from the Swaziland to the Botswana border  – April 28th to May 15th, 2015

Botswana

Zimbabwe

Mozambique

Malawi

Armed Robbery in Malawi on July 31st/August 1st, 2015

Tanzania

Kenya

Ethiopia Part 1 – from Kenya to Djibouti – October 25th to November 18th, 2015

Djibouti – October 18th to 27th, 2015

Ethiopia Part 2 –  from Djibouti to Sudan – November 27th to December 9th, 2015

Sudan – December 9th, 2015 to January 8th, 2016