Author: Melissa Allen

Our travels have given us an opportunity to take a cruise through the Suez Canal in Egypt. The canal construction started in 1858 with the goal of connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea offering faster and safer shipping routes to and from the east. It first opened in November 1869. It has become the largest source of income for Egypt. There have been many conflicts over the years regarding access to the Suez Canal. One of the most publicized was the Six Day War of 1967 between Egypt and Israel. In 2014 an expansion was started to extend the length and width of the canal. Today the Suez Canal is 193 kilometers long and has two lanes allowing ships to travel in opposite directions at the same time.

After waiting our turn to enter, we sailed into the canal at approximately 5:00am.  The total time to sail from one end to the other is 14 hours. While there is not an abundance of sights along the canal, we were able to see a few interesting things. We enjoyed seeing sights come into view as we sailed toward them. The weather was very hot and humid causing a bit of a haze. Overall cruising the Suez Canal was a great experience.

Our cruise was also a chance for us to relax after spending three incredible months in Asia. Just by chance our friend, Clo, from Australia booked the same cruise so we got to spend a lot of time catching up and playing cards. We also met some new friends by sharing a dinner table. It was a blast every night.

Our cruise took us to Israel and Island of Crete, Greece. We can’t wait to share about our trip into Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

 

In the desert lands of Jordan lies a magnificent city that was “lost” for hundreds of years. The ancient nomadic civilization of Nabataeans settled in the area now known as Petra and chose to build their capital city between the mountains by Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses). While the exact time of construction is not known, the city is believed to be more than 2,300 years old. In it’s peak the city was home to up 30,000 residents. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Upon arriving at the entrance gate, you must join a long queue to pass through security and then buy a ticket. After entering there is a 0.6 kilometer walk along a gravel path to the half way point. The second half of the walk is through the siq (canyon) that leads directly to the Treasury. Along the canyon there are remnants of the city entrance arch, carvings to their gods and the man-made channels that supplied the city with water.

Petra’s water supply system is a archaeological jewel that has fascinated historians. How could a city of 30,000 people survive in a desert that receives very little rainfall? They created channels that followed the twisted canyon for over a mile while dropping only 12 feet in elevation. This channel brought water from the surrounding mountains into the cisterns they had created to store water.  Hundreds of cisterns all over the area have been discovered that were used to collect rainwater and underground water.

The long walk is rewarded as soon as you can steal a glimpse of the Treasury through the canyon. The magnitude and grandeur of what the Nabateans built so long ago takes hold of you.

The treasury is not actually a palace but rather a tomb erected in memory of a fallen king who was killed in battle outside of the city of Petra. His remains were never brought to this place. It was used as a memorial for the Nabataean people.

The walk continues farther into the city. Many tombs and places of worship are still intact as they were built into sandstone mountains. Some other buildings are partially standing and the homes are all but destroyed as they were free standing houses.

In 106 A.D. the Nabataeans were conquered by the Romans. They inhabited the city of Petra until an earthquake caused significant damage in 551 A.D. Throughout the city there is evidence of the Romans life in Petra.

There is evidence that parts of Petra were used as a trader outpost during the Crusades of the 12th Century. After the 12th Century the city was “lost” to the Western world until it was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer named Johann Burckhardt in 1812. Excavations have been going on through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Tens of thousands of tourists come from all over the world every year to take in the beautiful history of Petra. It is exciting that excavations continue and more will be uncovered. Currently less than 20% of the city has been recovered. It puts the imagination in overdrive to think about what will be found in the years to come.

Our short stay in Dubai was filled with excitement.  We only allocated 2 days for this beautiful city, far too short of time. Dubai is an extremely modern city, infact most of the city was built within the last 30 years. The city is very clean – a stark contrast to our time in India.

While in Dubai we went to their wonderful shopping areas, saw it’s beautiful skyline and went on a fantastic tour – a dessert safari.

The dessert safari was an extremely well run tour it began with dune bashing-which was a nail biting experience where we rode Toyota 4X4s up, down, and through the sand dunes.

