Lifetree203

Mandalay Bridge

2010-03-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

The famous Mandalay 'old' Bridge

mandalay city - morning rush

2010-03-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Mandalay city

2010-03-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

part of Mandalay city as viewed from our hotel's room

a street artist

2010-03-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

in the crowd of scupltures, this is an artist who draws instant picture for you,. i bought one piece from this guy

crafting Buddha's image

2010-03-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

generations of people are involed in this industry, even young girls

a street where Buddha's images are crafted

2010-03-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

this street is really busy with hundreds if not thousands Budhha images were crafted from marbles

Mandalay Hill

2010-03-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

The temple on top of Mandalay Hill as seen from down

the world's biggest book - intro

2010-03-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

the slab says it all about those books

world's biggest books?

2010-03-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

Buddha's teaching scripts are inscribed on stones flabs - they hundreds of them - each slab is housed in a stupa of its own.

another monstery

2010-03-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

2009-08-24T22:43:00.000-07:00

There is one particular notice inside the golden palace monastery that caught my attention!! Why the prohibition is ordered? May be i didnt fully alert when our official explained, but until now I dont know why? the prohibition that is!

2009-08-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

concrete stair leading to the golden palace monastery!

2009-08-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

Gold-plated pillars!

2009-08-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

gold-plated ceiling!

Golden palace

2009-08-24T19:12:00.000-07:00

The golden palace monastery

The Golden Palace

2009-08-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hi, its been sometimes i have not updated on our visits to Myanmar. Ok, next stop is the visit to the Golden Palace Monastery. the name says it all, it is all about gold!! the walls, the ceilings, the poles, .. all gold, gold-plated that is!!

2009-08-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

Myatheindan

built by Myanmar king Bagyidaw in 1816, there years before he succeded Myanmar Burma Bodawpaya as king, this Myanmar stupa was constructed in memory of his senior wife, the Hsinbyume princess. It is built as a representation of the Sulamani Paya, which according to the Buddhist plan of the cosmos, stands atop Mt Meru (the mountain that stands at the centre of the universe). The seven white washed wavy terraces around the stupa represent the seven mountain rages around Mt Meru, while the five kinds of Mythical monsters can be found in inches on each terrace level. This structure was also badly damaged in the 1838 quake, but Myanmar king Mindon had it restored in 1874.

2009-08-11T20:04:00.000-07:00

ticket booth in Mingun

2009-08-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

many souvenir shops along the track from the unfinished pagoda to the Mingun bell.. well, as Mr. Myo said, I learnt my lesson well here when come to buy souvenirs in Myanmar!!

2009-08-11T19:52:00.000-07:00

noh is banging the bell, marion is taking picture and mr. sok is studying the myanmar text!!

2009-08-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

more graffitis.. more emotions!!

2009-08-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

like any other cultures, this bell is not spared from grafitti!! lots of emotions, expressions were laid down here!! just wonder how they got the gut to go under the bell.. what if the hang broke?? ok, ok, its just me!!

2009-08-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

i just wonder how the inside of this bell looks like. suprise! suprise!

2009-08-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

the description about the Mingun Bell!!

2009-08-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

behind me is a huge bell called Mingun Bell.. it is the 2nd largest bell in the world, after the bell in Russia.. but Mingun Bell still can claim itself as the largest hanging bell in the world that anybody can ring, or rather bang!! it's weight as written clearly on the bell like number 99999 is in myanmar text, saying 90 tons!! hey.. anybody dare to sleep under this bell??? its cool here!!!

2009-08-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

it's me at the top of the Pahtotawgyi, the unfinished supposed to be the largest pagoda in the world!

2009-08-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

so here we are, the conquerers of the pagoda, hahaha !! at the top of the supposed to be the largest pagoda in the world!!! view from this top just amazing!!

2009-08-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

Pahtotawgyi was built by King Bodawpaya in 1819. Pahtotawgyi, was badly damaged by the earthquake during the 1838. If the king had completed the constructions of this Pagoda it would have been the largest in the world. We were told that the king stopped this gigantic project when a monk told him that if he completed this project, he will died!

guess what?? we are going to the top of this unfinished pagoda!!

