11 Full days in Myanmar with photography on the forefront!

First some disclaimers: We probably weren’t true Fodorites this trip--didn’t do everything the right way and did some things the un-recommended way! I guess I thought we were adventure travelers, but we took the easy way at several points this time. Starting with---we didn’t use Santa Maria nor Min Thu. I felt a little guilty about that--but our planning started sooo late for this trip and I was getting a little nervous when I wasn’t getting responses back by email. (Zaw was out of the office for two weeks.) But in the end, our time was great and we did--like all true forum lovers here--love Myanmar--the people, the land, the experiences,.....and we owe so much of that to you all--from your tips, trip reports, photos and general recommendations. So Thanks!

LAX-TOKYO--KUALA LUMPUR--YANGON!

When we couldn’t find any frequent flier flights from Bangkok, Pook recommended KL and other sites and American Airlines connected us up with Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia Air had the only good flight schedules for the date that was available, so even though more expensive, that’s the way we went. We had wanted economy class tickets from LAX, but there were only two tickets available--business class going and first class returning. Had to “buy” a few extra miles, but it was worth it. Now I’m afraid we’re hooked on this higher level of travel! (We had the problems with arranging our travel because this was kind of a last-minute trip idea and time was short.)

We used the “anti-jet-lag diet” as we always do and which works well for us and left LAX (Los Angeles) at 11:40 AM for Tokyo. Had to overnight in cold Tokyo and stayed in a cheap hotel: Narita Kikisui near the airport. Probably a 2 and 1/2 star level, but adequate. Had a closet that was about 5” deep! Walked to the Narita Temple area in the morning before our flight. Flew 7-8 hours the next day on Japan Air to Kuala Lumpur and overnighted at Jawadene Inn and Suites--a Bed and Breakfast I found online for $ 49, which turned out to be fabulous. A lovely large home in a gated community, decorated with large artifacts from around Asia, run by an American ex-Marine and his Malaysian-American wife.

Thursday, Jan. 27, Malaysia Air to Yangon.

Now for our unFodorite activities: We ended up using Goldenrock Travel to make our arrangments (suggested by Linda Curtis Schneider (ilovebali) from the forum). They did a fabulous job and we had 0 complaints. Emails were responded to quickly and we met their US contacts (a retired Burmese couple living close to us) for dinner, which added to our sense of security of arrangements. We also used their guides! And that turned out great for us.

Day 1: YANGON: Joseph (Joe Joe) met us at the airport and with the driver took us to the Park Royal Hotel. Not an atmospheric hotel, but quite adequate for all we needed and an easy location. Then headed out for Scott’s Market to change dollars to kyat. We only got 820 kyat to the dollar. Then onto the reclining Buddha, with our first experience of leaving our sandals outdoors. I wandered off with my camera and Bill got the history from the guide--which kind of turned out to be our pattern--meeting both of our needs. Then when Bill expressed interest in the monks, Joseph took us to see their living quarters and to meet the abbot (now in his 70’s) in the back. We saw the “clotheslines” strung between living spaces where thin blankets could be hung as dividers. Monks lay on the ground studying and wanted to pose when I asked if I could photograph them. The first smiled, showing his betel nut bright red stains on his teeth. We left after awhile, then returned when Bill wanted to ask the abbot more questions.

Drove to Hlendan Market and walked around the lively area--vegies, rice, dried fish,...

Out to Schewedagon and entered by the south entrance. Wow! Walked around for an hour clockwise (of course), since the Buddha’s 8 hairs were wound clockwise. (Most of you already know this--but I’m adding for the few who might not.) Gorgeous and more gorgeous as the sun descended.

Ate dinner at the Park Royal since it was late and we had to get up at 3:30 AM the next day to make connections. Good, but not great--and a long wait for the food. Repacked and in bed by 8:30 PM.

Day 2: Left hotel at 4:30 AM with a box breakfast--and headed out for the airport. All of our internal flights were on Asian Wings, the new airline which just opened 1-2 days before our arrival--and was the reason why we had not had confirmed tickets before then. I was SO grateful we could fly and not have to ride a bus or in a car all of that distance.

BAGAN: Win Bo (Bo Bo) met us at the airport and turned out to be our favorite guide. He has a B.A. in history, is extremely knowledgeable, and very open to what we wanted to do. My husband thought he was as good a guide as the best we have ever had--even our Tanzania guide that we loved. He later told us that he preferred to see himself not just as a guide, but more of a host--and that is exactly what he was for us.

