Kalaw

The hill retreat for the summer, the railway station is mock Tudor, and there are a couple of house that would be 1million in an estate agents window in Surrey. Beautiful countryside. We had a trek today through some villages and counted over ten crops, from avocado to ginger and rice, some of which is sold locally but a lot goes to the bigger cities.

On the trek we passed through a village where there was a big annual ceremony, a lot of noise and jollity, monks and fire crackers.Tea and chilies on mats drying in the village square. Tea and snacks in a house where a woman was weaving cloth, it takes 6 days to weave a lenght for a lunghi. Lunch of noodle soup was cooked for us later on the walk in a villagers house. ( under close inspection of our guide, who I’m sure was in the kitchen to see that hands were washed and plates clean, sick customers aren’t good for donations to the local school)

The village is helped by an organisation that sends some students on to university, purifying water etc.

Picture of village to be added

Not yet posted Remember heading this time

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Mandalay

Very much busier than Rangoon, with more big stores, white good shops etc. The town is built on a grid system and far from being romantic, as we think it should be (Kipling etc), the streets are 81st and 64th street!!!

The Irrawaddy river is still flooded from the rains, so incredibly wide at the moment. There are trees and even the roofs of houses in the water.

Early morning walk on the longest teak bridge in the world , U Bien’s, 1km long, that goes from the bank to bank. We set off in time to see the six o’ clock sunrise, but the sun rose unannounced from behind the clouds. Nevertheless it was beautiful with a slight mist. The bridge was busy with people crossing it with their bikes laden with fruit and veg to sell in the city, Monks and people doing their morning exercises and stretching, no yoga classes to join though.

When we turned back another hundred photo opportunities looking the other way! But the sun came out before the walk was over and it was all worth while.

The rest of the day was spent on a trip on the river, visiting a couple of temples
( just for a change) but a very peaceful and restful day. All finished off with an excellent Chinese meal.

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Two things about Myanmar you should know

Very few people have mobile phones here, a SIM card has come down to $250.00, and you still have to buy the hand set.The network converge is minimal. There are no phone boxes either. The equivalent is a booth at a street corner with three or four ( very old ) phones, and someone who will connect you the the number you want.

There might be the odd ATM in Yangon but nowhere else, and credit cards don’t exist. So this is a cash society, the currency, the kyat (pronounced chat) is worth 1000 to a pound. There is no coinage as the Government maintain it is cheaper to print notes than mint coins. Older people and country people won’t accept a 10,000 note as it is such a huge amount. The consequence is that you have to have a wad of money about two centimetres thick.

When I have more educational things that you need to know, I will let you know!!!!

Vicky

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