We explored Yangon city this morning while waiting for our group to come in tonight at midnight. It is hot and humid and we headed out to the local markets (and to people watch). Meeting lots of tourists and most of them are from Canada...a lot from Alberta. Canada is well represented here.

We had a later start this morning as the group needed a well deserved rest after so much flying. We started our walking tour of Yangon at 2 – it is hot, 31 and humidity is about 94%. We started out at the docks where they haul rice to the delta and enjoy the local people with all the sights, sounds and smells. Next we walked through China town with the throngs of people everywhere. There were obstacles on our walk....people, rough sidewalks, markets on the sidewalks, restaurants on the sidewalks, stalls selling tea, rice, chicken, fish, intestines and many things we don’t have a clue about...but it was all very interesting and entertaining. We enjoyed a walk through the park to see city hall, an old colonial building and ended up at the famous Strand hotel - it was definitely time for a cold beer. Next it was off to dinner to enjoy some Burmese food. Now it is time for bed.

We started today day with a ferry ride to a small village where land is not as expensive. It was about a 10 minute ride with the locals and quite interesting to watch the people. They set up a market right on the ferry. It was fairly chaotic as we left the ferry to get on our trishaws. Trishaws are a bike with a seat and a driver - very small and scrunched for us Canadians, but usually 2 Burmese ride on these. They peddled us to our first Pagoda where our guide Sai told us a bit about the Buddhist teaching and life and also how to tie the LONGYI, their traditional dress.

We then were off to explore the village on our trishaws, and to visit an orphanage run by the monks. There are about 50 children that live at the orphanage and several small children that come to the school and orphanage for teaching, but go home to aunts or one parent after school. The monsoon of 2008 left many of these children without both parents or homeless and thus the beginning of this orphanage. We got to see the children worshiping Buddha after their lunch. They were all dressed in green and white uniforms, kneeling and chanting their hearts out.

After a lunch of Burmese food at the Green Elephant we visited the reclining Buddha. Later we went to the Shwedagon Pagoda, where people come for pilgrimage from all over Myanmar.

We were up at 4:30 this morning for our early flight to Bagan, the land of over 2500 PAGODAS! Getting to Bagan early meant a stop at the local tea shop to enjoy the traditions of the local people. Children brought us the sweet tea or you could have green tea for free.....they also sell a lot of deep fried goods but it was a little early in the morning for that. We were quite a site at the tea shop with all of our white faces but soon the locals relaxed and seemed to enjoy us being there, taking their pictures - most with Big smiles. It is the land of MANY SMILES, people are gentle and kind, even the Hawkers who drive us a little crazy are having fun, practising their English - and they have quite a sense of humor. We then headed to the local market of fresh meats, produce, fruits as well as handicrafts of all sorts. It was crowded in the early morning and it was body to body in the close quarters but for this group, it is all about the experience and most came out with a package or two.

It was then time for our first Pagoda visit in Bagan. No matter how many pagodas you visit, they are all different and interesting. Shoes off and legs and shoulders covered. We were in good shape for our visit.

Bagan is the place to buy paintings done on Sand - they are really very beautiful, and it is the home of lacquer wear so a visit to a lacquer ware shop was in order. It is not cheap, the process is long and the workmanship is very intricate, so you understand the cost of such things. They had some interesting items to purchase as well...tables, offering bowls, salad bowls, placemats, the list is endless.

We checked in to our hotel the BAGAN LODGE - it is a beautiful complex, very inviting pool and the rooms are large and the patios wonderful to sit out on in this weather. It is about 30 degrees but quite different from Yangon where the humidity is so high - the landscape here is very deserty.

After some R&R, it was time to head out on horse and cart through villages and temples to see the sunset over this amazing land. It took about an hour to arrive at Shwe Sandaw pagoda – our sunset spot - we were able to take beautiful pictures of the landscape, temple after temple after temple, each and every one different and so amazingly beautiful. This is indeed a very special place.

