Weekly Photo: Cobra Lao-Lao (Whiskey)

Lao-Lao is the name of the local hooch in Laos. It’s a rice whiskey that nearly everyone drinks. I tried a shot of this from a vendor who also had lao-lao with scorpions and other such creatures. This stuff is strong! I felt it, and I’m not a lightweight. The cobras were once thought to give men vitality, but Laotians rarely drink lao-lao with cobras—it’s just for tourists, like having a worm in your Tequila in Mexico.

A word about a word: the name is actually not the same word repeated twice. The first is said with a rising tone, meaning alcohol, and the second is said with a falling tone, meaning the name of the country, Laos. Therefore, lao-lao literally means Laotian alcohol.

While we’re at it, there are couple spellings for Laos because of the French transliteration. The French named Laos in the plural because there were three kingdoms before they colonized Laos, so name ends with an “s.” Even so, in French the “s” is silent. More and more the name is seen as Lao, without the “s.”

A Visit to Vientiane

Despite being in Southeast Asia several times, and basically living here for over six months, I never made it to Laos. I visited all of the surrounding countries, yet always failed to get inland to Laos. I finally made it to Laos.

I needed to renew my visa for Thailand. I get a 30 day visa waiver on entry, but wanted to be able to stay longer, so I decided to get an actual Thai visa in Vientiane. The process easy, but because of a holiday I ended up staying in Vientiane for four days waiting for my visa.

Vientiane is a cute town, and rather small. I visiting during the height of the dry season so the weather was unbelievable hot (usually over 100° F every day). People in Laos are pretty laid back to begin with, but when the temperature gets that hot things slow down to a crawl. Add the holiday and Vientiane was all but a ghost town while I was there.

Nonetheless, I rather enjoyed the city. There are a few sites to visit, including a golden pagoda which seems to be standard throughout Southeast Asia. There is even an Arc de Triomphe type thing that was built with money the USA gave to Laos to build an airport runway with. Hum, airport runway or giant cement arch? Clearly the need to be reminded of their colonial past was more important than an airport runway.

Patuxai arch
Patuxai arch

Patuxai (the arch) is somewhat pretty, from a distance. Up close it’s just a giant cement arch. On the way I stopped to take a look at an old chedi. To get to it you have to walk along a small road that goes in between the United States Embassy. That was kind of fun to walk the gauntlet of US paranoia to see the small ruins of a chedi. I asked all the guards if I could walk through to see That Dam, and jokingly added “I’m an American,” with a smile. He just looked at me, no smile, and said, “It’s a public road.” Jackass. Americans are always out to improve our image in the world (sarcasm).

That Dam chedi
That Dam chedi

There are several pagodas and Buddhist temples around the city (all which close for an hour at noon), and even a Buddha Park miles outside the city with several large Buddha statues made from cement just outside the city, though I didn’t make it there. A nice park lines the Mekong River with a bike path, walkways, and space for the night market. Most of Vientiane can be seen in a day (though Pha That Luang stupa is best seen at dusk in my opinion).

Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang stupa
Pha That Luang stupa

In all of my wisdom, I decided to walk around Vientiane to take in the sights. The city is relatively compact and can easily be managed on foot. That is, when the sun is not roasting your alive. I managed to get fairly lobster red pretty fast and had most of the people worried about ruining my perfect white skin. Southeast Asians are very concerned about anyone getting too dark as they have a preference for fair skin. It’s not that they think white people are special, its just that fair skin is a sign of leisure and therefore beauty here just a tan is the same in the USA.

When I finally made it to a cafe to escape the heat, I was drenched in sweat. The staff seemed a bit worried and kept giving me glasses of water. Vientiane has a French feel to it with lots of little cafes and wonderful coffee. I had the best coffee and sandwich in years in Vientiane—it was truly that good. I was well fortified after my little cafe stop to make it back out into the heat, trying to get back to my hotel. When I finally made it, I saw how red I was and understood why the staff at the cafe was so concerned for me!

Back in Bangkok my skin was peeling and that managed to get me chastised by the Thai guy I’m seeing. Oh well. I still was able to see the sights of Vientiane and avoid getting raped by the tuk tuk drivers. No matter where I go, it’s always the same. Taxi drivers, tuk tuk drivers, or whatever, are always trying to screw tourists. In Vientiane they wanted to charge me 40,000 kip to go to the Thai Embassy (a Laotian would pay 2,000 kip and foreigners should expect 10-15,000 kip). When I balked, he pulled out a nice laminated price list.

