Myanmar

TODAY WE GET TO SEE HOW POTTERY IS MADE .

Here's some ready for shipping ...

We get on shore, climb up the bank as usual ( it would be a lot less tiring in the rainy season when the water is 30 meters higher ) & make our way into the tiny village ..

The youngster is spinning the wheel with his feet while his mom throws the pot ... I think she has done that before ..

Trying to make a sale ...

no luck this time - what a bunch of meanies ..

Imagine making all those pots - one pot at a time ..

I think this is a girl .. showing off her Karate moves . ...

And she knows how to pose too ...

Firing the pots here maybe ..

but this is firing the pots. They go into a big pile of dirt that has charcoal burning inside ...

Here we are inside a room where the lady kindly demonstrated for us .. I did not see any passengers give any of these people any cash for their time & don't know if the guide did either ...

An ancient looking village - with solar panels ...

KIds playing games with anything to hand ..

These kids were in school ... Some of the passengers gave gifts here. Pandaw have a good way of dealing with gift giving. A few days ago we were in a market & Mr So suggested if we wanted to give at the school, that we buy locally. A far better idea than lugging stuff halfway round the world.

They are singing us a song here ..

OK children - the boring tourists have gone now - back to play.

Watch these ladies take some pots to their boat ...

Oh my Lord ..... Now, that is tricky! ...

We have tied up for the night & the locals do what the locals do ..

The steps you can see are a bit the worse for wear at the bottom. I should have paid attention to that.

A girl negotiates the climb down with her empty water buckets ...

and what goes down - has to go up. Here she sways home with full buckets. Looks like hard work but great for keeping slim ...

I followed her along the road & then down the main street looking for a beer. No beer but I did find some tea & the locals came to see the crazy tourist trying to sit on a chair inches from the ground. Not for the first or last time in Myanmar, someone found me a bigger chair.
Thank you ladies & gents.

Here the souvenir sellers hatch their plans for the morning.

They look for a likely customer & try to make contact. Each seller gets one customer & they will stick like glue to you for ages trying to make the sale. They are not impressed if you buy from someone else either.

I went for a walk through town on my own that evening. Not too difficult on the way out but pitch black on the way back & those stairs I mentioned don't make it all the way to the beach. Oh well - I did make it home after a bit of a struggle.

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 ...

AND HOME SWEET HOME .. A LADY ON SHORE DOING HER LAUNDRY ..

AND SOME GIRLS - WITH ARTHUR ABOUT TO TAKE THEIR PHOTO. CAREFUL ARTHUR - THE WIFE'S ON BOARD ..

READY TO GIVE YOU A SLAP ...

FABLED MANDALAY - AS IN 'THE ROAD TO MANDALAY'

WE WERE DUE TO DOCK IN MANDALAY ITSELF BUT LOW WATER CAUSED US TO DIVERT ACROSS THE RIVER IN SAGAING .. WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A BIT OF A BUS RIDE TO REACH MANDALAY.

HERES ONE OF MANY BAMBOO RAFTS WE WILL SEE & IT IS THE BAMBOO ITSELF THAT IS BEING TRANSPORTED.

A RATHER ATTRACTIVE, ALMOST CERAMIC LOOKING PAGODA .

SAGAING HAS MORE THAN IT'S FAIR SHAR OF PAGODAS - HERE ARE JUST A FEW ..

SOME VERY LARGE MOTHS HAVE STOWED AWAY ON THE BOAT ..

ON THE BUS, PASSING SOME FISHERMEN ON THE RIVER ...

WE STOP TO VISIT A PAGODA & HAVE TO WALK A LITTLE WAY, PASSING THE STONE CARVERS ..

VERY HARD, DUSTY WORK ...

INSIDE THE PAGODA, ONLY THE MEN ARE ALLOWED UP INTO THE AREA WHERE PEOPLE ATTACH GOLD LEAF TO THE BUDDHA IMAGE.
I SHOULD HAVE REALISED THEN THAT THE YOUNGSTERS IN BLUE WERE NOT GIRLS ..

DEFINITELY GIRLS ON THE LEFT. BUT BOYS ON THE RIGHT. IT'S A MONKS INITIATION CEREMONY ..

GIRLS ...

AND BOYS ..

AND THIS IS DEFINITELY A GIRL - YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE SHE IS ON HER PHONE.

IT'S VERY TIRING TO BE A PILGRIM ... LOTS OF STEPS TO CLIMB ..

THOSE LADIES LOOK POOPED OUT.

A VERY YOUNG MONK TO BE ..

