After arriving in Mandalay most guide books advise to visit Mandalay Hill first, and it is a good advice. I arrived at about 4 pm, so I had time to climb the hill just before sunset. It took me about 30 minutes and one litre of drinking water to reach the top, enjoying both the exercise as well as the many pavillions on the way up. Unfortunately, the shrine at the top was already closed but the brilliant view from the top made up for that.
So this is Mandalay!