趕著HK Express香港飛曼德勒航線的尾巴，中秋節去了一趟緬甸，人生首次踏足相對落後的東南亞國家，亦是亞洲最窮的國家之一，令我很期待一看這個第一印象如印度，但令我感到相對安全的國家。
We flew to Myanmar in mid-autumn festival. Catching the "last flight" to Mandalay before HK Express suspend the service end of October. It is my first time to explore a developing country in South-East Asia - Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in Asia. I was very looking forward to visit this country which is full of mystery to me. It gives me a feeling of India but I know it is way safer.
由香港飛往曼德勒只需兩小時四十分鐘，不需三小時便到達另一個氣候和環境相差很遠的國度。曼德勒機場不大，只有兩層，但基本設施如餐廳、小食店、兌換店都有，洗手間亦很乾淨。唯一美中不足是入境大堂唯一的櫃員機沒有插上電源，又貼上告示表示維修，令所有遊客只能乖乖地到兩間兌換店排隊換錢。
It takes only 2 hours 40 minutes to fly from Hong Kong to Mandalay. With less than 3 hours, we arrived in another countries with different latitude and atmosphere. Mandalay Airport is not big which only has two levels.However, it is not a problem to find basic facilities like restaurants, snack bar, currency exchange. The toilets are clean (yay! What a good start). The only mysterious we found is the one and only one ATM in the arrival hall has no power. It has only the notice showing it is under maintenance. As a result, all tourists have to line up at the currency exchange before officially starting their trip.
由機場到曼德勒市中心可以選擇小巴或的士，兩者都是4000K一位，分別是小巴最多坐16人，很快滿客可以開車，但同時各遊客的目的地有所不同，比較分散，車程變相較長；而的士必需夠5人才開車，但多數遊客在到達後都已經買了小巴車票才經過的士站，所以要待夠5人比較花時間等候，但車程較短和舒適。最後我們選擇了小巴，被安排最後一站下車，結果用了差不多兩小時才到達酒店。
There are two ways to leave the airport -Taxi or Bus which both cost the same 4000K each. The main difference is the TIME. Bus can take 16 passengers and operates in high frequency. However, the final destination for the tourists are difference and spread around various corners in the town. It takes time to drop everyone off and it would be unlucky to be the last one. Shared taxi takes 5 passengers at a time but it takes time to wait till finally have 5 if you are travelling alone because most of the tourists already got their bus ticket in the arrival hall. They would always realised the taxi is better when the stepped out. However, taxi gives you a comfortable ride and shorten the commuting time. Obviously taxi is a better deal, but we chose bus and it took us almost two hours to arrive at the hotel because we are the LAST ONE to get off the bus.
到達酒店安頓後便火速開始今天的行程，酒店可免費租用單車，所以決定以單車代步到一間有機餐廳吃午飯，距離酒店約兩公里。
We started our trip without hesitation after loaded off our stuff in the hotel. The hotel provides free bicycle rental. We decided to ride to an organic restaurant, 2KM from the hotel, for lunch.
曼德勒的街道不是九曲十三灣，而是井井有序，一個個四方型，街道以數字命名，我們的酒店就在第二十九街，八十二和八十三街之間，但不是每一條街都有街號，所以有時要用心數著過了多少條街，才不至走回頭路。
The streets in Mandalay are well organised and named with number. From the map, it shows different squares. Our hotel located at Street 29, in between Street 82 & 83. Since it is not happened on every street to have the name sign, we have to remember by heart of how many streets we passed to avoid riding backward.
在緬甸踏單車是肺功能的考驗，因為本身緬甸的空氣已經比香港的差，加上路上經常沙塵滾滾，電單車又多，令空氣質素更加惡劣，我們在路上踏著單車，根本吸廢氣是避無可避，我每晚回到酒店覺得全身佈滿塵埃外，還覺得鼻孔被黑點黏著，即使在室內仍覺得呼吸著廢氣。
I would conclude that riding bicycle in Myanmar is a lung function test. The air quality in Myanmar is way worse than that in Hong Kong. The roads are always sandy, with tons of motorbikes, the situation is very worse. We rode on the road and sucked in the gas as well. It is unavoidable. I felt so dusty every night I was back in the hotel, my nose got fully stuck by the blown in dirt during the day. It seems that I was breathing in the polluted air even I was indoor.
幾經波折終於到達餐廳Simplicity，這是一間有機餐廳，以自己菜園的蔬菜製作菜式，同時即製傳統緬甸Shan菜。
After a few times wrong turns, we arrived at the restaurant called Simplicity. It is an organic restaurant which their own garden. They grow the vegetables and sell in the restaurant. The traditional cuisine is called Shan in Myanmar.
