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Events of Tuesday, 21st May 2019: Leaving Mandalay
Doctor Hla Tun insisted that on Tuesday morning we would travel together to Mandalay Airport in the Monastery car where he would take a flight to Yangon, I would start my long journey home via Bangkok and the two Monastery drivers would return by road to Bagan. To fortify myself for the journey, I made sure of a decent breakfast - fried eggs, beans, roll and butter, yoghurt, orange juice and tea.
Mandalay, 2019: Breakfast at the Hilton Hotel.
Then, whilst savouring the view of Mandalay Hill, the Royal Palace moat and walls from my room, I completed my packing.
Mandalay, 2019: View from my room at the Hilton Hotel.
At the arranged time, Doctor Hla Tun picked up me and my luggage in the Monastery car (already loaded with two lorry tyres purchased in Mandalay required for the Monastery's water tanker which delivers water to various villages around Bagan). On arrival at the airport, there were hasty 'goodbyes' as the Doctor had little time to check in for his domestic flight. I had plenty of time to check-in, mooch around the international terminal and watch the various comings and goings.
Mandalay International Airport: Terminal Layout.
I watched with interest as the Bangkok Air flight arrived, discharged its passengers, their baggage and air freight and loaded baggage and air freight for my flight - PG710 departing at 14:05 on the 2 hour, 1020km flight to Bangkok.
Mandalay Airport: Bangkok Air arrival passing in front of two of the turboprops which provide internal services in Myanmar.
Mandalay Airport: Bangkok Air flight discharging and loading baggage.
A pleasant flight took me to Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok where I knew there would be a fair walk to complete the transfer to my Qatar Airways flight to Doha.
Bangkok Airport.
I'd not been with Qatar via Bangkok before, so I made sure I checked-out the relaxing Qatar Lounge before joining flight QR833, leaving at 20:40. Doha was reached seven hours later, after a 5280km flight.
Qatar Airways Lounge in Bangkok Airport.
Like Dubai Airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha is a major transit hub. The Business Lounge is an excellent place to relax between flights
Part of the tranquil restaurant area in the Business Lounge, Hamad International Airport, Doha.
My final flight QR035 left at 01:50 local time for the seven hour, 5358 km leg to Birmingham.
Arriving Birmingham Wednesday, 22nd May 2019
I slept for part of the journey and, as we neared our destination, was woken by a beautifully-presented simple breakfast, exactly as ordered. I was particularly taken with the imitation 'candle' decorative table lamp - actually electric but with a 'flicker' effect.
Breakfast in the Clouds: Returning to Birmingham by Qatar Airways.
And so I felt surprisingly refreshed when we landed after the marathon 11658 km, 7243 mile journey from Mandalay at the end of another amazing trip to Myanmar!
Related posts on this website
This is one of a series of posts describing my 14th visit to Myanmar. The post Return to Burma is the first post in the series.
Clicking on the 'Next report' link (where shown) displays the post describing the next events. In this way, you may read about the trip in sequence.
Alternately, clicking on the 'All my Burma 2019 reports' link displays all the posts on this trip in reverse date-of-posting order.
All my Burma 2019 reports.
This is the last post describing this trip.
My pictures
All my general pictures on this trip are in the collection of albums Burma 2019
Events of Monday, 20th May 2019
After an enjoyable visit to Mandalay Railway Station in the morning (described here), we moved on to the serious business of the day, taking the much-improved Oriental Highway from Mandalay which climbs into the hills at Pyin Oo Lwin where Doctor Hla Tun was to make food donations at two orphanages. There are many posts in this blog regarding educational charitable work in Myanmar initiated by the 'Road to Mandalay Social Contribution'. You can find them all here or by selecting search label 'Education'.
In Pyin Oo Lwin, there is an orphanage for boys at Doe Pin and one for girls at Shwe Sin Minn. Both are supported on a regular basis by a Swiss charity, Enfants d'Ailleurs Foundation. The foundation remits funds to the Belmond Myanmar Foundation in London which releases them to Doctor Hla Tun who acts as a 'trusted intermediary' organising the actual food donations, normally two each year, to both orphanages. The Doctor arranges the formal handover, receiving the donation certificates issued by the orphanages on behalf of the donor organisation and providing photographs of the event.
My first visit to Doe Pin was in 2009 and I've been back from time to time ('Related posts' below lists posts describing these visits). The Abbott greeted us warmly, offering refreshments and Doctor Hla Tun checked the donated foodstuff laid out ready, checking the list of food and its cost recorded on a 'white board'.