IS THAT LITTLE BOY HAPPY? ....

WE HAVE MOVED ON TO MANDALAY PALACE .. A VERY LARGE, WALLED & MOATED COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS ...

ON OF MY FEW GROUP SHOTS .. EIGHT OF THEM ANYWAY. THERE'S MIKE IN WHITE .. WHICH REMINDS ME, I FORGOT TO TELL MY MIKE STORY AT AN EARLIER STOP.

HE HAD BEEN ASKING ONE OF THE SOUVENIR SELLERS ( MAYBE THE FRIEND OF MY POT GIRL ) IF SHE HAD A SHIRT OF A PARTICULAR COLOUR & DESIGN. IT HAD TO HAVE MYANMAR SCRIPT & FOR SURE A VERY LARGE SIZE. SHE HAD SAID THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE ONE WITH HER BUT WOULD PHONE HER MOM TO GET HIM ONE ONE. THEY ARRANGED TO MEET THE NEXT EVENING BUT SHE WAS NOT THERE.

NEXT MORNING HE TRIES AGAIN, WITH ANOTHER GIRL - A VERY CUTE GIRL THIS ONE. SHE HAD ONE FOR HIM BUT NOT EXTRA LARGE. SAME THING - SHE HAS TO PHONE MOM & SHE WILL HAVE ONE FOR HIM WHEN HE GETS BACK IN THE EVENING. THE EXTRA LARGE IS A COUPLE OF DOLLARS MORE BUT MIKE IS OK WITH THAT.

SHE IS THERE WAITING FOR HIM WITH AN EXTRA LARGE SHIRT & MIKE GETS ON BOARD VERY PLEASED.

ONLY PLEASED UP TO THE POINT HE TRIES THE SHIRT ON & IT IS STILL TOO SMALL. HE REALISES THE GIRL HAS ADDED AN X TO THE LABEL.

I LAUGHED OUT LOUD - I SAID THE GIRL WAS CUTE - SHE EVEN CHARGED HIM AN EXTRA TWO DOLLARS FOR THE BIGGER SHIRT.

TOO, TOO FUNNY.

A FEW TOURISTS HERE ...

SOME GOOD LOOKING BUILDINGS ... THE RELEVANCE OF THE LITTLE WHITE HUT ON TOP WAS EXPLAINED BUT I WAS NOT LISTENING ..

AND WE CROSS THE MOAT, WITH MANDALAY HILL IN THE DISTANCE. I NEVER DO GET TO CLIMB THE HILL.

MARIANNE & I - RELAXING AFTER DINNER WITH A BEER OR TEN, BEFORE SOME GIRLS COME ON BOARD TO PERFORM A SHOW FOR US ...

VERY BEAUTIFUL LADIES - THANK YOU VERY MUCH

HEADING UP RIVER TO MINGUN TO SEE THE FAMOUS BELL ..

WE PASS THE WELCOMING COMMITTEE ..

BEFORE GETTING TO THE BELL, WE GET A CLOSE UP LOOK AT WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LARGEST STUPA IN THE WORLD, BUT UNCOMPLETED, WE ARE TOLD IT MAY NOW BE THE LARGEST PILE OF BRICKS ..

... IMPRESSIVE ALL THE SAME ..

MARIANNE - LOOKING FRESH AS A DAISY, IN FRONT OF SOME MORE PILGRIMS ... THEY SURE DO GET PACKED INTO, & ONTO, THOSE TRUCKS ..

A FEW FOOD SELLERS AT THE ENTRANCE -- WE TURN LEFT AND START THE WALK AROUND THE BUILDING .. THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE RIGHT AT THE VERY TOP & I AM REALLY SORRY I DID NOT GO UP THERE TOO ...

PERHAPS THIS IS THE PILE OF BRICK THAT WAS MENTIONED ..

AT THE BACK NOW & THE CRACK CAUSED BY AN EARTHQUAKE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE ..

AFTER GOING RIGHT AROUND THE STUPA, IT IS ONLY STEPS TO THE LARGEST UN-CRACKED BELL IN THE WORLD - Mr SO, TRYING HIS BEST TO CRACK IT ON THE LEFT ...

MEANWHILE, OUTSIDE - THE KIDS ARE PLAYING ..

SHE DOES NOT SEEM TOO IMPRESSED ..

MIKE PROBABLY HAD A GO AT RINGING THE BELL.

AND HERE IS THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THE BELL ..

ANOTHER ONE NOT TOO IMPRESSED ..

AND THE KIDS PLAY ON ..