Many of us were up again in the early hours of the morning to experience a hot air balloon ride over the LAND OF TEMPLES. Back at the hotel for breakfast, they were all in AWE of this outstanding landscape. It was an experience of a LIFETIME!

After breakfast we headed to a village to visit a local family for sticky rice and tea. We were welcomed by many people as there were a few generations living in this house. The hospitality and warmth of these lovely locals made our day. There was a lot of sticky rice left over so the family invites the local children in the area to come and help us finish it off, a treat for us to take pictures and interact with them...again, full of smiles and warmth, this country does not disappoint anyone..

Then it was time for a visit to another Pagoda.This one was called the Ananda Pagoda. After our visit to what is called the most beautiful Pagoda in Bagan, we headed back to the hotel for some R&R before our boat ride on the Irrawaddy River to view yet another sunset. A beautiful evening - and the sunset did not disappoint us.

Pictures are:

- Sunrise over Pagodas by Hot Air Balloon (x6)

- Ananda Pagoda

- Village visit

- Tea and Sticky Rice at the village

- Waiting for sunset on the Irrawaddy River (x2)

- Beautiful Sunset (x2)

Today we headed to Mt Popa, another pilgrimage for the Buddhists! It was about an hour from Bagan so along the way we saw farmers with their ox and cart working In the peanut and seasame fields. That is the major crop in this area. We stopped by a local business to watch them make delicious candy from coconut palms, peanut oil, whiskey and other things.

We arrived at Mt Popa, a thriving area of shops and people and monkeys galore. It was 777 STEPS to the top of the Mountain to a SHRINE and a view of the area. There was lots of hustle and bustle in this little village and a great place to just people watch. Many mediums come here to call on the spirits – supposedly 37 in all, to tell of their future and their past so some interesting characters to be seen.

We enjoyed lunch part way up the mountain with a beautiful view of the MT POPA SHRINE before we headed back to Bagan.

Tonight we experienced a cultural show and dinner to complete our day.

Pictures are:

- Old Burmese gentleman

- Burmese lady at Mt. Popa

- Dragonfruit orchard

- Animals and people working together on Mt. Popa

- One of the naughty monkeys

- Sampling peanuts, sesame candy, tea leaf salad

- Shrine on Mt. Popa

Today we left beautiful Bagan - it is really the most special place (and I could have stayed here a week, a month, or longer), so beautiful, so peaceful and relaxing...however more adventure awaited us. We flew to Mandalay, a dusty, rather industrial city of about 1 million people. We checked in to the Mandalay Hill hotel, a stately old hotel with a beautiful pool and lots of local flavor around it. Later in the day we visited the Mandalay Palace - the most excitement was a bride and groom having their pictures taken, and they seemed as interested in us as we were in them. Then it was off to Mandalay Hilltop for the sunset. This is a hangout for the local University students (they come to visit with tourists and practice their English). Well it only took a few moments and most of us were surrounded by students. They were very sweet and interested in what we do, where we are from, why we would come to Myanmar. Most of us had a very engaging conversation with these delightful young adults.

The people of Myanmar make this country special, they are so sweet, smiling and engaging with a real sense of humor. Most of us have had so much fun enjoying the people - and they love to have their pictures taken so there will be many, many people pictures from this tour.

Pictures are:

- Burmese Writing

- Mandalay Palace

- Bill Cunningham with some of the students at sunset on Mandalay Hill.

- Hills of Mandalay

- Members of our group with the Bride and Groom at Mandalay Palace.

