2015 - THE IRRAWADY of MYANMAR - Inwa, maybe.

Sat 14 Mar 2015

I HAVE GOT THE NUMBER OF DAYS MIXED UP SOMEHOW. THIS CANNOT BE DAY 15 AS THE CRUISE IS 15 DAYS & THERE ARE STILL A FEW TO GO.

ANYWAY - ON WITH THE SHOW ...

THIS IS THE MOAT OF A FORT OF SOME KIND ...

HERE'S THE LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS FISHING FOR COCONUTS LAST NIGHT.

SHE HAD HER EYE ON ME THEN & HAS HER EYE ON ME NOW, TO SELL ME A SOUVENIR.

SHE HAS A SMALL PIECE OF METAL THAT WHISTLES WHEN SHE BLOWS ON IT .. QUITE INGENIOUS ..

WE BYPASS THE FORT & MOUNT OUR SURREY WITH THE FRINGE ON TOP FOR A LITTLE RIDE ALONG THE SAME STREET I WALKED ALONG IN THE DARK LAST NIGHT ...

DIFFERENT GIRL - SAME JOB ..

ONE OF THE BIGGER LOADS YOU WILL SEE ON A LADIES HEAD ..

IS THAT MARIANNE BACK THERE - MUST BE HER, ONLY ONE OTHER PASSENGER TOOK THE REINS ..

THE SOUVENIR GIRLS KEEP PACE & EVEN TRY TO SELL US STUFF WHILE WE ARE MOVING ...

WE STOP TO HAVE A LOOK AT A PAGODA - THESE TWO IGNORE US ...

OH NO!

SHOES OFF TIME AGAIN ....

BUT NOT ME - I TAKE SOME TIME WATCHING THIS ....

MESMERIZING ...

I BITE THE BULLET & TAKE MY SHOES OF FOR THE WALK AROUND & INSIDE THE PAGODA --- ALL WOOD & VERY NICE ..

THERE'S SOME KIDS GETTING LESSONS INSIDE, MAKING A LOT OF NOISE, RECITING SOMETHING BY THE SOUND OF IT .. SO THERE ..

AND HOW ABOUT THIS FOR A YELLOW OUTFIT ... VERY SMART .. LOOKS LIKE ARTHUR'S LEGS BESIDE HER.

UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING, Mr SO & I HAVE A CHAT WITH HER .. SHE IS VERY PLEASANT ..

Mr SO POINTS OUT A MARK ON THE PILLARS SUPPORTING THE PAGODA. HIGH WATER MARK WHEN THE RIVER FLOODED.

THE RIVER IS A LONG WAY AWAY & AT LEAST 30 METERS BELOW HERE. A SOBERING THOUGHT.

THE RIVER BRINGS LIFE, BUT ALSO DEATH & DESTRUCTION SOMETIMES ..

WE REMOUNT - TRYING NOT TO RUN THE GIRLS OVER .. & HEAD TO ANOTHER BUILDING ..

THIS IS A ROYAL BATH .. OR WAS ONCE UPON A TIME .. FOR PRINCESSES I THINK

THIS IS THE BUILDING - WHAT DO YOU THINK? A WATCH TOWER MAYBE? I DON'T KNOW ..

BUT THERE ARE SOUVENIRS HERE. MARIANNE & BARBARA DID SOME HEAVY DUTY BARGAINING WHILE I CHATTED TO THE LITTLE SOUVENIR GIRLS - TRYING TO CONVINCE THEM IT WAS DANGEROUS TO RIDE ALONG BESIDE US LIKE THEY DO.

THEY TOOK NO NOTICE OF COURSE & HERE WE ARE PULLED UP FOR ANOTHER PAGODA STOP .. THESE THREE ARE HEADING IN THAT DIRECTION TOO ... SO I FOLLOW ALONG ..

FIRST WE HAVE TO CROSS THE ROAD ... & I SEE A GREAT PHOTO COMING OF THIS TRUCK ,,

BUT WOULDN'T YOU JUST KNOW IT - THOSE GIRLS JUST HAVE TO GET IN THE WAY .. SPOILING MY SHOT.

OH WELL, WHAT CAN YOU DO?

ERIC & HIS UNCLE HAROLD ON THE RIGHT - TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS ..

THOSE GIRLS AGAIN - WILL THEY NEVER GET OUT OF THE WAY? ...

OK - THEY ARE NOT IN THIS ONE - THAT'S ROBERT ON THE RIGHT ..

A FEW MINUTES AROUND THE PAGODA & ...

IT'S TIME FOR A CUP OF TEA .. HERE.

NO SOONER DO I GET THE TEA & THE GROUP TURN UP & IT'S BACK IN THE SADDLE ..

THE GIRLS DOUBLE UP & CATCH A RIDE WITH MIKE FOR THE RIDE HOME ..

THESE OBJECTS ARE CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES I THINK ..

ANOTHER AMAZING LOAD CARRIED ON THIS GIRLS HEAD. DO MEN EVER DO THAT?

NOW PASSING THE LIMIT OF MY WALK LAST NIGHT. WHEN I WAS THERE, I WAS LOOKING AT THIS RATHER IMPRESSIVE BUILDING AND HAD A STANGE CONVERSATION WITH A LOCAL HE SEEMED TO BE SAYING 'CHICKS' I STILL DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THE LOCAL BORDELLO OR A CHICKEN SHOP.

BUT THIS WAS THE PLACE I HAD TEA LAST NIGHT. MINGALABA TO YOU ...