Myanmar (March 09)

Today's tour was to Bago.  The bus trip there provided plenty of time for people watching, especially since it was closer to three hours than the two stated in the tour description. 

truck driver sleeping outside Thilawa while awaiting a load

As we approached Bago, we stopped at Htaukkyant World War II Cemetery where 27,000 Allied soldiers who died in the Burma and Assam campaigns were buried.  It was an emotionally moving visit.

We continued on to Bago.

Upon arriving in Bago, our first stop was the Kaykhatwaing Monastery, one of the largest monasteries in the country.  It was a teaching monastery.

Back on the bus, we headed for...

...an average lunch in a noisy, hot upstairs dining room at HanthaWaddy Restaurant...

...from which we could see the bamboo-scaffold cocooned Shwemawdaw Pagoda.

After lunch we went to the Hinthagone Pagoda.

These shade trees were a welcome relief from the hot stones...

...because as in all temples, monasteries and pagodas in Myanmar, we had to walk barefoot. Quick step - quick step - quick step - hot - hot - hot!

bricks from the tower that collapsed in 1917 during an earthquake

Our next stop was Shwethalyaung Reclining Buddha.

180 feet long and 52 feet high

Leaving there, we walked towards a nearby Mon village. Bago was the ancient Mon Capitol.

The Mon are known for there weaving (which we saw) and hand-rolling cigars (which we did not see).

We boarded the bus for the return trip to Thilawa, thankfully going a route that was considerably shorter than the one we had taken to get here.  (Not sure why we came to Bago the long way.)  It was also a more rural route.