Started with Shwe Zigon Stupa (1075 AD) and then on to the Nyaung U Market, a wonderful market and great place for photographs. Loved it! Then on to more temples.

Lunch at Eden B.B.B. Restaurant with very good Chinese food. Bo Bo described it as “a little touristy, but no one ever gets sick from food there.” Our total bill was about 12,000 kyat and some extra for the lovely girl who served us rice and fanned us (to keep flies away, she said) but it felt good, too. We saw the Ananda Temple right after lunch and then on to other temples.

Sunset was at Pyatthada Temple. We had dinner that night at another touristy place --Nanda Restaurant--but we wanted to see a marionette show and the Burmese food was excellent, including a thin lentil soup. Dinner was served in a huge circular lacquerware dish with compartments. Had crackery crisps with a spicy red sauce and later a fruity dessert. Bo Bo ate with us (we wanted him to) and explained it all.

Day 3: Horse cart day. I feel like such an oddball saying this in this forum, but we only had one horse cart day and that worked okay for us. Other days were driving around in a car. But I did love the horse cart day--which began at 5:45 AM. Our guide said we could wear socks that day since the steps would be so cold. But once we were up on top, my pants leg had rolled up a bit and he carefully pulled it down--didn’t want the other tourists to see the socks! I think it was Jules’ recommendation to take flashlights and was I ever glad for them on this walk up in the dark! Bo Bo did have a flashlight to light the way, but it was great for each of us to have our own. I also kept remembering her admonitions to pick up my feet to not stub toes! (Thanks, Jules.) The temple was Menyeingone Temple, (12th century). After sunrise, we rode back to our hotel: Thiripysaya Resort for a lovely breakfast on the terrace--omelettes, papaya, pineapple, fried noodles, tempura, “real” coffee....

9:15 AM, we were off again in the horse cart to see more temples and to visit Bo Bo’s village. This morning, as he did all mornings, Bo Bo handed us a page of all we had done the day before--that he had carefully printed out by hand and numbered in the correct order--a huge help to our memories.

In Bo Bo’s village, Taung Be Village, we first met his wizened father (85), sitting in a chair, smoking a cigar or cheroot, at his sister’s home where he now lives. We walked on to meet Bo Bo’s wife and and 5 year-old daughter and 11 year-old son at their home. Both kids spoke some English and his daughter recited her A-B-C’s in English for us and showed us her English homework notebook and then her Myanmar language homework. His wife had us sit down and served us water in glass mugs and a bowl of the famous small crunchy peanuts. We learned a lot about family life and I shared photos with them of our family in the US. The 11 year-old recognized the Christmas tree behind us in one photo. Bo Bo had been out of work about 5 months when the political situation had been bad, so they had found a way to open a very small shop for villagers in the front of their tiny home. That way they could pay for their food and save his guide money to enlarge their home and other larger expenses.

The village was quite interesting to us, including the platform where four men spend the night each night--three sleeping and one sitting up alert to watch over village safety--rotating about each 2 1/2 hours. He also showed us the huge home being built for The Lady’s brother, where he will retire in Bo Bo’s village.

Hmmmmm. I’m beginning to see that I am adding too much detail, so feel free to skip over it. This could be long and I’m duplicating some things others have said.

Day 3 continued: Bo Bo’s village had 375 families, 1800 people and 4 liquor stores, he said.

In the afternoon, we were approached by two young girls who had earlier been selling postcards at another location. They just wanted to chat and were quite smiley about having their photos taken, so of course I had to offer to buy their cards.

We also saw Gubyaukgyi Temple (1113 AD) with lovely mural paintings (and many others- I have the list but won’t detail them all here.) Sunset at Myaybon thar Temple (11th century). From our perch, we could see scores of tourists on a nearby much larger famous one for sunsets. Coming down the steps, we saw lit candles along the way, a lovely sight.

I didn’t take my flash attachment ( no flash on my camera) so mural photos were harder to take. But with the ISO cranked up to 6400, I did get some of them. Of course the most beautiful mural paintings were in the temple that couldn’t be photographed!

