Mandalay, Burma

Hi, Once again it was an early departure for the airport from which we flew to Mandalay on a twin engine jet prop. As the boat was not ready to receive us we boarded our bus at the airport and set off for some site seeing in Mandalay.

Our first stop was another Pagoda.

  It had this very ornate clock tower.

Inside was a sitting Buddha covered in gold leaf.  Only the men were permitted to approach the Buddha to pray and fix a small piece of gold leaf (above and below).

As was the case at all of the pagodas we visited building decoration was extensive and beautiful (above and below).

The gold leaf is produced by hand pounding squares of gold.

The finished small sheets of leaf are packaged and sold for a few dollars.

Items for the gift shop also were produced.

We soon tired of the gold leaf shop and went outside.  Ruthe found these chairs.

There was a variety of traffic.  The Burmese carry things on all kinds of vehicles.  Here a motorcycle rigged with a side car is carrying pieces of wood.

This motorcycle has a small truck body attached to its rear.

Bicycles set up to carry freight are quite common in Asia.

A shop next door had colorful umbrellas for sale.

Our final stop before boarding the boat was a jade market.  Not only was jade sold here, it also was cut and polished.  Here a large hunk is being cut, probably with a diamond saw.

A potential customer examines jade for sale.

Wheels powered by a foot pedal are used to shape and polish the jade (above and below).

I was amazed by the young age of some of the boys polishing the jade.

Outside the jade market was crowded with people.  The man in what appears to be a skirt is wearing a Longyi, traditional dress in Burma for both men and women.   It is made from a single piece of cloth approximately 6 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet.

These colorful textiles were hanging next to our bus.  I assume they were for sale.

Thanks for looking.