Day 6, way back to Mandalay

Opposite to me the little child smiling in the arms of the mother was a Albino. I felt a little guilty after a little long while's gaze and so I abruptly smiled back and turned my eyes away when the mother noticed me. Maybe to the young couple , such a curisoity from a stranger was too hurting.

Or I just considered too much. For, two young women sitting next to them quickly started conversation with the mother and kindly took a big red apple and put it into the hand of the baby. The kid, with smiling eyes, was totally not afraid of it and tried to grab it and feed it by him/herself, which worried but amused both of the parents. And all during the trip, the child and the family was always the focus, no wonder.

I tried to stop my mad worry about the troulbe the child might experience when he/she grows up because of the specialness. I was so sure of the happy childhood. And I admired more the courage of the young couple peacefully accepting such a fate.

Actually we were already on the right way back to Mandalay, but one of the passengers spoke one word. So the driver backed our way and drove into a left road. End of it was a restaurant. We stopped for half an hour there and then we continued our pleasant journey, under the blue sky and through greet forests, while breathing fresh and crisp air.

I was dropped around the market. I tried at first to take a shortcut through the alleys, but in the end I had to turn back because of the dead ends. While I was looking around, for directions and nearly temples every corner, one man riding bike past me, ' konichiwa, dogo ikimasi ga?' (Japanese, hello, where are you going?'. He was still on the bike.

'ee-do...' I was trying to remember more words, polite refusal ones.

'okay, sa-yo-na-la'( bye!)

He abruptly rode away, even before I finished my sentence..

I looked at myself, really the same as I at the botanical garden the day before, so Japanese. Howver, good news was , when I pushed the door and entered Royal, all girls at the reception remembered me and greeted warmly'

Ni-hao!'

'Ni-hao', I was excited that moment; I knew I was now home. A comfortable little home.

financial related

Last Friday on the bus to a Bank of China branch to close an account, I was so astonished to see a public show by some high school students sitting in the end around me. All in their school uniforms, while others acting as audience,one boy and one girl, were gambling seriously. Show-hand it was. And each bet was 20 yuan. And the boy seemed very unlucky as hell, for he lost to the girl with heavy cosmetics on the eyes, 150 yuan( about 20 dollars) within about three minutes.

Day 6, should we have some tea?

(Back to Maymeo).

On my way back to Grace hostel, under the Purcell bell tower, I was approached by a very old man in sixties. He was tall, thin, and looked very neat. Very politely, he greeted me first and asked for my nationality. I was always respectful towards the aged, my Chinese traditional.

He invited me to a traditional teahouse for some chat. I expressed I had to go back immediately( I was not lying). And he held my hand firmly and continued: I am very sick, could you give me some money. All in a surprisingly perfect British English and very surprisingly gentle manners. I could hardly dare to look at his begging eyes. Silently shaking head, I fought away his grip and left. And another middle aged man noticed us and asked: everything ok? any problem? I smiled unfocused and thanked him: no,no problem.

The sky was blue and high. The air was crisp and a little chilly still. I went back to my room and packed within one minute. Then checked out with the sweet owner. One block away were the bus stop with many vans. I jumped on one and got charged 1500 again and found little space among passengers and many package crates for Fuji apples from China.

Day 6, morning, market

Woke up by continuous enchanting, loud from the streets. I remembered seeing a Indian temple close-by. So was it the prayers there? So after a quick wash up, I raced the steps and out into the streets.

The Indian temple was locked and there was nobody there. It was about 6:30 in the morning. The air was fresh but a little cold and the sun was beginning its shine over this lovely town. It's going to be a bright day again. While I turned back, I noticed all the music and enchanting was from a restaurant just next to the hostel. And to more exact, from a TV set. Later I found out every morning on TV channels, many master monks teaching and guiding people with ceremonies. It didn't mean all locals should be serious in front of the TV set. They more played it for company and background and followed these teaching while they were walking around in their homes.

Walking down the street and I found a very quiet temple. The mosaic carvings shone brightly against the morning sun. I adventured in but as I took off my slippers, the marble floor was really cold. And in the halls around 6 or 7 kneeling down in front of different statues and praying. I like these temples at such moments, quiet, more spiritual. Seems life and time freeze at that moment, partly because of the cold temperature too.