Doe Pin Orphanage 20-May-2019, with the foodstuffs donated by Enfants d'Ailleurs Foundation on the left and listed on the 'white board'.
The Abbott issued the donation certificate to the Doctor and a number of photographs of the handover were made.
Doe Pin Orphanage 20-May-2019: Doctor Hla Tun receives the donation certificate issued by the orphanage, watched by a group of orphans.
The Abbott then made a short address and, after some general conversation, we said 'good bye' and returned to our car.
Doe Pin Orphanage 20-May-2019: The Abbott makes a short address.
We drove through the town of Pyin Oo Lwin to Shwe Sin Minn orphanage founded by two sisters in 1999. My first visit was in 2011 when building work was in progress to expand the accommodation. I returned in 2013 to find another extension being constructed ('Related posts' below lists posts describing these visits). Arriving in 2019, I found another major new building under construction.
Shwe Sin Minn orphanage, Mandalay, 2019: New building under construction, given by a Taiwanese donor.
The food donated by Enfants d'Ailleurs Foundation was already laid out at the rear of the assembly hall, with the orphans sitting on the floor in the remaining space.
Shwe Sin Minn orphanage, Mandalay, 2019: Orphans gathered in front of donated sacks of rice. The 'white board' in the background lists the donated foodstuff.
The Head Nun presented the donation certificate confirming the foodstuffs received to Doctor Hla Tun.
Shwe Sin Minn orphanage, Mandalay, 2019: Doctor Hla Tun receives the donation certificate issued by the orphanage from the Head Nun.
The Head Nun then invited Doctor Hla Tun to make a short address to the assembled children.
Shwe Sin Minn orphanage, Mandalay, 2019: Doctor Hla Tun made a short address to the assembled orphans, watched by the head nun.
Finally, all the orphans moved outside for a group photograph.
Shwe Sin Minn orphanage, Mandalay, 2019: Orphans pose for a group photograph.
Having completed the formal donations at the two orphanages, we set off by car to return to Mandalay, stopping on the outskirts of Pyin Oo Lwin at a long line of roadside vendors. The area is well-known for strawberries, other fruit and various local wines. Doctor Hla Tun made some purchases to take back to his home in Yangon on the following day then we continued on the Oriental Highway to Mandalay, slowly making our way through the heavy traffic of the city to my hotel. Doctor Hla Tun had made his own arrangements for accommodation that night but insisted that the following morning we would travel to Mandalay Airport together where he would take a flight to Yangon and I would start my long journey home via Bangkok.
My friend Ko Hlaing and his young daughter Sandy had arranged to visit me at the Hilton Hotel in the evening. They didn't want a meal so we just went to my room for a chat and ordered soft drinks. Both speak good English making things easier for me and I really enjoyed spending a little time with them both since it had been around 18 months I'd seen them (that visit is described here).
Mandalay, 2019: Ko Hlaing and his daughter Sandy.
The visit concluded with Sandy and I going for a walk around the outdoor swimming pool. Although it was dark, the swimming pool area was well-lit, producing some dramatic lighting effects. There was time for one group picture in Reception before we finally said our 'good byes'.
Mandalay, 2019: Ko Hlaing, Sandy and Jan.
Related posts on this website
This is one of a series of posts describing my 14th visit to Myanmar. The post Return to Burma is the first post in the series.
Clicking on the 'Next report' link displays the post describing the next events. In this way, you may read about the trip in sequence.
Next report
Alternately, clicking on the 'All my Burma 2019 reports' link displays all the posts on this trip in reverse date-of-posting order.
All my Burma 2019 reports.
You can find all the posts about education support here or by selecting search label 'Education'.
The following posts include references to Doe Pin or Shwe Sin Minn:-
Visit to an Orphanage, Myanmar (Doe Pin) 2009
Three Orphanages 2011
Three Orphanages Revisited 2012
Support for Orphanages in Myanmar 2013
Maymyo 2013
News from Burma - Educational Support 2014
Two Orphanages and a Monastery 2018
My pictures
My pictures showing this part of the trip are in the albums:-
Hilton Hotel, Mandalay.
Burma 2019.
Doe Pin Orphanage 20-May-2019.
Shwe Sin Minn Orphanage 20-May-2019.
