What a great day! Today we had a horse cart and young driver who drove us around Bagan to visit more temples. Our driver was great - fun and very accommodating - even if his teeth were stained black from chewing betel nuts! We visited at least 20 sites all together. Many had death-defying stairs leading up to narrow outer walkways which were missing bricks in strategic places. However, the great views of the area made the challenges worthwhile. For lunch we ha...

The train finally arrived 4 hours late in Bagan. Ron figures that the train ride was the most dangerous ride of any kind that we have ever taken, but we did arrive safely - if somewhat battered - and saw a fascinating glimpse of simple rural life. When he met us, our guide said, "Not many tourists take the train." Now we know why! Bagan - a magical place with temples and stupas as far as you can see, dating from the 11th century. There are over 2000 in total. Th...

Here we are in Myanmar after a brief stop in Bangkok - just long enough to see the flooding, have some great street food and enjoy a decadent massage. Yangon is a city that must have once been grand, but has seen better days. The old colonial buildings are still standing, but most need a lot of help to bring them back to what they once were. Our hotel was once grand and the inside is still quite luxurious, but Ron winces when he looks at the needed maintenance ...