After a half an hour we gave our hands a break from their death grips and went to our camp.  At camp we watched a falcon hunter, smoked a traditional shesha, got a henna tattoo, went sand boarding, and had a traditional dinner and entertainment. It was a wonderful day.

After our short stay we are taking a cruise through the Suez Canel stopping in Jordan, Israel, and the island of Crete ending in Spain.  More on these fantastic destinations later.

 

Our Incredible India Journey continued in Ranthambore National Park.  Ranthambore is one of the finest tiger reserves in India and  is considered the best place to see a tiger in their natural habitat.

Having loved all of our safaris that we have been on in Africa and wanting to give us the best opportunity to see the tiger we opted to stay in Ranthambore 3 nights and go on 3

        morning and 3 afternoon safaris.  We took cantor safaris which are like an extra-large safari vehicles.  The similarities between Africa and India continue with the  incredible amount of wildlife that the area offers.  The similarities stop, however, with the other guests on in the vehicle.  The Indian tourists that come to the park are only interested in seeing tigers, not interested in any other wildlife.  They also are NOT quiet – children of all ages are allowed to come on safari so there is yelling, screaming and crying while we were looking for wildlife.

The safaris were full of wildlife and we were lucky enough to get a glimpse, however so brief, of two tigers on the very first night. The mama tiger and her cub were resting in the shade just inside the entrance gate.

On our final night safari we were fortunate enough to have a great viewing of the tigers.  In total we saw 5 tigers on 3 different safaris.  In speaking to other western tourists we saw significantly more than anyone else we spoke to.

We saw a wonderful amount of wildlife and were sad to leave – even though on safari it was over 100 degrees every day.  Our next stop – the holy city of Varanasi and the Holy Ganges River.

India is incredible for so many reasons. Some of them are fascinating historical monuments and others are the vast differences in their culture. It is a unique place, so different from anywhere else we have been. After doing some research prior to traveling to India we decided to book a trip with a private tour company rather than navigating on our own. We were so glad we did as India is very intense. We were greeted at the airport by our driver, Rakesh. He was a blessing and a kind comfort to us during our entire trip. We stayed in New Delhi in a mostly residential area. There were very few shops on the surrounding streets and the concerns about sanitation and food preparation we chose to eat at the hotel.

In the evening we went on a search for water. Yes, I realize that sounds strange but in India the tap water is VERY contaminated. There is also a high likelihood that local shopkeepers have refilled plastic bottles, resealed them and then tried to sell them to unsuspecting tourists. There are only a few brands of water recommended for westerners, Aquafina, Bisleri, Kinsley and Bailey. Our first purchase was a bust because we realized after we got back to the hotel that the seals didn’t break properly and had likely been tampered with. So we purchased some of the high priced water for the hotel to get us started.

Our sightseeing in Delhi was packed with historical sites and religious places. While we saw a lot, we didn’t even scratch the surface of what there is to see. Here are the highlights:

Rajghat, Gandhi’s tomb and memorial. Gandhi was a great leader for India during the turn of the 20th century. He spent his life promoting peace and encouraging people to use nonviolent ways to stand up for what they believe in. He was assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu radical that was upset about Gandhi’s sympathy for the Muslim population that was moved to the territory currently known as Pakistan. He is now considered the Father of the Nation and his teachings are valued around the world.

Jama Masjid Mosque. Prior to the British victory in 1857, the country/territories were ruled for hundreds of years by Muslim kings. Those kings built many Muslim sites to show their power and greatness. One of them is in Delhi and it remains one of the largest Mosques in India.  The Mosque was constructed under the command of Mughal Emperor Shah Javan, the same ruler who built the Taj Mahal. It was built 1653 to 1656 AD. The courtyard can hold up to 25,000 worshipers at a time.

The India Gate is a war memorial that was built to remember the 70,000 Indian soldiers that lost their lives in the First World War. It was built in the same architecture style as many others around the world, most famously the Arc of Triomphe in Paris. This monument is the largest war memorial in India. Additional monuments have been built in this area in honor of veterans from other wars.

