Four-country trip to the Philippines, Brunei, Bangladesh and Myanmar (22) Hsipaw and Pyin Oo Lwin

At three o'clock in the morning, I got on the train to Lashio. The Manla (Mandalay to Lashio) railway was built by the British colonists and opened in 1903. It has been running for nearly 120 years, with a total distance of 289 kilometers. A truly century-old railway. There is a train from Mandalay to Lashio every day, departing at 4 a.m. After 15 hours of operation, it arrives in Lashio at about 19 o'clock that night. The average speed is less than 20 kilometers, which is similar to riding a bicycle. However, the whole ticket price is only 10 yuan, which is a good value for money.

Mandalay Railway Station

Conductor and paper ticket

Car interior

It's daybreak and you can enjoy the scenery. The train almost sweeps the weeds on the roadside most of the time, and the train shuttles through villages and fields.

During World War II, Myanmar's railway system was severely damaged by frequent war damage. Although the Myanmar government has continuously invested funds in construction since its independence, overall, the existing railway system is still backward. The road conditions are not even as good as our country's level in the 1960s and 1970s. The railway maintenance is not in place and the trains are very bumpy when driving.

Except for the diesel locomotive used in the main job (the locomotive) and the carriages equipped with electrical equipment, the stations and lines are still in the same condition as a hundred years ago. Manual switches are still used, and signals are not equipped with automatic blocking systems. Signal flags are still used. Most crossings are level crossings.

Dongfeng diesel locomotives produced in China

Car interior

line

Stations and signs

Some "stations" don't even have platforms

Signal worker standing next to handmade turnout

level crossing

However, the pastoral scenery along the road is quite nice.

From time to time you can see pagodas

Gohteik Viaduct is the highlight of the Manla Railway. This bridge across the Guwen River Valley was built in 1899 and opened to traffic in 1900. The bridge is 689 meters long and the bridge deck is 102 meters away from the valley. It was the largest railway bridge in the world at that time. The bridge was constructed by Pennsylvania and Maryland Bridge Construction, a bridge construction company from the United States, and all bridge accessories are made in the United States.

River valley under the bridge

The train schedule is: departing from Mandalay at 4:00 in the morning, arriving at Pyin Oo Lwin at 8:00, passing the Kot Viaduct Railway Bridge at 11:00, and arriving at Hsipaw Station at 15:00. Military police got on the bus at Hsipaw Station and drove all the foreigners off the bus. It turned out that this was already the border under the jurisdiction of the Myanmar government troops, and beyond that was an area controlled by independent ethnic minorities. Therefore, the military police did not allow foreigners to When tourists enter, it is actually only more than 200 kilometers away from Ruili in China. It seems that returning to China by land is problematic. I had no choice but to get off the train here.

Hsipaw is an important town in the Shan State of Myanmar. Historically, Hsipaw was a state under the rule of Shan chieftains. It played a key role during the British colonial period and the early days of Myanmar's founding. Today it is a transportation hub for China-Myanmar trade. Since I can’t walk any further, I’ll stay in Hsipaw and see what there is to do. I found out that there are actually several “tourist attractions”

Hsipaw Qiong Travel Map

I rented a bicycle from the hotel and first came to the Maha Nanda Kantha Monastery, a building made entirely of teak. The undulating corridors outside the main hall of the monastery are very beautiful. There is a statue that has been enshrined in the monastery. The bamboo Buddha statue with a history of more than 150 years is now completely covered with thick gold foil.

There is also a pool and several abandoned pagodas near the monastery.

Not far to the west of the Bamboo Buddha Monastery is Little Bagan. There are many pagodas here. Compared with the Bagan pagoda group, "Little Bagan" is inferior in both scale and artistic value, but the pagodas here are not. Authentic after any renovation.

Another temple next to Little Bagan, Banndar Pagoda & Monastery.

Then I rode to the Shan Palace, the palace of the Shan chieftains, which is the residence of successive chieftains of Hsipaw. Tusi is the organizational form and system of local political power established in ethnic minority areas during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. It is a hereditary political ruling power, equivalent to a small regional emperor. Before the establishment of Shan State in Myanmar, it was directly governed by Shan chieftains and had a very high degree of autonomy. Even after the British ruled Myanmar, the Shan chieftains still existed. It was not until Myanmar launched a military coup in 1962 that it was completely dismantled.

The Tusi Palace is completely a small Western-style building, with Ionic pillars and a swimming pool outside the building. The last chieftain, Sao Kya Hseng, and his wife once lived in this palace. There are many photos introducing their lives.

In the evening I came to the Mijie River Bridge to watch the sunset. From here I could see the distant peaks and the rushing river. The scenery here was unique, but the sky was foggy.

I took a car back to Mandalay early in the morning. After passing Pyin Oo Lwin, I got off at the Anisakan intersection, and then rented a motorcycle to go to Anisakan Waterfall.

Anisakan Waterfall is a karst waterfall. The swooping water hits the steep stone wall and splashes a lot of water. The falling water forms a waterfall pool. Standing under the waterfall will make people feel refreshed.

Then I returned to the junction and caught a ride to Pyin Oo Lwin.

Pyin Oo Lwin is located on a plateau 47 kilometers away from Mandalay, at an altitude of 1,000 meters. It is a famous summer resort in Myanmar. British colonists began to build the city in 1896, and it became the "summer capital" of British Myanmar. The British left many bungalows and villas. Pyin Oo Lwin was once the general education and military education center of the British colonial government. Many colonial officials sent their children to schools here to receive English education. Now Myanmar's most famous National Defense University is also located here. here. Strolling through the streets of Pyin Oo Lwin, traces of British colonial rule can still be seen everywhere - European-style churches and colonial buildings scattered everywhere.

The Purcell Tower located in the center of the town is Pyin Oo Lwin's landmark building. It is said that this was a gift from Queen Victoria to the British army. It was made in the shape of the British Big Ben, but the materials and details involved were greatly simplified.

Streets and buildings near Purcell Clock Tower

All Saints Anglican Church was built in 1912. The exterior is a red Gothic building. Except that the original tile roof of the church was replaced by steel, it still maintains its original appearance more than a hundred years ago. The facilities inside the church are well preserved and have a strong sense of history.

another church

Colonial buildings abound in Pyin Oo Lwin, and there are many unique hotels in the urban area. Some retain the previous colonial architectural style, while others are built in modern styles. The air here is fresh and the temperature is cool, making it perfect for vacation.

In the evening I rented a car and returned to Mandalay.

Two days itinerary