We returned to the boat around sunset, just in time for some pretty sunset photos of Sagaing. We had another good dinner on the boat,then had a few drinks at the bar, pictured here to reinforce my earlier comment that the boat was a bit dowdy. Unfortunately, Somchai got an upset tummy (that was a euphemism) and was stuck in bed the next morning, so we missed a big group expedition. Instead we hung around the deserted boat, and got to take some nice photos of Somchai modeling without the distraction of the other annoying guests.

Our last stop was to a small village just outside of Sagaing, where everyone made pots, lots and lots of pots. Or they watched the tourists watching people making, and carrying lots of, pots. The village was obviously on the tourist circuit since the kids in particular were very comfortable with strangers, including this one little kid who spoke English, was very funny and had dyed his hair purple. I don't know what that wooden structure is in the photo, but I'm pretty sure that if there's been any wind since we left it's no longer there.

Next we visited one of the many gold and stucco temples dotting the area. I'm not sure which one, and you won't care, but they're all similar. Most were built in the fourteenth century, and they've got great views across the hills and the river. The tour guides were a bit pushy on buying crap, so our next stop was to a boring silversmith. Somchai and I stayed outside and met a kid in the army. We took a photo with him, and then the tour guide came running out saying we'd all be arrested because it's illegal to photograph the military. Needless to say that didn't happen, but just in case, I won't post the forbidden photo.

We spent the afternoon on a pretty interesting whirlwind tour of Sagaing. Our first stop was a nunnery, where the nuns ran an orphanage and school. It was housed in a pretty old building, and it seemed like a pretty serious place. We were told beforehand to not take photos and to be quiet because the girls were having their lessons, and because the nuns didn't like having their photos taken. I therefore don't have any photos, and I'll show you some other Sagaing temples instead. But I should have kept in touch with Romana, an Italian woman on the trip with her husband and another couple. They took dozens of photos of her husband hugging the nuns, closeups of the kids being interrupted during their classwork by crazy Italian tourists, etc.

96. Mandalay

Just when the scenery was moving from relaxing to monotonous we began to approach Mandalay, signalled by the big white bridge crossing the river. The boat docked across from Sagaing, just outside Mandalay. It's a series of hills that served as the capital of Burma after the fall of Bagan, for all of about fifty years during the 1300's. As usual, they busied themselves covering the hills with stupas, although thanks to its proximity to Mandalay, these religious buildings are still in use. The hills are covered with dozens of temples and monasteries, and the gleaming stucco and gold stupas are quite a remarkable sight.