As we headed out this morning, I was very excited to see the 1000 plus monks at the Maha Ganayone monastery that would come with their alm pots to collect their lunch. The local people volunteer their food and time to cook right at the monestary and at exactly 1020 the monks of all sizes and ages line up to collect their food. This was a moving and interesting experience for us from the western world that don’t get to experience this sort of thing.... It was a highlight for me last time we were here and it is no different this time. Then we headed to the U Bien bridge which is made of teak and 200 years old. Next we took a ferry to the old capital of Inwa – located on an island. We had lunch in the lovely Ava Sunset restaurant enjoying the shade of the big trees. Then we took a horse and cart to the impressive wooden monastery called Maha Aungmye Bonzan and the wooden watch tower. Our last stop today was Saigaing – we crossed Ava Bridge to Saigaing to see 45 buddhas in a crescent shape on the side of the Sagaing Hills. The hills are just covered with many, many gold pagodas dotting the landscape. It was sunset and just simply beautiful and very peaceful. It was a very long day - but interesting - and on the way home we went through a huge nightmarket that sells only vegetables. Back to our hotel and a glass of wine or beer to finish off the day.

Pictures are:

- A beautiful elderly Burmese

- Nuns collecting food

- Beautiful handmade parasols

- Cooking for the monks

- Monks coming for lunch (x3)

- Novice monk with his lunch

- 200 year old U Bein Bridge (x2)

- Beautiful young Burmese woman with suntan makeup done creatively

- Young nuns in Inwa City

- Burmese postcard seller

- A barbershop in Inwa

- U Min Thonze Pagoda with 45 Buddhas

- Bill & I at U Min Thonze Pagoda

This morning we took a very relaxing hour-long boat ride for Mingun- it takes this long to go 11 km up the Ayeyawady (Irrawaddy) River. First we visited the unfinished Pagoda and then we walked to see the Hsinbyume Pagoda which is a beautiful all-white structure on the banks of the Irrawaddy. This pagoda is also known as the Mya Theindan Pagoda and was built in 1816 by Prince Bagyidaw for his first wife Princess Hsinbyume and which literally translates to White Elephant Princess. It was a busy place today with lots of novice monks visiting as well - they were very friendly letting us have our pictures taken with them. They were laughing and enjoying the attention - it was a highlight for me, too.

Back to Mandalay and it was time for lunch at a local Shan restaurant. Food was delicious and we were able to soak up the local flavor.

Later in the afternoon we visited the World’s Biggest Book called the Kuthodaw Pagoda - it is hundreds of shrines housing inscribed marble slabs, several pavilions and 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings.

That ends our time in Mandalay so we headed back to our hotel, the Mandalay Hill, for a dip in their beautiful pool. It was another great day in Myanmar. Tomorrow another adventure awaits as we head to Inle Lake.

Pictures are:

- Beautiful Stupas

- Kuthodaw Pagoda and the World's Largest Book

- Young men getting ready to enter the Monkhood. This is their initiation.

- The initiation for young ladies who will soon be entering the nunnery.

- Our pool at the Mandalay Hill Hotel

- Lunch at a local Shan restaurant in Mandalay

- Hsinbyume Pagoda on Mingun

- Monks catching a ride on the Ayeyawaddy River

- Novice monks at Hsinbyume Pagoda in Mingun

- The monks and I

- The Unfinished Pagoda in Mingun

- Taxi in Mingun

We said goodbye to Mandalay - although it is an industrial city, the surroundings have amazing things to offer so it was a FABULOUS 3 day stop. We had another early morning flight - this time to HEHO, and our first stop was a teaching monastery in an old teak building - it was young monks, chanting and playing with the cats and sleeping and studying, and doing what young boys and teens do. They are delightful and the photos opps are wonderful...after our fun with the monks we did a Wine tasting tour – hard to believe but they grow grapes here and the estate is called RED MOUNTAIN. We loved the White Wine but the Red Wine is not so good - but this has developed JUST for the tourists as locals do not like wine. Beautiful surroundings and some technology from France and Italy.

We boarded our boats for a 30 minute ride to our resort on INLE LAKE, we passed many boats as it is the only means of transport on the lake - and see the one legged fisherman, they put on a nice show for us – and of course tips are in order but everyone is dying for that one amazing picture of these fishermen with their nets that is world famous!!! It is time to head for our resort, everyone is waiting in anticipation as this resort is on stilts on the water and OH MY GOSH, it does not disappoint. Balconies, outdoor showers and very spacious rooms with views to just amaze you...another special place in Myanmar. Truly, this country is just a HIDDEN GEM. I can not say that enough - people are so special, sights are over the top, accomodation as good as anywhere in the world and I cannot wait to return ....or perhaps just stay for a while...Beautiful, amazing, special, awesome, I just don’t have the words to describe this country. Bill and I love it and the clients have not had anything but postivie comments about it...

