Mandalay and Bagan

We had a wonderful three days in Mandalay and Bagan – so much to write about! Therefore, of course, I’m falling behind.

So I’m concentrating on photos rather than writing, partly because it requires less mental effort, partly because it’s worth a thousand words. Also becuse tomorrow, 21st November, is the day I reach the house my grandfather built in Kalaw, which will be a pivotal moment in the journey and which I really want to concentrate on. So I might end up writing more about that day than the previous three, even though the latter have been worthy of detailed documentation, which will arrive in due course.

In the meantime, you might enjoy seeing some of the photos I took in Mandalay, which was completely different to the whole trip so far. You can see them here, in an album that will be added to – so come back soon.

Bagan (or Pagan, as I always knew it) has been wonderful. We hired bikes and rode around pagoda-spotting, and getting closer in touch with local people and their lives. We visited a lacquer shop for some retail therapy, saw long-necked women from upstate Shan weaving beautiful scarves,  and had a superb Burmese meal (at last!) at Ma Ma Moe’s restaurant and felt as if we’d made friends with all the family.

As they say (or used to) on Fleet Street, More follows…