Steps away from the temple there was a nice small cafe just open. It has tall arch ways and galleries with ivy tables and chairs ( too cold for me now). And inside, the girls were sweeping the floor and cleaning the tables when I walked in. A very typical Starbucks like, the setting color and decoration. I ordered a cup of coffee, a fried egg and a big muffin. The cost was 2300 k.

As the first comer, I sat at a corner table by the window deep inside. Outside, the sun was rising higher behind swinging green tall poplar trees lined along the streets as Locals began a new day's life. More were walking by, or rode their horse carts by. By the way, this is my all time favourite travel program, hiding in a secret corner and peeking at life of locals.

Across the street more stores were open now. The first one I entered was a curio one by the name of 'ocean' something, which was recommended by lonely planet but doubted about its honesty by some travlers. It was a small store but packed with lots of 'dusty' or should I say, antique-feel stuff. The majority was puppets, the most famous handicrafts in Myanmar; and there were some embroidery and shan style bags and statues. The man was very courtesy and greeted me in Japanese automatically. Yes, he must have thought of me as Japanese. I didn't bother to correct and interrupt his explanation of his collections. And the price quoted for a piece of embroidery was of course beyond me. I thanked him and left.

To its right, a store sold coffee beans, for which Maymeo was the production center in this whole country. After the nice latte I just had, I 'd like to have some. But I quickly changed my mind. And instead, I got several bags of mix coffee, just for the trip. I didn't like to travel carrying heavy beans all around. So let it be and let it bean!( Actually I found out the mix type was no better than Chinese herbal tea, weak with aroma, and odd taste).

From there, the market was 10 minutes' walk away.Behind the new building was a traditional shabby old one for foods, and produces. It had traditional shan noodle, bread, pasty, fruits, and fresh flowers. And beside local people, some very young monks were walking from one store to another for morning alms.

One scene was touching to me, as I observed. Two novice monks, stopped at a fruit stand, when there was only one boy, around 10 years old, guarding, maybe on his parents' behalf. The little boy quickly searched some money in a box and put very seriously into the alms. There the mom appeared. Looked like the mom said the son had given too much. But when the woman turned around and left, he caught some oranges and ran ofter the two monk, who had left the stand. He smiled full of apology and then put them inside the alms again.

Not sure of smoke from cooking oven or not, I felt like tears coming into my eyes. A little boy from a not so wealthy family, had so generous a heart to share...

Day 5, crazy foreigner

ON the way back to town, I found out suddenly that another hostel I planned to stay, a British villa style on Circular rd was so impossible to locate. Since I had no number but only the name of the street Circular rd,however in the map there existed three Circular rds, to be in the north, in the southwest and, eastern of town respectively. How could I ?

I lost the direction for a short while. I rode around again and again, although actually I was closest one block away. I was so embarrassed by some guys gazing at me, assuming them to be so amused to see a foreign guy riding past, but back one minute later, and again and again ten minutes later.

Of course I found the Grace in the end. Paid 900 kyats for 6 hours' bike rent and then checked in. 3 dollars for single room,well cleaned. The owner was very kind but very strict with each dollar note, keeping refusing my old ones.

After a shower, I went out for dinner. It was 7 pm already and pretty cold outside.Walking around with only short pants and slippers, at around 10 degrees, I caught much attention from local audiences. Foreigners are crazy, they were guessing, or just hardy?

I felt cold too. I needed some hot food. I entered one local restaurant down the street. Quiet then, maybe too late for local people. There were only on couple ready to pay and leave. I tried to order 'fried quail eggs ' but later was told not available. So I had only a bowl of local Shan style of rice soup,served in pretty tasty, and lemon-favored fish soup, at the cost of only 200 kyat.

It was only 8 o'clock something but many stores were already closing, most of which sweater stores. Besides pastry stores, some tea stands were busy. The local people, to be more exact, local young men liked to social in such places. Steps away from the hostel, I stopped at a food stand selling boiled peanuts under a street lamp. It was grandma and granddaughter. The little girl in early tens was sweet. I bargained if I could pay 200 kyat for three cups. She smiled sweetly but shook her head firmly while translating to her grandma.After I said goodbye to them I came to a food store. I bought from another smart young girl one bottle of water and one bottle of local Burmese coke. The girl at first answered in Japanese, but after corrected, she quickly spoke Chinese greeting to me and prices in Chinese. She told me there were many Chinese businessmen trading here, mostly foods and clothes.

Back to my room, wrapped myself in the warm quilts, I began enjoying peanuts and drinks while checking pictures I took today. Soon I felt asleep with my sore legs. I vaguely remembered my dream was all golden and sunshine.

those guys...

