Road to Rajasthan

             Day 2

               After breakfast it was meat our follow travellers, than on to the bus for a 0900 departure to our first stop the Jamal Masjid which is 

                largest mosque in India with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000.

                Built between 1644 - 1658 the mosque was Shah Jahan’s final architectural achievement.

                It was than time for a stroll through the fascinating Chandon Chowk Bazaar back to the bus for a drive past the Red Fort on the way to the          

                restaurant for lunch.

                After lunch we visited Gandhi Smriti a museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi,it is the location where Mahatma Gandhi lived the last

                144 days and was assinated on January 30 1948.

                 It was than a drive to Qutab Minar which once was a Temple but a the height of the Mughal Empire was converted to a mosque but is now 

                 listed on the world heritage list.

                Our next stop was Lax mi Narayan a Hindu temple,and on the way back a drive past India Gate located at the end of the Rajpath is a memorial 

                to the 90,000 Indian servicemen who died in world War 1.

                Our final site was the Rashtapati Bhavan the official residence of the president of  India.

The Chandni Chowk Bazaar 

Chandni Chowk Bazaar 

The place where Gandhi lived his last 144 days.

The spot where Gandhi was assinated and the foot steps his killer took.

Val and her followers.

Here we are at the Qutab Minar.

The main tower inside the Qutab Minar.

Val learning a new trade

The Laxmi Narayan Temple 

Love 

Len and Val

Road to Rajasthan

              Day 1.

               The day starts in Yangon with 0830 departure from our hotel with Margaret and Jerry. We had a good run to the airport being a Saturday 

                the traffic was light for Yangon standard. Our flight to Kuala Lumpur departed 40 minutes late but got into KL on time and we had a two hour 

                 wait for our flight to Delhi departed 40 minuets late and arrived about 15 minuets late.

                  Everything went smooth till Val got to migration and the he wanted to know the name of the hotel we were staying at which we did not have.

                 So after a while  val convinced him that there was that Wendy Wu rep out there waiting for us but not before he fingerprint checked her five 

                 times.

                The ride to our hotel took a hour in what the guide said was light traffic.

Val and I with our welcome lays.

Love

Len and Val

                 

                

Road to Mandalay

             Day 16

              Breakfast had early as a one and a half hour from Nyaung Shwe (Inle Lake ) to Heho for our one hour 10 minuets flight Yangon.

               On arrival had lunch and then checked into our hotel.

                After freshering up it was a stop at Scott’s Market and then to China Town including a Chinese Temple and night market

                Then to dinner at House of Memories.

                 It was then back to our hotel to say our goodbyes to those who we don’t see in the morning.

Chris Val and Julia arriving at Heho airport.

               

Scott’s Market 

Chinese Temple in Chinatown Yangon.

Night market in Chinatown.

This is our story of the Road to Mandalay tomorrow a new road story begins.

Love

Len and Val

Road to Mandalay

             Day 15

              After breakfast it was aboard our long boats for a day on Inle Lake to firstly see the Intha fisherman our first stop was at a family run boat 

              Building business then to a family run silversmith business then had lunch on the banks of the lake.

               After lunch it was to the Indein Pagoda Complex one of the amazing historical sites in Inle Lake where hundreds of small stupas decorated in

                sculptures of mythological animals and beings lay overgrown by moss and vegetation.

                 Then we visited Nga PHE Monastery a beautiful collection of Buddha images depicted in the Shan, Tibetan, Bagan and Inwa styles are

                  displayed inside the expansive wooden meditation hall.

                  It was then a ride through the floating gardens back to our hotel.

A house of the Intha people that live on the Inle Lake.

The family run long tail boats.

The Lotus and silk weaving factory.

Cruising the canals of Inie Lake.

Indein Pagoda Complex.

NGA PHE Monastery 

NGA PHE Monastery 

The Floating gardens

Sunset over Inle Lake.

Love 

Len and Val

Road to Mandalay

            Day 14

            After leaving our hotel the first stop was at the local five day rotation market the market is open every day but every fifth day everyone comes

            from miles around to buy and sell.

