08.06.2017 - Jordan

 

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While talking with some other backpackers, we discover there are many Buddhists places we could visit around Mwalamyine. Those include a 'Golden Rock', way less touristy than the famous one near Rangoon / Yangon.

Here we go! To Nowrlaboo Taung Pagoda!

Accompanied by Nina and Remi, we motivate each others and jump in a Tuk-tuk for the day.

While on the roads, we realise how much welcome we are: every car or person who pass by our tuk-tuk smiles us or honks the worn to say hello! Obviously, we answer by waving our hands. It's really funny for 2 minutes, but it starts to be quite long when it's 30!. However, we enjoy it: it's so rare to find a country which love to see visitors! They are lovely! Let's just hope that we, strangers, will respect this country and not disgust them from tourists. We have everything to win!

(For real, on backpackers Facebook groups, we see some modifications: a few places of worship have closed their doors due to tourists inappropriate behaviour)

Heading to the famous golden rock, we drive along a huge metal bridge, Burma's longest one. What a wonderful view on the greenery around the Salouen river!

The golden rock is in fact a Buddhist spot, located at the top of a mountain. Every person who visit the place is allowed to stick a gold leaf on the rock ($) and to pray. But before, we still need to go up this hill! It's almost a two hours walk, under the heat. Or, you have the choice (that we have done), to climb on a truck with seats in the back. A real roller coaster! We almost thought we would die! If any brake break, we're screwed! Everyone (mainly Chinese and French tourists) on the truck scream, have fun and laugh.

The view from the top is incredible: we can see a few miles away. Except that the sun, already high in the sky at 10 pm, bleaches everything! I have to say that it's crazy all these gold leafs on a rock in balance! As expected, each of us sticks a gold leaf on the rock. Only difference: the rock upper part is reserved for men and the lower one to women.

The second step is the famous 'Lying Buddha', the world longest! 180 meters long for 30 meters height.

How to say?
It's fucking colossal.

The road to access it is surrounded by a long procession of monks statues. Five hundred of them, almost identical. Creepy.
The construction of this Buddha has been mainly funded by Rama IX the previous king of Thailand. However, now, they have to go through with donations. So, the place is still, more or less, under construction, waiting for some money.

With everything I said, it might sound amazing, despite what you can expect, it is the most "what the fuck" place of the world! You're able to visit the inside part of the Buddha, in which are represented many sceneries from Buddha's life. It's a mix of statues, photoshopped canvas, and non-coated concrete. Impossible to know if it's genius or mediocrity, this place is unbelievable! An internet comment summarises well the idea: 'an Buddhist amusement park on acid'! It's always funny to see a monk who asks his young apprentice to take a picture of him with every statue or represented scene. A monk Instagram star.

Then we came out to visit the last place of the day: still related to religion. A kind of cliff, standing in plain the out of nowhere, with small pagodas on the summit. The only access is a long concrete staircase. To respect the place, it is necessary to bare feet. You can imagine us, running to every shadow we see: it's always nice to get burn thanks to the ground!

Back to Mwalamyine, we leave Remi and Nina to try some local food (yes, we skipped lunch). AMAZING. We find a really local kitchen. Crazy. They serve meals prepared from peas, pancakes and other mixtures close to Indian food. The meal, for two people, with some tea? Budget: 1300 Burmese Kyats, or 0,90 euro. This is the least expensive meal of all our journey! Usually, we can think that Burmese cuisine is not interesting, but it's mainly because choice is limited in tourists restaurants. Otherwise, there is a huge variety of (vegetarian or not) dishes!

In the evening, we take a drink with some other Frenchies. To end that long day, we get some food, once again, on the riverside: an area full of pop-up restaurants. Perfect! With a 'Sunset' Moon view! We had never seen it before, but the moon will pass the horizon, and disappear. Another difference with Europe: the shape of the moon is different! It's turned 90 degrees, which gives a 'smiling' Moon!

Good night!