WE WALK DOWN THE STREET PASSING QUITE A LOT OF SOUVENIR SHOPS ..

AND COME ACROSS THIS STUNNING BUILDING ...

I HAD A SAW LIKE THAT ONCE. GREAT FUN TO MAKE IT SING ..

MOST PEOPLE WENT OVER THE BUILDING BUT I SAT IN THE SHADE WITH JACKIE & HAD A DRINK OF SOMETHING COLD ... JACKIE HAS BY NOW PARTIALLY RECOVERED FROM THE DREADED LURGIE THAT AFFECTED A FEW OF THE PASSENGERS . BUT NOT THE KENYANS WHO HAVE NOW DEPARTED. THEY WERE RUMOURED TO HAVE DRUNK 32 BOTTLES OF COMPLIMENTARY GIN BETWEEN THEM WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN IT ..

LOVELY TOES ...

AND YES - THAT IS A CHICKEN IN THE LADIES LAP ..

SITTING THERE, I HAD A GIRL FANNING ME & SHE DID THAT ALL THE WAY DOWN THE STREET BUT STILL DID NOT MAKE A SALE I AM AFRAID.

I HEADED FOR SOME SHADE & A NICE CUP OF TEA HERE. THAT IS SOME SORT OF PRESS BEHIND THE LITTLE GIRL ..

BACK TO THE BOAT - TOURISTS ARRIVING AS WE GET READY TO LEAVE ..

I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE TAXI ..

WE HEAD NORTH ... PASSING MORE LIFE ON THE RIVER. THINGS YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO SEE ANYWHERE ELSE ..

THESE PEOPLE ARE STUCK ON A SAND BAR ...

HE IS CHECKING THE DEPTH ..

& SHE IS TELLING EVERYONE WHAT TO DO ..

ANOTHER ONE STUCK - ONE OF OUR COMPANION SHIPS

WE SPEND A WHILE HAULING THEM OFF THE SAND BAR ..

WE STRUCK A SAND BAR AS WELL. QUITE THE SHOCK WHEN THE BOAT GRINDS SUDDENLY TO A HALT.

THIS IS THE PILOTS HELPER. HE GOES OUT IN FRONT OF OUR BOAT CHECKING THE DEPTH.

MORE RIVER LIFE ..

STANDING ROOM ONLY ON THE FERRY .. PACKED IN LIKE CATTLE YOU COULD SAY ..

AND SO ENDS ANOTHER GREAT DAY ON THE AYERWADDY RIVER. YOU SHOULD TRY IT SOME TIME SOON.

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 --

THE THIRD DEFILE?

Any idea what that might be? No? Me neither.

So - I asked Mr So.

The answer - a Defile is a gorge, like a canyon. The first defile is upstream from the third.

When we get there we will spin around & head back south ..

Somewhere along the way, we spotted the very famous Irrawaddy Dolphins. Maybe four of the 50 or so left in the river. It was very exciting & I have a video that shows them but if you blink you miss them so I will not post it. You will just have to take my word for it.

We also saw at least one on the way back south but not even a video of that one.

On with the show ...

We were advised that on no account should we drink the water from the tap in our cabins. The tap water is filtered river water. Large quantities of bottled water were supplied & we were told to use it even for brushing our teeth.

I guess this lady missed the E Mail ...

Some thing here being hoisted up to or down from the Pagoda ..

Marianne - having a chat or chatting up the barman, it's hard to tell with her. Beer is complimentary so we just helped ourselves from the fridge but anyone who had a particularly busy day would ask someone to bring a bottle over...

It must be close to here that we turned around .. does not look much like a defile to me but then what do I know.

This a gold mining camp ..

Extremely large log rafts ..

Marianne again - not having much luck in the chatting up department ..

Stowaways ...

Passing MIngun ...

Passing Mandalay - the ferris wheel is in an amusement park, just a walk away from the hotel I will be staying at in a couple of days ...

About to park the boat at Sagiang - the kids spot us & raise the alarm ..

Still a while before getting off the boat but that's the end of the cruising..

HERE WE ARE, OFF UP INTO THE HILLS BEHIND SAGAING - BARBARA, ANN & NANCY ON THE LEFT, Mr SO HANGING ON BEHIND AND ARTHUR

ALTHOUGH I CAN DISTINCTLY REMEMBER ARTHUR HANGING ON OUTSIDE TOO - TOO MUCH BEER MAYBE.

