Our temples sightseeing trip brought us to here - Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River.
I remembered clearly that it was in Fie's itinerary, noted to myself that this is a must do. I mean, it's a boat ride after all!! You know me right (well, some of you at least), I absolutely must try all mode of transportation at every country I visit, well... unless it's expensive ofcos. Afterall, I did do the 16 hours train ride and the 10 hours bus ride (will blog about this too), hence it's a must for me to do the 1hour boat ride, right?
My other Myanmar entries :
Visa : Myanmar Visa Application
The Beginning : #Myanmar. How I Remembered It! ( #Myanmargang )
Gadget : #Myanmar | In Black & White - #Olympus E-PL3
Gadget : #Myanmar | In Dramatic Tone - #Olympus E-PL3
Day 1 : Yangoon to Bagan Train Ride
Day 2 : Temples in #Bagan Myanmar (Part 1)
We did stop by Bhupaya Temple located next to the river, this temple have one of the best view of Irrawaddy River and it's docking boats. It is said that during high tide, the river will rise closer to the temple wall which gives it a more awesome view from the river vice versa.
View from Bhupaya Temple. Awesome.
Delicious looking snack, I am still wondering to why did I not buy this and try this. Hemm...
Few interesting facts
(not sure whether there's another work-around it or not)
- Boats are chartered per group, meaning if there's 2 of you, then the whole boat is your's. If there's one of you, well... you'll be the king with no minion. Hahhahhaaa....
- You can either charter for 1 hour or 1.5 hours, your call
- It's really clean, like really!
- Speed? Not fast thus no sea-sick :)
Tips :
- Get ready all camera!!
- Make sure memory is sufficient, both the camera and the owner. Hahhahah....
- SUNBLOCK!!!
Pilih boat cepat!
Off we set to sail towards the horizon.... Yeah! Like real :)
Imagine if the river water rises, the temple would definitely look beautiful.... no doubt.
What I was hoping and dying to see were the locals going thru their daily routine by the river, where I can capture these moments and share with you all. And guess what?? I managed too... (proud moment, even though it is not that great).
Water pump?
Common sight here on Irrawaddy; locals bathing, kids swimming, woman washing, youngster playing and elderly gazing, a perfect sight for a perfect experience. Couldn't ask for more.
I did ask what was the hut for, and honestly I have forgotten! Hahahahhah...... Silly me! (Was still thinking hard when typing this but doubt I will have any recollection whatsoever)
I know I asked whether is it for tourist to change and chill or something, apparently, it is not :). So, I guess it is for locals, nomad perhaps?
The boat move further away from the shore... giving us the opportunity to enjoy the river itself.
Note :
- As you can see, the river is fairly clean which I find it amazing.
- Everything is in order, from the docking bay to the hut
- My boat operator don't speak English, so make sure to get a good taxi driver that can :)
Calming. Period.
Me trying to do a Jason Mraz shot (konon).
Me. All covered up to avoid getting sunburn and dark.
The Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River is a river that flows from north to south through Burma (Myanmar). It is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows relatively straight North-South before emptying through the Irrawaddy Delta into the Andaman Sea. Its drainage area of about 255,081 km² covers a large part of Burma. After Rudyard Kipling's poem, it is sometimes referred to as 'The Road to Mandalay'.
As early as the sixth century the river was used for trade and transport. Having developed an extensive network of irrigation canals, the river became important to the British Empire after it had colonized Burma. The river is still as vital today, as a considerable amount of (export) goods and traffic moves by river. Rice is produced in the Irrawaddy Delta, irrigated by water from the river.
In 2007, Burma's military government signed an agreement for the construction of seven dams, yielding a total 13,360 kW, in the N'mai and Mali Rivers, including the 3,600 kW Myitsone Dam at the confluence of both rivers. Environmental organisations have raised concerns about the ecological impacts on the river's biodiverse ecosystems. Animals potentially impacted include the threatened Irrawaddy dolphin.
