MANDALAY PAGAN SHORT CRUISE

Pushing off from the muddy banks of the Irrawaddy, sipping on a graciously offered Singapore Sling, we read aloud, "Mandalay", by Rudyard Kipling. Comfy in those cushy wicker chairs, we realized that "where the Old Flotilla lay" referred to the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, whose steamers plied this very river's coffee-colored waters through then colonial Burma and that the Katha Pandaw, the finely finished steamer on which we were sailing, was designed and named after one of those earlier vessels.

Of the many means of getting from Mandalay to Pagan, the Katha Pandaw is by far one of the most elegant and genial, evoking the region's colorful past while offering all the creature comforts of modern-day travel. We best enjoyed watching the Myanmar scenery slide by the rails, especially at sunset, but also liked learning about local culture with a well-guided village walk.Food quality and variety issued forth from a small galley was deliciously impressive, and the entire staff, eager to please.

For our family's independent land-based exploration, the overnight journey from Mandalay to Pagan was the perfect complement - and certainly a highlight - of our Myanmar travels. Thank you Pandaw!

Sue Rock