Category Archives: Myanmar

Le Planteur

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Our last dinner was at Le Planteur.  This was included in our tour package.  I would say this was our best meal in the trip though I wish our best meal could have been a typical Burmese restaurant
Le Planteur (1)Le Planteur (2)I love the interiors of this place!  Thanks to Tita Marissa Fernan for pointing it out that the interior designer is Delphine de Lorme who used to be based in Cebu.  Delphine is a French Pop art painter.   She helped in the interiors of The Henry Hotel and La Vie Parisienne restaurant in Cebu.

Previous entry:  The Henry Hotel Cebu July 1, 2014

Rica’s at the Henry Hotel Cebu July 2, 2014

She moved to Myanmar in 2013 and now manufactures fashion accessories and home decor in Myanmar
Le Planteur (3)Le Planteur (4)Le Planteur (5)Le Planteur (6)Le Planteur (9)Le Planteur (8)

Love this pink sofa that has legs – literally legs 🙂Le Planteur (35)

Indoor dining – most of the people like outdoor so the outdoor is filled up and inside there’s hardly anyoneLe Planteur (10)

Love this private room with birdcagesLe Planteur (11)

Going up to the second floorLe Planteur (12)Le Planteur (13)Le Planteur (14)

Many different areas for dining in Le Planteur Le Planteur (22)Le Planteur (18)Le Planteur (19)

 Garden dining by the Inya Lake at Le PlanteurLe Planteur (20)Le Planteur (21)

 Idea for jars! Make it into a giant lampLe Planteur (40)

Rabbits in the gardenLe Planteur (41)

and ducks 🙂Le Planteur (42)Le Planteur (43)

The Burmese wife of Axel who is 30 years younger than he is!  She was his secretary and a few months back Axel almost died and it was E E ( not sure how to spell but pronounced that way 🙂  )  who took care of him and he loved her for that.  So we were so happy to meet her- very sweet and soft spokenLe Planteur (17)Le Planteur (24)Le Planteur (25)Amuse BoucheLe Planteur (26) Sashimi and Tartar of red tuna with wasabi ice creamLe Planteur (27)Japanese Scallops RavioliLe Planteur (28)Seared Foie Gras with Xeres VinegarLe Planteur (29)Snow Crab and Yellow Tail Fish TartareLe Planteur (30)Le Planteur (31)Japanese WagyuLe Planteur (32)Le Planteur (33)Le Planteur (34)

Gift shopLe Planteur (7)

Love the restroom and that pink dog!Le Planteur (15)Le Planteur (16)Le Planteur (36)Le Planteur (37)Le Planteur (38)

Love the toilet paper holder!Le Planteur (39)Le Planteur (44)Click below to go to their websiteWelcome to the world of Le Planteur

The Strand Yangon

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Our first night in Myanmar was here at Yangon and we stayed at the Strand Hotel.  We just stayed one night and left for Bagan.  On the way home we are back to this hotel for one more nightThe Strand Yangon (21)

The rooms are so spacious!  The Strand Yangon SnapseedThe Strand Yangon (15)The Strand Yangon (16)Closet and dressing tableThe Strand Yangon (17)The Strand Yangon (14)DeskThe Strand Yangon (13)The Strand Yangon (18)The Strand Yangon (20)The Strand Yangon (19)

The night we arrived dinner was included so we availed of it even if we were already full from the plane food haha!!The Strand Yangon (1)The Strand Yangon (2)Why give up a dinner like this? 🙂The Strand Yangon (3)The Strand Yangon (4)The Strand Yangon (5)The Strand Yangon (6)The Strand Yangon (7)The Strand Yangon (8)The Strand Yangon (9)The Strand Yangon (10)The Strand Yangon (11)The Strand Yangon (12)

The Strand Hotel in Yangon is one of the most iconic 5 star hotels in Yangon.  Built in 1901, it remains as awe inspiring as it was in the early 20th Century.

The Strand Hotel in Yangon is one of the most iconic 5 star hotels in Yangon. Built in 1901, it remains as awe inspiring as it was in the early 20th Century.

