Mandalay offers two unique sights. Set in stone in the grounds of Kuthodaw pagoda at the foot of the Mandalay hill is the world's biggest book. It has 730 large marble tablets with the Theraveda Buddhist script. There are 1460 pages and each page is nearly 4 feet wide and 5 feet tall. The upright stones are arranged in neat rows and work began in 1860 with the site opening eight years later. The writing was chiselled and originally filled with gold inlay. Ub...

Mandalay. What a name to evoke mental images of exotic Burma from the times of Kipling. Here I now am in 21st century Myanmar and the town is full of sights for the many tourists who visit here at this time of year. I am struck how different I feel from the two week package visitor and feel privileged to be able to get a deeper insight into this fascinating country. The royal palace has been reconstructed after heavy bombing by the Allies at the end of World W...