Day 9: Mandalay - monks, workshops and sunset at the teak bridge

Arriving in Mandalay and I'm already trying to get rid of any romantic ideas I have about the city from the likes of Rudyard Kiplingand Daphne Du Maurier... It's hard though as the landscape from the airport is picture postcard, with lush green farmland lying flat between two looming mountain ranges and interspersed with reflecting lakes of water.

We first learn that, other than valentines day, it is also full moon day, which means the city is celebrating twice and our first stop, a large monastery in the town of Amorapora, is going to be particularly busy. We get to the monastery in time to watch the donation ceremony where rows and rows of crimson-dressed monks come to collect offerings of rice from the villagers from the mountains, all dressed in beautiful bright traditional Shan State attire.

We then took a wonder through the streets of Amorapora and further into the city of Mandalay, which gives us the chance to see the different districts and their corresponding craftsmanship - stone carving, gold leaf making, silk weaving and mind blowing intricate wood carving. All the people are so welcoming, it's been a while since I've been anywhere with people so universally kind! They even gave me my own free gold leaf bindi... Looked like a prat obvs, but I grew quite attached to it so it lasted much longer than the tanaka paste (Google it) that I was attacked with in Bagan...

In the afternoon we take in the Mahamuni Pagoda and by sunset we find ourselves at the insanely long teak bridge, built 200 years ago from wood left over from buildings in the city's huge royal palace. Orange skies, fisherman wading in the water, painted wooden canoes - I'm not sure I've ever seen a sunset scene that amazing... Ever.