(三)、緬甸篇-(3-2).心的最初與最終-浦甘王國與娘烏鎮之蘇拉瑪尼佛塔 @ My Very Own World

(三)、緬甸篇

(3-2).心的最初與最終-

浦甘王國與娘烏鎮之蘇拉瑪尼佛塔

The Beginning and the End - Sulamani Phaya of Kingdom of Bagan and Town Nyaung-U

我剛到的時候就已經聽當地人說，浦甘正在申請世界遺產的登錄，等我6月回台灣之後，今年7月份，浦甘終於申遺成功，

真是菩薩保佑，恭喜浦甘、賀喜浦甘。
When I first arrived here,I'd already heard people talking about the application for being an UNESCO asset.

When I got back home to Taiwan in June,not long,

in July,Bagan was finally succeeded in being enlisted in UNESCO.

It's blessed by Buddha.

So long live Bagan,and congratulations to Bagan.

買巴士票的時候就跟飯店說好了的，巴士會來飯店接人，然後跟我要了下榻的飯店，說可以在到達巴士總站後，再直接轉送到我飯店，之前網上爬文的時候，一堆人就已經說到達後的轉送去飯店這一段，巴士的司機都會大開獅口，即使有公定價目表立在那裡，都只是參考用。

所以當飯店說可以直接送到飯店，我馬上不遲疑就買票，一大早在飯店門口等老半天，原來是接駁車先去載別人，在這種地方情緒上一定要沉穩，不要慌忙，由於我人還在飯店裡，隨時可以請飯店人員幫忙聯絡什麼的，接駁車是類似泰國的"雙條"皮卡車，

其實也不過只有一小段路就到大巴士，上車後不久就上路，一切都很好，中途休息一站，平安到達，車上都是外籍遊客。

It should have been an excellent deal,when my hotel told me that my bus would come to pick me up ,

and transfer me to my hotel directly when I arrived in Bagan.

Before I came,I had already read a pile of information on internet about the transportation problem in Bagan.

The information I'd got indicated that the distance between Bagan Bus Terminal and Nyaung-U city center would usually be charged by an obvious amount of money.Even the price sign standing there seemed useless but a reference only.

However,when my hotel in Mandalay told me a deal like this,a full covered package,

I placed my order right away withuot a bit of hesitation.

Perhaps,it was too good to be true.

I had been waiting at the lobby for my bus to come.
Owing to staying at the hotel still,I had not been apprehensive,because I could ask the counter to help anytime.
It had been a long while before the connecting truck appeared.Now I saw things clearly.My connecting truck

(like the ones with stripes at truck's two sides usually seen in Thailand.The type of pickup trucks in Thailand,

we generally call it "double stripes".)
came to pick me up before it collected other passengers first.I was the last one to "be picked."

Nontheless,the long distant buses were not parked far from my hotel actually.My bus was full of foreign tourists.
Everything was fine.We took just one break on the way to Bagan.
Here we were safely to Bagan.

下巴士後，馬上計程車司機就一擁而上，我趕忙拿了行李，連聽都不想聽，就先往一旁店家站下，冷眼旁觀一堆人討價還價吵成一團，這根本就是故意的，觀光客一到就是肥羊，哪裡會有轉送到飯店這種事情，想了一下，我不想用走的到最近的娘烏鎮，那先看一下好了，因為我想如果我當時有先請飯店派人來接就好了，漸漸地，一些司機看到許多人不想搭了，有些司機開始降價，這時該是我出手的時候了，找了一個想成交意願較強的說，"老大，那板上才寫6000，你跟我要20,000，做人可以不要這樣嗎?" ，接著我就開始魯，怪了，到底誰是司機? 反正我也沒事，魯著魯著，討到一個一車20,000，馬上就把還沒有車搭的其他觀光客，招齊了4個就一起擠上車了，日本、德國、義大利、和我台灣各一個，不管了先閃再說，坐車坐很久，已經很累了，結果我的飯店先到，下車後，司機獻殷勤，幫我把行李拿進飯店，結果那個德國遊客的背包跟我是同一牌子，等我發現拿錯背包，車子早就走了，不過飯店的人打電話幫我回巴士站找人，

後來那司機連同乘客又拿回來換，我是覺得滿好笑的。

My bus was slowly moving into the parking lot when we arrived at the bus terminal.
All cabbies swarmped up for soliciting business.I hurried off moving aside to the front of the nearby store ,after taking my backpack.This was litterally a chaotic horse trading.I must get away from the slaughter site for the time being.
Thus,there was no such a thing as a connecting bus coming to transfer me to my hotel in town.
This was literally a setup.The tourists were seen as soft lambs here.