2009-08-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

from our boat we saw this very peculiar object.. its so big and just seemed thrusted out from the gorund!!

2009-08-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

Guess Who are shopping here?? no prize for correct answer!! Who is relaxing at the back there?? wow.. our boss, Mr. Myo!!

2009-08-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

yeah its me on the top deck.. the view along the river just amazing. the temperature is cold!! and we have the honor of being piloted by Prof. Sok!! sory prof. can't find your pic, i thought i took one!

2009-08-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

people and boats at the jetty- we have to walk through many boats to reach our boat

2009-08-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

this is the boat took us cruising along the Ayerrawaddy River [ as we always know it as Irrawaddy River]

2009-08-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

Another day in Mandalay! today were ae gonna do something very special.. river curise that is!! The cruise took us to a place called Mingun.

2009-08-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Of course, if you were on the Mandalay Hill, you want to view the sun set!!

2009-08-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

another view from the Mandaly Hill.. if not mistaken, the picture shows the road leading to a very rich gems mining!!

2009-08-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

view from Mandalay Hill, seen is the University of Traditional Medicine, and futher behind in the photo [the semi-circle shape] is the prison!!

2009-08-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

Me and Noh, @ Mandalay Hill!

2009-08-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

beautiful temple at the top of Mandalay Hill, but the view from the top of this hill is even breath-taking!!

2009-08-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

Mandalay Hill, very famous/religious and historical hill in Myanmar history.. we are going to climb this hill.. hehe.. not by foot but by van!!

2009-08-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

Another photo session.. inside the palace complex! thank you Mr Myo, but sorry that you have to be our photo man!

2009-08-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

The last king of Burma, King Thibaw and his queen, Suphayalat [not sure if I got her name right!] Burma was defeated by British at the end of 3rd Anglo-Burmese Wars, and became British colony! He was King Mindon's son. I'm not sure if he is loved as his father is!

2009-08-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

Here is Mr. Sok, couldn't resist the temptation to be picutred with King Mindon! Very popular king of Burma, who modernised Burma! not very sure about this, but i think i heard that he is the king most loved by people of Myanmar!

2009-08-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

Inside the palace complex.. look the top roof. you will see like a small "hut" . we were told a gaurd was staioned there to keep away the bird from flying over the palace .. No bird, no nothing should fly over the palace roof.. birds will be shot if they came too close !

2009-08-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

the model of the Palace!

2009-08-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was at The Mandalay Royal Palace - very big complex and a must visit if you're in Mandalay.. with moth surrounding this magnificinet complex.. I lost word how to describe it..just awsome!!

2009-08-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

one of the many types of jeep made in Myanmar, so we were told!! this was in Mandalay, in front of the very nice/tasty "Thai" restuarant where we had our lunch after the Mingun trip! Love to own one, the Jeep, not the restaurant!

2009-08-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

This cathedral is the one in the Yangon city- very close to the hotel where we stayed.

2009-08-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

I saw a cathederal in the middle of Manadaly city.

2009-08-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

the engravings as seen on the wall of the monestry

2009-08-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

In Mandaly, we also visited this wooden monestry. the unique feature about this monestry is the engravings on its wall, ceiling, doors, windows, almost everything about it.

2009-08-07T18:24:00.000-07:00

the note says, this is the 3rd time beting to increase the size, will will take 5 hours!

2009-08-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

making gold process - from the gold ribbon they cut it into the small piece, which latte beaten to form the small round plate [as in the left of pic] this the fist time beating that takes about 30 mins.

2009-08-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

the first place we visited in Mandalay was this workshop making gold leaf.. mostly used for Buddha images.. from a small piece of solid gold, these guys will in beat it in stages of process for about six hours when the gold leaf is made and ready to use!! 6 hours?? wow..

2009-08-06T01:29:00.000-07:00

I thought i saw bigger planes at yangon airport, called Bagan Air.. we didn't [at least me and Noh} expect that we were going to fly with this small thing!!! i doubt if i will fly.. or it is safe? but at the end this small planes [fwe had full house that day about 60 people on board] landed safely at Manadaly international airport!!

