mandalay :: u bein bridge

after hiking up mandalay hill

the cab driver we had hired for the day

suggested we head out of town to 

visit the u bein bridge.

according to the cab driver

(and later the lonely planet book we referenced)

this bridge is the longest teak bridge in the world.

this statement sounds intriguing and magical,

but in reality it's horrifying.

we realized, about a fourth of the way across,

that we were on a poorly constructed bridge that 

felt like it was going to break 

with ever creaking step forward.

which would leave us swimming for shore in the middle of a lake.

after we got over our fears of falling through the bridge

we had one of the most memorable evenings of our trip.

we got to see a bit into every day life 

of villagers settled outside of the big cities we had been exclusively exploring.

we watched as the sun set, creating the most stunning colors 

stretch across the sky and reflect in the glassy lake.

we met two young monks who talked with us for hours,

inquiring about our thoughts on their country

and clarifying questions about american slang,

most importantly what does "bitch" mean and is it the same thing as saying "shit"...

seriously?!

we walked back with these two monks long after sunset,

hoping that our cab driver hadn't given up on us.

he was still waiting at the car and we drove back to the guesthouse 

on a euphoric high we had never felt before...

there were plenty of boats with the owners trying to convince you the sunset was much better from the boat

steven trying to look comfortable and at ease walking across the creaking bridge 

the poles holding the bridge up (and a blurry golden paya in the background)

nearly every piece of teak holding the bridge together was broken... unnerving 

the sun falling behind the clouds

monks were the main commuters on this bridge. crossing from the monasteries to the university on the other side, and practicing their english with anyone who will pause in the middle of the bridge.

sunset across the lake

the worst tourist trap in myanmar. women have cages of beautiful birds that you can buy and set free...

mandalay hill

after a day of exploring the markets and inner city of mandalay

we hired a cab to see some of the outer city cites.

the driver took us to a couple magnificent 

temples and payas

before heading to mandalay hill,

something we had been looking forward to before we even left the states.

two giant lion statues guard the entrance 

to the 790 foot hill.

we climbed stairs for half an hour,

stopping to gaze at the many Buddha statues

and trinket shops along the way.

at the top we spend a while taking in the view of mandalay

and it's surrounding mountain ranges. 

it was absolutely breathtaking.

about an hour before sunset we got back into the cab

and headed for the city of amarapura,

home of U Bein Bridge,

the longest teak bridge in the world...

-e

temple kitties

lions guarding mandalay hill

half an hour of stairs. it was a nice workout...

a view of mandalay. so many golden payas covering the landscape

souvenir shops along the way

steven taking in the views

me at the top. a little over heated but so happy

mandalay :: zegyo market

after some quality time in yangon

steven and i took another overnight bus

to mandalay.

we were quite nervous and had a hard time sleeping

but after a while we realized

overnight buses in myanmar are worlds better then those in thailand.

expect for the burmese music videos playing at full volume

the entire night...

the first thing we did when we got to mandalay

was check out the zegyo market.

this market is where locals and tourists

go for everything.

there are food stalls, jewelers, fabric shops, herbal remedies, and everything in between. 

we spent a good half day here

taking in the sights, smells, and flavors of mandalay...

-e

there are just a couple bikes and scooters in this town...

walking around the streets of myanmar you'd think this country was terribly violent with blood splattered everywhere. you'd soon realize that this is spit from people who chew betel nut.