All my general pictures on this trip are in the collection of albums also called Burma 2019
[Link to 'Next report' added 5-Nov-2020]
Monday, 20th May 2019
Observant readers may have noticed a certain interest in railways on my part and that includes railways in Myanmar. On previous visits to Mandalay, I had found out as much as I could about Mandalay railway station and its environs by observation from public areas. The station is a modern, multi-storey reinforced concrete building towering over the railway tracks.
Mandalay Station, 2015. The building incorporates the Hotel Marvel.
The entrance is past a row of imposing columns via granite-clad steps. The effect is somewhat diminished since some of the steps have been damaged for some time but remain unrepaired.
The imposing entrance to Mandalay Station in 2014.
On previous surveys, I'd concluded that the station was controlled from a Power Signal Box at the north end of the station, so I'd long harboured the ambition of making a closer inspection. I'd discovered that the signal box is often referred to as 'Mandalay Tower', borrowing the American term for a signalling control.
Mandalay Power Signal Box ('Mandalay Tower') in 2014.
Doctor Hla Tun, whilst not sharing my interest in railways and railway signalling, had very kindly used his contacts to arrange an official visit to Mandalay Power Signal Box on Monday, 20th May. So, after delivering me safely to the Hilton Hotel on Sunday, the Doctor remained in the area overnight (I believe he visited the Captain of the 'Road to Mandalay' river cruise ship which was docked at nearby Shwe Kyet Yet awaiting the start of the next cruise season). On Monday morning, I took breakfast at the Hilton Hotel and the Doctor then collected me for our visit to 'Mandalay Tower'.
Mandalay, 2019: Breakfast at the Hilton Hotel.
We drove through the crowded streets of Mandalay to the station and made ourselves known to the Station Master's staff. We were then quickly welcomed into the Station Master's Office. After initial explanations by the Doctor, the Station Master proudly displayed a magnificent wood carving depicting the first railway locomotive to operate in Burma.
Visit to Mandalay Tower: Mandalay Station Master in his Office with a magnificent wood carving depicting the first railway locomotive to operate in Burma.
The artist had produced a reasonable impression of what must have been an unfamiliar object. The original locomotive is preserved and I photographed it back in 2013, plinthed inside the entrance to Naypyidaw Station, during a visit described here.
Locomotive A.01 displayed at Naypyidaw Station - a 2-4-0T built by Dubs & Co. in Glasgow, put into service 1-May-1877. Weight: 17.65 tons. Tractive Effort: 3857 lbs.
Adjacent to the carving, a number of framed photographs showing the previous station building caught my eye, as I couldn't recall having previously seen a picture of the original station arrangements.
Visit to Mandalay Tower: Old photograph of Mandalay Railway Station.
There was also the usual station signalling diagram on the wall, in this case a rather nicely framed version.
Mandalay Tower: Signalling diagram in Station Master's Office.
Click for larger version
The Station master then introduced us to a lady assistant, who conducted the Doctor and I along the platform to the north end of the station and then across the tracks to the ground floor entrance of the signalling building, a 1950s structure of reinforced concrete. Internally, two steep flights of wooden stairs led us up to the operating floor at the top, where we met the signalman and his assistant.
Mandalay Tower: The signalman and his assistant. The rear of the signalling console is in the foreground.
The 'welcoming committee' included the Signal Maintenance Technician and a Signalling Engineer, who were both keen to show me everything. I was particularly impressed when the Signal Engineer showed me an introductory manual, apparently put together by the railway, summarising the important features of the installation, with photographs. They allowed me to take pictures of this useful manual.
Mandalay Tower: Title Sheet of Introductory Manual.
The signalling control console itself was a 1957-vintage 'NX' panel made by Kyosan in Japan. An additional, rectangular control panel had been bolted to the top of the original console at some stage to provide extra controls. But what struck me forcibly was that the console, whilst old, was clean and had been carefully looked after. As far as I could judge, everything appeared to be functioning as originally designed which was testimony to the maintenance effort.
Mandalay Tower: NX Signalling Console (Photo: Myanma Railways).
I tried to quickly make a photographic record of everything and then the party moved downstairs to the relay room. The original equipment by Kyosan was in a suite of floor-mounted Relay Cases with hinged, glazed doors at the front showing the banks of plug-in relays inside. Again, the equipment was clean, properly secured against tampering and a credit to the maintenance staff.
Mandalay Tower: Floor-mounted Relay Cases by Kyosan.
