The Mingun Bell and the unfinished Mingun Paya

We got off the boat to visit Mingun, the home of the Mingun Bell. It weighs 87 tons and is the world's largest intact bronze bell. As we landed we were immediately greeted with people trying to get us to buy stuff. Several interesting elephants were seen.  Ox carts again, food vendors, and then back to the Ayeyarwaddy river for the trip back to Mandalay. In Myanmar temples, monasteries, and Pagodas you are not allowed to wear shoes or socks - the sign here was quite clear about shoes.





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Mandalay Palace and Surroundings

We went to visit the newly renovated Mandalay Palace. Nearby was a village with among other things  a marionette show in progress. There was food to eat and stuff to buy; one shop was selling carpeting. Hamburgers at the Burger Queen, Foot massage, and a stop-smoking remedy. The palace was built in 1857-1859 as part of King Mindon's founding of Mandalay as the royal capitol. He and King Thibaw were the last two Burmese kings and they lived here. Photos of him and others were on the walls. There was this large cannon there - the sign said it was named Yan Pon Khwin which means can crush all enemies.

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