Gauntlet - Episode 6: Mandalay

Mandalay city, Myanmar - July 12-13, 2014 - A one night stop in Mandalay would take us back to Bangkok. The city had an atmosphere that was reminiscent of Phnom Penh five years ago, and a noticeably problematic political situation. I felt my time there to be too short.

At the time we visited there had been rioting, and the city was on a 9pm curfew. Here were the streets of Mandalay at 9pm, ruled only by dogs and military police.

The same intersection at 9am the following morning.

Mandalay has a haunted feel.

Betel nut spit.

The betel nuts themselves, soaked in coffee. Tasty, tangy.

Burmese cinema.

Our hotel. HAUNT-ED.

See the rest of the our Cambodia/Thailand/Burma/Laos trip:
Episode 1: Pailin, Cambodia
Episode 2: Bangkok, Thailand
Episode 3: Mae Sot, Thailand
Episode 4: Yangon, Myanmar
Episode 5: Bagan, Myanmar
Episode 7: Vientiane and Vang Vieng, Laos
Coda: Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Concrete Cabin Fever

Thailand, Bangkok city - May 1, 2014 - Bacterial infection in the gut had me stuck in a hotel room in BKK for nearly a week, no drinks allowed. So it goes.

Great old school Thai guesthouse actual, reasonably priced, clean, excellent location, wifi in the lobby and second floor rooms. Pranee Building, next to National Stadium BTS.

Consolation.

A man reeled drunkenly in the bar of a swanky hotel high above me.

Kinda crap you gotta put up with round these parts.

Did get one nice, practiced, Thai smile when I was buying trinkets (to use), however.

Then it was a bus and a van to the border, and a motorbike through the hills home.