Burma- Mandalay

After puking from food poisoning on a 12 hour bus ride, that drove over dirt roads with sheer cliffs, Coe and I arrived in one piece in Mandalay. We checked out the Royal Palace but weren't allowed to go inside. While walking around we hiked up to a monastery with a giant Buddha, just in time for sunset while overlooking the city.

Sunset in Mandalay.

We went to see the Moustache Brothers later in the evening. These guys are basically the most acclaimed Burmese comedians. Their comedy was pretty terrible and the traditional Burmese dancing a little awkward. The awkwardness was enhanced by the fact that you are in one of the Brothers' house and you are sitting 2 feet from the performers. After the show I wanted to find other foreigners to party with but instead I found out that the night life in Mandalay consists of sitting in oversized bars and drinking Burmese beer while locals in the bar watch American movies on the tube. I would've gone a little crazy without Coe to talk to. I would've also been killed by Burmese traffic had I not had Coe. Before moving on to the next day I have to share the insanity of the Military Dictatorship that rules Burma. Below is a newspaper in Burma and this page of the newspaper is in every edition. I forgot to mention that the Moustache Brothers are under house arrest and one of the brothers has spent 14 years total in jail for speaking out against the government publicly. This newspaper clip helped me understand how controlling the government is in Burma.

Burmese Newspaper