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BURMA (Myanmar)
CERAMICS EXCURSION
January14 (Yangon) - January 30 (Yangon), 2009

$100 savings for early registration by JUNE 1st!

CREATIVE TRAVEL - LEARNING VACATIONS
FOLK  POTTERIES   ANCIENT TEMPLES    TRADITIONAL CITY AND VILLAGE LIFE

Excursion Highlights
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Excursion Highlights:

YANGON lies in the fertile delta of southern Myanmar, on the wide Yangon River. The city is filled with tree-shaded boulevards, while shimmering stupas float above the treetops. The city became the capital in 1885, when the British completed the conquest of Upper Myanmar and Mandalay’s brief period as capital of the last Burmese kingdom ended. The highlight of any visit to Yangon is the Shwedagon Pagoda. This pagoda towers over the city and is the most sacred spot in the country, built to house eight hair relics of the Buddha. The Shwedagon and surrounding shrines are particularly beautiful during the sunset hour, as the golden stupa reflects the changing colors of twilight.

Other attractions are the Sule Pagoda, a gleaming octogonal pagoda that stands squarely at the centerpoint of the city; the National Museum, housing the eight meter high Silasana Lion Throne, used by the last Burmese king, and other fascinating artifacts from Burmese history and culture. Enjoy a break at Bogyoke (Scott) Market, a pleasant covered market containing crafts from all corners of Myanmar; visit the Botataung Pagoda, named after the 1000 military leaders who escorted relics of the Buddha from India over 2000 years ago, and the Ngadatkyi Paya, with a giant seated Buddha image. Stay in a wonderful hotel on the grounds of  the Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake, stroll near the unique Karaweik Hall, built in the form of a traditional royal barge and enjoy the magnificent views of the Shwedagon Pagoda across the lake. After returning from Bagan, we will cross the river and visit the Oh-Bo pottery quarter in Twante, a little town near Yangon. Here, we’ll have extensive time to observe the local pottery making techniques, visit the kilns and a variety of studios as well as the opportunity to try the rich pottery techniques.

INLE LAKE is a beautiful lake, located in the Shan State, with very calm waters dotted with patches of floating vegetation and fishing canoes. High hills rim the lake on all sides. The lake’s shore and islands bear 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Enjoy the spectacular scenery and observe the skilled fishermen using their leg-rowing technique to propel themselves around the lake. Visit the floating gardens, a floating market, villages and towns, inhabited by Pa-O and Intha peoples and Kyauk Taing, a Shan village around the lake.

Observe the processes at Naung Bo pottery village, look at the kilns firing and arrange to come back the next day to work with the potters, if you wish.

Visit the Indein Temple complex, hidden on the lake shore with its hundreds of small stupas overgrown by moss and greens and observe the monastic activities at a monastery. Enjoy breakfast and dinner overlooking the lake at our amazing deluxe floating hotel and watch traditional dance and music performances.

MANDALAY, the last capital of royal Burma, is still one of the largest cities in Myanmar, and a cultural and spiritual center. We will visit the most important temples in Mandalay, starting at Mahamuni Paya. The Mahamuni image enshrined here is perhaps the most venerated image in Myanmar, covered in over 15 cm of gold leaf. Shwenandaw Kyaung, the Golden Teak Monastery, is built entirely of golden teak and intricately carved; it was once part of the Mandalay Palace, used as private apartments by King Mindon and his chief queen. Admire also Kyaukawgyi Paya, famous for its monumental seated Buddha, carved from a single block of marble, and Kuthodaw Paya, known also as the world’s biggest book. Around the central stupa are miniature pavilions, each housing a slab of marble. Numbering altogether 729, these slabs are inscribed with the entire Buddhist scriptures.

Neighbouring SAGAING is home to over sixty percent of the country’s monks. Hundreds of stupas, monasteries, temples and nunneries are to be found in Sagaing Hill; thousands of monks and nuns retreat here for meditation and contemplation. Stop at some of the most famous temples, such as Tupayon Paya and Hsinmyashin Paya, the Pagoda of Many Elephants. Visit the pottery village adjacent to Sagaing. Here we can experience a fully functioning traditional pottery village, where women carry the greenware pots on their heads to the firing area. Pots are fashioned with amazing skill and soul, using coil and thrown methods. Arrangement can be made for you to return to work with the potters on another day.