I was calm as the cold of my blood somehow,meantime I was observing the havoc haggling proceeding among everybody.
I was pondering if I had called my hotel to send someone to pick me up beforehand,would it have been better off?
At this moment,I had no intention to walk on foot to the nearest town,Nyaung-U at all.

So,I'd have rather taken a break at least.
Gradually,not long,the noises of haggling subsided.Some cabbies started to cut their price in order to nail the order as soon as possible.Then my timing had come.I quickly approached to a cabby,who seemed to be nice.

Here,I was a little confused of my character.Was he or am I a driver?
I'd got nothing to do,so I started offering him my price.(Reversed character)
I kept nagging him to accept my price.
"Look,dude,the signboard says it's only 6,000 a car. But you want to charge me by 20,000.Wouldn't you go too far with that price?"
And I kept holding him,not letting go of him.No matter what he said or explained to me.
I didn't know what to do actually.I thought I was really bored.
Then,he decided he needed some business,so he bid me a price by 20,000 for a whole car.

Well,I responded with a yes,because I quickly yelled other tourists,who had not yet got any deal with other drivers.I collected 3 others,a Japanese,a German,and a Italian,so there were 4 of us for a car.Each of us only needed to pay him 5,000.

It had been a long drive from Mandalay to Bagan alreay,I had no mood to hang out,I just needed a rest.So we pushed the driver to start off right away.
However,my hotel was the first to come.
My cabby showed me his hospitality by carrying my backpack into the hotel's lobby for me.

After finishing the check-in registration,I found it was not my backpack.It was that German's.Our backpacks were the same brand,color,and model.
Luckily,the receptionists helped me call to the bus terminal and traced the taxi driver.Finally,the driver and that German came back to swap back our packs.A little bit absurd,but I had no worries at all,for I thought life would find a way itself(haha,no,I was simply tired,my nerves were not working right.),everything would be all right.

娘烏鎮位於巴士站或火車站跟歷史古寺景區之間，新鎮要從古寺景區再過去，騎車約再加上1小時不到，由於上網訂飯店很容易訂到新開發的鎮去，不是不好，只是距離巴士總站太遠，而且晚上舊區娘烏鎮比較好玩，不用怕無聊，

巴士站的計程車司機對要去新鎮住的遊客，開價也會更高些。
The old town-Nyanug-U is located between the bus terminal or train station,and the New Town,where is further deep into the relics district.It will take about another one hour from relics district to the new town.
Thus,the new town is very far from the bus terminal in Bagan,which gives you a consideration in booking accommodation.
The new town offers a lot of good bargains in hotel booking on line,however,I needed to consider the convenience and easy access to fun for nightlife.The Nyaugh-U old town offered fun better,which wouldn't bore me at night.
Since the new town is far,so the cabbies prone to charge more at bus terminal too.

飯店後面就是大街，黃土路的大街，各式餐館林立，當然也是因為觀光客多的關係，水準是不錯的，只是幾乎都沒有裝冷氣，當然電力不穩隨時會斷電也是有，可是很熱呢，還好雜貨店有賣一些冰塊，還找到一家竟然有賣甜筒冰淇淋，我的天啊，真好，而且也便宜，１０元台幣就一球，好便宜哪，對我降溫很有效用，這邊還有賣手工藝品，紀念品的店，最重要的應該是電動機車的出租店，景區很大，浦甘王國景區相傳就有高達３，５００座佛寺，沒有機車代步怎麼玩？除非包車囉。

It was just a street block away from my hotel.An assortment of restaurants and cafe shops spreaded on the yellow dirt road.Some of them were actually good in quality,thanks to tourists' consumption.