Back at the hotel that night, we had the complimentary 10 minute yoga stretching massage--wonderful --and decided to get a full massage the following night. Dinner turned out to be a ham-cheese-capsicum pizza and glass of red Myanmar wine in the hotel bar area, seated, watching the glowing red umbrellas reflected in the pool and on a stage off to the side--a glittery, adept, “elephant” manoeuvered by two people (the legs) and a trainer--perform glorious tricks. This was followed by a player of soft Myanmar music on a harp.

I'm following along with your adventures. No need to apologize for not following the herd; sounds like your arrangements worked very well. Looking forward to reading more.

Day 4 Sunday.

Great fun! Bo Bo took us to Myinkabar Village where a Novice ceremony was going to take place that morning. We found a great place to photograph from and then just before the procession started, they changed directions, so we scrambled to move. We watched the Shin Pyu Procession as young children dressed up and riding on horses got in line. These were children who would be novices for anywhere from a day to a few days or several days. One family had donated a LOT of money for the event and then parents spent a lot of money buying fancy outfits for their kids and preparing the meal to follow. No kids were smiling, all pretty serious. Girls with parasols, looking like little princesses and boys like princes. Even one baby--younger than a year old was propped up and held on a horse for the procession. Proud parents were happy to have their kids' pix taken, but most photos show the parents heads right there beside them. Apparently the kids do like this day as they are being highly honored.

From there, we went to Moe Moe’s Lacquerware Shop which I had wanted to visit. She is a single lady whose parents owned the shop for 30 years and when they died it became hers. She is building a new larger shop and showroom next door. It was actually quite interesting to see how the lacquerware is made--layer by layer. I had no idea. I bought some small round boxes as gifts, some bracelets, a bowl I could use for appetizers--flexible by the horsehair woven between each bamboo strip. She had all levels of prices there, so you could easily find inexpensive gifts or more costly ones.

Pagodas cames next. Dhamayarzika Pagoda (12th Century), Sutaung pyi Pagoda and Bricks Monastery,... and then lunch at the Green Elephant on the river. Bo Bo ate with us and talked to us a lot about his family and how he now has 2 small village shops (after struggles with no work in 2007-8), how he will add on to his home as he saves money,...

By then, the sun was extremely bright--too much so for photos, so we drove to the Aureum Resort--my mistake, Pook! I had not written down the Inle lake one, so we drove out to the one in Bagan, which is gorgeous! Huge teak pillars, gold decor, open spaces, infinity pool, etc. etc. All I can say is that it matches the images on their website, so I am guessing the new Inle Lake one also is just like the website photos. Sorry!

On to pagodas again and traipsed through some thorny bushes, up a small hillside with broken bricks to see over numerous pagodas--something I just couldn’t capture in a photo! (near Minnanthu Village)

On our sunset view--at Tayokepyay Temple (13th century), the beauty was again beyond what I could capture in a photo. I tried, though, sometimes with two cameras around my neck! Took a “short-cut” that more resembled a field than a road--back to the hotel for a late night snack instead of dinner.

Enjoying your report--the more details the better. How was the Myanmar wine? Don't remember much discussion of that here. Looking forward to the rest of the report and the photos.

And thanks, Robbie. I read and reread your report before going and was really cognizant of my passport! Hope to get this report done today? Maybe. I decided I need to buy a new computer before downloading my photos (tons!), so that's the agenda for this weekend. My MacBook Pro just doesn't have enough space and I don't want to just put them on external hard drives.

Marija, the Myanmar wine was actually quite good and my husband wanted to bring a bottle home--but then decided it was too much hassle since we prefer to just take carry-ons. He talked at length to a Frenchman who also thought it was quite good. We only tried the red ones and he'll remember the names.

Day 5: MANDALAY

Up at 5 AM, quick breakfast, Bo Bo saw us off at the airport. Don’t you all just love the Myanmar system for announcing flights?! At least last time, someone did hold up a piece of paper with the word: BAGAN. This time, no paper. Just a man nodding and people rising--Mandalay next.

We were picked up by our new guide, Aung Khine. One thing we loved about our guides is that they all were just different personalities with different styles. Aung Khine was quieter than Bo Bo, but polite and always answered our questions and was very generous.

At 8:30 we drove out to the monastery at Amarapura, past fields of blooming sunflowers and bullock-pulling wagons piled high with bundles of sugar cane.

We stopped to photograph a market alongside the road with LOTS of cauliflower, beans, green plums, broccoli, burners to cook on, etc. Aung Khine bought us a bag of small green plums.