Pictures are:

- Distracted monk

- Teaching monastery for young monks

- Our transportation on Inle Lake

- Myanmar Treasures Resort - our hotel on stilts (x2)

- One legged fishing technique

- Sunset over Inle Lake (x2)

Ahhh, what a way to wake up, sun shining on Inle lake and our beautiful hotel on stilts. Bill and I enjoyed coffee on the deck in our lovely fluffy bathrobes. Soon we were ready for our excursion for the day on Inle Lake and I was excited to show everyone what this place is all about...so beautiful, amazing, pristine, and the only way to get around the lake is by boat. Our drivers were waiting for us and we were off to see Inle Lake and the fishermen, the homes on stilts, the boats that carry everything from soup to nuts, workshops of weaving, silver, blacksmithing and cigar making... and the most interesting is scarves and items made from the lotus plants. You will not find this anywhere else in the world so it is special and EXPENSIVE.

Our first stop was about 45 minutes away by boat – 4 of us in some and 5 in others. We stopped to visit the Padang long neck ladies that wear massive rings on their necks, arms and legs that are very heavy – the women are very beautiful and we hope this is a fading culture. It is hard to see and the weight is unbelievable – time for this to end...of course they do weavings and have many for sale.

Then it was off to In Dien – it was so interesting to see their bridges on the way – they are handmade and allow them to cross from one side of the river to the other. They are made of bamboo. It was great to see local life along the river - some bathing, some walking with their cows, vegetables and other products. When we got to the village there were many shops with some interesting things and lots of great art work – weavings, silk, silver.

We took a nice walk to the big market – it moves so that it is in a different location every 5 days. They are selling many, many things that you find in the Asian world, all real – of course, real jade, real silver, real rubies, "I made it myself"....and of course none of that is true but they want to sell you everything and anything but they are not aggressive and if you say no, they just leave you alone. They are very gentle, kind people.

This area is home to the Shan people (Inle lake is in Shan state), but there are also the Pa-O, Intha, and other ethnic tribes, many still in their local dress. The market is dusty but the entrepreneurs are just delightful!

After our visit to the market we headed to the 1054 Stupas, some as early as 17th century and some being restored. It is an amazing sight and a photographers dream. Called shwe inn thein paya and it is really a sight that has to be my favorite anywhere in Myanmar. We have our group picture taken here by an Intha ethnic lady and she loved the camera - they are so delightful...you want to take them all home with you.

Pictures are:

- Bamboo walking bridge

- Padang long neck tribe woman

- Saying goodbye to a group at Inle Lake

- Working hard at the market (x2)

- Bill having fun with the Pa-O people

- Laundry day on Inle Lake

- Stupas (x3)

- Group photo in front of some Stupas

- Gifts for the children

- One legged fishing technique

- Fisherman

- Houses on stilts

Today we again woke up to beautiful sunshine over Inle Lake, coffee on the deck and a later start to day.

We started out again at a local market, this one was huge and they sell it all – there is a gas station, a tailor, a barber as well in this market, very local and interesting.

Then we took a tour of the fishing village on stilts to see how the families live and then it is off to a cooking class at the home of a local Burmese family.

We watch as their lady chef prepares the most delicious looking food - pork, chicken, fish....we all get a hand out to tell us what is used and how to make these famous Burmese dishes.

Delicious lunch – with some sitting on the floor and some at tables. Then we were off for a visit to our last Pagoda before we go back to our hotel on stilts for some R&R – the tour is winding down.

Pictures are:

- A beautiful child at Inle Lake

- Our Cooking Class

- At the Market

- Local transportation