2009-08-06T01:28:00.000-07:00

2009-08-06T01:25:00.000-07:00

our next stop was Mandalay. this is mandalay international airport seen from our plane, of course when it landed!!

2009-08-06T01:16:00.000-07:00

someone is having a very relaxing day.. its very warm out side there but quiet cool in here!! the word "saved by the bell" struck into my mind,. not sure if it can be applied here.. what if the bell fall down.. what if...

2009-08-06T01:11:00.000-07:00

One of the house we stopped, because someone wanted to buy Myanmar textile.. and here is the technology still in used by them! simple but realiable!!

2009-08-06T01:07:00.000-07:00

The cultural village we visited in Bago.

2009-08-05T01:40:00.000-07:00

this picture has a very significant story.. no, not the guy but the bell. During the British time, they tried to take this bell home, to England and to melt it and to make it into canoon?? but during the moving process to their ship, the bell fell into the sea, and they [the british soldiers of course!, tried to bring it up but failed] then the Myanmar people made a deal that if they able to bring this bell to surface, the bell will stay at Myanmar, and they succeeded to do so.. I just wonder how they were defeated by those British soldiers during the Anglo-Burmese Wars??

2009-08-05T01:36:00.000-07:00

close-up whats written on the bell. We were told the purpose of the bell[may be one of the purpose], is where records can be written, that will sustain time and periods!

2009-08-05T01:28:00.000-07:00

it is also inscripted/recoded on the bell, as the bell is integral part of any temple here, as were were told!

2009-08-05T01:23:00.000-07:00

it's another example where records are made and kept.. it recorded about the history of the temple where it is placed, the contributors, the community.. and we are told this is an original piece! this is also in one of the temples in Bago.

2009-08-04T00:59:00.000-07:00

ok.. this marion again.. buying another sovounier, Marion, what did you say to the girl? she seem about to cry!!

2009-08-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

My fren Noh, in front of the one of huge Buddha statue, in Bago, while the two ladies discussing on... buying another sovounier, may be??

2009-08-04T00:22:00.000-07:00

after lunch, sovounier sellers are ready waiting for you. they are very determined!! This is Marion bergaining for the things she not really sure either to buy or not.. but at last she gave in, bought it because the girl said.."I know you!!".. hahaha.. !

2009-08-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

this the restuarant from the outside, i think the name of the restaurant is Hanthawaddy Resturant. hope i got it right!

2009-08-03T23:46:00.000-07:00

Lunch at one of the retaurant in Bago, tell you, food were very tastefull.. very nice, nyaman la!!! this is one of the best and popular restaurant in Bago.. i forgot the name of the restaurant.

2009-08-03T23:37:00.000-07:00

people of Myanmar kept their records in very excellent ways.. for example note was written on the bottom part of this pillar, excavated from the original King Mindon palace, the one [the palace] in the picture is the rebuild model of the original palace!!

2009-08-03T23:32:00.000-07:00

the golden throne of King Mindon palace, in bago

2009-08-03T23:27:00.000-07:00

the delegates picture taken at front of the King Mindon Palace in Bago.

2009-08-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

At the background is King Mindon palace, who ruled from 1853-1878, at the time of Anglo-Burmese Wars [hope i got this right!!], its a magnificient palace, with gold all over it!!

2009-08-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

this is the symbol for Bago, according to our lecturer, a legend says that Bago was once covered with water [sry mr. Myo, if i got this wrong, i didnt pay attention when you told this, and i didn't take any notes either, as usual!!], and there was only a very samll piece of land, enough for a bird to land on [ can't recall the name of the bird], the male bird landed first and the female bird had to land on top of the male bird.. and thats how it began.. what??? that's all?? sry, I didnt recall the whole story.. Mr. Myo help me please!!!

2009-08-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

along the street to Bago, a day return trip from Yangon.

2009-08-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hey.. wait for me!!

2009-08-03T19:55:00.000-07:00

Just another normal day in Yangon, morning rush hour..

2009-08-03T19:53:00.000-07:00

Me and the Director of the SEMEAO CHAT.

