View from Sagaing Hill, outside of Mandalay.
I was out on a day trip with one of the many motorbike riders offering their services in Mandalay. Since the legal situation of renting yourself in Myanmar is still not clear, going with one of these guys seemed like a good idea. We had left Mandalay City and made it across the Ayeyarwady River over to the city of Sagaing. Sagaing is one of the main Buddhist centers of Myanmar and one of the three ancient cities of the area. Sagaing Hill and its surrounding are home of about 600 stupas and monasteries, 100 meditation centers and more than 6.000 monks and nuns.
I had climbed the steep stairs up the hill where the majestic Soon Oo Ponya Shin Pagoda is located. From up there the surrounding views were marvelous. With a cool breeze going and a blues sky dotted with white clouds, it was so nice and serene. There were only a handful of tourists who had also made it up the hill and it was quiet and relaxed.
Mandalay is hot, dusty and busy but yet so charming and authentic. The city itself is very interesting with a lot of things to do and explore. But the true highlights are just outside the city. More on that will follow soon …