On the way back from dinner at KFC ( I know I am hopeless, but KFC is celebrating its 20th anniversary in China), a man in his late 20th walked past me. He kept saying 'Ha-le-lu-ya , Ha-le-lu-ya, Ha-le-lu-ya.' Even around 6 pm on such a raining day, I could tell easily his shining eyes. He was holding some dinner boxes in hand. And was this something he was so grateful? More Grateful to God than our dear Communist Party?

The other day at Starbucks cafe, there was a waitor called 'Cici'. An American guy doubted him directly but he got confirmed answer. ' Yes, my name is Cici.' He was a little bit overweight and hairy, so he gave 'sissy' some new heights. I am sure.

And he reminded me of a classmate at college. The English name he chose for himself puzzled so much our oral English teacher, an American young man, and me too. But after I explained him the special meaning of this name, although pronoucing close to his Chinese name, didn't sound very right. His name was 'Dick'.

Day 5, How Japanese I looked like,at Botanical garden

Even though getting there was not too easy, I knew it's all worthwhile, when the ticket girls smiled and greeted me.( Same as other attractions, for foreigners, 4 dollars each.) Unfolded in front of me was a long, nice archway out of ivory leading into a world of greenery and flowers. In the middle,was a lake with families of black swans and mandarin ducks. Quite many local families, ( together with novice monks, so good a reunion day) photographing on the manicured lawn. There was one Mtv producing team shooting a pop star here.

There were a couple of foreigners here. I asked a Danish family to help a picture for me. And the girl guide, smiled and waited then to continue her explanation. She replied my greeting.' Mingalar,hello. You come from Japan, right?' She was a little surprised when corrected. But she emphasized again in her perfect American English,

'But you DO like Japanese.'

We said goodbye to each other but minutes later we met again in the groves of huge bamboos ( taller than timber bamboo in my hometown); and orchid flower expo of course. I had never seen so many different colors of orchids before. Steps away, I sat down at 'tea garden' the snack shop, sipping the coffee while enjoying the whole view of garden, rarely at same price paid as locals, 300 for coffee plus 1000 k for fried noodle. I wished I could stay here for more days.

There when I looked around my seat, I noticed the indian couple coming from Mandalay on same van sitting next table. We smiled at each other, wondering how small world it was. Actually it was a small and smaller world, for one dinner when I returned to Mandalay, I met them again in a vegetarian restaurant .

Behind the cypress trees were walking an adult monk in robe, supporting his mom. What a touching scene! In China, when you become a Buddhist monk, you have to break away from your family and avoid showing in public your feeling for them; but here, monks reunite with families each time with more intimater bonds fostered after each goodbye. How nice!




Colonel May used Turkish prisoners of war to develop this 96-hectare Botanical Garden during WWI. The garden features wide expanses of manicured grass, large flower beds, 20 hectares of natural forest with walking trails, a rose garden, an orchid house, a small stupa on an islet i na pond and several other ponds. It's very popular with picnicking families on weekends and holidays.
An open-air snack shop sits on a slope overlooking the park. (from Lonely Planet)

Day 5, sweet expenrience of getting lost in Meymeo

I quickly found the Grace guest house, behind Purcell tower, and horse carts running past. I could try those pony taxi some time, I was thinking, so unique and so English. I was welcomed by the kind owner of Grace to check the last single room on the second floor,although the smell turned me down easily. She then promised me to keep another one for me at 3 dollars, which was to be checked out around the noon time.In hesitation, I walked out there, considering going somewhere else on Circular road.

Next doors I rent a bicycle at 150 per hour. The owner, in his very poor English, explained with help of gestures, to me the use of brake and lock. As he silently helped put my bag into the basket, I suddenly saw in him my father. I abruptly waved goodbye, unable to watch his eyes full of care and love.

Holding a tiny map in hand, 2 square cm big, I followed the only road instruction to march to the Botanical Garden, the only interesting attraction to me here, especially because today was its the last day of the flower expo this year.

However finding there seemed too hard to me, but extremely sweet experience. Only around 15 minutes later, I found myself out of busy area. There appeared in front of me many tiny roads, bearing no road names, but with many very lovely British villas and churches around. So I got quickly lost.