Stores or even restaurants here were not equipped with air conditioners,besides that,the supply of electricity wasn't stable.

But it was very hot now.

I'd found a grocery store that sold ice cubes,and to my surprise,there's a shop that sold ice cream.US$0.3 per scoop.It was very cheap,but nice.It helped me a lot in cooling down.Some vendors sold hand-made crafts as souvenirs.But I thought the most important store here was the stores that rented out E-scooters.The scooters that powered by batteries to cope with the enviornment's requests.

The touring area is large and there are more than 3,500 pagodas in the district.

Without e-scooters,it'd be left with the option of chartered vans or cars.

這時節，很熱，看一下手機，42~46度Ｃ了，正午後更加熱了，騎在路上體感溫度更高，洗好的T-shirt掛在浴室，

不用半天就乾了，好驚奇！
This time of a year was extremely hot. I took a quick glance at my mobile.

It showed the temperature at 42 to 46 degrees Celsius around.
I hang my T-shirts I had just washed in bathroom.It took less than a half day to get totally dry,which amazed me a little.

我雖然很怕灌水，天氣熱我也儘量喝多一些，免得身體消受不了，總不能熱到昏過去，因為身體消耗進水要時間，但是皮膚表層的水分卻蒸發的更快，水喝不夠，反而會造成腎的負擔，我在印度時，因為水喝得太慢，導致尿尿變的很少、顏色很濃，

我那時很怕自己腎會出問題呢，好在那時離旅程結束時間剩不到一個星期。

Though I was afraid of water-boarding to myself,haha,it was really hot,and the heat went exteme.

I might have fainted due to the shortage of water supply to my metabolism.

In the heat of 40 degrees above,I needed to consume water earlier.

The heat evaporated my perspiration from the surface of my skin very quickly.It was quicker than the amount I drank.
If I hadn't drank earlier,I put my kidneys at risk.
I remembered the time in New Delhi,India.I consumed a lot of water also being in a heat wave,

but my body couldn't absorb water soon enough.So my urine became little and its color darker.

I was so afraid that my kidneys would be damaged.Luckily it was less than a week before my journey in India finished.

由於寺廟古蹟很多都大同小異，不過也有很多規模很大，或是非常有意義的寺廟，這時太多的選擇，反而會變成沒有選擇，之前觀光客都喜歡爬上佛塔拍自拍，有人摔死過，為了申請世遺，現在已經被禁止，飯店給了簡易的地圖，上面標了兩個主要的觀日點，另外又給了新的觀日點，是"南明塔"，為一大型觀光飯店，區內也有人開發了豪華度假村，而浦甘風行的熱氣球登高遊覽，由澳洲團隊經營，一萬多我是覺得正常吧，但同樣登高，我去了南明塔，只要美金五元，但熱氣球就不去了(我怕挫賽，謝謝)。

The similarity was high among the pagodas.However,there were many in huge scale or full of historical meaning,

providing many touring choices.Perhaps,the choices were too many,which made me indecisive.

Some tourists would like to climb high on the tower of pagodas.The news once told there were a few cases of falling to death from pagodas' towers,so now the government prohibited everyone from climbing onto any tower.It was also for the application for UNESCO.

Nonetheless,most hotels here offered brief maps as instruction of watching points of sunset or sunrise.

There were two spots on my map.

Also there is an Australian company that sells tour by hot baloon,about USD400?Well,I think it depends on the package,

but,generally speaking,it's fair.

Besides all mentioned above,there is a newly built hotel,Nan Min Tower,

which also offers a great location for watching sunrise or sunset.The admission fee is USD5.00
I went to Nan Min Tower,but skipped the hot baloon tour(I feared if it's too high,I might sprinkle some urine,thank you.)
When I was on the rooftop of Nan Min Tower,I saw a luxury resort was down below too.
So,if you would like to splurge some,it's an ideal place to stay at.

在清晨天還未大亮時，悠閒往景區去，我根本不知道要玩哪座佛寺，就隨緣吧...
為了保護文化資產，景區內一律只能使用電動摩特車，到了一處看板，也不知寫什麼就彎了進去，地面一片黃沙更加難騎，細細、滑滑的沙粒讓輪胎更加沒有磨擦力，放慢了速度免得等下犁田，清晨氣溫正好，等下太陽升更高後就會熱慘了。

The dawn was just broken.I took a casual mind slowly with my e-motor heading to tourist district.
I had no idea at all where to go or what to see at first.
I let my mood ride for me...