Shopped at a silk shop in Amarapura that I loved! Shwe Sin Tai Silk Ware. I bought three longyis, 2 tops, and three silk shawls. (I actually plan to wear some to work!) The young girls had fun tying longyis on me. Since I wear a lot of long skirts, they were perfect for me.

Apparently “Mandalay” means “play” and “auspicious,” if I understood our guide correctly. Sagaing means the land of victory.

On the way to the top of the hill, I took photos of paintings of dreams and the interpretations of dreams and a photo of four monks sitting on a bench. Our guide bought us slices of peeled guava to dip in a bag of chili powder. Yummy. We ate lunch at the Sagaing Hill Restaurant. I ordered spicy and sour chicken which was great and the dessert was a lovely fruit soup of diced watermelon, pineapple, papaya in a sweet liquid with small tapioca pearls. Nice. Later on our guide told us that that was his restaurant. He had saved 10 years to buy a restaurant and I think it is the only one in Sagaing.

Off to Ava, very primitive. Took an old boat which was taking on a little water across the Ayerwady River and got a rickety horse cart. Drove down rutted dirt roads past rice paddies and vipers (only during harvest season, our guide said, but I stayed back anyway) to two monasteries--one with oiled teak and one brick. Very dusty and very bumpy. V atmospheric!! Really gave the impression of years ago. I liked it.

Now, off to U Bein Bridge--an anticipated highlight. Fortunately I had read Robbie’s note about how you couldn’t use a tripod in the boat or I wouldn’t have known to take a boat and that was definitely the best way to go. We went out with boat # 38 and he did an excellent job of moving us around for great angles. It was so great and I was so afraid that I didn’t get any good photos, that we returned the following night and found the same boat driver to take us out (tipped him well, also). He seemed to love seeing the photos on the back of my camera.

Finally drove off to the Sedona Hotel, which was actually quite lovely. Had a few mosquitos, though, downstairs. Had our usual dinner--glass of red Myanmar wine with snacks, which this time included prawn tempura. Just seemed easier since it was always late and we weren’t very hungry by then.

Great report! Can't wait to see your pictures Patty.

never too much detail... love the report

Okay--you guys are keeping me motivated. I'll get back to writing.

DAY 6: MANDALAY

The Sedona Hotel breakfast was lovely! Included all of the usual, plus fried onion, sticky black rice, curry eggplant, nan, banana chips (thin and great),...
After breakfast, we headed out to Mingun and saw the cracked pagoda base, bell, etc., which several people have already written about. We traveled there by boat which was fun. Aung Khine bought tea for us at a teashop there. We kind of didn’t know what to do with our guide buying us things--but so we just decided to enjoy them.

Returned to the famous Koh’s Kitchen where we had delicious Thai food, finished off with a lovely dessert of a cooked sweet potato slice in a sauce of coconut milk and sugar with pearl tapioca (the pearl tapioca bringing back memories of my grandmother making it for me as a young child).

I did want to see and maybe buy some marionettes, so we went to Pho La Pyae Handicrafts Workshop. Ended up buying a couple and a small tapestry. Saw a wood monk antiqued with gold I wanted, but it was a part of a set of six--a procession! And I just didn’t have room for six. One of the ones we bought was a simple small white horse for our granddaughter since she just got horses this year.

It was a bit early, but we were only 10 minutes from U Bein Bridge, so we drove there, arriving before 4 PM. Walked together across the teak bridge (1.2 km), slowly to just enjoy the experience, took some photos below of bamboo sticks (used to help catch fish)--actually a cool kind of photo--almost just black and white--can’t wait to see it. Did I say that I decided to wait until I get a new iMac this weekend to download them? Just have to decide which screen size to get.

At U Bein, we used the same boat guy again (# 38)--a betel nut-chewing guy with a great attitude and some English--who took us around to see teen boys diving below for fish that they grabbed and tucked in their longyis; then on to wait for the sunset, which was worth waiting for. I was afraid that I wouldn’t get the setting right, but I shot it at 100 ISO, underexposed one full stop in RAW, FYI. At least on the LCD screen on the camera, it looks like it came out well. We’ll see. So much fun!!

On the way to the hotel, we stopped at a CD shop for Bill to buy one of Myanmar music and then to the money changer where we got 830 to $ 1.00 this time.

