Good Morning...well that was a birthday to remember. Some of you might know I delight in organizing events for others...but am not very keen to be the centre of it myself. Well yesterday I do have to say was lovely to be made a fuss over. Spending the day on the Irrawaddy River on the Pandow 2 is to be recommended on your birthday!

We had two excursions yesterday...in the morning we went to Min Hila to the Minhla Fort which was constructed in 1860 by King Mindon, with help from the Italians, to keep the British at bay from Royal Burma. There is a second Fort across the river, built by the French, standing high on the hill on the east bank... Gwe-chaung. Blocking an advance on the Irrawaddy was to be the principal defence...so the most strategic spots along the river were chosen for the forts. In the 3rd war of 1885 King Thidaw sought to block the advance of the Irrawaddy Flotilla using a combination of firepower and scuttling a vessel mid channel.

The plans failed: the vessel carrying the Italian's secret plans was captured, and secondly, the British captured the French Fort on the east bank from the rear before the defenders could bring their guns around. After a brief skirmish (24 hours says Soe) the Minhla redoubt was taken. It was here that Rudyard Kipling lost his best friend and the loss inspired the poem "On the Road to Mandalay" which voices his sorrow.

The forts toppled, the Irrawaddy Flotilla sped upstream at full steam; Mandalay fell without a fight and King Thibaw and Queen Supayarlat were carried off into ignominious exile in India.

The Pandow 2 pulled up to the bank in the usual fashion, carved out some steps, lay down the gang plank, we climbed up the bank and walked along the narrow road to the Fort, trying to imagine the brick remains full of soldiers, with elephants pulling the heavy cannons up the hill behind the Fort. A quick walk around the small town of 20,000 which is now a service centre for the oil and gas industry inland to the west.

In the afternoon we visited Magwe which is the capital of the Magway State, in Central East Miramar. It is a large town of 250,000 and is the major Miramar oil centre, an airbase for the military and of government factories.

But we were stopping here primarily to visit the Myat-thalon Pagoda set high on a hill overlooking the Irrawaddy. "Everybody goes here" we have been told by Soe. "It is like Central Park...the place to see and to be seen!" So off we went in our trishaws...

Enroute we stopped at the Central Park. In every city square there is a gleaming gold statue of Aung San on his horse and always in his Japanese uniform. We have caught glimpses here and there of him as we have travelled...but today the sun was shining on the statue so we got the full effect. Apparently there was one mould, so across Miramar this same statue marks the centre of town.

In the park our trishaw drivers put on a demonstration of chinlone, a game which is a passion across Miramar...the main aim is to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible. It is played by teams of 6, who revolve around a central very skilled player player...and the 6 we watched were pretty skillful...all parts of the body seem to be allowed to keep the ball in the air...except hands and arms. Chinlone balls are woven from rattan and are fairly small..about 5 in in diameter. They are light and springy but not too bouncy, and therefore perfect for passing and trick moves. We are on the look out for two for Charlie and Reggie.

Onto the pagoda, shoes off and with a few other folks enjoyed the serenity of the space and the magnificent view. A group of 8 young women who are in medical school at the local university practised their English with us. Three came hurrying back before they left...with balloons for me since it was my birthday! Quite lovely...so here I am beside the gleaming pagoda with some monks and a pink bunny balloon...love it.

Back onto the trishaws, down the hill and back to the Pandaw 2. It was a long ride through town...a first...through a roundabout in a trishaw...but much shouting and it all worked out. We were an impressive line of almost 30 trishaws making our way through a labyrinth of narrow streets. All the kids yelling out hello and waving.

Later at dinner our table of kiwis and Canadians agreed we felt uncomfortable being hauled about by a bunch of skinny strong bicycle riders while we sat plunk on our cushions on the side car. Gary and Brandt, the two Canadians....who were athletic enough to hop on and off, got off their tricycles and helped push them up the hills. I would have been still there if I had tried to quickly hop off. All in all just a bit too colonial for our table...like a royal entourage in trishaws!

Last night at dinner a cake arrived accompanied by a truly wonderful rendition of a Burmese country song which speaks hopefully of always rising above your troubles. The accomplished guitarist had been up to his waist in mud earlier getting our gangplank set up. This was followed by a formal,presentation of gifts (a Pandaw tee shirt and a book on the history of the Flotilla company) and then handshakes and congratulations from the Captain on down...and then all the fellow passengers...it was quite amazing!

Earlier in the day, at lunch, I was delivered a large beautiful gold card...written in Burmese...my birthday card from Gary...I think it says Happy Birthday...but maybe Lisa can check it out from the photo and tell me what it really says!

To top it off our stateroom was decorated in fresh flowers and towels rolled up like cakes and two bears! A decoration fit for a wedding, an anniversary or in this case a birthday. Not sure what I can expect for my 75th next year!

Lovely and surprising day. Thank you all for your emails and Facebook posting...they all came through magnificently. And it was lovely to spend FaceTime with Jean this morning...I could show her the Irrawaddy and she could show me rain!

Love
Doreen