After a light breakfast in the hotel (every place seems to serve just eggs, eggs and more eggs), we head out for a full day of sightseeing. We have lined up quite a few things to see and do. The first stop is at the Hintha Gon Pagoda, located just behind the Shwemawdaw Pagoda. Located up on a small hill, it has some nice views over the city. There is a long covered walkway that links it to Shwemawdaw.
Buddha images are scattered throughout the complex.
Back out on the street we come across one of the many and regular processions that pass through the streets seeking donations and contributions.
From the pagoda, we head to the other side of town to go and visit one of the many small cheroot factories that are located in this town. We visited the Three Lions factory, where many women make a living rolling the cheroots. They sit there all day long, cutting the tobacco, rolling it, gluing them shut and then adding on a label. It must be back breaking work. We are told that they make over 1,000 a day, are are paid Kyat 350 per day (or about 30 cents).
The highlight of our visit to Bago is the Kha Khat Wain Kyaung monastery - one of the three largest in the country. We have come here to give alms to the thousand plus monks that live here. We are not quite sure of what time they will come for their one daily meal, but after hanging out for a while and talking to some people, we hear that it will be in about 45 minutes. During this time, we check out the preparations to feed these thousand monks. The dining room is huge, with low tables filling the space.
One of the monks speaks English and we spend some time chatting with him. He is the one that invites us to look around. He also lets us take his picture.
The kitchen is a large, but simple affair - in line with the simple fare that is served. There are a couple of huge stoves with gigantic pots on them.
It takes a number of monks to handle them and to carry them to the entrance of the dining hall where the huge pots of rice are dumped into even bigger pots.
At last, the bell is rung and the monks appear in two orderly lines. They pass down the corridor and turn left into the entrance of the dining room. As they do so, we give the cakes by placing them in their bowls to as many of the monks as possible. But the cakes run out very early in the procession.
We are then offered the opportunity to hand out the rice to the monks. It is quite a task. First, one has to reach down deep into the pot to scoop up some of the steaming rice, burning you fingers in the process, and then pour it into the monks offering bowl. This has to be done quickly, as the monks walk by at a steady pace - they do not really stop, only slowing down a bit. So, we have to keep up with their pace, so that none will do without rice. We also have to make sure that we do not take too much, so that we do not run out before the last monk has come by.
Once all the monks have been seated and are eating, we are invited in to have a look. They do not mind if we walk around, but we are a bit uncomfortable. We see the senior monk sitting in one corner, and we are told that we can go up and greet him. We do so, giving a donation at the same time. Just as we are leaving, a tour group of tourists shows up - they are a bit late and it is a bit awkward the way they rush in just start taking pictures and talking.
We then head over to see the Shwethalyaung Buddha, another huge reclining Buddha. But they want ten dollars for us to go see it, so we pass. A local girl really tries to sell us some local candies - in the end, we have to buy one, but at a hard bargained price. We may come back later this evening to check out the Buddha image.
From there we head into some of the back streets to long for some of the craftsmen that we have read about in Lonely Planet. A waste of time - there is a small longyi weaving shop, but the selection is very poor. We also go in search of the wood carvers, but after checking out many places and meeting some cute local children, we give up.
We then make our way to the Kyinigan Kyaung monastery to check out the Japanese war cemetery. That is a bit of a disappointment - it is just a small memorial. But it is interesting to walk around the grounds of the monastery with its many wooden buildings and to interact with the dozens of young children that are hanging out there. There is a small group surrounding a boy reading a comic book.
Our final stop before lunch is at the Maha Kalyani Sima - the Coronation Hall. But it is nothing special. Quite run down. We head to a restaurant on the river for lunch. It is filled with locals and we have a good meal there. Afterwards, we walk for a short way down the river's edge to the pedestrian bridge hung precariously across the wide river. At a small hut at the end of the bridge a women rests with her boy. The young boy says hello, but it does not go much further than that as we share no common language. After lunch, we return to the hotel for a siesta. It has just gotten too hot.
In the later afternoon, we carry on seeing the sights. First stop is at the Gaung-Say-Kyan Pagoda. It is a very small and run down, but picturesque pagoda located in the middle of a small lake. You reach it by crossing a very rickety old wooden bridge. As we drive up to the bridge, we are greeted by a couple of monks. To put it nicely, they seem to be missing a few of their faculties, but they are very excited to see us. Their pagoda is very basic by the standards of the other ones, and they must not get so many visitors. They take us in hand and are very excited to show us around. They have quite a few projects underway and are clearly in need of some funds. We are generous with our donations. A nice place - much more down-to-earth than some of the other ones that we have visited.
We take a drive out of town to go and visit the Sinthalyaung reclining Buddha. Another huge image. The more interesting thing here is the clearly old stupa that has been relegated to second class status. It is not as shiny and new, but it is very elegant.
Before dinner, our final stop is at the Shwethalyaung reclining Buddha, where we had stopped this morning. This time we are able to go in and visit. It is actually nice and cool and more pleasant in the evening.
Tonight we go in search of local food as served by one of the street side stalls. Our guide must think that we are mad, but this is the food that we want while here. We drive down a couple of streets and Jacqui's quick eye finds just the place. It is a fixed establishment located next to the sidewalk with a bunch of low tables and chairs scattered out front. There are big pots of food laid out on the counter. The perfect spot. But first we need to find a loo. Lars makes the mistake of not taking a torch with him when the way is pointed out. It turns out it is the public drop toilets located on the run down grounds of the stadium at the back of the food shops. It is a mess and it is better to just use a tree. Jacqui follows and she goes appropriately prepared with a torch.
We stuff ourselves over dinner. We have a whole variety of local dishes whipped up by the lady. They must find us quite amusing - going up for seconds and thirds and trying to sit comfortably in the tiny chairs meant for pre-schoolers. Dinner for four of us, including drinks, comes to a bit less than one dollar.
But as usual, it is better to not check out the details of the eating place too much.
After dinner it is back to the cake shop. We decide to have dessert and to stock up for breakfast (we are tired of eggs). We also decide to buy a whole bunch of the cakes to bring back with us to KL for a party that we are in a few days. The owners of the stall must think that we are mad, but it is our last chance. Then back to the hotel for a good nights rest.