Listened to Celine Dion singing, “I can’t go on,” and Taylor Swift in the bar with our usual dinner.

Really enjoying this. Burma is at the top of my to do list.

DAY 7: INLE LAKE

Off to the airport at 6:30 AM after a great breakfast (papaya, watermelon, fried vermicelli, fried Szechewan (sp?) rice, smoked fish, Gouda, omelettes, pastries...)
I really love traveling with such a small amount of luggage! Even though by now we had begun to fill up the extra duffel bag.

2 hour delay at Mandalay Int. Airport (built in 2001 or so). Apparently due to fog in Yangon--or so we heard. (Actually all of our internal flights ran late.) The Asian Wings flight attendants were dressed in lovely black longyis with a red/pink dotted type of stripe at the bottom, red stars, and a bright red/pink top. Ate almost a whole bag of some kind of oily snack of beans, garlic, peanuts while waiting.

Left the airport at 10:45 AM which cost us a morning market visit once we arrived in Heho. The drive was hot and both of us almost fell asleep. The boat was waiting when we arrived to take us to the Inle Princess. I had not realized how simple these boats were or how it would be to step down into them, but quickly got over it and began hopping in and out as needed. I think my real fear had been, will my camera bag be safe? I carry a decent amount of equipment. We stopped before the resort to pick up an Intha fisherman guy to one-leg row us in as the resort doesn’t like the noise of the motors on the boats. Arrived to warm moist washcloths and a cup of green tea; checked in.

Went back out to the old monastery with oval windows but by then the light was terrible (way too bright) and no novices around for the charming oval window photos with the novices. Our guide here was Joyce. She said her parents used to have a cheroot workshop. Saw the floating gardens, mostly tomato plants. The plants extend down 1/2 meter, the soil being the result of years of organic compost and silt from the lake bottom that develops around the edge of the lake. With a special saw they can saw it off and pull it around to their places. So strange to us. But the government limits the acreage they can have, so they have to maintain the boundaries of the floating gardens. (I’m sure you all know that already.)

The gardens have to be fertilized weekly with dried plants and sludge from the bottom of the lake, which is about 2 meters deep.

Visited the jumping cat monastery which was no big deal to me. (Sorry)

Dinner was our usual, late--a glass of red wine with Shan-style long loopy crispy sticks of tofu.

DAY 8: INLE LAKE

Up at 5:45 AM to be ready for a leisurely but early breakfast. (You might be getting the idea that we like to eat! We do.) Met Joyce and our boatman at 7:30.

Very misty morning, which I loved. Took some moody photos of Intha fishermen and a couple of kids in canoes.

Knew about the controversy over the Paduang ladies but did stop to see them and Bill bought a small tapestry for his office and I bought a couple of necklaces there and another marionette.

Next stop was the silver workshop--which I wanted to see since I love silver jewelry and had found such wonderful pieces in both India and Morocco in years past. Watched the workers tool it and then headed into the shop. Not so much there that grabbed my attention, but I did buy a Shan styled necklace and earrings and a silver bracelet with an elephant hair (“for good luck”).

Can’t believe we went to another silk and lotus weaving workshop after all I had bought earlier on, but we did and watched the young girl cut 1 1/4” stem, extrude the lotus fiber, stretching and pulling it and twisting it as she went--making strands which will later be twisted for more strength. She had a woven flat basket full of strands that she said took her two weeks!

We saw the silk weavers, the tie-dye approach and the girls who weave lovely patterns--strand by strand, which means they have to always remember which strand they need next and the strands must be dyed exactly correctly! Photographed the silk threads and spindles.

In the shop, we saw colors that were blindingly glorious. After seeing the entire store, silks up front, then lotus and cotton in the back, I made a few choices. The owner didn’t discount a huge amount--due to the dollar devaluation, he said.

Next to see the iron workers hammer red-hot iron over a flame--three men in symphony. Found some things I liked, but they were quite pricey (can’t blame them for the amount of work) and wouldn’t come down in price.

On to the cheroot village. Quite interesting to us non-smokers. I couldn’t believe it when my husband actually tried one! Then I took a few puffs of his and it was actually quite good! Aromatic. The ingredients included: 30% tobacco, pineapple, banana, tamarind, honey, anise. The leaf is from the Sebastian tree (if I got this correctly). When the roll is complete, it is glued with a gluey paste from sticky rice. The filter is made from corn husks.

