Mandalay: Day Two
Sunday 2/9/20

Our adventure continues.  At nine am we began our second day in Mandalay. We visited marble carving "factories " which are just roadside shacks, open streetside, for several blocks. OSHA would have a fit as no protective masks or goggles were seen in use.

   

             Annalisa said "Where's Waldo?"

Working in a cloud of dust

On break covered in marble dust. 

 . 

Multi-tasking. Note two cell phones and a cigarette!!

           
Next stop a teak and sandalwood puppet and furniture factory.  This is where the puppets from Bagan's puppet show-dinner theater were made. Puppets of all sizes 5 inches to 5 ft tall can be found here.

         

Getting our "Monks" in a row

Beautiful carved panel

           

Actors waiting a stage

Puppets in action!

                 

Dinner theater in Bagan: "Rubbing elbows" with actors

Then of course we had to see where gold leaf was made and visit a gem store. We left both places empty handed.  To watch two guys pound gold onto paper thin pieces is just crazy. 8 lb mallets are swung by barefooted men for 5 hrs to accomplish the task. Impressive!!

Pounding Gold Leaf

               

 We ended our visit to Mandalay with a restful ride down the Ayerwaddy river to the village of Mingun where of course, what else, we visited a Pagoda or two! While there we were driven about by a motorcycle driven peddi-cab.  Later we took a long horse-cart ride to a "few" different Pagodas.

We saw lots of shop keepers waiting for a sale. Freelancers jump in while you walk to a site and ply their wares. Just prior to climbing on the cart ride an enterprising young woman tried to get us to purchase a necklace or a bell.  We said no thanks but she still followed us the entire route on her bicycle hoping we would change our minds.

We enjoyed this time to observe the locals and take many pictures.  We were early for our sunset ride back so we took tea at a roadside stand near the dock and watched a group of men play a game called cane ball. It is much like volley ball using a net except lobbing the ball back and forth using head and feet only!!

Our boat floating down the Ayerwaddy 

                     

Mya Thein Pagoda

                     
                 

Plenty of souvenirs 

Largest ringing bell in the world with two little "Belles."

     

A lion guarding the entry to this monument below

 

              Mingun Pahtotawagyi Paya

              Worlds largest Chides

Impossible to describe the size of this structure!!

          Yet another large teak temple

Two old ladies and a horse drawn carriage!!

"You buy from me, lucky money!"

Life along the Ayerwaddy

This is the way children travel with their parents. Arms as seatbelts!!

Cane Ball game!! Very competitive!!

Puppies full from scavenging through garbage. No one collects garbage here. Just wait until the rainy season when the river takes it away. Very sad!!

             

Aweet children love to pose. Big sister organising the perfect photo shot!!

Roughing it as the sun sets. Wondering about our next adventure.  Tomorrow we leave for Inlay lake!!