2009-08-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

Part of our programm [actually almost], visiting temples, and this temple is the most famous in Yangon, the Swedagon [sry, not really sure of the spelling]!!

2009-08-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

This building, same compound with the SEAMEO CHAT, where our seminar was held, is the school of medicine, where future Myanmar doctors are produced! As i was told, best students from the country are selected to attend this secondary school of medicine!! medium of teaching is English! Myanmar Doctors we have here, in my country, might be the products from this shcool!

2009-08-02T16:50:00.000-07:00

downtown Myanmar, on the left side is the famous Bayogke Market where you'll get good bargain if u knwo how to bargain, which is not my good area, and on the right side is the Central Hotel where we stayed. along both sides of the street also lots and lots of goodies you can buy, such as foods, antics, old books, even my school time [British time] textbooks are available.

2009-07-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

food is great in Myanmar, at least that what we experienced, [ i read from other blogs, they said food is terrible in this place] may be ours were specially prepared for this program. But again, i'm not comlaining, they are really nice, especially those fresh prawns, fresh fish, veges [many kinds of them], all those sambals, even 'belacan' they have! I ate more than i should have.. caused cholestrol rise and.. and resulted in uncomfortable itchiness to my skin.. the whole stay i suffered from it, but hey, its worth all the troubles!! More prawns please.. loabsters??

Arrrrgh!!!

2009-07-07T19:15:00.001-07:00

what on earth is this???? an alien?? an invincible forces? No, no.. none of them.. it's just my camera! okay, how it happened.. we just arrived at the seameo chat centre in Yangon, when were were told to take group picture in front of the centre, so this guy who work there offered his service to take our picture using our cameras.. and while i passed my camera to his hand, he dropped it to the solid ground!! O. O no..i just bought this camera just few days ago, it couldn't go this way.. I thought to myself nothing will go wrong with it, it should be okay. the next moment i tried to click it, guess what .. this is the outcome!! o no, this was just our first day in Myanmar, and i damaged my camera?? what am i going to do after this then? frustrated and I didnt blame him either. he was really honest to help out .. so i calmed down take very very very long breath...and i'm okay. The rest of the stay i'll just enjoy the beauty of the country with my naked eyes, okay with my glassed eyes... !!

Yangon in brief

2009-07-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

YANGON
Yangon is the capital of Myanmar. It also goes by the name of "the Garden City of the East." Yangon has still many old colonial style buildings. Yangon boasts a great pagoda called Shwe Dagon, which is one of the wonder of the world and also the heart of the Buddhism. Shwe Dagon towering almost 100 m above the green city-shape of Yangon, the pagoda is the prominent landmark visible from miles around. The pagoda is covered with about 60 tons of pure gold and Its Umbrella or Tip is set with diamond, rubies and others precious stones.

myanmar visit

2009-07-01T19:35:00.000-07:00

Downtown Yangon, very erly in the morning.. just finished my breakfast at the hotel, and we took a morning walk around the area.. very quite and most shops still closed.. first day in Myanmar.

Myanmar visit

2009-07-01T01:35:00.000-07:00

Mingalar bar!!

Myanmar visit - I never dream of going to Myanmar, but here I'm now in the country staying for 2 weeks!! I'm one of the delegates for the SEAMEO CHAT program on History of Myanmar from the Myanmar perspective- the program runs from 18 t0 27 Feb 2009. what can i say about the visit.. loads and loads of things of course..

remembering our father

2009-06-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

it was 27-6-07 he left us forever, after long sickness he suffered. I was away at that time. As for me it was a mixed feeling... deeply sad for he is no longer with us.. but relief as he has been suffering long enough! today on, 28-6-2009 we gathererd as a family just to remember and honor his memory for the works he has done for us.. and shaped us as who we are today!!

True friend or friends!

2009-06-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

This qoute really teach me who is my real friend.. not that many i guess!! "A friend is one who comes in when all the rest of the world goes out". But for this one i trust and believe in Him , He is my true and real friend who has redeemed me from my eternal death!!

Welcome!

2009-06-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Welcome to my blog, nothing much to say now and i'll soon! thanks!