Mandalay and the road to China

I couldn’t choose which picture I liked best, so both got posted. This is the Mandalay Palace (across the street from the hotel I usually stay in). It’s the last palace of the Burmese monarchy, and only 150 years old. British troops took it over in 1885, and the Japanese bombed it, then inhabited it during the way. It’s since been re-built. The moat is one mile long, on each of four sides – all hand dug. Not necessarily by volunteers. In the distance, you can see Mandalay Hill, which of course has a large pagoda on top. First trip to Mandalay I went up there to watch the sun set. Lovely. Good view of a massive prison in town. Not all "guests" there are for typically "criminal offences".

The elephant is a large painted boulder on the mountain road from Mandalay leading to the China border. I’ve passed it many times, and this time remembered to ask the driver in advance to stop. There is a Buddhist temple a few feet to the right in the trees, which you can’t see in this picture. First time we went by this elephant, I did a double take thinking it was real.

Can you spot the lone foreigner in the group picture? This was the first organizing meeting for the new legal aide group of lawyers in Mandalay. I was invited to speak. Several had never met a foreigner before. Notice the lack of gender balance? Yes, it was fun!

Yangon (Rangoon) and Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

This is the road to Nay Pyi Taw from Yangon. About 400 km one way. Four lane concrete, all hand built. The highway is new, and people are spread out along its length, painting the dotted white line - by hand. Others are sweeping, again - by hand. An additional two lanes each way are now being added. All this, and there is no traffic. None. No off ramps, rest stops, gas stations. The only stop allowed is at the one tea shop half way. A collection of bamboo thatch huts by a river. It’s an amazing country.

The other picture is downtown Yangon from my hotel room window. Very few buildings over five floors. Notice the golden stupa to the left in the picture? Looks like an inverted bell. Sule Pagoda, which doubles as a traffic circle. All around it on the ground floor are tiny commercial shops. Local merchants donate to building/maintaining it.