Jill Will Go...

An emergency today. Our tour leader got very sick. We didn't realize how bad she was until we were at the airport. I was deputized to get us checked in. I got her a wheelchair and the airport people were very helpful getting her through security, but at the gate, it was just too much. She was in so much pain she couldn't stand up. I asked the man at security if there was a doctor at the airport. He said since it was Sunday there was nobody who could help. I asked where the nearest hospital was and he said they were all closed. I asked, "Even for emergencies?" and he told me they were closed. I almost lost it then. There is being calm and polite, and then there is just incredulousness. I said, "I do not believe you. There is no emergency room in all of Mandalay that's open today?" He then told me to wait, making "calm down" motions and went to leave. I pointed at my friend and said, "We need help." Finally, the woman at security came o

Any country or city with a great river demands that at least some of your travel be accomplished by boat. This is certainly true of Myanmar.  Mandalay is surrounded by former great capitals that are now considered "must-see" ancient cities. Some more spectacular than others. Today we visit Mingun, 11 km up the Ayeyarwaddy River from Mandalay. The first step to going down the river, is getting onto the boat. They are packed four deep, so planks are set up across each boat, and we quickly and nimbly make our way onto the outer-most boat. They have the comfy, neck and head massaging bamboo chairs for lounging on the deck. Most of us have on our 1,000 kyats (pronounced 'chats,' about $1.00) hats. These clever woven hats fold flat and come in a few colors. They aren't exactly fashionable, but they keep the sun at bay, and since it is blazing, they are much appreciated and much used. However, they do make for awkward picture taking. The phrase "I'm getting most

The hotel is on southeast corner of the Mandalay Fort Moat. Yes, there is a real moat around the fort. And it is a big one. Each side of the fort is 2 km long. King Mindon Min ordered the construction of the fort in 1857. The complex is huge and included many buildings and palaces. It was a city within the city. Our guide told us that the not-so-secret secret that everyone knew in 1857 had to do with human sacrifices. Astrologers picked out the best candidates based on birth dates, names, and physical features. The lesson here, of course, is don't piss off your local astrologer, you never know when they might pick you out for a human sacrifice. The superstitious king thought that sacrificing a person and burying the body on the grounds would protect the fort from invasion and destruction. Turns out he was totally wrong. Mindon was succeeded by Thibaw in 1878. Thibaw flirted with dealing with the French, which caused the British to fear that their timber interests were in jeopardy.