Archive for January, 2010

Journey to the north Day-4 Part-2 Stone village Momauk

January 1, 2010

dear all

after attending the Manau Poi, we went to the Stone village

it was in Yangon that Pyone heard about the stone village at Bhamo

but on enquiry, we got the idea that it is in Putao

so we did not think about it

until while we were on pilgrimage (PaYarr Phuu) on the morning of Day-4

while going from one place to another, the tricycle taximan mentioned about the stone village

we already have booked tickets for Tagaung for that afternoon

with departure at 15:00

we wanted to attend the Manau Poi at 08:00

and Pyone wanted to go to the market afterwards

after we watched the Manau opening dance go round the first circle

we decided to go away

to the stone village

it is in Momauk township

on the road to LweJe border trade town

the tricycle taximan accompanied us into the Manau Poi

and when we went out, he wanted to take us to the stone village

we had experience about the tricycle taxi in Pakokku during this year’s April holidays

we first hired a horse cart to go to the pagodas

the important ones we wanted to go are:

the ThiHo Shin pagoda, not far from the boat Hseit

and the “ShweTannTint” outside the Pakokku

although the cartman said that he could get us there and back in time for the boat back to Bagan at 13:00, we noticed his hesitation and the implication that it was not possible

luckily a little further on, we came across several tricycles

we stopped the cart and got a tricycle to take us around

so we knew that the 12+ miles to Momauk and then the 7 miles to the stone village will take a long time for the tricycle so we opted to take 2 motorcycles

they will be faster

and if one develops problem the other can always return and bring help

including another motorcycle to take us back in time for the 15:00 bus departure

we looked around for motorcycle carries at the outside of the Manau Poi

there weren’t any

we told the tricycle taximan to take us to the nearest motorcycle stand which was not far away

we hired 2 motorcycles and off we went in the direction of Momauk

Pyone on 1 motorcycle

ako and and me on the other

IMG_1176

Pyone on motorcycle in the distance

the tricycle man who took us to the pagodas that morning and accompanied us into the Manau Poi wanted to take us to the stone village

but we decided to take 2 motorcycles

as they would be quicker

and have quick help if something happens in remote places

ako and I went along on one

while P went on the other

as we did later on this trip in Monywa when we hired motorcycle to go to pagoda and to lodging and back to highway depot in the morning

IMG_1177

Pyone close up

I was taking photos with my Canon IXUS 400

while sitting behind ako and the motorcycle driver

on the narrow end

one hand holding onto the motorcycle

while holding the camera with the right hand

focusing and taking photos from the moving motorcycle

IMG_1178

blurred shot of the computer college Bhamo

forgive me for the lack of good focusing while taking photo with the right hand to the left side

during our travels, I noticed that there are computer colleges and technical universities everywhere

our country needs plenty of computer and engineering graduates if we are to progress

and having them even in Bhamo is good for the locals as they need not go far to learn these courses

travelling is expensive and attending higher learning in far off towns will be a burden to both the students and their parents / guardians

IMG_1182

the Bhamo MoMauk border

IMG_1183

the road to LweJe and stone village

not far after we got inside MoMauk, there is the road branch to LweJe on which the stone village lies

we turned into the LweJe road and it was bad and I was worried

IMG_1184

the stone monument (KyaukTaing) in Momauk at the junction to LweJe

it is in front of ?police

IMG_1185

IMG_1186

outside MoMauk, the road became stone road and there was no problem with the road till we got to the village where we had to turn off towards the stone village

even motorcycles have no problem with the uneven surface

there were no pits

the stone road is said to reach till LweJe, the border trading town

IMG_1192

there is a stream alongside the road

IMG_1194

the entrance of the Stone Village

IMG_1195

Pyone waiting for us

the motorcycle which Pyone rode was ahead of us the whole time

and as we entered the Stone Village compound

there was a steep climb

ako and I had to get off as the 125 could not climb with the 3 of us

the motorcycle taxi man told us that he would go ahead as we are just about there

and Pyone was waiting for us at the top of the hill

P1170095

first view of the stone village

we got the first view of the stone village from the top where Pyone waited for us

