How nice and friendly this city is! We’re planning to stay for a day to explore the city, and maybe one day extra since the island of Bilu Kyun should be very nice – according to hearsay.

We end up spending five days in Mawlamyine, this time it is Juul’s stomach that’s off. We suspect this to be a side-effect of the anti-malaria prophylaxis (Malarone) we’re taking and after consulting a doctor specialised in health in the tropics, we decide to stop taking it. Fortunately, gradually he recuperates and is able to do a little bit more cycling each day.

Zeigyi or Myine Yadanar market

Twice, we visit Bilu Kyun island – once by taking a boat crossing the river and once by crossing the bridge crossing the Salween river. We see the antiquities and history of the Mon cultural museum in dim light due to power failures, we’re strolling over a decayed cemetery with many British names and have a simple but lovely lunch at Grandfather and grandmothers restaurant close to the river side. Money raised there goes to a charity helping the town’s elderly.

Illuminate-it-yourself style at the Mon cultural museum

Top days are the two cycling the Bilu Kyun: very quiet backroads, small villages, lovely people … and earspliting donation ceremonies.

The sound systems at the donation ceremony on Bilu Kyun

Buddha ready for transport

The son of the cook, living in Phuket, chatting about his life here and there