November 14, 2014
Pyin Oo Lwin and Sunset from Mandalay Hill
We had a 2 hour drive today into North Eastern Myanmar to the British summer capital at Pyin Oo Lwin. We stopped on the way at the flower market where you could buy an enormous bunch of chrysanthemums - in any colour - for only 50p. The locals buy the flowers to give as offerings to the Buddha shrines they have at home. The flowers are grown where we were heading, up into the mountains and after passing through a state checkpoint - as this is a major route to and from China - we passed many fields of flowers and nurseries by the side of the road.When we reached Pyin Oo Lwin we drove right through it and ended up at a popular local natural beauty picnic spot There was also a small local market that surrounded the edge of the car park - selling local fruit and vegetables along with the local tipple, Damson wine - we had to buy a little bottle to try and its currently chilling in our mini bar - as well as jars of strawberry jam and pineapple jam. The main attraction was a waterfall which was nice but not really anything special
We then headed back to town and drove around the outskirts past the colonial houses dating back to 1900 - where the British officers lived - as well as a couple of churches and the Purcell Tower - a clock tower built in 1936. The houses are really mansions in red brick, with chimneys and all set in large plots with poinsettia trees, pines and teak trees. Everywhere we went you could see horse drawn carriages that looked like miniature stagecoaches.
After a lovely lunch on the sunny deck of a colonial house, under sun canopies and listening to Shania Twain's greatest hits, we visited the Botanical gardens. We had an hour to wander around the gardens on our own although our walk was hindered by the locals - and some monks - who kept asking if they could have their photos taken with us. It was really quite bizarre and one matronly lady seemed to take a fancy to David and had at least 6 photos taken with him!
Arriving back in Mandalay the plan was to go back to our hotel and have a 45 minute rest before driving to the top of Mandalay Hill to watch the sunset. However, we had other ideas as we really wanted to walk up the 760ft hill via a covered stairway with 1729 steps which is located on the southern slope of the hill. As there are various pagodas on your way up and the main one at the very top you have to do the walk in your bare feet. Our guide seemed a bit shocked but I insisted and they dropped us off at the corner of the fort wall and moat so that we could take a photo. We then walked a short 10 minutes to the bottom of the stairway guarded by two enormous half dragon/half lion deities.
The climb is supposed to take between 30 and 45 minutes but I think we got 3/4 of the way up in 15 minutes and was surprised to find our guide waiting for us in his bare feet. He had decided to join us on the last section so that he could explain to us the different statues and pagodas that break up the climb. I have to admit that we were pleased that he did as it wasn't a straight climb and a bit of a maze to find your way to the next section of steps. There was also nobody to follow or ask as we were the only crazy people actually climbing from the bottom. The staircase is lined with little shop alcoves and at each section there was only 1 or 2 occupied as there was no passing trade. I think we saw more sleeping dogs and cats than we did people!
When we got to the top it was surprisingly busy - we then spotted a set of escalators and a lift leading up from a car park. We were therefore the only people that were hot and sweaty!
As we were a bit early for the sunset we were able to walk around the Pagoda and enjoy the 360 degree view of the city and countryside below. It really was beautiful and what is more surprising is that Mandalay Hill sits in the middle of a very flat plain occupied half by the city and half by rice fields and countryside. In the far distance are the Shan mountains and on the other side the Ayarwaddy River. It is therefore no wonder that it is believed Buddha visited this hill in an earlier incarnation as it really is totally out of place. Our guide predicted that one day the city will expand and totally surround the hill and I think he could be right.
The other things you can easily spot is a very large prison, two golf courses, a driving range, the tops of many gold stupas and pagodas poking out of trees as well as the fort and moat. From this bird's eye view you can see inside the fortress walls which is a mass of green trees with the exception of a glimpse of Mandalay Palace in the middle.
I have to say that today's trip was a bit of an anticlimax and perhaps would have been more enjoyable if we had stayed in Mandalay for 3 nights and had the chance of a full day to explore the city. I think that would have been a better use of our short time here rather than having a 2 hr drive each way to see some British houses that we could see any time at home.
The highlight of the day was definitely the view from Mandalay Hill and it was the perfect appetiser for our river cruise to Bagan which starts tomorrow lunchtime. The river is enormous - so much wider than I had thought - and if this evening's sunset is anything to go by then I can't wait to be sitting with a cocktail in my hand at 5.15 pm each evening.
and from David: my new wife whom I met in the park is at least 60 years old, 200lbs and has red teeth from chewing too much betal, but she did have a very dirty laugh. At least the monk's mother gave us a nice cake in return for the photo... quite a bizarre afternoon.