The Lotus Temple is a Baha’i worship center that was opened in 1986. It is open to people of all faiths to reflect and worship. Any religions can be celebrated, chanted or read at the temple in any language. It is argued that it is one of the most visited places in the world. Often surpassing the annual visitor numbers of the Taj Mahal.

The Laxmi Narayan Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu.  It was built between 1933 – 1939. Since we are not Hindu, we were not able to enter many temples in India.  We were, however, able to visit this inner temple without cameras. It was interesting to witness the worshipers during their daily routine.

Qutub is a Muslim memorial complex that includes many important tombs, a ruined Mosque and a 73 meter high minaret, called Qutub Minar. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first story of the minaret was built in 1192 AD. Many of the complex buildings were constructed in the 13th century with stones and materials from ruined Hindu temples on the same site.

The second evening we took a tuk tuk to Center Place which is filled with shops and street vendors. Negotiating a ride is a task in itself. The rates quoted can vary by several hundred rupees and are always higher than the “local price.” It is also a frequent occurrence that the tuk tuk driver will make a stop at a shopping area during your ride without your permission. The shops are extremely overpriced and of course give kick-backs to the drivers. We ended up in one of these places and when we asked the driver to keep going to our intended destination, he did so but was quite upset with us.

On our third day we set out in the morning with our driver, Rakesh, toward Agra. We were so excited to see the Taj Mahal, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. The drive from Delhi to Agra is approximately 4 hours. We were greeted at our hotel by the local guide. He suggested we walk to Taj Mahal as our hotel was closer than the parking lot. Awesome!

When entering the grounds there is strict security to pass through but once you make it in, a calm feeling fills you. There are beautiful gardens and a massive gate leading to the magnificent declaration of love.

As the story is described at the monument; “Born in 1592 to Jehangir, Prince Khurran became Shah Jahan, the fourth Mughal emperor of India. While strolling in the Meena Bazaar in 1607, Khurran was mesmerized by a beautiful Persian noble girl. He was 14 and she was 13 years old. Shah Jahan sought Jehangir’s permission to be married. Finally they were married in 1612.” The legend goes that during child birth of her 14th child, Shah Jahan’s wife knew she was not going to make it through. So, she called for him and said that if he truly loved her he would build a memorial in her honor.  After her death he had the Taj Mahal and the surrounding buildings built on the same spot they originally met. The Taj Mahal was built with many specific aspects of Islam and their teachings about the after life. For example, the monument has eight sides which Muslims believe heaven has eight gates. The architecture and precise measurements are amazing. Standing in the presence of the amazing structure it is easy to see why it is a Wonder of the World.

Another impressive historical monument is the Agra Fort. It is more of a palace than a fort. Construction was completed in 1573 after 8 years of labor by more than 4,000 workers. It was the main residence of the Mughal Dynasty. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The detail work within the palace is fantastic. Precious and semi-precious stones were used for the design work in almost all rooms of the residence. One tower was built on the riverside of the palace that was used as a jail for the Emperor Shah Jahan. He was held there for 7 years after his fourth born son killed his three older brothers and captured his father so he could become emperor. While under house arrest the former emperor could see the Taj Mahal and the resting palace of his beloved wife. He died while imprisoned and is now buried in a tomb next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.

To complete the Golden Triangle of India we set out to visit the “Pink City”, Jaipur.  It is the capital and the largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. On the outskirts of the city, Rakesh stopped to show us a hidden gem, Galta Ji (The Monkey Temple). It is built in the 17th century into the valley of the mountains that surround the city. It’s main attractions are the number of monkeys that surround the temple. As well as, the natural spring water that flows into the temple. People believe the water is holy and they come there to bath in it.

While the city of Jaipur was founded in 1727, the ancient city of Amber (just 10 kilometers away) is much older. We visited sites in both the city of Jaipur and the ancient city of Amber. Lying high up in the hills of Amber is the Jaigarh Fort which is over 1,000 years old.

