MANDALAY

ABOUT MANDALAYMandalay, well-known as the "City of Gems", remains the Golden Land's cultural centre. Situated in the heart of Upper Myanmar, the city lies at the hub of river routes from China and India and land routes from the Shan massif and Siam beyond. Mandalay is the economic and religious centre of Upper Myanmar. Mandalay is Myanmar's second largest city with a population of aroung 500,000 and was founded in 1857. Manadalay was the last capital of Myanmar to fall before the British took over, and for this reason it still has great importance as a cultural centre. Mandalay is dry and dusty in the hot season, and is a sprawling town of busy streets, stunning pagodas and a lively cultural scene.ClimateThe rainy season lasts from mid-May until mid-October. For the next few months, the weather is quite reasonable. In fact, it is actually cool in Mandalay at night and near freezing in Kalaw, near Inle Lake. From mid-February, it gets increasingly hot until the rains arrive once more. The Burmese New Year in April, at the peak of the hot season, means much fun and throwing water at all concerned. November to February are the best months to visit.Manadalay Fort & Palace King Mindon Min ordered the construction of his imposing walled palace compound in 1857. A channel from the Mandalay irrigation canal fills the moat. On 20 March 1945, in fierce fighting between advancing British and Indian troops and the Japanese forces which had held Mandalay since 1942, the royal palace within the fort caught fire and was completely burnt out. Because recent renovations were notorious for their use of draft labour, many locals as well as visitors refuse to enter the new 'palace'. Apparently, an old term for the west gate, Gate of III Omen, still applies for the same reasons.Mandalay Hill An easy half-hour barefoot climb up the sheltered steps brings you to a wide view over the palace, Mandalay and the pagoda-studded countryside.You could take a minitaxi the back way to the top of the hill and enter freely, then walk down. Two immense carved lions guard the soudi-west entrance to the hill and the south-east entrance is watched over by the Bobokyi Nat.Kuthodaw Pava This pagoda's 729 small temples each shelter a marble slab inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. The central pagoda makes it 730. Built by King Mindon Min around 1860, it is the world's biggest book. Don't confuse it with Sandamuni Paya, which is right in front of it and which also has a large collection of inscribed slabs. The ruins of the Atumashi Kyaung (Incomparable Monastery) are also close to the foot of Mandalay Hill.Shwenandaw Kyaung One a part of King Mindon Min's palce, this wooden building was moved to its present site and converted into a monastery after his death. This is the finest remaining example of traditional wooden Burmese architecture in Mandalay since all teh other palace buildings were destroyed during WWII.Shwe In Bin Kyaung This large and elegant wooden monastery was commissioned in 1895 by a pair of wealthy Chinese jade merchants. The wood-carved ornamentation along the balustrades and roof cornices is of exquisite quality, and the sandy compound can be a peaceful change from Mandalay Hill.Mahamuni Paya, or Arakan Pagoda, stands to the south of town. It's noted for its huge, highly venerated, Rakhine-style Buddha image, which is thickly covered in gold leaf. Around the main pagoda are rooms containing a huge five tonne gong and Khmer-style bronze figures. Outside the pagoda are streets full of Buddha image makers.The Zegyo Market in the centre of town really comes alive at night. The 19th century Eindawya Paya and the 12th century Shwekylmylnt Paya are also close to the centre. The latter is older than Mandalay itself. Several of the town's pagodas have amusing clockwork coin-in-the-slot displays.