In addition, there was a relay case with smaller Siemens signalling relays and arrangements for distribution of a.c. and d.c. power which included a large a.c. switchboard.
Mandalay Tower: A.C. Switchboard
All the points around the station were remotely operated by electric point machines and the Signal Engineer asked if I'd like to make a closer inspection. Of course, I said 'yes' so the whole party descended the wooden stairs and walked to a nearby point machine.
Mandalay Tower: Leaving Mandalay Tower to survey Electric Point Machines (L-R: Signal maintenance technician, Station Master, Station Master's lady assistant.
They removed the cover from the mechanism so that I could study the mechanism and then, using hand portable radio, instructed the signalman to operate the points so that I could observe the procedure. This example was a Kyosan 'Old' type which they said could take up to 10 seconds to complete its movement (although the example we looked at was much quicker).
Mandalay Tower: Kyosan Point Machine, Old Type.
They explained that the 'New' type Kyosan point machine takes only 4 seconds to complete its movement, demonstrating this on a second nearby point machine which was, indeed, significantly quicker.
Mandalay Tower: Kyosan Point Machine, New Type.
Whilst this was going on, the Station Pilot was waiting to carry out a shunting move, so we finished the demonstration to allow the shunting to continue.
Mandalay Tower: Locomotive DD.958, acting as Station Pilot, waiting to shunt, with the blue-painted station building in the background
Having thanked the staff from Mandalay Tower, we followed the Station Master back to the station building where he led us through the reception of the Marvel Hotel into an impressive meeting room where we chatted briefly. I was initially puzzled that the Station Master chose to sit up against one wall rather than in the central area, until Doctor Hla Tun explained that the chosen seat was directly under an air conditioning vent!
Mandalay Tower: Meeting room of Hotel Marvel.
Before we left, we'd been invited to briefly meet the Divisional Manager so we said 'good bye' to the Station Master and his lady assistant took us by lift to an upper floor of railway offices. But as we walked down the broad corridor to the Divisional Manager's Office, a member of staff explained that the Divisional Manager had had to go out unexpectedly. Recovering quickly, the lady assistant asked if I'd like to see the Train Control Office on the same corridor. That was an real bonus for me. An outer office led to an 'inner sanctum' where the Train Controller and his staff worked.
Visit to Mandalay Tower: Train Control Office viewed from the outer office.
Because of the heat, the train controller had partly disrobed and was not wearing his uniform white shirt with epaulettes. Somewhat embarrassed, he quickly corrected his dress. In front of him, on a sloping desk, was the manually-updated Train Graph, the master record of all train movements in the Mandalay Division so far that morning.
Visit to Mandalay Tower: Train Graph in Train Control Office.
All this activity relies on reports received and instructions issued using three VHF Radiotelephones on a desk adjacent to the train graph.
Visit to Mandalay Tower: VHF Radiotelephones providing communication with Station Masters and Signalmen in the Mandalay Division. The Train Graph is on the right
Of course, the train controller must have an intimate knowledge of the lines under his control and the walls of the office displayed a number of track diagrams of the Mandalay Division for reference. I quickly took pictures of as many as I could before we thanked the controller and left. Back on the ground floor, the lady assistant said that she had to resume her normal duties so, after an especially enjoyable and informative visit, we returned to our transport. Our activities during the rest of the day could hardly have been in more marked contrast with the morning. I'll tell you more next time.
Incidentally, the above post is supposed to be the 'non-technical' version and, as time permits, I hope that a more detailed report will appear.
Related posts on this website
This is one of a series of posts describing my 14th visit to Myanmar. The post Return to Burma is the first post in the series.
Clicking on the 'Next report' link displays the post describing the next events. In this way, you may read about the trip in sequence.
Next report.
Alternately, clicking on the 'All my Burma 2019 reports' link displays all the posts on this trip in reverse date-of-posting order.
All my Burma 2019 reports.
My pictures
My pictures showing this part of the trip are in the albums:-
Mandalay Tower.
Hilton Hotel, Mandalay.
Burma 2019.
All my general pictures on this trip are in the collection of albums also called Burma 2019
Sunday, 19th May 2019
I had decided to visit Mandalay at the end of my trip so that I could see friends in that city. I'd originally intended to make my own arrangements but, in the end, I merely arranged a hotel and my flights and Doctor Hla Tun took care of everything else. The Doctor estimated that he would have completed his consultations by noon on Sunday, so the monastery car and driver was arranged for that time to take the Doctor and I from Bagan to Mandalay. During the morning, I was able to continue to study the workings of the Clinic.