it was a very beautiful sight

we have had many beautiful sights on this trip

MyitHsone, the road to Sidone, NaLanKha falls, now the stone village

but it is not the last of the beautiful places we got to

there will be more

we had a photo session on that hill top

you will see a bridge across the stream in the far distance upstream

with rocks near the bridge

P1170096

zoom view of the bridge

P1170098

ako still has the SUT MANAU POI badge on

P1170099

the same with me too

P1170103

downstream view

more rocks with a large one on the right

and a road on the opposite bank

which I did not notice while there

there are many rocks

that is why it is named stone village

P1170112

beautiful too

we have seen many rocks this trip

at MyitHsone, the NaLan Kha falls and now at the stone village

all are beautiful

friends

even when the MyitHsone is no more

there are still the NaLan Kha falls near Myitkyina

and the Momeik stone village near Bhamo

with stones and water

as beautiful as the MyitHsone

if you have the desire to go

P1170114

the water is quite clear

with coarse sand on the stream bed near the bridge

P1170119

the weary travellers

we were lucky to get to the stone village

when we did not expect to get there

as we did not know it is near Bhamo

my plans for the trip was for the MyitHsone, the 3 MyitKyinns and Tagaung

and ako included the NaLan Kha falls and the ruins of the British Sidone fort

excluding the LaiZar (which he got to without us, with a co-worker after our trip)

ako has Bway on his soles

he has a travelling streak

he has been to many places I have not been

in addition to the places we went on vacation

the usual run down places: Bagan, Mandalay, Sagaing, Maymyo, Lashio, Kalaw, Pindaya, Taunggyi, Pyay, ShweBonThar Muni, ShweSetTaw (even once without us while he was posted at Magway), KyaungDaw Yar, Zalun Mahamuni, Ngapali, ShweWar Chaing, Chaung Thar, Ngwe Hsaung

in addition to the unusual places where we had been on trips: Loikaw, Beikthano, TharayKhittayar, Sittwe, KyaukTaw, Rakhine Mahamuni, Dhanyawaddy, WayTharLi, Mrauk-U, LeyMro, KawtThaung, ThaHtay Kyun, Ranong, Beik

he had been to the Muse and ShweLi without us while attending the ZeeBinGyee

and now LaiZar

P1170124

2 stone workers carry stones repeatedly

I think they are moving stones from this side to the other side to make a garden

P1170136

the Kyoe bridge

P1170139

the stones must be the broken down parts of these huge stones

which became rounded by millions of years of water erosion

P1170142

the way we came across

the bamboo bridge

P117017

we had a photo session while we ordered fried noodles for lunch

only 2 plates

as Pyone refused to eat before trying

and there would be no time to order again once she tasted the order

maybe this is why it is called stone village

you might notice that Pyone was not in smiling mood

and I am not in the photos in the stone village

P1170159

taking this photo is a difficult task

I dare not use precious battery power for flash light

and used sunlight for illumination

but Pyone was uncooperative at first

P1170160

a forced smile under sunlight which she refused to position under earlier

P1170161

and a real smile of ako

who must have found the situation funny

P1170162

no shadow to mar the face

under good sunlight

still a frown which P cannot hide

P1170163

the bamboo bridge over which we crossed earlier

P1170164

the beauty which one has to see

P1170166

still no lunch after our photosession

maybe they are still plucking the feathers off the hen

P1170167

I went for another photosession while they cooked noodles

P1170171

still no noodles

P1170173 /4

beautiful, isn’t it?

P1170181

after our lunch of 2 plates of noodles for 3

we were to return to the other side

P1170184

but ako wanted to explore more

and went ahead with P while I was taking photos

I had to call out to them to wait

as I thought they had taken a wrong turn

but ako was not lost

just curious

P1170185

we found more stones

and a group of children

P1170186

and a group of teenagers

P1170189

a rock on which was painted a tiger in a distance

P1170190

quite far it is not seen in the photo

lost in the shadows

although one could see with the eye

P and ako went ahead

while as usual, I was left behind taking photos of the stone village

P1170201

the Kyoe bridge across which we have to return

P11701202

from the Kyoe bridge

P11701203

part of the Kyoe bridge on the left

P11701205

the bamboo bridge from the Kyoe bridge

P11701210

they were waiting for me

P11701211

more photos taken

the last photosession

the last view of the stone village chaung

P11701215

we returned and reach the Bhamo border in no time

P11701216

as we near Bhamo

we saw P standing on the road side with the motorcycle taximan looking at his motorcycle

we were told that it had run out of petrol

we were lucky to be in the outskirts of Bhamo

and a petrol shop nearby

otherwise there would be extra time lost

and difficulty to make it to the bus in time

there were banners of the SUT MANAU POI

and we learned that it was the KaukThitSarr Manau Poi

I do not know what other types of Manau Pois there are

but this one is early

whereas the usual Manau Pois are held in January

P11701217

after market, we went back to the lodging on foot

at a road branch, I asked directions to confirm our way

and was told to take the road which is not the one I had expected

and got near the riverside

I thought we were on the wrong road

far from our lodge

but it was the correct one

maybe there is no difference whichever way we took

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Journey to the North 2009 Day-3 26-Nov Part-1 Road to Bhamo

