Hasina is the only woman bike taxi in Mandaly.
When she told me that, I had to hire her services for the day, I had so many questions! In the end, it was like spending the day with a new friend.
Single mum, she is working everyday to show around her city and the area to the tourists and it looks like she enjoyed it so much that it was a pleasure to ride from a place to another with her.

We started by The Kuthodaw Pagoda.
My friend Daniel mentioned this place and the fact that it was considered like the biggest book on earth arose my curiosity. Thousands of stupas keep in security massive stones engraved with buddha’s speeches. While walking around, I’ve learned that the place has not always been that glorious. The english colonialism left some trace… Or I must say took everything from this place.
From gold to gems, everything was stolen and when the queen at the beginning of the 20th century that it was ok for Myanmar to have their own religion and to take care of their holly sites, Kuthodaw Pagoda had just the walls and the foundation left.
It took several years to rebuild everything but how glorious is that place now!