Individual patient treatment booklets are issued on registration at the clinic for the first time. These booklets comprise a number of plain, folded sheets stapled into a thicker, simply-printed cover. Each booklet is meticulously updated by the Doctor on the first and any subsequent visits in manuscript. Any associated test results (for instance blood tests, ECG) are usually stapled to this booklet which is retained by the patient.
Doctor Hla Tun updating a Patient Record Booklet.
The overall Clinic Records detailing patient registrations are also hand-written in ruled, bound books. The Clinic Accounts, including payments made by patients towards the cost of medication, comprise a series of plain ruled, stapled or bound books which are also completed in manuscript. The Clinic has a number of clear-sided donation boxes, similar to those seen at sites of religious pilgrimage (charitable giving is a fundamental part of Buddhist belief) and proceeds from these are also recorded in the Clinic Accounts. To keep figures aligned in each of the account books, vertical columns are manually added to each page in pencil.
Bagan Medical Clinic, May 2019: Two donation boxes outside the original clinic building.
Hla Win Ko showed me a 'PC' tower computer at the Clinic which he has programmed to produce various dosage labels for issue with medication dispensed to patients. Labels are produced in sheets of A4 size each containing multiple labels which are then cut to produce individual labels.
Around Bagan Clinic 2019: Sheet of medicine dosage labels, printed at the Clinic.
The design of the patient treatment booklet, the Clinic Accounting Books and the method of production of medicine labels have all been chosen so as to minimise the overhead costs in operating the clinic.
I also sat-in with Doctor Hla Tun to observe some of the treatments. Concepts of personal privacy are rather different in Myanmar so observing and even taking photographs during medical treatments, providing modesty is maintained, is acceptable. Patients are both old and young and represent many different ethnic groups but all have a natural dignity which is very impressive.
Around Bagan Clinic 2019: A patient in Doctor Hla Tun's consulting room awaits treatment.
Around Bagan Clinic 2019: A patient receiving pain-control injections from Doctor Hla Tun.
Inevitably, it was somewhat after twelve noon when the Doctor finished his last treatment. The Doctor, somewhat reluctantly, stopped for a light lunch after bullying from his Staff (and me) before we set of on the road journey to Mandalay which would take at least three and a half hours. We took the road through Myingyan we'd used the previous year when we travelled by road from Bagan to Pyin Oo Lwin (described in the post here).
Once again, I was fascinated as we passed over the crumbling concrete bridge over a broad, dry creek which incorporates a single-line metre gauge railway. Wind-blown sand covering the bridge deck increased the appearance of dereliction but both the road and the railway track are in regular use. I've only seen the creek dry but, in the rainy season, significant flood water must be channeled towards the Ayeyarwaddy River. A few yards away from the bridge, a parallel second road bridge was being constructed.
Bagan - Mandalay
Our route to Mandalay took us through Myitnge, where my friend Htein Lin lives. Myitnge is a 'railway town' where the British built the Carriage and Wagon workshops. The original workshops have been joined by a large, modern Chinese-built railway carriage building plant. The post Around Mandalay describes a day I spent with Htein Lin and his family when I visited both the original Wagon and Coach workshops and the new Chinese plant. I understand that the new Chinese plant, having produced an initial batch of air-suspension coaches, is currently 'mothballed' due to budgetary constraints.
Doctor Hla Tun arranged a rendezvous in Myitnge by mobile telephone with Htein Lin, who was waiting for us on his motor cycle. He then conducted us to a large restaurant where we met his wife and daughter. After taking photographs, we went to a private room for refreshments and conversation.
Bagan - Mandalay: Htein Lin, his wife and daughter with Jan at Myitnge.
My friend has opened a clothing shop in Myitnge which is proving successful and the family were keen that I should see it, so we climbed back into the car and Htein Lin conducted us there on his motor-cycle. Before I said 'good-bye' to the family, they generously presented me with a tee-shirt.
Bagan - Mandalay: Htein Lin and family at their shop in Myitnge with Jan.
We then finished the journey to Mandalay and I was taken to my hotel for two nights, the Hilton. This was formerly the Sedona Hotel and I've stayed there a number of times in the past but it has changed hands and been completely refurbished.
