Mingun

The village of Mingun is situtated about an hour by boat from Mandalay on the Ayeyarwaddy river which is the most important river in the whole of Myanmar. It is a very interesting journey during which you can enjoy the fascinating landscapes of the river as well as observing the daily life people living along the river. The town is known for the Mingun Pagoda, which was designed to be the highest, but it has remained as the biggest pile of bricks and the largest bell of 90 tons, and the most unusual pagoda in Myatheindan. The pagoda was destroyed during an earthquake, the bell never rang and the Myatheindan Pagoda, also known as the Taj Majal of Myanmar, was constructed as the tomb of the wife of a king, but none is buried there.

We were arriving in small boat to the shores of Iyawady River in Mingun where this extraordinary taxi was waiting to show us around historical sites. I've used taxi all of my life around the world but this one I will never forget. In a place where time stays still, it was a perfect ride.