THERE ARE SIX OF US IN THIS TRUCK - THEY SQUEEZE WHAT SEEMS TO BE TWENTY MYANMAR PILGRIMS INTO THE SAME SPACE ..

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SPOT - COMING IN ON THE BOAT, ANN COUNTED 56 GOLDEN PAGODAS ON THE HILL BEFORE SHE GAVE UP COUNTING ..

THE RIVER IS SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE ..

UP HERE, IT'S ALL BUDDHA & PAGODAS ..

AND PILGRIMS .. YOUNG & NOT SO YOUNG ..

SOME SOUVENIRS FOR SALE ON THE STEPS LEADING DOWN ..

WE HAVE MOVED ON TO ANOTHER PAGODA NOW - HERE ARE SOME OFFERINGS ..

THERE ARE LIGHTS IN THE CROWN ABOVE THE BUDDHA, THEY CHANGE COLOUR & APPEAR TO MOVE ..

MORE COLOURED LIGHTS AROUND THE BUDDHA ..

AND SOMETHING FOR THE KIDDIES ..

MORE LADIES WANTING THERE PHOTO TAKEN WITH THE STRANGE TOURIST, ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT WANT ONE WITH MIKE. NOT STRANGE ENOUGH I EXPECT..

OUT ON THE STREET NOW, THE GROUP HEADS IN ONE DIRECTION & I HEAD IN THE OTHER TO FIND SOME SHADE & A CUP OF TEA ..

WHICH I FIND AT THIS LITTLE SPOT ..

A FEW VERY YOUNG NUNS COLLECTING ALMS. THEY DO NOT GO OUT SO OFTEN AS THE MONKS - ONCE EVERY FEW DAYS.

FAR MORE NUNS HERE IN MYANMAR THAN I EVER SAW ANYWHERE ELSE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA ..

WE ARE NOW ABOUT TO ENTER A NUNNERY & ON THE BUS, I ASKED Mr SO WHAT THE RULES ARE FOR PHOTO TAKING INSIDE.

HIS ANSWER WAS THAT I WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION FIFTEEN DAYS AGO WHEN HE SAID WE CAN TAKE PHOTOS OF ANYTHING & ANYONE WE LIKE & LET THEM SAY NO.

EVEN POLICE, EVEN MILITARY.

FIFTEEN DAYS AGO! I BARELY REMEMBER FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO.

JUST ABOUT THE FIRST THING WE SAW AS WE ENTERED WAS THE ABSOLUTE BEST PHOTO OPPORTUNITY I HAD THIS TRIP - & THERE WAS A SIGN -- NO PHOTOS HERE.

BUT HERE WE ARE IN THE NUNS KITCHEN & INTERRUPTING SOME GIRLS HAVING LUNCH .. & IT'S OK TO TAKE PHOTOS ..

THESE NUNS ARE SAYING A PRAYER FOR US - WE HAD JUST DONATED A FEW DOLLARS FOR THE NUNNERY BUT EXPECT THEY WOULD HAVE SAID A PRAYER FOR US ANYWAY.

WE HAD BEEN INVITED INTO THE DOORWAY BEHIND. IT LED TO THEIR LIVING QUARTERS & IN ONE ROOM THEIR ELDERLY MOTHER SUPERIOR WAS ASLEEP ON A BED UNDER MOSQUITO NETTING. THEY DID NOT NOT MIND OUR BEING IN THE ROOM EVEN THOUGH THE NUN WAS NOT WELL.

ON THE BUS I MANAGED TO GET A SHOT OF THE FORBIDDEN - IT'S SOME OF THE NUNS LOVELY PINK LAUNDRY HANGING ON A LINE. THAT LOOKED WONDERFUL BEHIND THE FORBIDDEN SIGN. IT WAS NOT THE LAUNDRY THAT WAS FORBIDDEN BUT THE NUNS BATHING AREA WAS JUST BEHIND, NOT VISIBLE IN THIS SHOT FROM THE STREET.

THINKING OF IT NOW, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED ONE OF THE NUNS TO PHOTOGRAPH THE LAUNDRY FOR ME.

LEAVING THE NUNS, WE GO SEE GOLD BEING HAMMERED INTO EVER MORE THIN LEAVES ..

MY DAILY GIRL IN YELLOW .. THEY WERE VERY CUTE & QUITE CHATTY TOO.

AFTER THE GOLD RUSH WE HEAD TO A WEAVING FACTORY - A FULL DAY THIS ..

... AND IT'S NOT OVER YET - SUNSET OVER THE U BEIN BRIDGE IS NEXT .. BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR ANOTHER PAGE ..