我們點了青檸魚、Shan炒麵和青木瓜沙律。緬甸人愛辣，甚麼都要辣椒，受辣的程度不容低估，我們點的青木瓜沙律辣的程度是我吃了兩三口已經感到舌頭被燒的感覺，不單是辣椒本身的辛辣，他們還把辣味混入醬汁內，雙管齊下，結果我難以繼續吃下去。
We ordered Lime Fish, Shan Style Fried Noodles and Green Papaya Salad. Myanmar people obviously love spicy which can be told from the reddish cuisine. Everything is full of chilli. They have high level of spicy acceptance. The green papaya salad is too spicy to swallow after a few spoon and my tongue is burnt. You can find the spiciness from the chilli and in the sauce/ dressing. It is mission impossible to finish the salad with double spiciness.
青檬魚和Shan炒麵味道不錯，不是太辣。魚身被大量綠色的青檸蓉覆蓋，帶一點辛辣，十分惹味;炒麵以濕炒製作，加上多種新鮮時令蔬菜，十分有家常便飯的感覺。
On the other hand, the lime fish and fried noodles are nice and not too spicy. The entire fish is covered with the mashed lime and the chilli enlightened the taste. The fried noodles served wet with seasonal vegetables. Simple but taste fresh and homey.
飯後老闆推薦我們到附近約五分鐘車程的伊洛瓦底江遊覽，他以這條緬甸人的母江為榮。河水泥黃色，有小孩在玩水，媽媽幫嬰兒洗澡，特大船隻停泊著，小販在河邊擺賣，令我聯想起印度恆河 - 一條相對清潔的恆河，但絕對！絕對！絕對不適合進行任何活動。
The owner recommended us to have a look of the Irrawaddy River which is 5 minutes away by bicycle. This is the mother river of Myanmar people and they are so proud of it. The river is not clear and muddy. Kids are playing along the river, the mother is bathing her baby, cargo ships are loading off the goods and street hawkers are selling snacks. It made me associate here with Ganges in India. However, here should be relatively cleaner than there. Nevertheless, any activities in the river is not recommended.
離開後我們前往曼德勒罕見的西式Coffee Shop，TripAdvisor遊客熱捧的地方Nova Coffee。每間餐廳都提供泊車位於門前，有的還有專人看管，所以泊車不成問題。一進Coffee Shop即時感到回到香港，進入了時下流行的文青Cafe，感覺很舒服。
Leaving the river, we headed to the Coffee Shop. I admitted that coffee shop or cafe are not common in Myanmar. I learnt about Nova Coffee in Myanmar via TripAdvisor. It is highly recommended by tourists and very popular among the expat community. It is very easy to find parking in Myanmar no matter you have a car or a bike like us. The shops provide parking in front of their entrance and with staff to look after. The moment to enter the coffee shop, I felt like back in Hong Kong. I were in the down-to-earth cafe found everywhere now in Hong Kong. It feels so comfortable.
飲品亦很精心設計，有創意！難怪吸引那麼多外國人來暫緩思鄉情緒。Moritz說如果他移民來緬甸曼德勒，有天他不見了，一定是來了這Cafe。
All the beverages are well designed and with creativity. The expat could have the feeling of home and release the culture shock. Moritz said if one day he moved to Mandalay and found missing, I could look for him here.
租用的單車坐椅長期移位前端向上，令我幼嫩的臀部長期受不必要的磨擦，每次停車再起動都有苦自己知，那種痛我以為表皮已磨爛了。迫不得意選擇腰斬踏單車上曼德勒山的行程，選用的士。
The bicycle I had is not in a good condition because the seat is not well set. The front of the seat always rises when I sit on it. My butt hurt so bad, especially everything when I started riding. It was so painful that I thought my skin got scratched through. As a result, we have to cancel the plan to ride to Mandalay Hill, but taking taxi.
緬甸入廟拜神，要先脫鞋脫襪，門口都設有鞋櫃放鞋，多數都是免費，只試過曼德勒山是要每人付200K。
Visitors need to take off the shoes before entering the temple in Myanmar. Shoe shelves will be provided at the entrance and mostly are free of charge. We only paid once at the one in Mandalay Hill for 200K.
當地人說走路上山要45分鐘，日落大約6時開始，但我們到達時已經5:30，所以的士司機都游說不如坐的士上山，但我們相信沒有不可能，決定極速走上山，離開前的士司機說會等我們下山，到時再帶我們回酒店，我們草草敷衍他便立刻上山。
We were told that normally it takes 45 minutes to hike up to the hill. We arrived at the bottom at 5:30 while sunset was around 6pm. The taxi driver persuaded us to take the taxi up, but we believe nothing is impossible. We decided to try our best to hike up before 6pm. The taxi driver told us he will be waiting here and drive us back to town. I was not taking his promise seriously but was eager to start moving my feet before it was too late. Perhaps I said OK before I left.
