Nanda & Nathan The Travellers: Mandalay (Day 2)

June 9, 2014 ---- Our second day in Mandalay was filled with amazing tourist sites. We hired a car and driver through our hotel for 45,000 Kyat or US$ 45 for the day. The driver looked like any taxi driver you can hire on street and wasn't very professional, but he was super friendly, helpful and willing to take us anywhere we wanted.

Besides all the sites listed on the tour, we asked him to take us to Mahamuni Buddha Temple because we didn't have a chance to go there on our first day in Mandalay and he agreed to it with no extra charge. However, he, like any other driver, also took us to some handicraft workshops along the tour route because he had a deal with those shops. In general I would be pretty upset because I hate wasting my time in this kind of places, but in Myanmar everything is different. I loved all the shops he took us to because I found handmade souvenirs in Myanmar to be interesting and affordable, and I loved seeing their unique way of making them.

Mahamuni Buddha Temple is a must-see! It's my favorite temple of all in Mandalay. Even though women aren't allowed to get close to the Buddha statue, I could feel the power of people's faith and the holy spirit protecting the Buddha image inside. A lot of local people although very poor have donated some hard-earning money to the temple as a way of making merit for a better life or afterlife.

Mahagandaryon Monastery is also amazing. Every day around 10 to 10:30 a.m. you will see hundreds of Buddhist monks lining up to get their meal. A lot of people go there for photography of Buddhist monks' monastic life.

Sakyadhita Thilashin Nunnery School is Nathan's favorite. We got there just in time to see a hundred of nuns chanting beautifully before lunch. That day was particularly special because there was a family cooking a lot of food for the nuns, and we later found out that the woman in the family was giving food in order to make merit for her 50th birthday. They also invited Nathan and me to have lunch with them and told us that their son is studying in the States. The food was beyond the word fabulous and we had a really good time there.

U Min Thonze is a beautiful temple located on Sagaing Hill. There were 45 Buddha images lining the inside, and the outside offers a splendid view.

Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda is located on the top of Sagaing Hill. It's one of the oldest temples on the hill. From there you can get magnificent views of the Irrawaddy River and pagodas around the hill. Nathan and I bought a painting from a local artist here.

Innwa or Ava was the capital of Myanamr from 1364-1841. To get there we had to take a boat across the Myitnge river and then take a horse-drawn cart tour around the ancient city. There are many Buddhist monasteries and a palace to visit. What I like most about this place is seeing locals living their simple lives.

U Bein Bridge is a 1.2 km wooden bridge crossing Taungthaman Lake. It's the longest teak-wood bridge in Myanmar and the most famous tourist destination for a beautiful sunset. In the lake there are many boats you can hire for a ride away from the bridge and to find a great photo shooting spot for the sunset. Nathan and I walked all the way to the other end of the bridge and found a local school and many school kids playing on the ground. Not too far from the school is a Buddhist temple where you can see beautiful wall paintings. There are also some restaurants located on the river bank where you can get cold drinks and simple meals.

Our two days in Mandalay were well spent, and I learned a lot about Myanmar and Burmese culture and people by wandering around Mandalay. This is my favorite city of all in Myanmar, and I highly recommend you to visit once in a lifetime.