Inle Heritage House

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On the way to our next stop at Inle Lake, a rainbow appeared! Blessed!Inle Heritage House (1)

Beautiful wherever you lookInle Heritage House (2)Inle Heritage House (3)

 “Something special is the Cat House: a rich Burmese has built a house in the traditional style and started to breed Burmese cats which were nearly extinct in their country of origin. You can enjoy the graceful animals playing around and even join their play. Afterwards you can sit on the verandah and enjoy the view over the lake before you return to your hotel.” ( Easter Crossings Guide )

Inle Heritage House (4)

There are several rooms here where you can stay Inle Heritage House (34)

Restaurant, Burmese Cat Preservation, Art Gallery and Traditional Cooking Demonstration
Inle Heritage House (35)Inle Heritage House (8)Inle Heritage House (5)Inle Heritage House (6)

We headed to the cat house first because it was already lateInle Heritage House (12)

We only saw one since we were late already but here he is on the back of our guide, AxelInle Heritage House (36)Inle Heritage House (20)There are 40 Cats hereInle Heritage House (11)Inle Heritage House (14)Inle Heritage House (15)Inle Heritage House (16)Inle Heritage House (17)Inle Heritage House (18)

This is their play area.  Since we came late, the cats were being fed alreadyInle Heritage House (10)Inle Heritage House (38)Inle Heritage House (37)

They can go through this bridge alsoInle Heritage House (9)

Cats eatingInle Heritage House (39)Inle Heritage House (40)Inle Heritage House (13)

Love the shop here – many nice things!Inle Heritage House (7)Inle Heritage House (21)Inle Heritage House (22)Inle Heritage House (23)Inle Heritage House (24)Inle Heritage House (25)

We went up to the restaurantInle Heritage House (26)Inle Heritage House (27)Inle Heritage House (28)

Had coffee and cakeInle Heritage House (41)

The home of the ownerInle Heritage House (29)Inle Heritage House (30)Inle Heritage House (31)Inle Heritage House (32)Inle Heritage House (33)

Click below to go to their Facebook page

Inthar Heritage House Facebook

Weavers in Inle Lake

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 In one small village, Kyaing Kan on Inle Lake in the Shan State of BurmaWEavers in Inle Lake (10)WEavers in Inle Lake (13)

  Textile silk weavers at Inle Lake.  It’s an important industry in Inle Lake.  They are all hand madeWEavers in Inle Lake (12)WEavers in Inle Lake (11)WEavers in Inle Lake (5)

WEavers in Inle Lake (6)WEavers in Inle Lake (9)

Lotus weaving.  It is only done here at Inle Lake.   Lotus thread is very time consuming to make and can only be done at certain times of the year. As a result it is very sacred and respected. Traditionally it has only been used for Monk robes or for scarves for the alters in templesWEavers in Inle Lake (8)

 Buddhist monks’ robes are woven from the fibers of lotus stems. Weaving takes place from June to November when the water level is high enough to induce the lotus plant to produce sufficiently long stems. Once cut, the fibers are drawn from the stems. Threads are formed from the twisting together of 5-6 fibers which are wound into skeins and then reeled for warping and for placement on bobbins prior to weaving on a traditional Tai-Burmese floor loom. (Source
– See more at: http://inlepancakekingdom.com/2011/05/31/the-village-that-makes-lotus-thread/#sthash.ZpVkPDfu.dpuf)WEavers in Inle Lake (7)Finished productsWEavers in Inle Lake (3)WEavers in Inle Lake (2)

in many colours and printsWEavers in Inle Lake (4)WEavers in Inle Lake (1)

Aureum Palace Hotel and Resort Inle Lake

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Our home in Inle Lake!! I wish we could have stayed at least two nightsAureum Inle Lake (24)It’s extremely peaceful here!!!  Aureum Inle Lake (25)Aureum Inle Lake (26)Aureum Inle Lake (28)Aureum Inle Lake (27)

Facing towards Inle LakeAureum Inle Lake (4)

Handpainted walls!Aureum Inle Lake (29)

Main cottage with a poolAureum Inle Lake (3)Aureum Inle Lake (30)

The HR manager who was so so nice!!!Aureum Inle Lake (1)

Love the magazine stand Aureum Inle Lake (31)

There are two walkways – one leading here insideAureum Inle Lake (2)