In order to protect the cultural assets in the Bagan district,all visitors must use scooters with electrical drive.Soon enough I saw a big sign standing by the roadside with words that I didn't understand,I quickly made a turn go into the sand field.
The ground was covered with golden and delicate sand,making even hard to transport upon with my bike,

because the softness of the sand made no good friction against my scooter's tires.I had to slow down in case tumbling over.

The temp. was nice and comfortable at this moment,but it's deteriorating to extremely hot later after the sun rose higher.

來到天色還有些陰晴未明的蘇拉瑪尼塔，心下有些忐忑不安，情緒一時複雜難以分明，古典的紅磚佛寺屹立在荒蕪的黃土上，又是雄偉、又讓人好奇，脫了鞋進去，高高的門檻讓人有種進入不同時空的感觸，前院燃燒的枯葉白煙，在炎熱的夏季卻是增添了秋冬的蕭瑟，入寺後的四方佛祖們，親疏造型各異，陰暗的迴廊、高聳的石牆、剝落的壁畫、和勉強透入的日光，似乎讓我在這個人煙稀少的時刻，有著獨自漫步於陰陽界的戒慎恐懼，頓時腦海躍出一部電影-"倩女幽魂"，寧采臣追求的是跨越時空的愛情，聶小倩追求的是靈魂的自由和重生，而燕赤霞追求的是正義的伸張和秩序，然而，我內心卻又是驚訝，又是歡喜，是啊，人生如同一場渾沌未知的旅程，追求的是什麼呢? 要的是什麼呢?終點有什麼等著呢? 陰晴不定的世道，有著自己心中的真誠，大膽前行不就是人生的真實寫照，靈魂不需救贖，我就是我的救世主。

The daylight glistened through occasional clouds in the overcast sky from time to time,as the morning just started up in Sulamani Phaya.The light was jumping omnidirectionally enforcing the effect of my fidgit.

I was filled with ambiguous emotion that resulted from perplexity of what I was about to experience at the site.

The red-bricked pagoda,giant and ancient,standing perennial on the barren ,yellowish, and sandy ground.Tall and imposing at the first sight,uncleared and uneasy,after taking off my sneakers,I set my foot across the high threshold and entered.

I,then being in another space and time,was stumbling on the fear of unknown somehow,that was so great and not quantified.

At this time of a day,it's quiet.
The white and pale smoke from burning withered tree branches and leaves floated in the air of the front yard,making the atmosphere vaguely dressed in autumnal bleak and boreal gloom in the hot,sultry summertime.

The Buddha statues set on facing 4 directions of inner corridors,looked different from each other.

The somber aisles in the winding corridors,tall and enclosed walls,the peeling paints of the murals,and the sunlight that barely lit through from stony windows,all making me cowardly moving forward.

At this time,no one was in the pagoda but me.

There was only the stuffy sound coming from my bare feet treading on the ragged carpets that covered the cobbled floor.

A dilapidated temple in the desolate wilderness,I was like rambling in the twilight zone as well as being in that movie set.
Then,it hit me.A movie,"The Chinese Ghost Story",flashed through my mind.
In that movie,the leading male character was pursuing love across life and death,the leading female character was after the freedom and redemption of soul,and the 3rd main character was looking forward to the justice and orders.

I felt so amazed to know that I was thinking of all these things in this bleak environment.But,yes, Life is like an ambiguous journey.So what was I after,as to myself? and what will be waiting for me in the end of my own life?

I can't be so stubbornly in persisting in having something out of it.To me,life is like a river,that flows through my fingers.Nothing I can snatch tight in my pawns.All I can do is to have my genuine spirit accompanying me to the very end,and which is the most humble portrayal of me in fearless and straight forward.My soul does not need salvation.I am my own savior.

看著厚重石牆上殘留的壁畫，佛祖兩旁有著菩薩拈花服侍，似笑非笑的看著，是的，菩薩會微笑是因為祂懂得，

祂知道了，所以祂才笑了...