Pyin Oo Lwin offers visitors cool days and nights, peaceful rural roads and tracks for walkers and cyclists, trekking in the fruit and flower producing countryside, and interesting shopping. Old times can be re-lived with coach rides, and many historical and beautiful places are within easy reach. Just over an hour's drive from Mandalay, Pyin Oo Lwin is an ideal and refreshing destination for visitors to Upper Myanmar.
WEATHERGlorious in autumn (lush greenery), winter (perfect blue skies and amazingly starry nights) and spring (strawberries and cream, flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables). Summer starts in late April (Thinggyan festival) with most rain between June and September.
Today, Pyin Oo Lwin is particularly noted for four centres of national economic importance. It is the centre of sericulture (silkworm rearing). The Sericulture Research Centre, near the Kandawgyi National Gardens, conducts three distinct roles: the intensive planting and harvesting of mulberry trees (leaves for the silk worms, bark for hand made paper), the rearing of the actual silk worms, and the reeling of the silk from the cocoons. It has a large research centre for indigenous medicinal plants. And it has one of the country's few pharmaceutical production facilities. In addition, Pyin Oo Lwin is the centre of the country's principal flower and vegetable production. The most important flowers grown intensively are chrysanthemum, aster and gladiolus, which are exported to every corner of Myanmar throughout the year. Lastly, Pyin Oo Lwin is the centre of Myanmar's rapidly growing coffee industry. A number of factories in the town process coffee beans for country-wide distribution, with a growing amount now prepared for export.
A country town of exceptional beauty
Wherever you go in Pyin Oo Lwin, the natural beauty of this edge of the Shan Plateau is around you. Trees, blossom, flower and fruit farms, stunning landscapes, wide vistas and narrow hidden charms - all surround the visitor without effort. Birds and butterflies dart in and out of the flowering shrubs and bushes along the roads. The bustling markets overflow with vegetable and orchard produce. And everywhere you are in the company of hard working farmers, traders and merchants - many of whom will be happy to practise their English language skills with you, or to teach you a phrase or two of Myanmar or Shan. For the ultimate horticultural enjoyment, visitors all need to visit the Kandawgyi National Gardens. This beautifully created garden is unique. A four acre orchid garden is planned here for 2007.It is also home to the Defence Services Academy (DSA) and the Defence Services Institute of Technology (DSIT).

CROCODILE

CROCODILEA crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamily Crocodylinae). The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), or even the Crocodylomorpha which includes prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors. Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that live throughout the Tropics in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. Crocodiles tend to congregate in freshwater habitats like rivers, lakes, wetlands and sometimes in brackish water. Some species, notably the Saltwater Crocodile of Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands often live along the coastal areas. It is also known to venture far out to sea. They mostly feed on vertebrates like fish, reptiles, and mammals, sometimes with invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans, depending on species. They are an ancient lineage, and are believed to have changed little since the time of the dinosaurs.

