Mandalay, Myanmar — Dawn Greensides Photography

A year ago, back when 2019 was wrapping up and we thought a normal year was ahead of us, our friends Matt, Megan, and Carter visited us in Myanmar for the New Year. It turned out to be our last holiday in the country and I am so glad we had the opportunity to explore more of Myanmar with friends.

We visited Mandalay, Bagan, and Inle lake. It was my first time to Mandalay, a city I’ve long heard about and was excited to explore. We were lucky enough to visit the Mahamuni Pagoda Complex, considered the second most important pagoda in the country, while families were celebrating the Buddhist novitiation ceremony (known as Shin pyu). Young boys that are preparing to enter the monastic life (for a week or more) are dressed as royalty and pay their respects at the pagoda before entering the monastery. It was a beautiful rainbow of colors.

We also visited a workshop where they prepare gold leaf, which is very important in this golden country. Preparing gold leaf is hard work - workers have to hammer the gold for 5-7 hours to get the leaf to thin gold approximately 0.0001 inches. Then women painstakingly cut it into 2 inch squares and package them in sellable bundles.

We also explored Kuthodaw Pagoda, which lays claim to having the worlds largest book - 729 white stone stupas each containing a “page” (a marble slab) inscribed with Buddhist scriptures.

Our tour guide took us to a hidden gem of a pagoda with a sleeping Buddha. I do not know the name of the pagoda, so it gets to stay a secret, but it might be my favorite one I’ve seen. We had it all to ourselves and it was spectacular. The entire ceiling was covered in carved tree limbs and leaves.