Mandalay waking up then off to Maymyo (Pwin Oo Lwyn).

I adore places that are waking up so, this morning, I went for a bike ride at 0630.  The roads were mercifully free of traffic, the nuns were out collecting alms, the sunrise was perfect and the street food sellers were busy with breakfast.  Heaven. 

Shooter, A. stayed in bed.

A 45 mile drive, uphill all the way, has brought us to Maymyo, the hill station and former summer capital of the British in Burma.  It is all quite delightful.  There are flowers everywhere, the air is fresh after heavily polluted Mandalay and it is very neat and tidy.  It is a favourite place for the rich and powerful to have holiday homes and there are mini palaces everywhere. The former Britsh golf course is now used by The Generals although I gather that a few of our people have managed to blag a game  tomorrow. There are still plenty of colonial buildings left, some in rather poor repair, sadly.  I would be restoring one of those to live in rather than the new mansions being built by the rich - but, to each his own, I suppose.

The hill the town sits on belongs to our own dear Queen; it was a gift to her from Burma in the 50's and her ownership has not been rescinded. So, it is a pleasure to be Her Majesties' guest for the next two nights. 

The local taxis are gaily painted horse drawn carriages, a colonial relic, we will ride in one tomorrow.

We had lunch on the terrace of the former British Intelligence Office building, before independnce in 1947.  It has been nicely restored and is now an hotel, with additional new bungalows in the garden. As always on this rally, lunch was beautifully set out for us and the food delicious.  We'll all be going home rather chunkier, I fear.  After lunch, we went to the hotel that we competitors are staying in, which is just down the road from it. It is gorgeous - beautiful teak bungalows with large verandahs staggering up a little hill.  

After lunch we went to the Kew Gardens of Burma.  Some say the best kept gardens in the whole of S.E. Asia.  They are certainly pristine and very colourful.  Afterwards Adrian and I went to look at the Anglican Church with Douggie and Kate.  It is looking slightly forlorn, sadly.  Julian H-S's father was christened there in the 1920's as his grandfather was the Forestry Officer in Burma. It felt very emotional being there because of that.  I can't imagine how Julian felt. He has been trying to find the house his grandparents lived in and where his father was born but, so far, has been unsuccessful.  The Deputy Director of the Botanical Gardens is now on the case for him.

Not one car needed attention tonight and so all were able to enjoy a convivial (as always) dinner.  We are off on a spectacular train ride in the morning.  Mr S. wll be happy.