Mingalarba! My delight for trying new food in Myanmar came to a quick end. Often the undefined things were just uneatable. Thankfully I’ve found a new favourite food now: Shan Noodles. It’s a traditional snack in Myanmar, rice noodles with chicken, served with peanuts, tomato paste/sauce, spring onions and some spices. You can eat it as salad or soup. So delicious 😋

Two days ago I took a full-day cruise on Inle Lake. It’s popular for its floating gardens, the fishermen with their unique leg rowing technique and the lake dwellers called “Intha”.

The U-Bein Bridge seems to be the longest bridge made of teak and is a wonderful place for watching the marvellous sunset over Myanmar 🌅

Probably Bagan is the most impressive landscape I’ve ever seen in my life. It’s an unbelievable wide, green, almost mystical area, littered with more than 3.000 pagodas and temples. Some of them give a breathtaking view over the incredible surrounding, which is even more adorable at sunrise and sunset.

A few pagodas are not open any more or at least based by a bamboo frame since an earthquake in August 2016 has injured them even more.

You can go around by car or motorbike with a private guide, make a carriage ride, spent a lot of money for ballooning or rent an e-bike or a bicycle. I preferred last option, cause it’s the best way to run through the paths between Old and New Bagan even when it’s muddy after rain.

Tourism in Bagan is increasing noticeable, but in the small and isolated pagodas you are still alone or you will meet a lonely guide who’s whether an artist or a lacquerware-seller.

In Myanmar, traveling by bus is a slow and continuing adventure. Up to now, I’ve spent about 45 hrs in buses – for a distance less then 1.300 kilometers. 

Some “roads” not even deserve the name. These are narrow paths which turn into mud tracks after rain. Passengers are well shaken the whole trip. Therefore they get a black plastic bag before the journey begins, and this one is used regularly by everybody – babies, ladies and monks. No stopover for vomit. Minibuses usually are packed with passengers, luggage, packages and other better or worse smelling things. And even if there is no space left, they will create more. 3 seats can be shared by 4 people and young men take place on the roof. Big buses are offering a noisy entertainment program of Buddhistic prayers, karaoke and love stories. Better bring your earplugs.

Although bus tours are not terribly comfortable, I prefer that cheap way of traveling – you see the country, its people and a part of their life. Strangers are sharing snacks and snuggling together while sleeping. Buses are lovely decorated with fresh flowers to appease the spirits and to provide a safety trip. Communication is a problem in Myanmar at all, but drivers try hard to help you, and they always know somebody who speaks some English words if they don’t. They pay attention that you will get your station or take you to your destination directly, even if you are sleeping peacefully. But be aware: you should never ask when you will arrive – that promises a big disaster in Myanmar.

Spent some relaxing days at the most popular beach of Myanmar, Ngapali Beach. Now there were only a couple of tourists, some fruit sellers, the wide sand beach and the Bay of Bengal. The perfect setting to make long strolls and to come down. Renting a bike is a good opportunity to discover the remote village, but also to see the high contrast between luxury resorts for western tourists and the simple way of living in Burma. Snorkeling is possible around Pearl Island and White Sand Island.