And one leading here -Make sure you get a cottage on the right side of this walkway to be sure that you are facing Inle Lake!Aureum Inle Lake (5)

Beautiful Lilies on the pond!Aureum Inle Lake (6)Aureum Inle Lake (7)Aureum Inle Lake (8)

Again a creative way to put signs outside the door, just twirl the wooden sign 🙂Aureum Inle Lake (32)

Very big villa!Aureum Inle Lake (9)

Beautiful!Aureum Inle Lake (11)

Honeymoon?Aureum Inle Lake (16)Aureum Inle Lake (18)

Your doors open to the balcony Aureum Inle Lake (20)and to the LakeAureum Inle Lake (37)

Honeymoon? 🙂
Aureum Inle Lake (33)Aureum Inle Lake (21)Aureum Inle Lake (17)Aureum Inle Lake (19)

Living room nook which we never even had time to use!Aureum Inle Lake (15)

Love the bathtub!!!! I definitely had time to use! 🙂Aureum Inle Lake (10)Aureum Inle Lake (14)Aureum Inle Lake (12)

LOVE the petals 🙂Aureum Inle Lake (13)Aureum Inle Lake (22)Aureum Inle Lake (23)I love it here 🙂Aureum Inle Lake (34)Aureum Inle Lake (35)Aureum Inle Lake (36)

Click below to go to their website

Aureum Palace Hotels & Resorts is the best escaping hideaway for relaxing at the most comfortable, ultimate, beautiful luxury hotels located in Bagan, Naypyitaw, Pyinoolwin,Ngapali and Ngwe Saung beach of Myanmar.

Aureum Palace Hotels & Resorts is the best escaping hideaway for relaxing at the most comfortable, ultimate, beautiful luxury hotels located in Bagan, Naypyitaw, Pyinoolwin,Ngapali and Ngwe Saung beach of Myanmar.

Dining at Aureum Inle Lake

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We arrived at our beautiful resort in Inle Lake and had lunchDining at Aureum Inle Lake (2)

Kropek of all kinds!! 🙂Dining at Aureum Inle Lake (3)

Tomato soupDining at Aureum Inle Lake (4)

SardinesDining at Aureum Inle Lake (6)

Fish and chips – Myanmar version 🙂Dining at Aureum Inle Lake (5)

The next day we had breakfast before we left and it was so good!!Dining at Aureum Inle Lake (8)

Mohingar soup and Shan noodles!!! LOVE!!!!Dining at Aureum Inle Lake (7)

The buffet!!Dining at Aureum Inle Lake (9)

Cereal and saladDining at Aureum Inle Lake (10)

Omelette StationDining at Aureum Inle Lake (11)

Assorted nutsDining at Aureum Inle Lake (12)

Fruits and sweetsDining at Aureum Inle Lake (1)

This is the same resort group that we stayed in in Bagan

Click below to go to their website

Aureum Palace Hotels & Resorts is the best escaping hideaway for relaxing at the most comfortable, ultimate, beautiful luxury hotels located in Bagan, Naypyitaw, Pyinoolwin,Ngapali and Ngwe Saung beach of Myanmar.

Aureum Palace Hotels & Resorts is the best escaping hideaway for relaxing at the most comfortable, ultimate, beautiful luxury hotels located in Bagan, Naypyitaw, Pyinoolwin,Ngapali and Ngwe Saung beach of Myanmar.

Mandalay Myanmar

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I feel so bad we had very little time in Mandalay.  We spent more time in the stores than the sights! haha!!

The Citadel at Mandalay – beautiful!!! The Mandalay Palace is the last royal palace of the last Burmese monarchy. The palace was constructed, between 1857 and 1859 as part of King Mindon’s founding of the new royal capital city of Mandalay. The plan of Mandalay Palace largely follows the traditional Burmese palace design, inside a walled fort surrounded by a moat. The palace itself is at the centre of the citadel and faces east. All buildings of the palace are of one storey in height. The number of spires above a building indicated the importance of the area below.

