The Engleson Files

So, after a few days in Bagan I hope to take a 9 hour boat ride east down the Ayeyarwaddy River to the great confines of Mandalay. Mandalay is the historical political capital of Myanmar and is also the capital of Myanmar culture. Here you will see a huge range of Buddhist Sasana and Myanmar traditional arts and crafts. While just soaking in the ambiance for 3-4 days, in Mandalay I am hoping to take the kids to some traditional Marionette shows and hopefully go watch the infamous Moustache Brothers Troupe perform. Supposedly, Mandalay is the richest historical landmark next to Bagan, so it should prove to be very interesting and I am very excited to be going there.

“If you’ve ‘eard the East a-callin’, you won’t never ‘eed naught else.”
No! you won’t ‘eed nothin’ else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An’ the sunshine an’ the palm-trees an’ the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay …

-Rudyard Kipling