2015 - THE IRRAWADY of MYANMAR - Kyauk Myaung, more pots

WE HAVE SEEN POTS BEING MADE BEFORE ON THIS TRIP & NOW WE WILL SEE SOME MORE ...

EXCEPT THESE POTS ARE BIG, REALLY BIG,

REALLY REALLY BIG ....

UNUSUAL T-SHIRT THE GIRL IS WEARING ..

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE LITTLE BALLS ARE, LITTLE BALLS I EXPECT ..

PASSENGERS MEETING THE LOCALS ..

POTS IN THE MAKING ...

KIDS ..

KIDS MULTIPLYING ..

MR So EXPLAINING THE PROCESS TO NANCY IN THE DOORWAY NEXT TO THE INCREDIBLY GENEROUS CREW MEMBER WHO ESCORTED US SAFELY AROUND ON SHORE, MARIANNE LOOKING SUITABLY IMPRESSED & ROBERT ...

THAT WAS ALL TAKING A WHILE SO I STEPPED OUTSIDE & WATCHED LIFE GOING ON OUTSIDE ..

A FEW PEOPLE WORKING VERY HARD ..

IN MYANMAR - YOU DON'T SEE TOO MANY PEOPLE SITTING AROUND NOT DOING ANYTHING ..

YOUNG MONKS COLLECTING ALMS FOR THEIR ONE MEAL A DAY ..

SMALL OBJECTS - I KNOW NOT WHAT - BEING CARRIED BY THIS LADY

MORE KIDS ARE ARRIVING ...

I WAS SITTING ON A BENCH HERE, JACKIE WAS ON THE BENCH TOO IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY ...

KIDS JUST SITTING AROUND WITH US ...

HERE THEY HAVE FOUND SOMETHING ...

PROUD AS PUNCH, THEY SHOW US THEIR TREASURE - A MOTH ..

LEAVING THE KIDS & THEIR MOTH, THE GROUP REASSEMBLES & WE WALK OVER THE ROAD .

I THINK THIS MAY BE A KILN .. OR SOMEWHERE THE POTS ARE LEFT TO DRY PERHAPS ..

ON UP THE ROAD WE GO - SAYING MINGALABA TO THE LOCALS .. SURPRISINGLY FEW PEOPLE ABOUT, & NO OTHER TOURISTS AT ALL ..

WE STOP ON A HILL TO HAVE LOOK AROUND .. MARIANNE & JACKIE HERE ..

AND POTS & POTS & MORE POTS ...

THIS LADY, LOOKING LIKE A MODEL OUT FOR A FASHION MAGAZINE PHOTO-SHOOT ..

Mr So LEADS US UP HILLS & DOWN. INTO TINY BACK ALLEYWAYS .. NO ONE SEEMS TO MIND THE INTRUSION ..

WE LEAVE THE POTTERY MAKING AREA & HEAD BACK TO THE BOAT. BARBARA BRINGS UP THE REAR AS USUAL - TAKING PHOTOS. MARIANNE & I ARE TRAILING THE GROUP TOO ..

Mr So TRACKS BACK TO FIND US & LEADS US INTO A WARREN OF BACK ALLEYS WHERE WE MEET THESE PEOPLE ...

& THIS LADY ..

WHO POURS US A SMALL GLASS OF CLEAR LIQUID EACH .. WATER?

MARIANNE TAKES A SWIG & AN IMMEDIATE GRIMACE. BARBARA & I ALSO HAVE A TASTE & IT IS NOT WATER, FIRE-WATER PERHAPS, & NOT TOO BAD.

Mr So TAKES US OUT BACK WHERE THIS GENTLEMAN IS BUSY MAKING THE NEXT BATCH. BARBARA ASKS HOW LONG THE PROCESS TAKES, IS IT A COUPLE OF MONTHS, A FEW WEEKS - WHAT?

TWENTY MINUTES - WE COULD HAVE STUCK AROUND FOR THE NEXT BATCH.

A PURE SPIRIT, MADE FROM PALM - NONE OF US WENT BLIND OR GOT BLIND DRUNK ..

BUT BARBARA DOES LOOK A TRIFLE SQUIFFY ..

IS THAT YOUR SECOND LADIES?

WELL - THAT WAS A GOOD FUN DAY & WE FINALLY HEAD BACK TO THE BOAT..

BYE KIDS --