After getting a view of the Jaigarh Fort form across the river, we drove up the steep streets to visit the newer Amber Fort built adjacent to it in the late 16th century. The fort was constructed of sandstone and marble. A palace for the emperors of Rajasthan consumes most of the space within the fort.

As we left the city of Amber and headed back toward Jaipur our tour continued with several other historical places. Here is quick view of the best of what we saw.

Our adventure continues on safari in the Rajasthan jungles of Ranthambore on our hunt for the elusive tiger…

Greetings from Nepal. Our time Nepal has been fantastic.

Let’s begin with an apology.  It has been far too long since our last post- Internet has not been stellar.

Nepal has been and intense and amazing experience.  Our travels involved riding in a car throughout the country and please allow me to take back everything I said about the driving and traffic in Vietnam, Sicily, or anywhere else.  The traffic and driving in Nepal is easily the worst we have come across.  The terrible condition of the roads, the cars and bikes use any and every means necessary to pass (even into oncoming traffic), there are potholes that can swallow a full-sized car. . . Oh and look out  for the cows.

Kathmandu bustles with activity day and night. The city center is full of life. You can’t mistake that you are in Nepal when you walk down the narrow streets covered by prayer flags. It just like what you see in movies. Much time is spent watching where you walk as not to be run over by a bicycle, motorbike, fruit cart salesman, rickshaw or step in a huge pothole. There are restaurants of all types in the center that appeal to people from all over the world. However, the food and drinks (where tourists eat) is very expensive. A beer is $5 per bottle and dinner for two is between $15 – $25. We decided to pay a bit more for the food and skip the drinks which made us feel more confident that we wouldn’t get a stomach bug.

 

In Kathmandu had a great time visiting four World Heritage Sites. Patan Durbar Square and Kathmandu Durbar Square were magnificent, with their ancient brick buildings celebrating the Hindu Gods.

Most of the building were constructed during the 17th century by the Malla King. Both squares have an entrance fee and are now a museum area. Reconstruction is going on everywhere but there is still much to appreciate in the architecture.

We were even able to see the Kumari, a living goddess. This young girl (3 years old) is selected to be the embodiment of divine female energy. She serves as the goddess until her first menstruation begins at which time another young girl that meets many specific attributes is selected.

The areas temples and ancient town were almost completely decimated by the earthquake in 2015. The rebuilding efforts are ongoing but the work is slow – – you know the saying, Kathmandu wasn’t built in a day.

The Boudhanath Stupa (seen in the movie, Dr. Strange) is huge. We enjoyed a wonderful meal of curry chicken from a rooftop overlooking the massive temple. The prayer flags colors symbolize the 5 elements (water, earth, fire, sky, and air). We walked around the temple as it started to rain and watched the monks and tourists scramble for cover.

Just across the pedestrian road is a very old monastery that is still in use today. We visited and participated in the custom of walking around the prayer wheel three times. This is believed to give you good luck. Click the link to see a video of this:

The Swayambhunath Stupa (or Monkey Temple) was our favorite. One – because who doesn’t like a bunch of monkeys running around and swinging like Tarzan on prayer flags, and Two – the stupa was just amazing. The eyes looking out for you and the different small stupas all around the grounds. The Prayer wheels are to be spun for good luck. There was so much to see is was hard to take it all in, including all the monkey business.

Our next three days were dedicated to seeing the majestic Himalayas, first in Nagarkot and then in Pokhara. Unfortunately, the weather never cooperated fully for us to get the views we wanted. The time was enjoyable being spent at the International Mountain Museum, sightseeing the towns and relaxing.

Our final stop in Nepal was Citwan National Park to do some safaris to see the wonderful birds, the Asian one horned rhinoceros and catch a glimpse of the elusive tiger. Spoiler alert – there is a reason I did not put a picture of a Tiger in this post. I guess that’s why they call them elusive.

In the morning we did a river safari in a dugout canoe. The bird viewing was wonderful. The crocodiles were scary!

