Taungoo, Kayin State and the Youth Peace Forum

Two of us from Myanmar Egress joined the group of facilitators on a trip trip to the Youth Peace Forum in Taungoo.  Youth from the area and a few who are older learned about democracy and gained electoral knowledge.  They were an enthusiastic group listening to political science lectures and doing exercises to consolidate them.
On our trip back to Yangon we started by going into the Kayin (Karin) Hills and climbed up a mountain to a Christian prayer site and then detoured to stop at a famous stream where everyone waded and splashed fully clothed.  Few on the trip had ever visited these places as they were mostly from Yangon.

The youth panel.  The guy in the middle spent 10 years in prison as a student activist. Now he's out and studying geology

Government report card on the accountability pillar of democracy.  Two groups disscussed the pillars and evaluated the government

Our group in the Kayin (Karin) Hills

The "older" panel.  The President of my organization is on the left.  The director of Andy's organization is on the right.  The head of MPC, the Myanmar Peace Centre has the mike and the Union Minister is in the centre.  I forget who the other is.. Maybe a political science prof.   It was an open mike session.

At the Christian prayer site

Praying

Me with Nancy, my 93 year old Kayin friend who asked us to have lunch with her, privately

The house where part of the family stayed in the Kayin Hills

Just up the lane from the last photo, my friend Nancy seeing us off from her house

The Egress crowd having fun in 

Homebrew from green bamboo mugs

A Kayin family looking after land for a friend

A work trip to Mawlamyine in Mon State

Three of us went to Mon State to present a 3 day workshop on Project Development and Management.  In our evenings we were able to visit pagodas, walk on The Strand and go out on the bay to watch the sun go down, a very nice way to end a day of work

Pagoda in Mawlamyine

Cats being fed at the pagoda

If you were born on a Friday like me you pour 21 cups of wather on Buddhas shoulder here behind the bell and then ring the bell to send your good deeds upwards.

The classroom

Our class photo

At the waters edge

Family fishing and below

Riverbank community

Village near Bagan

We visited a village near Bagan, perhaps one that was relocated from amongst the temples to make way for tourist traffic.  It was set up as a model village and we were encouraged to take pictures of people doing normal village things like weaving sorting peanuts, looking after children, collecting water from the well.

Carrying water from the well

House construction of bamboo panels is typical around Bagan

Baby care

Sleeping for the family

Water coming from the well in a big drum on wheels

This lady really wanted to have her picture taken with her cheroot and dangling cocoanut ashtray

Sorting peanuts.  I am roasting mine in a rice cooker!

Me trying to cut up cattle food.  I was told it was too long!

Kids on the way to a festival in Bagan

Below lacquerware workshop in Bagan.  It takes at least 8 years to produce a piece.  Both men and women are involved in production tho this area is all men.  Pliable bowls are made with horsehair as well as bamboo as the base.  Amazing ancient art!

Bagan

Bagan is an ancient city located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar. From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar.  The over 2000 pagodas which cover the river plain were allowed to fall into ruin but recently the government has done some restorative work.  Archaeologists say the work is shoddy and does not conform to the way buildings were meant to be.  Bagan is soon to be Myanmar's second World Heritage site

Inside a pagoda

People leaving money for the nats.  The nats are Hindu gods replaced when Buddhism became dominant centuries ago but still revered

A case full of nats and one outside with money 

A Bagan view from high up a pagoda.  See all the pagodas in the background and the goods for sale in the foreground

Andy in a teashop for lunch.  Note the typical dispenser of toilet paper which serves as napkins.  Also note the blue string to the right. A lighter is tied to its end for use by smokers!

Puppet theatre of traditional legends are common in Bagan and Mandalay.  Here are waiting puppets!

Bagan view

Youth play the traditional ball game, a bit like hacky sack.  See the ball to the lower left of the window of the pagoda

We climbed up to watch the sunset but there were so many people we came down early!

View as the sun went down

Again a view at sunset.. almost!

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Around Mandalay

Mandalay is in the heart of the old Myanmar kingdom.  The glass palace of the last king of Burrma has been rebuilt in part in the heart of Mandalay.  One monastry shows a bit what the palace must have been like.  A supersticious king moved it outside the palace walls and thus it was not bombed during the Second World War.  Across the river is Sagaing a hill covered with pagodas and many monastries and with gorgeous views of the Ayeyarwady river. Downstream a little bit is Ava, an ancient capital for most of the 14th to 19th centuries.  The city is a precious stone and handcraft centre today and has a climate cooler than Yangon's.

Young monks lining up for their last meal of the day served at their monastry at 11am.  Note the shoes on the doorstep

Inside the Shwenandaw Monastry

View from Sagaing Hill

Andy at a frog gate to Sagaing

We ran into a festival.  We never did find out what for!

Bullock carts on parade!

The elephants were leading

We travelled through Ava in this.. a bumpy ride!

The wooden monastry at Ava

Rice planters at Ava

Carving at the wooden monastry, Ava