Mandalay Palace was the primary royal residence of King Mindon and King Thibaw, the last two kings of the country. The complex ceased to be a royal residence and seat of government on 28 November 1885 when, during the Third Anglo-Burmese War, troops of the Burma Field Force entered the palace and captured the royal family. The British turned the palace compound into Fort Dufferin, named after the then viceroy of India. Throughout the British colonial era, the palace was seen by the Burmese as the primary symbol sovereignty and identity. Much of the palace compound was destroyed during World War II by allied bombing; only the royal mint and the watch tower survived. A replica of the palace was rebuilt in the 1990s with some modern materials.

Today, Mandalay Palace is a primary symbol of Mandalay and a major tourist destination.

 

Mandalay Myanmar (2)

Mandalay Myanmar (1)

The best exercise view 🙂Mandalay Myanmar (3)

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Mandalay Myanmar (34)

Mandalay Myanmar (4)

 Nearby the Kuthodaw temple is the Sanda Mani pagoda. It looks similar. There are 1,100 temples here- Inside you’ll find the largest iron Buddha, topping 18.5 metric tons and, like most important Buddha images, arriving here via various previous homes due to war and changing capital cities. This location was where King Mindon’s provisional palace once stood, and the pagoda was his memorial to a younger half-brother. Recognize it by the large collection of white pagodas standing tall and narrow. Mandalay Myanmar (5)

 Kuthodaw Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa, located in Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar), that contains the world’s largest book. It lies at the foot of Mandalay Hill and was built during the reign of King Mindon. The stupa itself, which is gilded above its terraces, is 188 feet (57 m) high, and is modelled after the Shwezigon Pagoda at Nyaung-U near Bagan. In the grounds of the pagoda are 729 kyauksa gu or stone-inscription caves, each containing a marble slab inscribed on both sides with a page of text from the Tipitaka, the entire Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.Mandalay Myanmar (6)

Beautiful lilies being sold outside – given as offering to BuddhaMandalay Myanmar (36)Mandalay Myanmar (35)Mandalay Myanmar (14)Mandalay Myanmar (15)

A model of the temple!  AMAZING!!Mandalay Myanmar (10)Mandalay Myanmar (11)Mandalay Myanmar (7)Mandalay Myanmar (37)

Inside each templeMandalay Myanmar (9) is a page of the bookMandalay Myanmar (38)Mandalay Myanmar (8)Mandalay Myanmar (12)Mandalay Myanmar (13)

Golden Monastery in Mandalay – Shwenandaw Monastery was built in 1880 by King Thibaw Min, who dismantled and relocated the apartment formerly occupied by his father, King Mindon Min, just before Mindon Min’s death, at a cost of 120,000 rupees. Thibaw removed the building in October 1878, believing it to be haunted by his father’s spirit. The building was reconstructed as a monastery over the course of 5 years, dedicated in memory of his father, on a plot adjoining Atumashi Monastery.

The building was originally part of the royal palace at Amarapura, before it was moved to Mandalay, where it formed the northern section of the Hmannan (Glass Palace) and part of the king’s royal apartments. The building was heavily gilt with gold and adorned with glass mosaic work.

The monastery is known for its teak carvings of Buddhist myths, which adorn its walls and roofs. The monastery is built in the traditional Burmese architectural style. Shwenandaw Monastery is the single remaining major original structure of the original Royal Palace today. (Wikipedia)
Mandalay Myanmar (16)

The best puppets are in Mandalay!  Make sure to get them here if you like themMandalay Myanmar (39)

We checked in our hotel early evening alreadyMandalay Myanmar (40)

Very spacious roomMandalay Myanmar (41)Mandalay Myanmar (42)Mandalay Myanmar (43)

Pool at the Mandalay Hill Resort Hotel. The temple structure in the middle is the spa. Behind is the Mandalay Hill with lighted temples
Mandalay Myanmar (17)

Included in our tour was the dinner with show
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Beautiful setting for dinner.  We found a use for the umbrellas – they can be used as lamp shades! 🙂Mandalay Myanmar (20)

Love the buffet presentationMandalay Myanmar (21)Mandalay Myanmar (22)

Hotel food in Myanmar is the best foodMandalay Myanmar (23)

Soup and main dishes
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Grill StationMandalay Myanmar (25)

 Skewers at the grill station. Choose all you want and they will grill it for youMandalay Myanmar (26)

Mongolian BBQ – Love the presentation in a boatMandalay Myanmar (28)

 Love the food coversMandalay Myanmar (27)

