One of the benefits of being in a hotel instead of my usual accommodation, is that I can use the sanitary bag as a sick bag for simultaneous evacuation.
Anyway, so there we were with the Monk. Guide Naw explained my particular interest and an elderly man started to talk for the guide to translate.
He said the Japanese had lived in this village, just over there, for six months awaiting the Allies to cross the Ayeyewadi river. (actually they crossed at several points). It was hard going for the villagers as the Japanese ate most their food - (the Japanese had to live off the land the entire 3 years whereas the Allied generally managed to maintain supply lines through air support) but these Japanese learned the local language and respected the temple and the two stukas. Unlike the Allies who arrived and bombed the stukas to bits and they were only repaired 15 years ago.
They brought out peanuts with sesame seeds, fermented tea leaves, and locally made brown sugar cubes which were delicious but I wonder if they have set me off again.
AFter the stories a hot young dude (and I'm sure he knew it) was detailed to walk us to the river, and he sashayed off along the drit tracks through the village. Everything was bamboo or palm, and no evidence of electricity. We stopped with a man chopping long stems (reeds?) into chaff with a foot pedal connected to an overhead bamboo pole, and a blade. He then put the chaff into water in a trough for his two bullocks. They also did not like my smell and backed away behind the trough.
About 400m down these tracks we came to the bank of the mighty Ayeyewadi, and just in front was the sandbank/island so I realised we were in an authentic location. I could see the vast width of the river upstream of the island. The cliffs that caused many problems think are downstream, we may have seen them as we flew into Bagan yesterday.
Women were washing clothes in the brown water, bathing and swimming. Men were stomping with their feet in bags - my guide explained they were separating the kernel and shell of neem seeds ( I use neem in the greenhouse) to then dry and sell. The seeds were lying about on the tracks in the village.
As we smiled and kinda chatted with the women, a boat like a long rowboat pulled in. It was stacked high with leaves from the island. Behind us similar leaves were drying in the baking hot sun, they are used for roofing.
On our return to the Monastery and the car I gave my koha to the MOnk. We then posed for photos and I guess the elderly man and the young dude both had something to think about for the day. Certainly for me a very special experience to be in this spot.
I would write more but the facilities in my room are calling once more. Hope I'm ok for our 6pm departure. Pleased I missed the evening tour and dinner.
love, M
