Inle Pancake Kingdom - at Inle Lake in Myanmar

Mahabodhi Pagoda

hellaD — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:13:04 +0000

Mahabodhi Pagoda: A really beautiful pagoda, the reservoir behind the pagoda is entirely made of bricks and is a very interesting shape. While we were visiting a couple of monks were playing on the wall and the sun on the Tin Naung tree (which is a special medicinal tree related to tamarind) was golden as it set.

Sacred Burma 2010 Calendar

hellaD — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:03:54 +0000

Burma/Myanmar, also called the Golden Land or the land of 7 million pagodas is indeed a sacred place. The beautiful, gentle and hospitable spirit of the peoples of Myanmar is built on the backbone of the meditative and spirituality of the land. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Myanmar, although there are also many Hindus, [...]

Mei La Mu Pagoda, Yangon

hellaD — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:07:54 +0000

Mei La Mu Pagoda, located near Yangon International Airport, was built for merit by a lady born out of a la-mu fruit (mangrove plant) and raised by a hermit. She bore a son by th the Celestials, who grew up to become King Okkalapa, the original donor of Shwedagon pagoda.

Dhammayangyi Pagoda, Bagan

hellaD — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:29:53 +0000

The Dhammayangyi Pahto (Pagoda) was built by King Narathu (1167-70), who was also known as Kalagya Min, the 'king killed by Indians', this is the most massive structure in Bagan. King Narathu murdered his father and built this temple to gain merit to counteract his evil deeds, he was assassinated before he could complete the temple.

Pindaya Cave, Shan State

hellaD — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:59:31 +0000

Pindaya Cave and Shwe U Min Pagoda (Golden Cave Pagoda) are very remarkable sights. This huge cave is one of three caves, but is the only one accessible. Pindaya cave is a famous Burmese pilgrimage site. After climbing a steep staircase (or taking the elevator), you enter the cave which is filled with about 8,000 Buddha images, which are observable by following a twisted maze. The very back of the cave is now blocked off. According to legend this was the entrance to a tunnel that connected to Kyauk Gu U Min Pagoda in Bagan.

Kyauk Gu U Min, Bagan

hellaD — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 06:03:23 +0000

Kyauk Gu U Min means "Rock Cave Tunnel" and is a lesser known temple in Bagan quite a bit off the beaten track. You may want to bring a guide, and you can rent bicycles in downtown Bagan and bike there through the countryside in about 40 minutes.

Mrauk U, Rakhine State

hellaD — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:28:35 +0000

Mrauk U is perhaps one of the most far-away from everywhere places in the world today. It is an adventure just to get there, and your timing needs to be right if you want to catch the local ferry from Sittwe to Mrauk U. Nevertheless it is definitely worth the trip. The temples are ancient and unique, the tourists are scarce, the people are friendly and generous, the electricity is extremely limited and the mosquitoes are probably carrying drug resistant malaria. Mrauk U in it's heyday was more affluent than London and Amsterdam at the time and decadent to the extreme.

Rangoon Monsoon

hellaD — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:19:51 +0000

Monsoon season in Rangoon, Myanmar. Non-stop rain for 3+ months and everyone gets used to being drenched - even umbrellas don't really help. Business continues as usual at the corner fruit stand.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon

hellaD — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:59:12 +0000

Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred pagoda for the Burmese and it houses eight hairs of Gautama, the historical Buddha, as well as relics from the previous 3 Buddhas. It is said to be 2500 years old and is a 98-metre (321.5 feet) gilded stupa with valuable gems in the top. When walking around a pagoda you must go clockwise.

Traditional Burmese Massage

hellaD — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:11:23 +0000

Traditional Burmese Massage is an experience in itself. Be sure to try it out if you get a chance. The Burmese use every part of their body to massage with, from their heals to their elbows, and will work out kinks you never knew you had. This little lady Daw Sein Sein remained pristine in her longyii even while energetically manipulating a body much larger than her. She even stood on my calves and worked my muscles with her heals. Practically cured my hyper-tense sciatica in a couple of sessions.