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Mandalay is the second Capital of Myanmar and it used to be the last capital of Myanmar kingdoms before the British Empire took control. Myanmar arts and crafts, the old Mandalay palace and moat, many of Buddhist monuments and the daily life style of upper Myanmar can be seen. Gold leaf beating, tapestry, turnery, marble stone carving, silk weaving and gold smiths are worth visiting. Mandalay as a town is not as attractive as others in the country.
Buddhism in Myanmar (Burma) has made news in recent years. The monks of Burma and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi resisted the military junta that ruled the country from 1962 to 2011. More recently, a faction within the monastic sangha has incited violence against the Muslim minority in Burma.
For centuries Buddhism has permeated Burmese culture. Indeed, Buddhism is credited with binding together the diverse ethnic groups within its borders and making them one nation. For centuries monks were the chief educators of Burma, spreading knowledge and literacy.
It’s good to be home after a while on the road.
When I say the lake I mean Hoan Kiem Lake, the centerpiece of central Hanoi. Its shady banks are a meeting place for young teenagers chatting on mobile phones, couples posing for pre-wedding photos alongside aging war veterans playing chess. Furthermore, photo bombing or even just walking along the lake side with tons of camera gears being the trendy habit of many people especially the youth.
Note: K.I.A stands for Kachin Independence Army
As an ‘disputed area’, soldiers are all around Laiza.
On patrol.
A soldier guard outside a General’s meeting on the second floor of the building while two others guard on the ground under the rain.
A group of soldiers reading books at the local library on the first floor while the leaders of the country have a meeting upstair.
A group of soldiers go fishing on their free day.
I accidentally stay near the (only) local football field where the Laiza League just started recently. There aren’t so many entertaining activities in Laiza so the Laiza League gets a lot of attractions from local people. Pouring rain makes the field muddy and the ball goes unidirectional but all the players still play freely.
