Mandalay Local Customs

I visited a large souvenir shop on the northern edge of town and I was able to see the craftsmen working on their designs. They work pretty fast! More interesting than wandering around the shop and being followed by sales people, that's for sure.

This was on the corner of 27th and 72nd street in Mandalay.

These little delectables were for sale alongside the Taungthaman Lake, which is crossed by U Bien's Bridge. We came across a few little food stalls - and were given a discrete head shake by our guide, and told that they were field mice! Pass!

Both hotels we stayed in in Mandalay - which were at opposite ends of the price range - quoted prices, we accepted, and then they discounted the price instantly!! This was over and above the prices given in the Lonely Planet book too. So, don't be deterred by prices you see in the guide books, as chances are, the actual asking price is much less than the advertised rates!

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What a shame this habit, which is so generalised, has such a deleterious impact on the dental attractiveness of Myanma people! Our driver did NOT chew the nut, and what a difference. Our informal "guide" member of the team did chew the nut, and he was clearly self conscious about it - and carefully did not smile showing his teeth.

The footpaths in Mandalay were not nearly as marked as those in Yangon, but even the best dressed men in Myanmar generally had stained teeth.

Find out what your future hides from you by visiting astro-palmist experts. Expect a scientific hand analysis as they advertise!! I was almost intending to try my luck and see if I am soon going to get married, but limited time we had for sightseeing Mandalay prevented me. We found them by the entrance of Kyauktawgyi pagoda.
So if anyone tries it, just tell me whether this "scientific" has any meaning or not!!

Every where you go you will see a field marked out and a net sometimes in the most unlikely places eg. in a cemetry. It seems that young men will take any opportunity to play cane ball. Cane ball is a bit like volley ball. This photo was taken near the bottom of Mandalay Hill.

It seems that the Burmese will also gamble on which team is going to win. This one that we watched for some time got very heated at times!

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There are eight days of burmese week `cos Wednesday divides on two parts in noon owing to Buddha was born in Wednesday. The little statuettes of Buddha symbolize each week`s day and are situated around all pagodas. If you were born in Monday , for example , you had to find your statuette of Buddha and pour water on his head , also you can buy some religious souvenires on entrance and then place them to him . Then Buddha give you good luck and happiness. It`s much better to do it if today is the day of week when you were born...
But how can you find your day of a week , if all the inscriptions are in Burmese ?
You can try to learn Burmese ...
OK , I`ll show you the easier way , just say ` spasibo ` !
The point is that every day of a week has his own animal just like a symbol .
Monday - Tiger
Tuesday - Lion
Wednasday AM - Elephant with tusks
Wednesday PM - Elephant without tusks
Thursday - Little Mouse
Friday - Big Mouse
Saturday - Big Snake Naga
Sunday - Karudo Bird
So if you don`t see any inscriptions in English , or in your native language ( ha-ha ! ) , you just had to find statuette of your animal near the Buddha`s statuette , and then be sure that it is your day of a week... Pour Buddha !

Thank you for your attention !

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You can find near Mahamuni paya some area with strange bronze statues. I don`t remember their names , but every local guide will help you.
They say one of them is medicinal...
For example if you or somebody of your nearest and dearest have frequently headache , you need to flatter the head of this statue , if heartache - heart , etc...
My little son had frequently stomach-ache.
Me and my wife had stroked the belly of this hero together , and , I don`t know , but our son is OK now...
Thank you , Buddha!
Thank you too, Mr." sorry , I don`t know your name" !
Only I don`t know what can do that man who needs to stroke left hand or right arm...