            Then our next stop was at Aungban another small market, then a stop at Shweyan Pyay Monastery, then onto Shwe Nyaung (Inle Lake).

           To board our long boat to our Hotel the Amata Garden Resort.

            Inle Lake located 837 mts above sea level and approximately 22 km long and 11km wide this water paradise is inhabited by over 200 villages       

            constructed on stilts.

            The lake is most famous for the extraordinary lives of the people who live on and around it know as the Intha.

             After checking in to our hotel we where back in our long boats to go to lunch than to the visit Phaungdaw zoo Pagoda one of the most sacred 

            Shrines in Myanmar dating back to the 18 Century. Inside the tiered Pagoda, devotees wait for and opportunity to place gold leaf on one of 

            four ancient Buddha statues house there.

            A rain storm cut our day a little short and a wet and fast ride back to our hotel.

The five day rotation market in Kalaw

            

One of the local small holders at Aungban market 

The Shweyan Pyay Monastery 

Our long boast at Nyaung Shwe( Inle Lake)

Flying along in the long boat

Inside the Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda 

Love 

Len and Val

(Backup) Road to Mandalay

     

              Day 13

               Today was a 0730 flight for 45 minutes to Hehothen a further two hour drive to Pindayaand visit Shwe U Min Caves, a unique site housing 

                thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims over the centuries. 

                Then we visited a home run umbrella  and mulberry paper production business then continue on to Kalat a hill top town a refreshing climate 

                and scenic views.

     Local children looking after there oxen 

     At the entrance of Shwe U Min Caves where the Prince slayed the spider.

Inside the Shwe U Min Caves.

The many shrines next to the road leading up to the Shwe U Min Caves.

Umbrella and paper business in Pindaya.

View of the country side from our hotel.

Love

Len and Val

Road to Mandalay

           

             Day 12

              We started the day with a pony cart ride one of the local methods of transport along with the motor bike and then the cart through some villages         

               monasteries and Temples.

              Then back onto the bus for a two hour ride to Mt Popa and climb 750 steps to the nearby temple of Taung Kalat formed by a volcano almost 

              250,000 years ago and said to contain 37 spirits, also know as 'nats' worshipped in Burma in unison with Buddhism.

              There are a number of statues and shrines that represent these spirits located along the mountain.

               Once you reach the top,the Temple of Taung Kalat affords sweeping views of Myingyan plain below.

               And finished the day watching the sunset go down over the many Pagodas and stupas in the Bagan valley.

At the end of our pony cart ride 

Temples around  Bagan

Val ringing the bell 

Local boy showing how they collect palm oil.

Val with local sun block on

At the top of 720 steps at the Taung Kalat Temple 

Val on the transport we took after the walk to the top Taung Kalat Temple 

The sun set over Bagan.

Love 

Len and Val

Road to Mandalay

              Day 11

              Today was going to be something special a balloon flight over Shwe Zieon Zedi  area it was up at 0400 but the wind was to strong and the flight 

              was cancelled so at 0520 it was back to bed.

              After breakfast a 0900 departure we got down the road stopped at the local market and there was a local dance group of dancers what

               Was a 15 minute stop went for 25 to 30 minutes.

               It was then onto the  colourful Nyaung U Market it was then onto the Dhamma Ya Ai Ka stupa, Shwe Zieon Zedi Pagoda built by King

      

               Anawrahta in the 11th century to enshrine one of the four replicas of Buddhas tooth found in Kandy Sri Lanka today it is considered Bagan's

                main religious site rising from the earthin three separate terraces.

                Next Ananda Phaya monastery and visit a Lacquer workshop in the village of Myinkaba.

               Returning back to our hotel for a swim and get ready for dinner and and watch the sunset over this wondrous landscape from one of the many

               Viewing points.

Local dance group doing cultural dances.

Sites around the Dhammay Ya ZiKa stupas.

Colourful Nyaung Market 

Shwe Zieon Zedi Pagoda 

In the grounds of the Shwe Zieon Zedi Pagoda.

Ananda Phaya Monastery 

Some of the work in the Lacquer work shops.

Sun setting  over Bagan.

Sun over Bagan.

Love

Len and Val