Description Crocodiles, like dinosaurs, have the abdominal ribs modified into gastraliaCrocodiles are the most advanced of all reptiles despite their prehistoric look. Unlike other reptiles they have a four-chambered heart, diaphragm and cerebral cortex. Their external morphology on the other hand is a sign of their aquatic and predatory lifestyle. A crocodile’s physical traits allow it to be a successful predator. They have a streamlined body that enables them to swim faster. They also tuck their feet to their sides while swimming, which makes the animal even faster, by decreasing the water resistance. They have webbed feet which, although not used to propel the animal through the water, allow it to make fast turns and sudden moves in the water or initiate swimming. Webbed feet are an advantage in shallower water where the animals sometimes move around by walking.Crocodiles are very fast over short distances, even out of water. They have extremely powerful jaws capable of biting down with 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, and sharp teeth for tearing flesh, but cannot open their mouth if it is held closed. There are stories of people escaping from the long-snouted Nile Crocodile by holding its jaws shut. Zoologists will often subdue crocodiles for study or transport by taping their jaws or holding their jaws shut with large rubber bands cut from automobile inner tubes. All large crocodiles also have sharp and powerful claws. They have limited lateral movement in their neck, so on land protection can be found by getting even a small tree between the crocodile's jaws and oneself.
AgeThere is no reliable way of measuring crocodile age, although several techniques could be used to derive a reasonable guess. The most common method is to measure lamellar growth rings in bones and teeth - each ring corresponds to a change in growth rate which typically occurs once a year between dry and wet seasons.[1] Bearing these inaccuracies in mind, the oldest crocodilians appear to be the largest species. C. porosus is estimated to live around 70 years on average, and there is limited evidence that some individuals may exceed 100 years. One of the oldest crocodiles recorded died in a zoo in Russia apparently aged 115 years old.[2]West African dwarf crocodile from the forests of West and West Central AfricaA male freshwater crocodile at the Australia Zoo is estimated to be 130 years old. He was rescued from the wild by Bob Irwin and Steve Irwin after being shot twice by hunters. As a result of the shootings, this crocodile (known affectionately as "Mr. Freshy") has lost his right eye.[3]
Size Large Crocodile in captivity in AustraliaSize greatly varies between species, from the dwarf crocodile to the enormous saltwater crocodile. Large species can reach over 5 or 6 meters long and weigh well over 1200 kg (2,640 lb.). Despite their large adult size, crocodiles start their life at around 20 cm long. The largest species of crocodile is the Saltwater Crocodile, found in northern Australia and throughout South-east Asia. According to some scientists,[attribution needed] there are no truly reliable records of any non-prehistoric crocodiles over 8.64 m.In the town of Normanton, Queensland, Australia, there is an 8.63 meter fibreglass mould of a crocodile called "Krys the Croc.," shot in 1958 by Krystina Pawloski, who found the animal on a sandbank on the Norman River.[4]The other two larger certifiable records of complete crocodile are both of 6.2 m crocodiles. The first crocodile was shot in the Mary River in the Northern Territory of Australia in 1974 by poachers and measured by wildlife rangers. The second crocodile was killed in 1983 in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. In this latter crocodile it was actually the skin that was measured by zoologist Jerome Montague, and as skins are known to underestimate the size of the actual animal, it is possible this crocodile was at least another 10 cm longer.Sweetheart, a large saltwater crocodile that attacked boats Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, BangkokThe largest crocodile ever held in captivity is an Estuarine/Siamese hybrid named Yai (Thai: ใหญ่, meaning big) (born 10 June, 1972) at the famous Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, Thailand. This animal measured 6 m in length and weighs 1,114.27 kg (2,450 lb.).Another huge captive crocodile was a saltie named Gomek. Gomek was captured by George Craig in Papua New Guinea and sold to St. Augustine Alligator Farm in Florida. Gomek died of heart disease in February 1997. By this stage, he was a very old crocodile. When he died, he was 5.5 m long - as confirmed by St. Augustine Alligator Farm - and probably between 70 and 80 years old.On June 16, 2006, a 7.1 m giant saltwater crocodile in Orissa, India was crowned the world's largest living crocodile. It lives in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and in June 2006, was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records.[5]Wildlife experts, however, argue that the largest crocodile so far found in the Bhitarkanika was almost 7.62 m which could be traced from the skull preserved by the Kanika Royal Family. The crocodile, probably was shot dead near Dhamara during 1926 and later its skull was preserved by the then Kanika King. The crocodile experts said the crocodile would be about 7.62 m since the size of the skull was measured one seventh of the total length of the body.
Biology and behaviourCrocodiles are ambush hunters, waiting for fish or land animals to come close, then rushing out to attack. As cold-blooded predators, they can survive long periods without food, and rarely need to actively go hunting. The crocodile's bite strength is up to 3,000 pounds per square inch, comparing to just 100 psi for a labrador retriever, 350 psi for a large shark, or 800 psi for a hyena. Despite their slow appearance, crocodiles are top predators in their environment, and various species have been observed attacking and killing sharks.[6] A famous exception is the Egyptian Plover which is said to enjoy a symbiotic relationship with the crocodile. According to unauthenticated reports, the plover feeds on parasites that infest the crocodile's mouth and the reptile will open its jaws and allow the bird to enter to clean out the mouth.Crocodile farm in MexicoCrocodiles eat fish, birds, mammals and occasionally smaller crocodiles. Wild crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world, but they also are farmed commercially. Their hide is tanned and used to make leather goods such as shoes and handbags, whilst crocodile meat is also considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. The most commonly farmed species are the Saltwater and Nile crocodiles, while a hybrid of the Saltwater and the rare Siamese Crocodile is also bred in Asian farms. Farming has resulted in an increase in the Saltwater Crocodile population in Australia, as eggs are usually harvested from the wild, so landowners have an incentive to conserve crocodile habitat. Crocodiles are more closely related to birds and dinosaurs than to most animals classified as reptiles, the three being included in the group Archosauria ('ruling reptiles'). See Crocodilia for more information.

Chicken Soup for the Soul

Spread love everywhere you go:First of all in your own house.Give love to your children,to your wife of husband,to a next-door neighbor...Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.
Mother Teresa