PYIN OO LWIN

Flower Market

On our way to Pyin Oo Lwin, we stopped at a wholesale flower market, located between two lanes of the highway. Flowers, especially yellow mums and roses are grown in the cool hills around Pyin Oo Lwin, then tied to motorbikes for the trip down to this location. Buyers, also on motorbikes, ride out from the city to make their purchases.

       

As we arrived in Pyin Oo Lwin we heard and spotted a Donation Ceremony at a small monastery. Trucks and vans were decorated with 1000 kyat notes, a couple of rock musicians were singing, and playing music, the organization leaders were throwing money to the crowd, and men were dancing. We joined in and then the women began to dance too. Everyone was having a wonderful time. The objective of this sort of ceremony is to raise money for the monastery. It was difficult to leave this festive gathering.

                    

At Myaing Gyi Monastery were found novices sweeping the yard and hanging laundry!

 

This is Aung Htu Kan Tha Paya, an ornate a very new structure built by the junta to house the Reluctant Buddha “who had falled off a truck enroute to China and resisted all efforts to be reloaded.”

MARKET IN PYIN OO LWIN

This woman was embarrassed but flattered to have her photo taken.

 

Shelling beans and talking on a cell phone!

       

The universal peace sign.        Another embarrassed but flattered woman.  The sewing skills are amazing. No patterns. No electric sewing machines.

        

This is a menu in the cafe in the marketplace.

 

It was just before Christmas. Though Christmas is not widely celebrated in Myanmar, there were several reminders that it Christmas was just days away.

This family is heading home after shopping.

And this was our transportation after visiting the market.