Hilton Hotel, Mandalay: View from my room with Mandalay Hill in background, Mandalay Palace and Moat and hotel's porte cochere on right.
Since the events often called the 'Rohingya Crisis', tourism from North America and Europe to Myanmar has sharply fallen. But I was surprised to discover that large numbers of visitors are now arriving from China and the Hilton Hotel seemed to be catering for many of them. After the rather packed programme of the previous weeks, I was content to relax in my spacious room on Sunday evening, watching dusk descend over the city and using the hotel's fast Wi-Fi to upload photographs to 'Flickr'.
Related posts on this website
This is one of a series of posts describing my 14th visit to Myanmar. The post Return to Burma is the first post in the series.
Clicking on the 'Next report' link displays the post describing the next events. In this way, you may read about the trip in sequence.
Next report
Alternately, clicking on the 'All my Burma 2019 reports' link displays all the posts on this trip in reverse date-of-posting order.
All my Burma 2019 reports.
My pictures
My pictures including this part of the trip are in the albums:-
Burma 2019.
Hilton Hotel, Mandalay.
All my pictures on this trip are in the collection of albums also called Burma 2019
Saturday, 18th May 2019
Like the previous day, I spent Saturday observing the activities of the Bagan Medical Clinic but there was also the excitement of a morning trip by car to make a stationery distribution at Htee Pu school, and a visit to a famous Mountain Pagoda, Tuyin Taung, on the way back.
The school at Htee Pu is in a fairly remote village in the Mount Popa area which Doctor Hla Tun and the Road to Mandalay Social Contribution have supported for a number of year. This assistance includes new school rooms, toilet facilities together with donations for school uniforms, stationery and teaching support. I'd first visited Htee Pu in 2009 (that report is here) and been impressed with the local Abbott's drive in trying to improve the lives of local people and I've subsequently been back a number of times:-
Opening of New School Building at Htee Pu (Saturday, 4th September 2010)
Mount Popa to Bagan (Saturday, 29th October 2011)
Htee Pu School Visit (Saturday, September 22nd 2012)
Visiting Bagan Schools (Monday, 28th April 2014)
Visit to Bagan Schools, 2015 (Monday, 27th April 2015)
Bagan (Day 4) (Monday, 2nd May 2016)
Visiting Schools in the Bagan Area (Monday, 1st May 2017)
A second weekend at Bagan Medical Clinic (2) (Saturday, 5th May 2018)
Initially, Doctor Hla Tun had intended to accompany me to Htee Pu for the distribution described below but, on reviewing the numbers of waiting patients, he decided he'd continue with consultations and send me with the monastery car and driver to Htee Pu. The stationery to be distributed to the pupils was loaded into the car and the driver and I set off on the familiar route at about 8.00 a.m. The final two miles to the village is still over an unsurfaced road but, as I've commented in previous posts about Htee Pu, improvements have been carried out, including a bridge over a section which formerly frequently flooded in the rainy season. The village is now more accessible.
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: The new bridge on the road to Htee Pu.
In the village itself, I noticed new concrete poles with electric lighting. Electrification remains an important ongoing project in Myanmar. On my early visits to Htee Pu, I'd seen locally-installed wooden poles each supporting two electric conductors simply notched into a wooden cross arm with periodic dangling lamps. All this was powered by a small diesel engine driving an electric generator at the monastery. Because of the cost of diesel fuel, hours of operation were very limited. Numerous electrification projects are slowly improving the picture but the mains electricity supply in Myanmar remains notoriously unreliable compared with what I can expect in England.
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: Htee Pu Village, showing new concrete poles with electric lighting.
On my visit in 2017, I'd admired a new open-sided pavilion erected in the school yard in front of the monastery. As we arrived in 2019, I was surprised to see that this pavilion had been joined by a second, much larger pavilion, with a framework of blue-painted tubes supporting a banana-leaf roof. The new pavilion was large enough for a 'top table' with refreshments, space for all the children to sit in the shade on woven mats and even room for our car to be parked in the shade!
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: The 'top table' with local dignitaries and waiting pupils enjoy the new pavilion.
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: The Headmistress and pupils enjoying the new pavilion.
