Mandalay, Myanmar - 2016

Mandalay welcomed us after a long, rickety bus ride. We were thankful to have the bus dropped us off right in front of hotel Sahara where we stayed for three nights . Mandalay is a big city and getting around with suitcases would not be an easy task. Our hotel is located across from the Royal Palace complex which is a square of 2 mile long each side.

The hotel was able to arrange a taxi for us to go to Mandalay Hill to watch the sunset in short notice. We tried not to miss any beautiful sunsets in Myanmar!. It's a pretty ride along a narrow curvy roads to reach Mandalay Hill peak. On the top is the stately and beautiful Sataungpyei Temple.  According to legend, Buddha visited Mandalay Hill, prophesying that on the 2,400th anniversary of his death a great city would be founded at its base. From the temple terrace and the summit, we could see the city of Mandalay below. We spotted the Mandalay Palace ground, golf courts, temples, monasteries, huge chinthes (lion-like creatures) guarding the temple entrance and beautiful parks.

It's warm in Mandalay.  The AC can barely keep up.  

Part of Sataungpyei Temple complex on Mandalay Hill.

Inside the temple.  The walls are a marble mosaic design.  

Prayers at the temple.  The walls and floor are marble.

Waiting for sunset on top of Mandalay Hill.

View from Mandalay Hill and Sataungpyei Temple.

Sunset over Mandalay.

On our walk the following day, we noticed the markets and banks were closed due to the new year holiday.

We were always surprised to find a church.  This is a Catholic Church on a prominent business street. 

An all teak temple.  Teak is widely used for building in Myanmar.

A side of the royal palace compound surrounded by a moat. 

The top of a local temple of a traditional Mandalay design.

We took a taxi to Mahamuni Temple which is the country's second most revered shrine. Then onto Amarapura, the southwestern edge of Mandalay, to visit the popular U Bein's Bridge, believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world.

The courtyard of Mahamuni Temple

Mahamuni Temple.

Shrine statue. 

Washing Buddha for good luck.  

Women are not allowed to enter the inner sanctum.  They pray at the smaller shrines around the temple. 

Part of the U Bein's Bridge.  

U Bein's Bridge is the longest teak bridge in the world.  It's supported by over one thousand pilings. 

Taungmyo Lake that U Bein's Bridges crosses.

Sunset at U Bein's Bridge. 

Part of our Thai dinner in Mandalay: chicken curry and stir-fried broccolini.