Mandalay is known as the economical hub connecting China and Myanmar, and is home to many ancient monuments. The former city of the kings is also the hub of transportation, as this is where numerous motorways, railways and waterways from various parts of the country are linked. 

We started our trip at Amarapura, a township of Mandalay which is mainly known for its silk and cotton weaving and the world's longest teak wood bridge - U Bein Bridge. Constructed in 1850 and standing at a length of 1.2 km, the bridge offers stunning views, with both locals and tourists crossing it the whole day - monks, kids going to school, couples in love, self taught artists.

We then drove to the Mahamuni Temple, the holiest pagoda of Mandalay and considered the second holiest place in Myanmar after the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. The pagoda is huge with several entrances and hallways leading to its center, where the gold-covered 4 meters tall Buddha statue sits. Only males are allowed to enter the center. Females can catch a glimpse of the statue from the outside or from the televisions mounted on the walls - a policy that has been subjected to heated discussions. The atmosphere is so devout I did not take any photographs of the temple. I simply be present.

Our next stop was the Kuthodaw Pagoda, otherwise known as the world's largest book. There are 729 alabaster marble slabs, each housed in its own small stupas and relaying the entire 15 books of the sacred Tripitaka scripture. Each of these white stupa contains one page.

From here, we visited the Shwenandaw Kyaung. This structure was initially built within the palace walls in Amarapura as a residence for King Mindon. After the king died in it, it was converted to a monastery and moved to its current site. This saved it from being destroyed by allied bombings during World War II, making the monastery the single remaining major original structure of the original Royal Palace. It is notable for its teak carvings of Buddhist myths, gilded pillars and ceilings, and the atmospheric interior.

We concluded our tour by catching the sunset atop Mandalay Hill, where the Sutaungpyi Paya (Wish Granting Temple) perched high up at the summit.