NYAUNG SHWE 

We are now in Nyaung Shwe for a few days, as I don’t need to be in Yangon until Sunday, for a Monday morning visit to the Thai Embassy, I did have some side trips planned out of Mandalay but they didn’t pan out. 

 We were keen on taking a boat trip up to Bhamo, near the Chinese border, but due to scheduling and possibility of not being able to bus it back (more foreigner restrictions), we had to skip it. In hindsight, we really could have had an extra day each at Bagan and Mandalay. (Mandalay for the food!)

Another possible trip was taking a train trip to Hsipaw and over the Gokteik Viaduct, but I do like to leave some things out to ensure I ‘have to’ return! It looks to be a great couple of day’s journey. 

So we spent today on bicycles, about 12 km in total that included a stop at Red Mountain Winery for lunch and a few samplers! It would be so good to have a scooter here, the lake and whole surrounding area looks to be a fantastic ride. It is also bloody cold and late today it started raining which although light now, still hasn’t stopped.

Oh, and we are staying at The Green Valley Hotel, just across the road from the Golden Empress which was full, but here is fine. $20 room, no tv or fridge, but we rarely use a tv anyway and it is cold enough to keep coke for the rum simply sitting on the tiles! 

 Wifi is possibly the best we have had in Myanmar, and the breakfast I would go as far to say, is the best free breakfast I have had on my travels. I will try to get a picture tomorrow.



Red Mountain Winery, where the wine was - as one traveler put it - 'supremely mediocre'!

  

Much prefer my bikes with an engine....