Some titles seem to practically write themselves, don't they? Let me add that the road was a little rough in places.
This morning we had to wake up a little early. The hotel was good enough to serve us breakfast at 6:45, so we could catch a little bus at 7:30. The first two to two and a half hour is down a spectacular winding road. Hairpin curves assure all passengers of a view no matter on which side of the bus they sit. The remaining 5 hours of the trip was rather uneventful. We sat behind a German couple with two school-aged kids. Another German guy sat up front. The remainder of the people were Burmese. Oh and the last four or five rows of seats were removed for cargo.
We travelled over a lot of road which we under construction, but not quite what I was used to. It seems as if much road work is still done by hand. Ladies, children and men carried around differing sizes of rock in baskets. They raked the layers smooth and poured tar onto the finest, topmost surface. That must be how roads, with pick and shovel, were made one hundred years ago. I wondered whether the workers might ever have a chance to ride on a modern expressway.
Once we got to the Mandalay bus cation area, we pooled resources with the previously mentioned passengers and jumped in the rear of a truck to come downtown. It was about a twenty minute ride and we each paid about $2. We knew of some hotel in the area around the Clock Tower. In Mandalay's center the original 1850's palace sits surrounded by a moat. We got out at the Nylon Hotel as the family had reservations. Jay and I walked around for about a half hour and ended up back at the Nylon where we are now paying $30 a night. Burma ain't cheap!
Jay near the south side of the moat of the Mandalay Palace.
We had dinner at some place once featured in Lonely Planet. Unfortunately, the staff sits on its laurels. By the time the meal finally got to the table, I was ready to order another 640 ml beer. I've discovered the local stout is named ABC. To Bed early?