Bangkok/Myanmar Trip [part 5]: Bamboo Weaving and Pottery Villages with Novice Monk Ceremony

Day Three began for me before sunrise, but I was in for a treat because several of us went up on deck to watch the balloons float across Bagan and the thousands of temples.  Such an incredible site again, yet this time from the ground.  Nate flew his drone to get footage and I think it was his most amazing drone flight yet.  Check out 3:30 on their video about the trip to see what you think.  Birds kept trying to attack Nate and Jeremy's drones.

The group spent the morning wandering around the warren of the main local market in Bagan.  You could get pretty much anything there.  The fruits and veggies were especially colorful.  You also knew you were getting fresh meat or fish.  There were also stalls for all kinds of household items, clothes, souvenirs and so much more.  I was impressed they let us loose to explore on our own and hope we made it back to the meet up spot on time.

After meeting back up, we hopped on the buses back to the boat for lunch and then we left Bagan for the next destination of Hnaw Kone.  This village is known for bamboo weaving.  We watched ladies splitting bamboo that is weaved into things like walls and giant baskets for tobacco.  I could fit inside of one easily.

Weaving the bamboo into mats and more.

Bet I could fit in a basket.

Bamboo strips and the local village.

Notice the mats are used to construct their homes/buildings.

Gina is one special person!

There was a lady with a little one about the same age as mine.  Boy, it made me miss him so much at that moment, but I showed her a photo of him and we all smiled.  The village kids were adorable and we were able to interact with them at the school area.  The tour boat company helps support the villages it visits.  Like in one village, they provide a car so that someone can get to the hospital more quickly.

We were welcomed back on board - all the staff comes out when we leave and return.  The return is real fun because you get a welcomed cool towel to wipe off your face and a welcome drink.  Plus when you put your shoes in your basket they clean them!  Talk about top of the line service.

The whole group hung out up on deck as we cruised down the Irrawaddy.  We had a cocktail hour where we got to meet the ship's owners.  They joined us the following morning in Yandabo.  Dinner was amazing yet again.  That night's entertainment was Kara & Nate trivia!  Such a fun event.  Nate created it based off of places they have been and my geography background came in handy!  My tea, Team 1 (Onderers) were in 2nd or 3rd place going into the final round.  We shouldn't have wagered any points because you had to get all eight questions correct to earn anything.  If you didn't get them all right (we missed one), you lost all the points you wagered.  Hilariously, the team that ended up winning was in last place and wagered nothing.  We begged for a second trivia night later in the week.  Looking back I realized I was having so much fun that I do not have photos from this or the market adventure!

On Saturday, Day Four, we woke up in Yandabo, the pottery village.  It was a very very special day in the village.  The young boys were becoming novice monks and we had the opportunity to witness this amazing event.  The whole village paraded around in vibrant longyi, traditional clothing.  The novice monks to be rode brightly decorated horses and I really enjoyed the gentleman doing a traditional Burmese dance!  

Here is a link to the dance video.   It was too big to upload here.

While the parade winded through the village to the monastery, we had a look at how the pottery this village is known for was made. The pottery wheel is foot powered and the ladies are so experienced creating pots from a lump of clay.  A few folks tried their foot at churning the wheel.  The pots are then beaten with wooden paddles to the desired shape and stamped with a pattern that distinguishes which family made which pots - to help when it comes time to sell them.  Example in action of these pots were at the temples in Bagan.  They somehow keep the water cool by evaporation despite the extreme heat in Myanmar.  I was amazed at the coolness when I touched the side of a pot.

 

Note the golden thanaka on her face which many ladies in Myanmar wear daily.

The pots in action with cool water.

Once formed, pots are then placed in huge piles in a kiln for a couple days.  Then they are sold. They are sold for an insanely cheap price despite how much work it takes to create them.  I bought a tiny paddle from the sweetest old couple for my Myanmar ornament and two tiny pots for our parents as a tiny token of thanks for watching little one.

Kiln

Got one of these as my ornament.

After the pottery tour we made our way over to the monastery to watch the novice monk ceremony.  We watched several boys get their heads shaved and then everyone filed inside to watch.  

The monks to-be had to recite phrases perfectly before they could be wrapped in their robes.  A couple of us got to participate in the next part of the ceremony - a mixture of chanting and pouring water.  I was right next to the novice monks and Kara - and directly in front of us were the monks leading the ceremony.  A few others from the cruise also got to participate.  One of the monks and a lady behind me helped guide me to what I needed to be doing.  Like pouring water from the teapot into a cup.  Key was to do it super slowly so it would last the whole chant.  I was relieved we weren't drinking the water - it looked like it came straight from the river.  It was such a special experience.

After returning to the boat for lunch, we floated down river towards our next destination while Kara gave a presentation on video editing and Nate did a Q&A about travel hacking.  Gave my first batch of milk to the kitchen to be donated to the orphanage later.  So thankful it will be put to good use.

The group hung out again on the deck and watched another gorgeous sunset.  After dinner we played two rounds of one of my favorite group games - fish bowl.