This sponsored blog post has been brought to you by Country Holiday.
Magical. Magnificent. Marvelous. Mystical. These are but a few words to describe the Golden Land that is Myanmar.
Our journey began in Mandalay, the former capital of Myanmar. This may be the second largest city in the country, but it is unlike any city I’ve ever been. I was pleasantly surprised by the many monks who dabbed the sidewalks, men sporting dress-like longyis, and women made up with thanakha. But the nearby village of Amarapura, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, is where the magic lies.
At the Mahagandayon Monastery, we witnessed hundreds of monks line up to collect their food and watched as they enjoyed their meal. I never thought watching others eat could be so interesting; particularly the little novices dressed in white robes who sat in an area to themselves and ate from bowls that were bigger than their heads. This was an unforgettable experience and definitely should not be missed.
From Mandalay, I went to Bagan, the highlight of any trip to Myanmar. The breathtaking sight of over 2,000 temples and pagodas scattered among 104 square kilometers of land is truly awe-inspiring. We were told that many of the smaller monuments were built by wealthy civilians, and one of the reasons why there are so many temples and pagodas is because they wanted to compete with each other; people wanted to build a bigger, more beautiful monument than their neighbors. I guess competitiveness is human nature and transcends all cultures, boundaries, and eras, but I couldn’t help comparing: here we are, today, competing with each other to see who has the nicer car, bigger house, better job, etc. whereas those citizens of Bagan competed to see whose worship to Buddha is greater. This strong sense of religion and spirituality is still reflected and ever present in the Burmese people today. Though I am not a religious person, I was moved by their devotion.
Next on the itinerary was Inle Lake with its beautiful lake scenery, floating temples and leg-rowing boat men. The local market was another gem that thoroughly enjoyed. Our guide told us that the indigenous people who went to the market to sell their goods treated this to be their “weekend” as it was a way for them to get out of their villages and take a break. Indeed, the vendors all appeared to be quite happy, although I found that was the case with most of the Burmese we came across; always smiling and friendly.
Our last stop was the capital of Yangon. While there really is only one sight, the Shwedagon Pagoda, and it cannot be missed, it truly is a spectacular monument. Myanmar, the Golden Land, really lives up to its name: with countless golden monuments and inhabitants whose hearts are made of gold.
For this tour, please see link:
7 DAYS JEWELS OF MYANMAR – Yangon, Bagan & Inle Lake
Written By: Lynn Ho
Trip organized by Country Holidays.
To learn more about tours and packages, please email beijing@countryholidays.com.cn or call (010) 8587-9263 and log onto: www.countryholidays.com.cn.
This sponsored blog post has been brought to you by Country Holiday.
Photos courtesy of Country Holidays
