[Leica] Mingun

[cummer at netvigator.com (H&ECummer)]

Hello Luggers,
On day 5 we hired a boat to cross the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to 
Mingun. Mingun was to be the site of the world's largest pagoda - but work 
was stopped in 1819 when King Bodawpaya died and in 1838 an earthquake split 
the base of the monument and turned it into partial rubble. Taken from the 
pagoda was the Mingun Bell - now suspended in its own shrine and reputed to 
be the largest uncracked bell in the world still hanging. Quite a few 
qualifiers there to get to largest!

Here we are on the deck of our boat for the day:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/HEBoatw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/ch9f86s

And here I am doing my Indiana Jones impersonation:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/HCBoatw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cuuo7ny

We noticed the Burmese do a lot of boat steering and paddling with their 
feet:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/Footsteerw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cysmy3s

Mingun was even more rustic than Mandalay - an oxen powered taxi:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/BrahmaTaxi9w.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/ctppdym

We walked from the River past the ruins to view the Mingun Bell - not 
trusting to the Brahma taxi:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/OxenTaxiw_001.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cqrkel7

Along the way  we encountered various sellers to the tourists:

Karen ladies from one of the minority tribes of Northern Burma

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/KarenLadiesw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cyvsqzb

Roadside cooking stall: Hot work in a hot climate.

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/Cooking9w_001.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cfmnjdn

Everywhere selling is a family affair:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/SaleMomBabe9w.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cfmnjdn

and the products are made locally - here a weaver producing cloth:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/WeaverMandalayw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/d4zakka

And a carver working in clay:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/ClayCarver9w.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/corwsu6

Sellers can be desperately persistent. This lady stuck to me until I tipped 
her and took her picture:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/HCFansellerw.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/cvpk8gf

This lady was very happy to have her picture taken. She was all dolled up 
for the day and later I saw her with two gay tourists. Esther and I 
concluded that likely she was a "he she" (transvestite) - common in Thailand 
but not so common in Burma.

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/Heshe9w.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/c9qmqgg

Finally - the noon day sun was hot "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in 
the noonday sun" and this monk was protecting himself:

<http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Burma2013/MnkUmbrella9w.jpg.html>

http://tinyurl.com/bufoz3q

Please look large. C&C always welcome.
Only two galleries to go - Inle Lake and Rangoon. 
Cheers
Howard