Visit the former royal capital Amarapura and observe monks and novices as they line up to receive their daily offerings of alms and food from faithful Buddhists at Mahagandayon Monastery in the morning and enjoy the atmosphere of U Bein’s Bridge, a picturesque teak bridge which extends over one kilometer across a lake.

Join us on a private boat trip upriver from Mandalay to visit the amazing pottery towns in the Shwebo area where fantastic large water and storage jars are produced. These glazed ceramic wares are made in the Shwe Khun, Shwe Tike, New Nyein and Malar villages in the vicinity of Kyauk Myaung, situated on the western bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River, about 87 miles away from Mandalay. Yellow clay from New Nyein and red clay from Malar is carried by bullock carts and lorries and blended to yield a good working clay. The wood-fired kiln in which the wares are fired measures about 60 feet in length, 15 feet in width and 15 feet in height. The Ayeyarwaddy River forms the main channel of communication for distribution, because these pots are tightly and tidily tied to form rafts and floated down the river to markets.

Travel upriver to Mingun, enjoying the views of river life, fishing villages, market boats, women attending to their washing, and children playing in the water.

Explore the ruins of the vast Mingun Paya, a monument to human ambition – never finished, its size would have dwarfed all contemporary pagodas - and the largest hung, uncracked bell in the world.. Enjoy the overnight stays in the charming boutique Red Canal Hotel in Mandalay and stay one night aboard a River boat.  

BAGAN is a spectacular plain stretching away from the Ayeyarwaddy River, dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Although human habitation at Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian era, Bagan only entered its golden period with the conquest of Thaton in 1057 AD. The temples are divided into three periods: the early period (850-1120), influenced by Mon and late Pyu architecture and characterised by perforated windows and dimly lit interiors; the middle period (1100-70), when temples became bigger and were better lit by broader windows, with more of an eye to vertical proportions than horizontal lines, and the late period (1170-1300), when more intricate pyramidical spires or adorning tile work was added to the buildings, with an increase of Indian influence.

After a relaxing journey on a lovely spacious boat down the Ayeyarwaddy river from Mandalay, we arrive in Bagan and stay at the charming Bagan Thande Hotel, situated on the river bank, surrounded by towering temples.          Travelling the archeological site of Old Bagan in an old-fashioned horse drawn buggy, we visit the most famous temples, such as the Shwezigon Paya with its stupa’s graceful bell shape, which became a prototype for virtually all later stupas over Myanmar. The great colourful painting about  the previous life of Buddha and the distinguished architecture make the Gubyaukhi Temple, built in the early 13 th century, an interesting site for a visit. Another temple with the same name in the tiny nearby village Myinkaba is famous for its well-preserved Stuccos on the outside walls. The magnificient paintings are considered to be the oldest original paintings in Bagan. The village is known for producing the finest lacquerware in Myanmar. Stop by one of the workshops and learn about the process of laquerware making and decoration. We continue by visiting one of the finest, largest and best preserved of the Bagan temples, Ananda Pahto, with its corncob golden stupa top. The base and the terraces are decorated with 554 glazed tiles showing Buddhist scenes, thought to be derived from Mon texts.

Admire also the 12 th century brickwork of the Dhamayangyi Temple, said to rank one of the finest in Bagan, and Sulamani Temple with its carved stucco representing some of Bagan’s finest ornamental work. Enjoy the sun setting over the plain of Bagan from one of the pagoda platforms and dine at the outside restaurant of our riverside hotel, accompanied by Burmese music.

NGAPALI BEACH (optional add-on excursion)
Fly from Yangon to Thandwe and spend a relaxing holiday in one of the charming resorts at the wonderful 3 km palm-backed white sand Ngapali beach, enjoy swimming and long walks on the beach, meeting friendly people, snorkelling, going out on a fisherman’s boat, explore the nearby fishing villages and local pagodas and savour the incredible cuisine including fresh fish and seafood of the day.

See Participants' Photos NEW! or Denys's Photos from past excursions to Burma.

Timetable
January 14, evening: Yangon. (Jan 12, departure from Vancouver, overnight in Singapore)