Random Photos

A few random photos-

Garbage cans around the moat decorated like Minions

No shoes

The Royal Palace from the watchtower

Tatmadaw is the Myanmar Armed Forces. This sign is at the entrance to the Royal Palace.

A little free library that we ride our bikes by. The glass case on the left is filled with newspapers (in Burmese.) I often see people reading them.

Always a young monk nearby. All Buddhist men become monks for at least a little while.

Women become nuns too.

Another day, another temple.

Hike to the top of Mandalay Hill through many Pagodas.

Pagoda at the top during the last full moon.

Super moon over Mandalay

More Pagodas

Mike schlepping supplies on his bike

Typical Burmese lunch. Chicken, mutton, rice plus all the sides for both of us- 3500 kyat ($2.50)

Nap time at our favorite market.

Mike buying some fruit.

Mike with some new friends

We rented a motorbike and went to a hill station a couple of hours away. This girl took us on a "shortcut" to a waterfall on crazy steep trail (she was wearing flip flops.) View from the top.

Just before we followed this girl into the jungle we realized that there were tons of huge spiderwebs filled with these spiders. This spider's body was about 3 or 4 inches. The trail was really slippery and I was afraid to grab anything as a hand hold. Also- about half way through our tour she pointed out a snake that had just slithered into the jungle. We're lucky to be alive!

Anisakan Falls

This is a statue of the Ogress Sandha Mukkhi offering her sliced up breasts to the Buddha. Apparently she ruled Mandalay Hill and when the Buddha came she sliced off her breasts as an offering to him with the condition that she would someday be the king of Mandalay. He agreed and she was reincarnated 2400 years later as King Mindon. We made a special trip up Mandalay hill last night to find this statue.

Mandalay Hill pagoda after dark

Guess we won't wear our feet in that pagoda