day 12: best burger in bagan and some say burma

It is a small restaurant with seven or so tables, with a few simple Burmese deco hung on the interior walls and a sign 'Weather Spoon' outside. What caught my attention was the colourful sign at the corner with 'Burgers' listed among several other types of food they serve.

We have had american food at a number of restaurants in the past few days, but nothing was really satisfying. I decided to give it another shot and ordered the 'Weather Spoon's Burger'.

It turned out to be superlicious!! The bun was nicely toasted and between was a juicy home-made minced beef patty, complete with tomato, onions and bacon. It was accompanied with crispy fries, the best I have had on the entire trip!

The restaurant founder, owner and chef is Win Tun, a young gentleman who was a hot-air balloon driver turned chef. It was in Bristol UK - when he was training to be a hot-air balloon driver - where he learnt to make beer battered fish and chips, the burger and other food.

He spent all that he had and opened Weatherspoon Restaurant in September 2011. Business in the first two months was not great but is picking up now.

It was so good, Bun and I went back on the same day for dinner. And when we got there, we saw two other tables with the same customers who were there for lunch. Returning customers - a true testimony of good food, besides our licked-clean empty plates.

Cost (US$1 = 750 kyat):

• 9,000 kyat - We had the Weather Spoon Burger with fries, Thai chicken with rice, lime and ginger drink, warm chocolate cake and a complimentary coffee in celebration of the upcoming Independence Day
• 6,200 kyat - For dinner, we had Carbonara and Fish and Chips

day 11: express bagan

We were too lazy to cycle seven kilometres into Old Bagan and around, so we decided to hire the horse cart for another day.

Today, we speedily covered seventeen Zedis around Old Bagan, Central Plain and Myinkaba.

Some were highly recommended under the top Zedis to visit by Lonely Planet, others were un-named and only marked as a number on the map

Nonetheless, each has it's unique characteristic, such as wall painting, narrow stairs to terrace which overlooks the river or other Zedis, oversized Buddha statues, etc. In order of visit, they are:

1. 233 and 234

2. 2007

3. Upalithein - structure reinforced by UNESCO

4. Khaymingha

5. Thatbyinnyu Temple

6. Minyeingon

7. Pahtothamy

8. Mimalaung Kyaung

9. Gawdawpalin

10. Bu Paya

11. Maha Bodi Pagoda

12. Manuha Temple

13. Nanpaya

14. Gubyaukgyi

15. Dhammayangyi Pahto

16. Sulamani Pahto

Midway stop to watch the hot air balloons

17. Buledi - for the finale sunset









Cost (US$1 = 750 kyat):

• 15,000 kyat - horse cart and driver for a day
• 6,700 kyat - lunch for two at sarabha restaurant in old bagan
• 4,500 kyat - bbq dinner for two at Shwe Yar Su along Restaurant Row

day 10: relaxing day by the 'beach'

As I am recovering from my flu, Bun didn't think it was a good idea to cycle into Old Bagan, which is approximately seven kilometers away.

We decided to take a day off and just chill. And we found the perfect place to have a nice slow lunch.

Just three minutes walk from the market is The Beach Bar and Restaurant. Overlooking the shallow stretch of the river, there were locals doing their laundry and sunning their clothes.

It was one of our most expensive meals, and the restaurant charges 10 per cent government tax and 10 per cent service charge, but we were completely satisfied when we walked out.

Seems like a great place for drink at sunset. If not for my flu, I would have taken advantage of the affordable cocktails. At less than S$10, the margaritas were really tempting!

They have the best restrooms I have seen so far in my entire trip, complete with beautiful wood framed mirrors.

Cost (US$1 = 750 kyat):

• 11,200 kyat - grilled chicken and pork fried rice lunch for two

day 9: a date with mr universe of bagan

U Thaung Lewin, directly translated Mr Universe (man on the left), is a 64-year-old passionate retired English teacher and free-lance tourist guide.

Termed as the 'Master of all Guides', our hotel host told us that many younger guides would go to Mr Universe if they had questions on history, culture or the English language. He was also mentioned in one of the Lonely Planet guidebooks.

We were lucky to get Mr Universe to give us an overview of Bagan and it's history.

Spending close to an hour at our first stop, Shwezigon Paya, Mr Universe gave a comprehensive lesson on how the 42nd King Anawrahta unified the country in 1044 and built this first grand temple. He ushered in the golden age and also made Buddhism the national religion.

Mr Universe is a serious Buddhist who dedicates his entire being into learning the teachings of the fourth Buddha, living it out and spreading it. Naturally, much of what he shared was on Buddhism.

His warmth and sincerity was overflowing. Not only did he invite us to the annual celebration where people paid respect to the retired teachers, he also invited us to his home for dinner.

Zedis, or centres of worship, and other attractions we saw today included:

• Shwezigon Paya - the prototype of many pegodas to come
• Buddhist-regulated Orphanage - headed by one of the descendants of the Kings who has the original and rare crystals from the Buddha's blood
• Htilominlo Phato - a 46 metre tall red bricked Zedi
• Amanda Phato - the best-preserved temple with the two face of Buddha
• Shwesandaw Paya - where we watched the sun set at the peak of pyramid-style pagoda

Thoroughly enjoyable - to spend the day exploring Bagan on the back of a horse cart with a knowledgeable and passionate local guide.

Cost (US$1 = 750 kyat):

• 15,000 kyat - horse cart for a day
• US$25 - One day tour by Tourist Guide Mr Universe
• 11,300 kyat - lunch for Mr Universe, Bun and I at Golden Myanmar in Old Bagan
• 6500 kyat - dinner for two at Fuji which serves pretty authentic Japanese cuisine

day 8: cruising down Ayeyarwady

After spending US$32 on a rocky and dirty night train, we were not entirely confident when we handed over US$40 each for the Shwe Keinnery Express Ferry.

The nine-hour ferry departs daily at either 7am or 8am. We bought tickets for the later boat through our hotel.

It turned out that the ferry only serves foreigners, so seats are comfortable, decks are spacious, restaurant on board provides good (though a little pricey) service, and restrooms are decent. The one which we were on today had less than half its capacity of 120 seats.

The width of the river was narrow, so we spent most of our time on the upper deck, just watching the coast. People washing clothes, cows grazing, cluster of stupas standing tall and more.

The journey ended with a gorgeous sun set as we pulled into Bagan.

And Inn Wa's hospitable host was at the jetty, smiling with a sign that reads 'Kelly +1'.

I have a feeling I'm going to love this place.

Cost (US$1 = 750 kyat):

• 5,000 kyat - taxi from Central Mandalay to jetty
• US$40 - Shwe Keinnery Express Ferry ticket
• 3,000 kyat - bowl of bee hoon soup and tea for breakfast on board
• 8,000 kyat - fried rice and noodles for lunch
• 8,400 kyat - dinner with puppet show for two