January 1, 2010

dear all
that morning, I had breakfast in bedroom

form snacks brought from Yangon

because the Nanthidar could not provide us with breakfast before 07:00

as I was packing, the phone rang

it was Ko Than Lwin

calling from outside

I went down and found the front gate locked

and went around through the side gate

but the front gate was open when I reached it

we had met the day before

for a few minutes at his clinic

after our shopping before we went to the bus depot

to make reservations for Bhamo

before we went to Waing Maw

a little later, Pyone joined us

it has been a long time we had last seen of Ko Than Lwin

he has settled in Myitkyina after he resigned from government service

I had a long talk with Ko Than Lwin

while Pyone went up to prepare for the journey

it was quite near 07:00 when I realized the time

bade him goodbye

and went up to finish the packing

Zaw Tuu came in time

but I had not finished packing

it was about 07:30 when we left the Nanthidar

when we reached the bus depot we were told that the bus on which we booked cancelled the trip

and they had us transferred to another bus for Bhamo

which leaves at 08:00

instead of the original 07:00 departure time

we had time and had Shan noodle at the bus depot

it was good

different from the Shan noodles I have tasted elsewhere

in Kalaw, Taunggyi, Khamti, Yangon and Mann Oil Field

after having proper breakfast at the bus stop

we boarded the bus

Pyone seated for bus departure

P1160842

on the BaLa MinHtin bridge

P1160844

fuel station outside Waing Maw

P1160849

the road leaving Waing Maw becomes a rock road not far after leaving Waing Maw

I have heard about it when I was in the NanSiBum jade mines at Khamti during 1995

it was brought out during discussion about China’s roads in Yunnan

which were much better than the Mm roads

I was told that Chinese made their roads manually with rocks put into place by hand

and not tarred

but that these roads are good

and one could drive quite fast

several years ago, I read about and saw the experimental KyaukSi road widening between the ThitYar Kauk bypass junction and Magway

they are made of oblong shaped rocks

placed closely vertical to the road

in about 3 rows

on each side of the road

they widen the road

and last for a long time

with the dry weather

and no water pools

this is the first time I witnessed the Chinese rock road

first from the bus

and later when the bus stops for a while, close up

P1160852

close up view of the rock road

I learned later from the motorcycle taximan from Bhamo that the rock road is made of only 1 layer of rock

placed on a good sand based road

the rocks packed tightly

you will see that the surface of the road is not even

but as the road is free from mud pools and uneveness

one could drive quite fast even on motorcycle

3 persons on a 125

as I experienced on my trip to the stone village from Bhamo

P1160854

bus stop

we had KyannMar Yae when the bus stopped for a while

and the opportunity to look at the rock road

there are fruit stalls

P1160855

P buying oranges at the usual bus stop before leaving Waing Maw

before going on the trip (and even now) we had oranges in Yangon and were fed up because they are not tasty

but ako brought Man Tawn oranges

those from his landlord’s orange farm

they were very tasty

and P bought oranges from the stalls where the bus stopped

they are from nearby farms

and quite good

not as good as those from Man Tawn

but much better than those available in Yangon

P1160858

the NamtLanYan bridge opening KyaukTaing

the name of Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt is still clearly seen

unlike those on the ShweDagon Pagoda

P1160859

on the bus to Bhamo

P1160860

the NamtLanYan

P1160863

road to Laizar

Laizar is a border town where border trade flourishes

one of the 2 border trading posts in Kachin State

the other is LweJe, MoMauk township

ako got to Laizar after we returned

he must have sworls / bway in his soles

he has been to Nargis areas, ZeeBinGyi, ShweLi, Mi.Chaung Ye, Man Tawn without us, and now Laizar, although we missed it according to his plans

he bought momentos there for others including a scarf for Pyone, but nothing for me 😦

I heard that there are 2 LaiZars

the Chinese and Myanmar (or Kachin)

actually one LaiZar

across the border

a village and late town split into 2

by the border

between 2 countries

man made boundary

but for the locals, the boundary will not mean much

I remember an article about such a border town in Europe

with the common town hall, hospital and school astride the border

even one classroom is divided into 2

by the border

where classmates of 2 countries learn together in a common classroom which is divided by a line

I also heard of a Naga elder’s (SawBwa) house

built across the India-Myanmar border

the Nagas have been living in Naga area

which include Nagaland of India

and the Naga areas of the Sagaing division in Myanmar

since ages ago

their land now divided into 2 countries

by the British

or was it the King of Myanmar and the Rajah?

a people divided

as with the Kurds, Irish, Basques

a minority in 2 or 3 countries

also the Shans, Kachins, etc.

the problem will never cease

unless people are liberal

and the countries open

P1160873

before we had lunch

P1160893

KBZ bank, Manau Poi

P1160895

Chan Thar Gyee Phayar

our lodging is near this Phayar which is at the entrance of the bus depot

this view is from the 3rd floor where we stayed

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Travel | 3 Comments »