2015 - THE IRRAWADY of MYANMAR - Minhla fort

I OPENED MY CABIN DOOR TO THESE SCENES ..

I had made it down those steps in the pitch dark last night. Wonders will never cease ..

The locals - hard at work already. I doubt there are any harder working people anywhere than in Myanmar.

Just to remind us where we are, it gets printed on the steps ..

... and to remind me where I had been last night, these three are still where I left them. Mingalaba fellahs! They had been there all night .. but still don't look any the worse for wear.

Here we are arriving at Minhla Fort, built by the Portugese I think. I wasn't paying attention again I am afraid.

I took to the street while the group wandered around the ruins ..

There goes Mike in blue heading back to the ship. I am the one who went out last night & he is the one who has to go back to the ship early. Though he was not the only one to be sick on this cruise. I can think of five right off the top.

That's it for the Fort & time for a wander up the road. This is a bit farther than I got last night ,, A nice Pagoda on the river.

With a right turn into town & we are into the market ..

Eric there on the left. Head & shoulders above everyone.

Notice how most of the ladies are wearing Thanaka paste on their faces. For fashion, sun protection and adornment. Penny bought some in the market. It's made from grinding the bark of a tree.

Unique to Myanmar I think.

I like it ...

It is also noticeable that the younger girls wear western clothes like this girls green dress, & when they get older, they wear the Lungyi. Not a hard rule but I often saw that. Whatever - they just about always look very smart.

Quite a lot of nuns in Myanmar - here is a nun , pretty in pink. I did not see them so much elsewhere in South East Asia.

Lots of monks though. Here are some young ones collecting alms.

This is a public water jug I think ..

Boys up til about age ten also wear Thanaka.

Satellite dishes cropping up the world over ...

Barbara & Nancy at the rear, avoiding the morning rush hour ..

Back to the bar near the beach. This is one of the ladies who came to say hello last night.

Other ladies at the waters edge, hanging out the laundry. It's no wonder their clothes always look so clean, they are constantly being washed. Dry season & there is lots of dust in the air making it hard to keep anything clean for long.

Off again - still heading north on the 'ROAD to MANDALAY' which must have been the river..

Have you ever heard of the Burmah oil company? Somewhere on our trip we saw lots of places in the hills where oil was being extracted - often not legally apparently.

The end of another day on the Ayerwaddy & I do believe tomorrow I get to meet young Sophy of RED IXORA TRAVEL fame. Take some time & check out her website & tomorrow you can meet her & my mom.