The stationery was unloaded from the monastery car and the monastery driver supervised the teachers as they made up the 'kits' of stationery to be presented to each pupil. Since it was not a School day, I knew that only some of the pupils would be able to attend but we try to leave spare materials for teachers to distribute afterwards. The children waited quietly seated on the mats under the pavilion until preparations were complete and then teachers formed up the pupils, class by class, to receive the stationery. With teachers supervising the line of waiting students and another teacher passing each 'kit' to me, it only took a few (rather frantic) minutes to complete the distribution.
Stationery Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019.
The discipline of students in Myanmar is always impressive but their individuality is also notable, like young people anywhere. Some will confidently say "Thank you" in English, others, prompted by teachers, will mutter an approximation, whilst a third group remain over-awed at having to approach a stranger. I do my best to appear friendly and unthreatening, usually keeping up a continuous patter in English which is intended to be soothing.
I was then expected to make a short address to the pupils in English, which was translated by a local businessman, with the Headmistress and the Abbott carefully watching. Once again, I relied on the "Never give Up" theme. There was then a presentation of packets of tamarind and sugar lozenges made at the businessman's local factory - delicious.
Jan addresses the pupils at Htee Pu, May 2019
A short walk around the school compound followed, with a number of new toilets pointed out and concluding with an inspection of the classrooms donated in 2010 (report here).
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: View of classrooms donated in 2010.
Finally, we took pictures with the teaching staff and a 'group shot' in the pavilion.
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: Jan and the Teaching Staff.
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019: The 'group shot'.
After a brief pause for refreshments, I said 'good bye' and left the good people of Htee Pu, who have made quite an impression on me during my various visits.
Before we'd left the Clinic, the Doctor had suggested that, after the distribution, I might enjoy a side trip to Mount Popa or elsewhere. Mount Popa is a fascinating and historic area which I'm always happy to re-visit but we agreed that a trip to a famous mountain pagoda called Tuyin Taung which I'd not visited might be more appropriate.
Each time I'd travelled on the road between Nyaung Oo and the direction on Mount Popa, I'd been aware of a long mountain range which thrusts itself from the plain parallel to the main road. Particularly noticeable is one gilded pagoda which crowns the high ground, sentry-like, near the Nyaung Oo end of the range. Now, I was to visit this important shrine. Not far short of Nyaung Oo, the car made a left turn to head across the plain to the base of the mountain, followed by a long zig-zag ascent of the mountain finishing in a busy car park a little way below the summit. The popularity of the site was obvious from the number of pilgrims, as far as I could tell all Myanmar people. My driver indicated the daunting flight of concrete steps leading to the unseen pagoda at the summit and said he would look after the car. I slowly hauled myself upwards, clinging to the stainless steel tubular handrail often found in such location as crowds of cheerful pilgrims passed me in both directions. The hot sun bore down and my progress was slow but at last I came to a complex of pavilions with a final broad set of steps on the left leading to the pagoda platform.
Burma 2019: Broad steps leading to the pagoda platform at Tuyin Taung.
The views in all directions from the pagoda platform showed the extent of the Bagan Plain, with the Ayeyarwaddy River glistening in the distance as it arced from my north to my west.
Burma 2019: View from Mountain Pagoda across the Bagan Plain.
Burma 2019: View from Mountain Pagoda, with the Ayeyarwaddy River in the distance.
Looking south-east, the mountain range continued but it was clear that Tuyin Taung Pagoda was on the highest part of the outcrop.
Burma 2019: View looking south-east from Tuyin Taung Pagoda.
The sun had made me a little giddy so, slowly and carefully, I started my descent of the steep steps to the car park. Seeing my caution, two smiling middle-aged Myanmar lady pilgrims formed up on either side of me, took each arm in a firm grip and made sure I reached the car park safely. It's these small acts of kindness that make Myanmar such a special place for me.
My car and driver was waiting so I was back at the Bagan Medical Clinic in less than 30 minutes.
Related posts on this website
This is one of a series of posts describing my 14th visit to Myanmar. The post Return to Burma is the first post in the series.
Clicking on the 'Next report' link displays the post describing the next events. In this way, you may read about the trip in sequence.
Next report.
Alternately, clicking on the 'All my Burma 2019 reports' link displays all the posts on this trip in reverse date-of-posting order.
All my Burma 2019 reports.
My pictures
My pictures including this part of the trip are in the albums:-
Burma 2019.
Distribution at Htee Pu, May 2019.
Burma 2019: Tuyin Taung Mountain Pagoda.
All my pictures on this trip are in the collection of albums also called Burma 2019
[01-Jul-2019 Visit to Tuyin Taung added]