In the afternoon we took a jeep safari through the jungle. We saw lots of animals including a rhino that crossed right in front of our jeep.

 

We ended our safari days with the beautiful sunsets over the river.

After 9 glorious days in this fascinating country we took a quick flight directly south to the sub-continent of India, but that is for another post.

 

Over the last 18 days we have visited 8 cities covering the Northern, Central and Southern parts of Vietnam. We have learned much about the history and culture of this beautiful country. Our days have consisted of adventurous activities, many boat rides, a few long bus rides and meeting a lot of very friendly people. Below are some of our favorite moments and stories from the first half of our trip through Vietnam.

Hanoi – We stayed in the old city which is bustling with street vendors, motorbikes and pedestrians all mixed together. The streets are quite narrow and filled with activity both day and night. It’s a blend of cultures as many people from other countries are living there. The beer is very cheap and can be purchased in the evening straight from a keg on the side of the street for 5,000 VMD ($0.22).

One experience not to be missed is the to take a half day city tour on the back of a motorbike. It’s the best way to get in the middle of all the action. I was a bit scared at first!

We took two overnight trips from Hanoi. The first to Mai Chau to the west and the second to Halong Bay to the east. Both places are a definite must during a visit to north Vietnam. Each one offers something entirely different.  

Mai Chau is located in the valley between mountains and is home to beautiful terraced rice fields and sprinkled with small villages. We spent the afternoon riding bicycles through the fields. The landscape is so green and goes for as far a you can see. We had a chance to visit several local homes and meet the local people.

Our best memory from Mai Chau is the motorcycle taxi ride we took up to the terraced rice fields. We made it all the way to the top of the dirt road just before it started to pour down rain. It did not stop us from trekking around and through the fields to take in the spectacular views. By the time we decided to head back, there was muddy water running down the path. We had to get off the motorbikes and hike down the hills before we could get back on and ride back to town. The rain never stopped and we were completely soaked. 

Halong Bay was our next stop. If you have seen pictures of Vietnam, you have likely seen Halong Bay. The bay covers an area of 334 square kilometers and there are over 1,900 islands.

While the area is so beautiful, it is a bit tainted by the amount of boats (there are 700+ passenger boats), as well as the trash floating in the water. We tried to look past those things and enjoy the experience. Our trip was a 2 day / 1 night cruise. with Halong Lavender Cruise Company. The crew did a wonderful job with the activities for their guests. 

Our ship made several stops within the bay for some sight seeing. The first was a large cave which is the only access to a lagoon. It is only accessible during low tide. We grabbed the chance to venture into it by kayak.

The next stop was to climb 700 stairs to the top of Titop island. The reward is a great view of the surrounding area from a very tall point in the bay.  

The following morning we went to Sung Sot Cave. Again we climbed 600 stairs to reach the entrance. It was very large on the inside. This cave is considered to the most beautiful cave in the bay. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We really enjoyed Hanoi and the day trips we took to the surrounding area. After Hanoi,  our journey took us south to the city of Hue. During our stay we took a tour of the local area with a guide. Historically, Hue was the capital of Vietnam before it was moved to Hanoi in 1945. We visited two tombs of Vietnam Kings. It is amazing to see the amount of money that was spent on building the elaborate tombs when the people living in the villages we very poor.

The Tomb of Kai Dinh was constructed by over 10,000 workers over the course of 11 years and was finished in 1931. He was considered to be a horrible king that did nothing for the people of the Vietnam. He issued a tax that all people had to pay a 30% tax on their property in order to pay for the building of his tomb. It created more poverty for the people.

The second tomb we visited was The Tomb of Minh Mang. The area is much more like a park than a shrine to the king. Minh Mang chose the spot for his tomb during his life. While the building process he became ill and died. He was buried on the grounds in 1841 before the construction was finished. 

Another interesting stop was the Citadel. It took many years to build and finished construction in 1832. While it was used for defense during multiple wars it was also used throughout its history as a palace for the kings. and their families. There were over 100 buildings located on the grounds, each with their own purpose. What we can see today is only a fraction of what was once there. Unfortunately the American bombing destroyed over 50% of the buildings. 