I could tell, I was riding in the country now, with high trees, wild flowers and large acres of coffee plantation which was guarded by gunned soldiers. Felt so wonderful, comfortable in the warm sunshine and breeze, but fearing going further and further away, I jumped off at the gate of a military headquarter and waited for some help with directions. A couple of minutes later a old woman came but she She definitely couldn't understand me and the place in my map. Then from the headquarter a cadre man came up and friendly pointed the direction. 'not far, to the right' I questioned twice to make sure it's right, instead of left.

I was becoming a little bit tired on the bike after another half hour. What a pleasant timing! On the way, another man, probably the plantation worker in 3o s drove the tractor past. We greeted each other and waved goodbye in laughters. I never though my little Burmese words, 'hello' and ' thank you' worked out so magically. Then in the distance I saw the watch tower, the symbol of the botanical garden.

In front there was only road to go, which was lined with so colorful flags. It must be here, the annual flower expo. I told myself. But I was happy too early. At its end, I later found out it was a totally brand new attraction, called something like Myanmar national park, with collections of miniatures of symbols of Myanmar, like gold pagoda and gold rock. The admission was 4 dollar. The sales women was a little frustrated to see I changed my mind but she still patiently showed me the way to the botanical garden.

It turned out I had to go all the same back way back and made a 'left' turn at the military headquarter. Immediately I was telling myself to forget the botanical garden and just enjoy this peaceful countryside on such a perfect day. So along the way back, I stopped all places, including a coffee farm, an airliner training site and a golf course, which was under renovation.

A mother was helping her daughter wash the hair. I apologized to interrupt them and asked if I could go inside. She merrily and shyly nodded with her sunny smiles. There were huge trees there, and nobody came up to kick me out. I understood I was in the middle of gold course when some guys told me to get off the track, in Burmese, and kindly forgot my inappropriate deeds after knowing I was 'foreigner'. So from the help headman, I knew this time for sure, the way to the Botanical Garden.

Day 5, Maymeo 1

I couldn't hide my like for its colonial name of Maymeo than its current one of Pyin U Lwin for this tiny hill station about 67 km away from Mandalay. The reason has been very simple: Maymeo has easier pronunciation and better, which is similar to Chinese for ' beautiful and wonderful'.

It was a little cold breezy morning. Around 8:30 I was at the roadside bus terminal. I smiled at the first passengers aboard the pickup already, an Indian-origin couple, probably from pretty wealthy family. It surprised them a little bit though. After a short gaze at me they went back to chat themselves.

A ricksaw rider interrupted my reading, politely, asking my travel plan and the possibility if I could hire him when I came back for those neighbouring old towns. He said he didn't have a number but he could always be found at the tea house across the street. This man spoke very good English. He mentioned he's been to Pyin U Lwin a couple of times and everytime he would stay with Grace guest house, which was located in the very city centre.

I thanked him and began to notice I felt more and more crushed to the wall when more were getting on. Finally the pickup began to move. But the first half an hour 's drive was along the main street and for the next ten minutes, it went to a local resident's house to pick up a old lady and a chicken. They were seated in the front.

So now we, the people, the cargo and chicken were on the way to Maymeo.

This two-hour long drive was really pleasant. On well-paved road, winding up the mountains to 1070 meters high, the sun created magical shadows of ,either green of various strongness in the shade of tall cedar trees or golden, shimmering in irregualr patterns. All like in dreams or passages of time.

We stopped once for some cooling water for the pickup to ride up higher with its overheated engine. And we were stopped a second time for the toll gate. Actually there was such thing, except a long tree bar behind some soilders in green. At that moment, our driver would toss up some notes and then slip into one of them swiftly. Only when we drove meters away, the soilder opened his hand and check the number.

The morning cold was finally over with the sun high. Quickly after I observed a airport sign and some very fashionable western villas at the outskirt behind lush forests, we were arriving among the noise of the hustle and bustle markets, town of Maymeo.

Day 5, heavenly Maymeo

Day 4,in Mandalay

My room was small but I didn't complain. On the way to the end of the aisle for washroom after I woke up, I heard happy laughters from the lobby,which was so comforting . (The staff were teaching Burmese to a couple of Europeans.) Is there anything even better, when you are traveling by yourself, than those funny jokes,laughters from friendly people?

The moment was stopped abruptly, as least I felt this way, when one girl standing by her door, was shouting ' I told you my room doesn't have hot water. I have to take medicine. Why should I wait so long?' When I looked up, it was the strong-willed Chinese girl who stayed at the same hotel in Yangon. Quickly one housekeeper came with a bottle of hot water, but with obvious cold silence on her face.
'Then where can we dry our clothes?'
'Oh, up on the roof.'