We made our way back with lots of stops for the Intha fishermen and to see the process of gathering silt and muck from the lake, draping it over the edges of their canoes--to use as the weekly fertilizer.

I forgot to write about our room. We liked the Inle Princess. Last night (and every night) we came back to a mosquito-net-encircled bed, like a soft gauzy tent. Inside, under the thick blankets (soft) were two large hot water bottles that stayed hot/warm all night long! So cozy and that was a good thing as the room cooled down rapidly and by morning was quite chilly.

I also forgot to write how we dressed this morning--hurriedly! We both wore thermal underwear and a total of four layers beneath our jackets. I wore three pairs of socks and a cheap throw-away pair of gloves I brought for the trip. ($1.00 at Target.) I am so grateful to all of you who warned us to bring warm clothes for the morning boat trips. And for the idea to take a bag in the boat to throw clothes into as you remove layers.

Don't worry Patty as I don't recall anyone here liking the jumping cat monastery!

DAY 9: INLE LAKE Friday

Off in our boat by 7:30 AM after a very nice breakfast at the Princess. Found out that Joyce’s husband is also a tour guide and she has three girls: 17, 15, and 3 1/2. She says her mother and family help out a lot while she and her husband have their busy working season.

The agenda today is a one hour boat ride to Inthein Market and pagoda. Nicely for me, the boat driver stopped the boat and turned off the motor just about every time I put my camera up to my eye. Found out later, Joyce told him to. I loved photographing the Intha fishermen and their nets, in the mist or even on sunny afternoons.

Joyce suggested that I always ride up in front for photos and it was such a peaceful ride, even wrapped in layers, zipping through the cold mists. I had brought a shawl which also came in handy to wrap around my neck for warmth. The boat driver provided a blanket to put over our knees or wherever we wanted it.

Slowly the sun broke through the mists and began to warm us up. We could see plants growing underneath us. The last half hour of our trip today took us along a long canal that eventually had heaps to cross, for irrigation--slightly damned up--so we had to push upward and plop on the return. Slender canoes slipped past us--some with souvenirs for sale, most were regular traffic by villagers.

We slid up to the dock at Inthein and a young boy held the boat and helped me out. We walked up the uneven steps to the planks above and stopped so Joyce could get the key for a rest room, which by now I was beginning to get used to--a Turkish toilet as we called them in France or a toilette arabe.

Walked past rows of open air shops to the 5 day rotating market where Pao and Danu tribesmen sold goods. Those with headdresses were all hill tribes, Joyce said. A few wanted money for photos (and I didn’t mind giving $ to a few), but most didn’t. No mobs like in India if you did give. Saw fish, eels, betel nuts, cauliflower, teas,... for sale. Wandered around a lot.

Watched men gambling, a delightful sight, but no photographs allowed--the one place I most wanted to photograph people! One great photo op I had to capture in my mind only was of a monk leaning over to place a bet, cigarette dangling from his mouth.

Two old women laughed out loud when Bill gave one some money and told her it was only to buy cheroots. She had consented to my taking her photo as she smoked and he wanted to give her something. She roared when she saw her own photo on the back of my camera.

Walked 1/2 hour to the pagodas atop the hill--past a series of shops. Bought a couple little things, plus XL T shirts for my son and son-in-law that are way too little for them. Guess XL doesn’t mean quite the same thing there.

1054 pagodas in ruins atop the hills, including a few refurbished. Saw cattle, girls carrying large bricks on their heads, some beggars, some kids. Walked back through the bamboo forest and bought some rice disks to munch.

With each purchase made, the seller would take the money paid and tap all of their merchandise--saying, “Lucky money.” First sale of the day is lucky money.

On the boat trip back, stopped a few times by fishermen. Joyce asked me to send her a photo of them. I loved cruising around the lake observing all that could be seen. So peaceful. Had a very very late lunch as had become our habit by now. I had spicy Intha fish curry and Bill had pan-fried noodles with chicken and we split a beer.

Walked around the village at the back of the Inle Princess (again), saw a couple of pigs in stilt pens. Repacked, went to the charming bar for our usual. Need to get to bed early to get up at 5 AM to get ready for the flight back. Takes an 1/2 hour boat ride followed by 1 hour in the car to get to the airport from the Princess. Kind of fun though.