Our last stop was the Thein Mu Pagoda. The Pagoda was built in the 19th century as a gift from the king to his grandmother on her 80th Birthday. Since then it has been a home to many monks and a place of prayer. 

I know we have seen a lot of them lately but this one holds a higher significance. Within its walls is a relic. It holds a lot of importance to the Buddhist people.

 

On June 11, 1963 a monk (now referred to as “The Most Venerable”) got out of this car in the city of Saigon, sat down on the ground and burned himself to death. He did this as a protest against the policies of the Ngo Dinh Diem regime. The picture of this moment was on the cover of newspapers and magazines all over the world.

The old city of Hue is a nice place to spend the evenings. There are many restaurants and shops down town. We enjoyed walking around, people watching and enjoyed nightly happy hour. Another neat thing to do in the evenings is visit the night market along the river. 

We are really enjoying our trip through Vietnam.  The next 10 days will take us further into central and down to southern parts of the country. Our journey will continue to the small riverside city of Hoi An. 

After our amazing time in Myanmar, we flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand for some fun and relaxation. Thailand is a very easy country for westerners to travel in because the local people cater to tourists. This makes it much easier to get around, find clean restaurants and hire a tuk tuk. Most locals speak at least some English. Basically, Thailand is the place to visit as an introduction to Southeast Asia.

 

 

 

During our six night stay in Chiang Mai we each had four massages. Yes, probably a bit over kill but it’s so cheap. A one hour massage costs around 300 THB (approx. $10). We only opted for a Thai massage once. This type of massage is not a pleasant experience. The masseuse uses their entire body to grind at your muscles, including elbows, knees, feet, etc. They put you in all kinds of positions, some of which are a bit awkward. We were both so sore after that experience that we swore we would not do that again. The next massages we had were with oil, except for one I had with Thai Herbal Massage Balls. It was amazing!! I highly recommend that option. It is twice the price but worth every penny.

Pampering a Pacaderm!

Our favorite day in Chiang Mai was the day we spent with Elephants. Chiang Mai is a place that many organizations have chosen to create sanctuaries for elephants that were once used in work camps. Visitors can pay to spend the day feeding, bathing and playing with them in a natural environment. It is a way to support the people who rescue these gentle giants while having an unforgettable experience. We loved every minute.

 

 

We met the elephants down at the river in the afternoon. They come down on their own to cool off in the water. We had a chance to bath them and rub them with mud. The mud is cool on their skin and acts as a sunblock. They seemed to really enjoy it.

 

No visit to Chiang Mai is complete without a visit to one of the elephant sanctuaries.

The city has a lot to offer including a weekend street market, a nightly street bazaar, great restaurants and many beautiful temples. We took advantage of all of these activities during our stay. One afternoon we borrowed bikes from our hotel and rode around the old city visiting different temples. They are Buddhist temples but much different than the ones in Myanmar in both their interior decoration and architecture.

We ended our stay in Chiang Mai with a bang or at least that’s how my tongue felt after our Thai cooking class. Our full day class taught us how to make  6 Thai dishes including appitizers, soups, entrees and deserts. We each got to choose the dishes we wanted to make. So we ended up making many things between the two of us. The food was yummy, sometimes a bit spicy and really fun to make.

What a great week! Now it’s off to Vietnam…

 

 

As noted in our last post, we arrived in Bagan via an overnight train. Our guide picked us up and we started our tour. No shower, no break – we just went for it. Bagan is a farming community that has become a tourist destination. It remains relatively stuck in the past. Looking back at our photos we don’t believe we captured the full beauty of this place but we will do our best to share our experience.

Myanmar has very few international chains unlike almost every other country we have visited. Since the borders opened 7 years ago,  they tried to keep very close reigns on what companies are let in. So, they do not have any fast food… there are no McDonald’s, Pizza Huts or 7Elevens. They do not have any grocery stores or shops to buy food, especially in the remote areas. Naung U Market is where the locals visit almost everyday to buy their food. It is divided into sections; meats, veggies, home goods, fabrics, etc.

