I would like to share with you my experience from this year's Christmas vacation.
After a 12 hour flight from the Madrid airport, we landed in Bangkok, where we took another one hour flight to Yangong in Myanmar. The country used to be called Burma. Myanmar has been a closed country for many years and is an underdeveloped country, not very much influenced by the western world. By the way, on the plane to Bangkok, I sat next to Frank de la Jungla. It was interesting to talk to him about his adventures.
We visited several pagodas, which are Buddhist temples built in several floors. Buddhism is the most important religion in the country and there are so many Buddha statues. Some of the most important ones are in Yangong. A guide was traveling with us, so we were well-informed all the time. He spoke English and Spanish, in addition to his local language.
Our hotel in Yangong was located by a lake in the center of the city. There was a wooden gangway around the lake built on poles into the water and there were many people using it for exercise in the morning. There was also a huge restaurant that was made of cement on the lake, that looked like a Dragon boat. We had dinner there. The dinner included a show with local dancers.
In the center, we saw the old Post and Telegraph building, built by the British, and in a British style. We also saw the Superior Court and we visited some local markets. Later, we had an interesting ride on a train through the city. Most people were locals and some were selling food on the train.
The most important university in all of Asia was previously in Yangong. It was built by the British when they governed the country. The university has been closed for many years now, but they say that it is to be reopened soon.
Our next stop was Bagan. It is known for its many pagodas, which are more than 4,000. We flew in a hot air-balloon, which overlooked all the pagodas. It was wonderful. We had to leave the hotel at 5.30 in the morning and had breakfast close to where they were preparing the balloon ride. There were 21 balloons up in the air at the same time that day. We saw the sunrise; it was a wonderful feeling and a great experience.
One afternoon, we had a boat-trip on the river Aye Yar and we saw a nice sunset.
We visited art workshops, where they were doing lacquer works on bamboo products like rice bowls and baskets. On one day, we visited old Bagan by horse and another day, by electric bike.
The next stop was Lake Inle. We had to fly about one hour to get there. Then, it was another hour by bus to the lake. There, we were met by a boat that took us into the lake to our hotel. The hotel was made up of several cottages, partly built over the water. On the evenings, we would sit outside around a fireplace. The nights were quite cool and the days were warm there by the lake. Everyday we made trips by a typical wooden boat. Everybody was moving around the lake in these thin and long boats. Everybody had to sit one behind the other. It was quite fun. We visited places where they made sunshade umbrellas and clothes from silk and lotus plants. The lotus plant or water lily, grows in the water and the threads are made from the stem of this plant. It is even more expensive than silk.
We also visited places where they made silver and gold jewelry, as well as tools and swords from iron. People were selling us their products from little boats that came up alongside our boat. We bought some small bananas from one of them and they were so good. We saw the long-necked women that use some kind of jewelry around their neck to make it longer. They never take it off, but can reduce the length at night to sleep.
One day, we went trekking and we met a monk that invited us to take a photo with him. We also came across a sugar making factory. It was quite dirty and they made the sweetening liquid from sugar canes. Some young monks were doing voluntary work to make a good road to the temple so people can come and visit more easily.
Our last stop was a one hour flight away, to Ngapali beach by the Bay of Bengala and Indian Ocean. The water was nice and warm and I was swimming every day. One day, we went by boat to some reefs were we went snorkeling. The hotel had bikes that we could use and we went biking to the fishing village and saw the fishermen bringing in thousands of small fish that they put on some plastic to dry. On the way back, we used the bikes on the beach and it was quite fun.
My trip ended on the second of January, when we flew back to Madrid.
Bosco Juliussen
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