The residual murals left on the thick walls showed Buddhisattvas holding lotus flowers accompanying Buddha in the middle,showing the least grinning that could be detected.Yes,it's a smile,sure and firmly.

Buddhisattvas smiled,because they've got it.That's why they smiled.

(文章主旨理念來自佛經，對照蘇拉瑪尼寺剝落壁畫。)

相傳，佛祖在靈山會上用拇指與食指拈著花莖，其餘三個指頭微微翹起，他的手就宛若一朵含苞的花蕾。佛祖拈花示眾，大眾都不曉其意。惟有佛的大弟子，迦葉尊者，從佛陀的拈花微笑裏，頓時體會到了宇宙人生最神聖的真諦。他情不自禁地發出會心的微笑。

　　佛陀以這種高雅的姿態展示，然後對迦葉說道：

「吾有正法眼藏，涅槃妙心，實相無相，微妙法門，不立文字，教外別傳，付囑摩訶迦葉。」

　　釋迦牟尼佛將自己身上那件金縷袈裟解了下來，給迦葉披上。佛陀對迦葉諄諄囑咐道：

「我把禪的祕密玄旨傳給了你，你要好好護持，今後將之傳授給阿難，並要一代代傳下去，千萬別使之斷絕了！」

(The concept of my article's subject came from a Buddhist sutra,which related to the peeling painting on the walls at Sulamani Phaya.)

It's said,one day,Buddha was in a session of teaching at Holy Hill.
He showed his apostles by holding a lotus flower.

The way he's holding that flower,by clamping it with the thumb and the first finger,and the rest 3 fingers curved.
Beautifully a hand gesture Buddha was demonstrating,like a lotus flower pod in whole.
Then,Buddha was smiling at it.

No one in the class knew what it meant,but one.
Buddha's senior student,Kasya,who was also considered to be the founder of "Zen".
(Another cultural point here,It's hard to explain.)
Kasya smiled accordingly,because he suddenly understood the truth of universe that Buddha was demonstrating for them.

When Buddha saw Kasya's smiling,he stood up and took off his gold-threaded monk robe(kasaya,like cassock to priests) to Kasya,telling him ,You have got the hidden comprehension that is righteous to the right path in life,a understanding of nirvana,and you show it in no earthy appearances.Such a subtle way of comprehension needs no words,and you should preach it out of our religion.

Buddha then robed Kasya with his gold-threaded robe,and told him,
"I have passed down the secret of Zen to you.You need to protect it,pass it down to Ananda(Buddha's cousin,who wrote down everything Buhhda said in his life,and made the dictation in broadcast for future generations.),

and pass down to next generations.Do not let it die off."

阿難是佛祖的言行立書人，我在印度並沒有看到他的專門紀念寺廟，卻在浦甘有立一座規模宏偉的阿難陀佛塔，當然要去看看了。

阿難尊者的紀念寺廟，佛祖的表弟，記載佛祖在世時一切的教導和言行，並依此廣播傳世。

Ananda dictated everything that Buddha said and taught,b

ut I hadn't seen any temple built for commemorating him in India.

However,right here,there is a magnificent pagoda for him.

Of course,I needed to see it.

The monumental pagoda for commemorating Buddha's cousin,who wrote down every dictation from Buddha's lessons and teaching,

and by which Buddhism broadcasts worldwide.

在飯店訂了近郊聖山-波帕山的湊團包車行程，這裡飯店跟在外面找的價錢竟然大致一樣，不免覺得緬甸人真的很單純。

One day, I booked a package tour to Mt.Papo,the sacred hill in the suburban area.

I'd found my hotel offered the price same as the traveling agency's I inquired.

I sometimes,couldn't believe the locals were so naive in conducting business.

結識了來自日、韓兩國的朋友，在我們觀玩日落後那一日，明日大家將各分西東，搶著日暮將落時分，我帶他們又來到蘇拉瑪尼佛塔，由於區內數千佛塔，並非每個人都可以每個塔都有去過，而且最怕停留時間太少，有些只怕回憶也如同剝落的壁畫，風吹淡如影，落地成塵埃，於我，卻是來對浦甘做最後的道別，我也不知道什麼時候，我可以會再來。

I went to appreciate the sun setting once more with my two new acquaintances from Japan and South Korea respectively.Tomorrow we're parting from each other and bid our last good-bye.