During the height of Bagan’s glory between the 11th and 13th centuries, pagodas and temples were built all over the city. There is thought to have been over 30,000 in Bagan. Over the centuries the effects of war, bad weather and earthquakes have destroyed 90% of them leaving over 3,000 as we see it today. The views are incredible as they are now, I can’t even imagine what it would have looked like 1,000 years ago.

It was impossible to see 3,000 pagodas during our visit, so we visited some fo the “most important” and impressive ones.

Shwezigon Paya was built in the 11th century by King Anawrahta. He was the first major advocate for Buddhism in Myanmar. This stupa (a type of temple/pagoda) is a large structure that is used for religious purposes but is solid. Different from the other pagodas that can be entered and contain Buddha images. This stupa is covered in gold leaf. There are many buildings surrounding the stupa which contain the Buddha images for prayer and meditation. The completed Shwezigon Paya became a model for many others built around the region.

Ananda Pagoda was built in 1091 AD.  The legend goes that the plans for temple were drawn up to replicate a very important cave temple used by Indian monks found in the Nandamula mountain range in the Himalayas. The architecture is amazing and very impressive for the time it was built. Inside there are small niches all over the walls to allow settling to occur with deterioration and makes the building itself much lighter. The lighter weight has helped it through the many terrible earthquakes Myanmar has suffered over the years. Inside the niches are Buddha images and 18 parts that depict the story of how the prince became Buddha.

The Dhammayangyi Temple is the largest temple in the entire Bagan area. It was built in 1170 AD by King Narathu.  It was built by the remorseful king after he killed his father and older brother to get the crown. The are four entrances, each containing a Buddha image. The one facing east (the most important and the main entrance) contains two Buddha images in memorandum of the king’s father and brother.

In Myanmar, each Buddhist man (85% of all people are Buddhist) must become a monk twice in their life. Once as a boy, which is called a novice and once as man over the age of 20. The men can decide if they want to stay for the minimum of 7 days or longer.

One evening in Bagan we were lucky to witness a very large novice ceremony. When a boy reaches the age of 7 they can join the order of monks and learn the teaching of Buddha. Family save up money for a long time to have the ceremony.  Some families with lesser incomes will get together with their sisters and brothers to have combined ceremony for their boys. The novice ceremonies range from one truck full of people with loud music to an entire parade with hundreds of people. The first one we saw in Myanmar was very large. Here are some of our photos showing the traditional costumes and make-up (Yes, the boys have on make-up too).

The parade goes from the family home to the monastery where the novice will remain. Everyone wears their best clothes. The boys becoming novices ride atop horses and are dressed like a prince because it represents Buddha prior to him becoming a monk/Buddha.  The women follow with gifts for the head monk with will preform the ceremony at the monastery. The include money, gold, food, etc. The family members bring the items the novice will need during their service like robes, their food pots and sandals. The event is elaborate and beautiful. We were thrilled to have taken part.

From Bagan we took a day trip to Mount Popa, a temple built on top of a mountain at 1518 meter above sea level.  It is a pilgrimage site for Myanmar’s Nats (Spirits) and Buddhist relics. It is hard to see from our photos because of the haze but the only way to the top is by climbing the steps. I’m sure you’re wondering… did you climb them? Of course! We descended 200 stairs to get to the base of the mountain from our drop off point. Then, as is the custom we left our shoes at the bottom of the stairs and climbed 777 steps to the top, barefoot. It was a long way up.

On the way up their are many stalls of people selling things of all different kinds. Half way up there is an area where the Myanmar people stop to have lunch. The food consists of a cabbage salad and noodle soup. As you can imagine it doesn’t look very sanitary but it was very popular. We did not stop to partake.

Myanmar people don’t carry water bottles with them and they do not buy bottled water either. Their culture is that water is provided by in public areas to anyone who wants to drink from it. There are often clay pots and sometimes large steel tank that contain drinking water (although not purified to our digestive ability). The pots are in temples, the markets, outside shops and along the street. The mindset is that if you have nothing else to offer,  you can help others by offering a basic human need of drinking water. Here is a picture of the water station offered at Mount Popa.

