i don't have much that's great to say about Mandalay. i did have a look about but didn't find anything too interesting. i think it's probably disappointing because Bagan was so phenomenal. the famous teak bridge in Mandalay is just a wooden bridge across the lake. there is a popular pagoda up on a hill above the city and it's a 30 minute walk up the covered steps. at the top is - just another dirty pagoda. although the views are good it's hard to enjoy them with your bare feet burning on the ceramic tiles that are baking in the sun.
at the top i meet a swiss couple on holiday. they are super sweet and very funny. we end up spending the rest of the day together as we are both on the same tourist circuit from hell. Sebastian has me laughing all day and especially when at an old monestary he comments, 'you can take a crap in the corner but you can't wear your shoes in here'.
in the temples and pagodas here you have to take off your shoes which would be okay if they in return could keep the floors clean. let's just say there's a lot of feet washing.
so far, the miliary presence in Myanmar has quite a low profile. the rainy season here has ended but the rain has not. even a little bit of rain turns the streets in Mandalay into rivers and with the open sewage system they have here it makes it both unpleasant and a health risk. i'm booked to leave for Hsipaw [pronouced sipaw] which is in the mountains and should be cooler.
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