 Cultural Show while having dinnerMandalay Myanmar (29)Mandalay Myanmar (30)

View from our room. The hill that we did not climb :-O  Due to lack of time we were not able to climb the Mandalay Hill which is approx 1,000 steps up. View from the hotel room – Mandalay Hill is a 240 metres (790 ft) hill that is located to the northeast of the city centre of Mandalay in Burma. The city took its name from the hill. Mandalay Hill is known for its abundance of pagodas and monasteries, and has been a major pilgrimage site for Burmese Buddhists for nearly two centuries. At the top of the hill is the Sutaungpyei (literally wish-fulfilling) Pagoda. A panoramic view of Mandalay from the top of Mandalay Hill alone makes it worthwhile to attempt a climb up its stairways. There are four covered stairways called saungdan leading up the hill from the south, southeast, west and north, and convenient seats of masonry work line these stairways all the way up. A one-way motor road today saves time and also makes it accessible for those who are unable to climb up the stairs, leading to an escalator and a lift to the pagoda at the summit.Mandalay Myanmar (31)Mandalay Myanmar (32)

Breakfast 🙂  Chicken Coconut Noodle SoupMandalay Myanmar (44)Mandalay Myanmar (46)Mandalay Myanmar (45)

Local Handicrafts in Mandalay

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We went to several shops for local handicrafts before going to the hotel
Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (5)

Wood carvingsLocal Handicrafts in Mandalay (6)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (4)

EmbroideryLocal Handicrafts in Mandalay (7)

Puppets!  Mandalay has the best puppets!!  If you like puppets, this is the place to buy- Best quality, design and price!Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (12)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (10)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (11)Buddhas!Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (8)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (9)

Marble Buddhas!!!  Several vendors in one street!Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (1)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (2)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (16)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (15)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (14)Several girls cleaning the buddhaLocal Handicrafts in Mandalay (3)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (13)Local Handicrafts in Mandalay (17)

Driving to Mandalay

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Arrived in Sagaing and took the bus to get to MandalaySagain_ (2)

Beautiful scenery on the waySagain_ (3)Sagain_ (4)Sagain_ (5)Sagain_ (6)Sagain_ (7)Sagain_ (8)Sagain_ (9)

Third photo with coconut trees 🙂  Love this scene – it seems like they use the trees to put a border on the propertySagain_ (10)Sagain_ (11)

 On the way to Sagaing we witnessed the Shinpyu parade – is the Burmese term for a novitiation ceremony (pabbajja) in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism, referring to the celebrations marking the samanera ordination of a boy under the age of 20.

It is deemed the most important duty that parents owe to their son by letting him go forth and embrace the legacy of the Buddha, join the Sangha and become immersed in the teachings of the Buddha, the Dhamma, at least for a short while, perhaps longer if not for the rest of his life. A boy may become a novice on more than one occasion, but by the age of twenty there will be another great occasion, the upasampada ordination, in which the boy becomes a fully ordained bazin. Those who are not blessed with a male child will seek for an orphan boy or a boy from very poor families in order to receive this special dispensation by the Buddha and hence gain great merit by the act. Shinbyu may well be regarded as a rite of passage or coming of age ceremony as in other religions. Allowing a son to spend some time however short it may be, in a Buddhist monastery is regarded by most Buddhists as the best religious gift that his parents can give him and it is believed to have a lasting effect on his life.( Wikipedia)

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So colorful!Sagain SnapseedSagain (23)Sagain (24)Sagain (25)Sagain (26)

We stopped at the most important temple in Sagain just from the outsideSagain (1)There is supposedly a hair relic of Buddha held by the guard statue in the guardhouseSagain (2) Dr. Axel says it is fake though haha!!  Maybe the real one is kept somewhere elseSagain (3)

Close upSagain (4)

Still many temples around
Sagain (5) View of the Sagaing Hills with 800 temples.  Wish we had more time to get a better viewSagain (6)

A bit closerSagain (7)

 U Bein Bridge ( only for pedestrians) is a crossing that spans the Taungthaman Lake near Amarapura in Myanmar. The 1.2-kilometre bridge was built around 1850 and is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world. Wikipedia Myanmar is the # 1 exporter of TeakwoodSagain (8)

Love this!
Sagain (9)

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