Inle Pancake Kingdom - at Inle Lake in Myanmar

Kyauk Gu U Min, Bagan

hellaD — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 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.
(Read more) »

Dhammayangyi Pagoda, Bagan

hellaD — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 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.
(Read more) »

Pindaya Cave, Shan State

hellaD — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 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.
(Read more) »

Mei La Mu Pagoda, Yangon

hellaD — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 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.
(Read more) »

The Village That Makes Lotus Thread

hellaD — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:41:28 +0000

Lotus thread is vary time consuming to make and can only be done at certain times of the year. As a result it is very sacred and respected. Traditionally it has only been used for Monk robes or for scarves for the alters in temples. In one small village, Kyaing Kan on Inle Lake in [...]
(Read more) »

Inle Treks

hellaD — Sun, 29 May 2011 23:26:21 +0000

Trekking in the hills around Inle Lake is one of the many things to do in this area. There are various hilltribes that live in this area including the so-called “long-neck” women who put metal bands around their necks to lengthen them. All of these various tribal groups make their own materials and dress in [...]
(Read more) »

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.
(Read more) »

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, [...]
(Read more) »

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.
(Read more) »

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.
(Read more) »