I nodded to them for meeting again. Minutes later, we sat on those soft sofa in the lobby and began talking about our own plans again. Since they were so determined to go to Nepal, even though the original flight was canceled, so their prime plan was to arrange the ticket flight with China Eastern airliner from here to Kunming, then further. And because the bus station to Maymeo seemed to be on the same road only two blocks away, we went out together.

On the way I bought some bananas as lunch. I played the same trick as I once bought corn. I asked the price in Burmese and waited for the reply. Then I passed over a little big note for honest change. 300 kyat for 5-6 bananas, good deal. Just around the road corner of 33rd and 83rd( there was no station), a fat man in middle 40s answered my inquiry, and told the time and fare of 1500k to Maymeo. There I said goodbye to the girls and began my exploration.

The streets were wide but really noisy with so many motorcycles but fewer cars, running at a killing speed. At big intersections, the traffic police in white, thick( too thick and too warm, as I see it) uniform managed the flows. Firstly, I walked along the wall and moat of the Palace, but it turned out it was so long; I gave up my walking plan to the middle gate. Instead, I walked back on 37 street to the Zegyo Market,very city center. To be honest, the market was nothing except some cheap daily commodities and fabric. However, a small roadside market behind was way more interesting. It was a produce market for vegetables, meats, herbs, hand-woven bags and flowers, with no handicrafts from tourist. Everything local,local shoppers and vendors! It was the best and local market I 've seen here.

From there , I continued to a temple by the river, small but with two big golden pagodas. Since it was not on a must-see list, there was no tourists at all. The doormen were a little surprised to see me, but pointed to my sneakers with smiles, meaning I had to take them off.Inside there were quite a few locals kneeling down and enchanted their prayers, but among them, some were dozing off on the cool marble floors. Don't worry, none of snored.

Wandered among the narrow alleys in the non-tourist neighborhood, smiling at the common response from the locals,of half confusedness and half surprise. As I happened to walk past Lashio Lay's restaurant, I hesitated between it and a very local tea house just across the street. I was very hungry, and gave Lashio Lay a try, since it was recommended by Lonely Planet. The food was tasty but due to my wrong timing, around 5 pm, the foods ( kinda buffet left from lunch ) were perfectly all cold.

Went back to Royal guest house among curious looks from the school pupils,just off school, in white and green uniforms. In the now-a-little-packed lobby I chatted with some visitors, the majority of who were going to watch the puppet show after dinner.Par Par Lay( moustache brothers troupe was their most popular, more because of their legend behind and publicity from Lonely Planet. But I was not much convinced, considering I have seen the best in Chengdu, China.

About the Par Par Lay, on Lonely Planet:
Pwe comedians often work subtle political commentary into their routines. U Par Par Lay,... was arrested fro comparing farmers' hats with his cohort on stage. The cohort said 'my hat is so large it protects my head from sun and rain all day long', to which comedian replied,' my hat is so large it protects all Myanmar,' a reference to the star-topped hat that served as a symbol for the national League for Democracy before Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested in 1989. Par Par Lay spent six months in jail for that innocuous sounding reference. He and 13 other performers were arrested again following an independence day performance at Aung San Suu Kyi's compound in January in 1996 in which more pointed satire poked fun at the generals running the country.At this time the pwe comedian was sentenced to seven years hard labour in a Myitkyina prison camp;even his family was not permitted to visit him.
After serving his seven years, Par Par Lay was released in July 2001, and the occasion was celebrated by the Moustache Bro with a series of gala performances attended inevitably by government agents with video cameras. On July 26, P ar Par lay was summoned by the regional commander and told not to perform any more at home. By the time he returned home ,some
Westerns had already gathered to see the evening show, so he and his family cleverly decided to perform without costumes and makeup. Thus they performed for the tourists but explained they were really just demonstrating a performance since they couldn't do a real performance without costumes and makeup. By the end of the evening even the sheepish- looking MI people put some money into the hat . Since that defiant evening they have generally been left along by the authorities, except that they are still banned from performing outside their home.

Instead, I went out for the night market, which was really dark and boring, with almost nothing but some really cheap clothes, and magazine. And I was happy I survived way back with the help of my flashlight, in the dangerous darkness, with only one street lamp around Zegyo market in the whole town.