The Road to Mandalay

Location:
Burma

River boat Cruise

By Sandra Scott

Over a century ago Rudyard Kipling visited Burma, now called Myanmar, and said it was “quite unlike any land you know about.” His poem, “The Road to Mandalay” has invoked images of romance and beauty in the minds of travelers for generations.

Myanmar is still an exotic destination and it has changed little in the last 50 years. The most beguiling aspect of Myanmar is its people who are friendly and welcoming and not jaded by the world of commercialism. Imagine a country with no McDonalds and no WalMarts!

We arrived in Yangon and our first impression was positive. The streets of the city are lined with trees and it is very quiet – honking the car horn is not allowed in the city center. Our hotel, the Governor’s Residence, is located on a quiet street in an area that is home to many embassies. A gong announced our arrival and the beginning of unparalleled service. We fell in love with the Governor’s Residence immediately with its beautiful gardens, jade-colored pool, and teak buildings built in the traditional style. For six dollars an hour we hired a car and English-speaking driver to tour Yangon. Our first stop was an open-air glass factory in a jungle setting. The kilns are in very rustic buildings covered with rusty metal sheets. There are piles of glass everywhere making us wonder just how they knew what was where. But, it all worked because we recognized their glass products at all the hotels.

The Myanmar people are welcoming and want foreigners to love their country as much as they do. At the Temple of the Reclining Buddha we were invited into the monk’s living quarters. We were very quiet because most of the monks were sleeping. They get up at 4 a.m. to pray and live a very Spartan life with the local community supplying their food. They are not allowed to eat after noon. All Buddhists males spend some time as a monk – some for a few days, some for a lifetime. In the evening we visited the most important Buddhist Temple, Shwedagon Pagoda, to watch the sunset. Truly a symphony in gold, especially at sunset. We hated to leave the serenity of the Governor’s Residence but the river was calling us.

We flew to Bagan and boarded the luxurious “Road to Mandalay” riverboat on the Ayeyarwady River. It is part of the Orient Express so connections, tours, and everything else was seamless and perfect. We toured the ancient capital of Bagan, which was at its pinnacle between 1057 and 1287. The impressive ruins spread over acres. We visited pagodas, watched people make pottery, lacquer ware, and other handicrafts, wandered through farming villages, visited a nunnery, went for an ox cart ride, explored the Festival Market, and watched the sunset from atop a pagoda. Lacquer ware boxes that cost one dollar take days to make, hardworking gold pounders prepare gold leaf for enhancing the pagoda, and the potter’s wheel is still hand-powered. There were so many wonderful sights to see and interesting things to learn. Truly there are images to last a lifetime. The people were so open and friendly that we felt very comfortable everywhere.

On board “The Road to Mandalay,” a French chef prepared gourmet dinners every evening. Dinner was followed by entertainment but one evening was magical beyond description. After a blazing sunset, we gathered under the full moon on the top deck for the Festival of Lights. Off on the horizon there were hundreds and hundreds of small colored lights. Slowly, while listening to classical music, the candlelit, colored lanterns flowed with the current until they surrounded the boat. Incredible! While sailing we enjoyed the boat’s pool but the best part was sitting on the deck watching the ever-changing scenery. For the people, the Ayeyarwady is life itself. They bathe in it, transport their goods on it, catch fish for dinner, water their animals, and play in it! It was National Geographic come alive.

One day we were especially fortunate and quipped that the staff of the “Road to Mandalay” thought of everything. We arrived in a local village in time to see a long, colorful parade. The procession was headed to the temple where the boys were to take part in the Novice Monks Ceremony and the girls in the Ear Piercing Ceremony. The Novice Monk Ceremony is one of the most important events in the life of a Buddhist boy. As a novice monk they shave their heads, don rust-colored robes, live a simple life, and learn the teachings of Buddha. The tradition dates back to the time of Buddha some 2,500 years ago when Buddha made his son a novice. The boys dressed in princely attire rode horses shaded with umbrellas. The girls were beautifully attired in colorful longyis – the typical wrap-around skirt worn by men and women. Colorfully dressed family members carried gifts for the temple. Even the horses, cows, and carts were festively decorated. The new novices usually stay in the monastery for seven days under the care of the monks. For the girls the Ear Piercing Ceremony is mostly a social event because after their ears are pierced they go home. After the parade the entire village is invited to a big feast.

There is only one problem with the “Road to Mandalay” cruise - it isn’t long enough. Our stateroom was so well outfitted I would have loved to have more time to enjoy it. There was always so much to see and do we never had time to enjoy piano bar in the evening or to just relax in one of the common areas. Some guests opted to skip some of the tours but I was afraid I’d miss something. I guess I will just have to take the cruise again! Kipling was correct: Burma is “…quite unlike any land…”.

Further Information

Travel tips: Go before it changes.

Take US dollars and make sure the money had absolutely no defects - even the slightest nick will make it unacceptable.

Must see/do at this place: Yangon, Baga, Lake Inle, and Napoli Beach

You should avoid here: The country is extremely safe but by buying and booking with an agent based in Myanmar visitors can be assured that the money spent goes directly to the people.