上山路都設有完善的樓梯，但高低不一，走了15分鐘已經氣喘如牛，汗流浹背，但我們在跟時間賽跑，天色開始昏暗令我們不能停下腳步，要盡快攻頂，不能錯過人人看過都讚嘆的夕陽景致！
Stairs are well established along the way, however, they are uneven. After 15 minutes, my breath became heavy and sweated through my shirt and chest. However, the sun urged us to go faster. We have to reach the summit before the sunset completed. The sunset in Myanmar is one of the best in the world.
最終在日落前到達山頂，但天氣不似預期，太陽被厚雲遮蔽，看不到太陽光照射著佛塔，令佛塔發出異常光彩的神景。但山頂四周的風景、佛塔的設計和色彩繽紛的環境仍然很吸睛，令我樂而忘返。我最欣賞的就是圍繞著佛塔的柱子，柱身以鏡片堆砌出不同的圖案，每一塊鏡片都各自反射出不同影像，形成獨一無二的圖案。
We finally made it to the top before the sunset. But the weather was not that good to see the sun. It hid behind the cloud. I was not able to see how the pagoda turned golden when the sun shining on them. However, the view around us was not bad and memorable. We overlooked the city, appreciated the design of the pagoda, felt joyful with the colourful surrounding. I was totally overwhelmed by the stone poles around me because they are full of mosaic. The uneven shape of mirror were stuck on the poles. Every piece with different reflection which made a unique piece of art.
在開始入黑前，加上五臟廟發出咕嚕咕嚕，我們開始下山。太陽下山了，樓梯只靠兩邊微弱的燈光照明，有時更缺乏任何燈光，只能摸黑走路。在漆黑的環境下，我最怕的不是踏進污水，因為水會反光可以避免，而是踏在別人吐在地上的口水，一想起覺得十分噁心，其次是怕不小心踏到狗的尾巴，或是突然有狗向我們吼叫但牠在明我們在暗。
Before the darkness came and our stomach started to complain, we headed down the hill. On the way back, if we are lucky, we had a couple of lamp with weak light along the stairs. If not, it was totally dark. The scary thing to walk in the dark is not stepping in the dirty puddle because it can be avoid when you see the reflection; it is to step on the spit on the floor when you have bare foot. It is very disgusting. Another fear is to step on the tail of the dog or a dog or more dogs barking on you. You don't know where they are and if they will attack you.
一個緬甸女子和的士司機在落山途中向我們招生意，談好價錢便跟他們走。還記得上山前說會等我們下山的那位司機嗎？他真的還在，看到我們便立即上前，但當我們告訴他不能坐他車下山，他立即追問我們是否忘記了我們的承諾，語氣有點生氣，我那刻真的感到害怕。與我們一起的緬甸女子見狀立刻幫我們解圍，說了幾句，那的士司機不再追上前，我沒有回頭看，只詢問緬甸女子跟他說了甚麼？但她只輕輕帶過，沒有正面回答，我也沒有再追問。
A Myanmar lady and a taxi driver approached us when we were on our way to the entrance. They offered us a good deal back to the town and we followed them to the car. Do you still remember the taxi driver who said he will wait for us? He was still there. When he saw us, he immediately stepped forward. We told him we cannot take his taxi because we had a deal with the other one. He chased us and asked if we had forgotten our promise. He sounded a little bit angry and I was a bit scared. The Myanmar lady realised something is going on and tried to help us. She said something to the driver. Then, the driver stopped following us. I did not turn around and look at the driver again. I asked the lady what did she say to him. She did not answer my question directly, just said everything is fine. I was not bother to follow up and that is fine for me as well.
在酒店附近的夜市掃街，許多小販擺賣，燈火通明，但食物種類不多，油炸小食﹑湯麵﹑Pancake、甜糕點等，每款試少量，是十分滿足的事。
We spent our night in the night market nearby the hotel. A lot of hawkers set up their cart along the street and it is the brightest spot at night in Mandalay. However, we did not find a lot of variety of food, only deep-fried snack, soup noodles, pancake and sweet dessert. The small portion gave us a chance to try all the food which was satisfactory.
後記：記不起緬甸有沒有公眾垃圾桶，但當地人自律地把垃圾放在同一地方，變成小山，放便工人收集，我們當然都入鄉隨俗，隨到掉垃圾啦！
PS: I don't recall any public trash bin in Myanmar, but the local put the trash on the same place on the street to make a little mountain. It also facilitates the workers to collect the trash. We, of course, do what local do. Trash on the streets!! haha
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