I took advantage of the slim chance that I led them to Sulamani Phaya.I wanted to visit it for the last time myself as well.

Owing to the large quantity of pagodas in the historical district,not every pagoda could be visited by people,

so they agreed my proposal to see it willingly.

Sometimes,if there's not enough time in touring,the particular memory might fall off like those paintings peeling away from ancient walls to the ground like dusts,fading away like shadows,and then blown away in the air.

To my mind,I came here once more to have my touring closure in Bagan,for I had no idea when the next time would be.

同伴在日落時分，似乎也感染了對幽暗回廊和佛塔的神祕感，可是我卻又有不同體悟，前幾日面目不悅的佛像似乎今時面容變柔和許多，

雖然菩薩拈花依舊，生活總是心隨意轉，優游自在。

My companions seemed to be stained by the mystery senses when moving about the gloomy corridors in the pagoda at dusk.
The frowning expression of the Buhhdas I'd seen the other day seemed to soften a little.
I then had got another comprehension.

You see,The way I saw the Buddhas' facial expression was the way I reflected the state of my mind,which kept turning my life around and could make my perception to the world changed.
Thus,even the Buddhas were holding flowers still,my mind could not be the same.

By my will,I got to be free as I'd like.

餘記

浦甘古國真是個奇妙的地方，這裡可以租馬車瀏覽，可以讓你忽然回到過去時光(因為緬甸古代貴族就是這樣做的)，馬車遠望似乎流動在高低不平的黃土上，行駛間，四周掀起一片片金黃色的薄暮，前方不遠，眼光可及之處，俱是一座座佛塔的身影，

此情此景卻不似今生今世，有強烈的隔世體驗。

Post documented points

The Kingdom of Bagan is truely a place full of wonders.
It made you fly back time by riding on a baggy when touring around.

(The royal members in ancient time transported like that.)

From far,I saw the dusts flying around the baggies like being wrapped on a screen of golden smog,

when they were stirred up from the slippery sand,as the baggies moving on a rugged and uneven sandy roads.
Seeing further,I could be in a world full of Buddhist pagodas.They were everywhere,which sent a thrill into my spine.

An experience was like no others in the present time.

浦甘玩3、4天是不夠的，沉浸式的遊覽需要短居的準備，我建議可以提早訂定飯店，談個好價錢，
冬季是旺季，除非你不怕熱，不然夏季比較便宜，通常這類型的景觀最怕同一時期的建物太過類似和繁多，審美容易有疲乏感，

但是浦甘是可以提供相對便宜的旅遊經驗，適合放慢腳步，好好品嘗。
Staying for 3 to 4 days seemed not enough for my thirst in traveling.It needed a better preparation for submerging experience in a short sojourn.It would be better off to negociate a good price with hotels beforehand.

The tourist high seasons are in winter.It'd be cheaper if you don't care much about the heat in summer.
Generally speaking,seeing too many objects built in the same era could invoke the fatique in aesthetics.

On the other hand,Bagan can offer a relatively lower expense for a better touring experience.
Bagan is quite suitable for a slow touring pace and wondering savors.

有大肆採購習慣的人可能要失望些，然而浦甘還是具有一些當地特色產品，首推純手工砂畫，私營畫匠常常在各大寺廟駐點，有興趣的人可以慢慢找自己喜歡的作品，回去再請畫廊裱框，各個點畫匠與周遭商店都形成互助小集團，

因此可以直接與畫家談價外，也可以找商家詢價。
另外緬甸玉石中外知名，我是不懂玉石真假，也很嫌麻煩，但是我只是要搭配服飾、造型使用的考量下，價錢不貴，我也是買了一些，最後可以選購一些純木製的日常用品，比如筷子、開瓶器、和雕像擺飾，價錢是一定比在國內便宜，

當然，請不要給人家亂殺價，終究人家的一般收入不高，

喜歡就給個大家都可以接受的價錢吧，最後，緬甸的漆器自古就是皇家傳統技藝，也是不錯的。

For shopping aficionados,it might be a little discouraging,but Bagan still provides the goods with domestic characteristics.I recommend,first of all,the sand paintings.The private painters are usually stationing at major pagodas.You can find some excellent works of art among these diligent painters' exhibitions.Have one or two ,and then get them framed when you get back home.