 

As we climbed the stairs, we were surrounded by monkeys. They were everywhere. And the monkeys really did not like Robert. Twice he got to close and they took a swipe at him. Luckily Robert made it out with out a scratch. They eat trash and tourists give them peanuts. Locals hate them because the make a mess. But the experience wouldn’t have been the same without them.

At the top we explored the Nat shrines and temples. The climb and expectation is a bit more exciting than what is on top but it was a thrill to make it all the way up.

 

Our last night in Bagan, we spent amongst the temples as the sun went down. The brick illuminates a deep red color and the sun glows beautiful orange and yellow. Here are some of our favorite pictures from those indescribable moments.

Our Myanmar trip continues with a 3:45am wake-up call…

For years I have wanted to visit the faraway land of Myanmar. The borders opened in 2011 and tourism has grown little by little.  We checked off another country of my long bucket list when we landed in Yangon, Myanmar. Our guide, Zaw Zaw greeted us with a smile and took us to our hotel. For 9 days we are on a private tour. Yes, it’s a bit over our budget but not knowing what to expect we opted for a guide and driver. It was worth every penny!

We have seen so much and learned so many things about Myanmar culture. Here are some of the highlights from the first of the three cities we visited, Yangon.

The first thing we picked up on was that Myanmar is pronounced by the local people as Me-a-mar. They do not want to be referred to as Burma as that is the name the military used as well as the British that occupied their country. Now that they are “free” they only refer to the country as Myanmar. They are very proud to no longer be under military rule.

People are selling food everywhere; on the streets, in the trains, in markets big and small. Basically anywhere they can find a place, they just set up and start selling. Many sidewalks have makeshift restaurants that are set up every day.

The very first pagoda we went to in Myanmar is one of the most famous. Shwedagon Pagoda is thought to be 2,600 years old making it the oldest in the world but no official documentation can prove that. Most Buddhists from Myanmar will make a pilgrimage to Yangon at least once in their life to visit this pagoda. The main building is completely covered in 24k gold leaf. The top umbrella is decorated with over 7,000  diamonds, rubies, topaz and sapphires.

A short distance from Shwedagon Pagoda is Chaukhtatgyi or the Reclining Buddha Temple. It houses the one of the largest Buddha images in all of Myanmar. From head to toe is measures 66 meters long (217 feet).

 

 

 

 

Karaweik Hall Barge is a restaurant built to resemble a royal barge. It is floating on Kandawgui Lake. It is quite famous and offers nightly cultural shows with a dinner buffet. We did not partake but went to see this awesome structure. Many logos and signs in the country have a depiction of this “Royal Barge” on them, including Myanmar Beer.

Our visit to Yangon ended with an 18-hour overnight train ride to Bagan that left the station at 4:00pm. The train has three classes; Ordinary class, Second class and First Class with sleeper beds. None of the seats offered air conditioning. Our first class ticket cost approximately $13 per person. The train had one car for first class with three cabins. Each cabin was split into two sides with a private “toilet” for four people. We shared our cabin with a Myanmar couple that spoke very little English but we quite nice. The bottom was split into two chairs with a flip up table in the middle. The chairs pull out into a bed at night. The top had a bunk bed as well. A clean sheet, pillow and blanket were offered.

While the facilities were minimal (a tin can with a hole exposed to the tracks) and the dust was fierce,  we really enjoyed the experience. We were able to see the country side and how people live outside the city. As you can imagine the people have very little money and live in palm leaf huts. Many of the country people are farmers growing corn, rice and peanuts. Each town we went through the people lined the sides of the train waving at the passengers.

Our train arrived in Bagan just before 11:00am. We were greeted again by our guide, Oo. After short dusty and bumpy ride we arrived at our hotel.

Our next post will be of Bagan. A beautiful place that dreams really are made of.