They will look as brilliant as the ones you buy at expensive galleries.

Some painters display their works at the nearby stores of the pagodas.

So,it's easy to get the price information,or you can just go ask directly to the painters.

Among all the special products in Myanmar,jade stones or jade accessories are the most famous.
But I don't know much of the jewelry,all I wanted was some bracelets or necklaces to cope with my attire style.

Luckily,the price wasn't expensive.

At last,I also bought some daily utensils made from wooden materials,like chopsticks,bottle openers,and decorative statues.Basically,the price is surely cheaper than the ones I got back home.

And of course,my people like to haggle in South-Eastern Asian countries.However,considering the locals' wages are not high,so if you have made a consent in price,do finish the deal.Don't play the locals or lower their price illogically or on purpose.

The last commodity I like to recommend is lacquerware.It has a long history in Myanmar,starting in ancient royal families.

A traditional craftwork here,which is also worthy of your money.

一日，在達比修佛塔賣砂畫的Ko要來收帳，因為當時錢帶不夠，又不想在附近換掉美金，請他親自來飯店收尾款，我本來不想買東西的，當我看到Ko躲在佛寺外圍日陰處作畫，緬甸人民刻苦耐勞的形象躍然眼前，讓我感動的是，在這麼惡劣的環境，Ko 卻一筆一畫慢條斯理將描繪好的線條染色定型，在艷日下全然不躁動，當我出了個價格後，往下要再殺價時，Ko適時念了個佛號，

讓我馬上就心軟成交，原來我吃軟不吃硬啊!

One day,Min Ko came to collect the rest of the payment that I owed him.I had bought the sand painting from him,but I didn't carry enough of cash at that time.I didn't want to exchange US dollars in the nearby stores,

so he came to my hotel to collect the payment as requested.

Ko was doing his painting when hidding from the fierce sunlight in the shades at the Thatbyinnyu Phaya.

He stroke the lines and dyed the colors onto his canvas patiently,
slowly he fixed the patterns without a slight irritation in the sultry temperature.
He was showing me a good traditional example in life that Myanmarian people could deliver,diligent and graceful merit.I was touched by the moment,so I bid him my price.I wanted to get his price lower further,

but then I heard him chanting with a Buddhist mantra to respond my haggle.
My attitude softened at once ,and got the deal sealed thereafter.No more haggling,I was kind of soft inside I'd learned.

...

又記得一日遊覽金色皇宮時，一直在高聳的閣樓下找不到通往上層的樓梯，滿是懷疑到底怎麼上樓的，後來一直到娘水鎮的博物館，才發現這類皇宮建築沒有固定的通道或樓梯，而是由住在上面的人放下梯子才能上去，目的是阻絕敵人或刺客上樓攻擊，將我帶回在印度的占西城堡Jhansi Fort的記憶，三層洋房的建築，通往上層的階梯竟然隱藏在最前面的出入口牆柱裡，而且只容一人出入，

不注意還真會錯過找不到呢，古代人的建築都各有巧思，很是有趣。

I remembered,one day,touring around the Golden Palace.At the main building with high tower,

I kept searching for its entrance to the top floors.I couldn't find any stairway.
I hadn't got the answer until I reached to the palace museum in Town Nyaung Shwe.
The ladders were lowered down from the people on the floor on top.If the people don't put down the ladders,

there's no way to get up.Its purpose is to prevent from assassination or enemy's attacks.

The devise brought me back to Jhansi Fort in India,where I had visited 3-floored buildings without obvious entrance or exit to the top floors.The entrance was hidden in the very front column and was very narrow.It's just enought for one person to pass,and uneven height of each stair.The purpose of making entrance like this way is also to slow down enemy's attacks and prevent from assassination.

Thus,if I didn't know the way,I might just have missed it easily.These old time buildings are very interesting to me.