Most tourists would think, oh, it’s written down so therefore it must be true. Not really. They pull out this list no matter where you are in the city. Your location in relation to your destination doesn’t matter. And it’s nearly impossible to negotiate with them when there are several drivers around because they will lose face if they take a lower price in front of other drivers.

Its pretty easy to just walk away from the drivers that are trying to screw you and find one that is hanging out by himself or only with a friend or two. Then you can negotiate the price down. Laos is no different than the rest of Southeast Asia though, and perhaps even less inclined negotiate. Not only is Laos seriously laid back, but it’s also communist, so there seems to be little interest in accepting a lower price.

Eventually someone will take the offer at a reasonable rate, but when it’s ridiculously hot out and you are comparing the price to your home currency (40,000 kip is $5), you just tell yourself, “Fuck it, I’m hot and I pay the damn money to get to my air-conditioned hotel room!” Fortunately, the people of Laos are really nice and make you enjoy take it up the ass without any lube. At least they say, “Thanks!” when they’re done.

Joking aside, the people of Laos are truly very nice. They are quick to smile and very willing to help people out. Excepting taxis and tuk tuks, no one seems very interested in cheating you. Laotians are just genuine and friendly. Vientiane may be the capital, but it feels more like a small provincial town that is nice to wander around and enjoy a cup of coffee.

Weekly Photo: Kuang Si Falls

The Kuang Si Falls just outside Luang Prabang in Laos are really beautiful, even during the dry season when I went. The falls cascade down through the hills leaving small pools behind, created by the calcium in the water (that also gives the water a bright blue color). You might expect the water to be somewhat warm, but its rather bracing, especially when you’re not expecting it!

Getting a Thai Visa in Laos

Update, 20 November 2013: The process was exactly the same as it has been that last couple times I did this. Though, this time around, I was asked questions about why I wanted double entry, what I was doing in Thailand, why I wanted to stay in Thailand so long, why I stayed so long before, where I was going, etc.  There was also a discussion about whether I would be able to use the second entry in time (Thai visas are valid for only three months, so you need you second stamp the day before it expires—not the day of, because it is technically expired that day). Anyway, I explained that I was traveling around Southern Thailand, was going to Indonesia for two weeks, Philippines for two weeks, and that I probably would only be in Thailand for 50 days instead of the full 60 days. I also threw it out there that I had been back to the US for nine months. Those responses seemed to satisfy him. I am not sure if he was just being helpful, so that I wasn’t charged for an entry I couldn’t use, or if Thailand is being a bit more restrictive.

Also note: If you are from a G7 country (US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, and Japan), you will a receive 30-day visa waiver on land crossings starting 1 November 2013. Previously it was only 15 days.

Getting a Thai visa in Laos isn’t difficult if you know what to do. It’s best to be prepared with the application form, photos, copies, and baht. The visa process is simple, yet there seems to be a lot of confusion because it isn’t explained very well. What is on the Thai consulate website for Vientiane doesn’t tell you everything you’ll need either, so I’ll walk you through the visa process so you can get your Thai visa without issue.

There are a few things you will need.

  1. Visa application form
  2. Two (2) passport size photos
  3. Photocopy of you passport information page
  4. Photocopy of your Laos visa
  5. Photocopy of your Laos entry stamp
  6. 1000-2000 baht

Vientiane is the only place in Laos where Thailand will issue you a visa. The Thai consulate is located at No.15 Ban Ponesinuan, Bourichane Road. Don’t go to one at Phomvihane Avenue, it’s not the right place. Any tuk tuk can take you and will know exactly where to go. They might pull out a rate card showing a list of embassies and prices, and try to charge you 40,000 kip. Don’t pay more than 20,000 kip from the central area near the river. You could probably even get it down to 15,000 kip if you work at it. When you leave, walk a block or two away from the consulate to avoid the tuk tuk queue so you can get a cheaper rate. Don’t have a tuk tuk driver wait for you, it’s not worth it.

When you get to the consulate there are a lot of touts outside telling you that you’ll need a different form, they will help you fill it out, they will take your picture, they will expedite the process, and so on. Almost none of it is true or necessary. They’re just charging you for stuff you can easily do on your own. Ignore them and enter through the gate and go to the right where there is a covered area.

1. Visa Application Form

The visa application form is free and is available inside the Thai consulate or on their website here. Don’t listen to the touts outside telling you the form you have is not the right one (it is). If you decide to get the form at the consulate, which is perfectly fine, just go to the windows (1 or 2). Someone will be next to them to give you the form. Ask for a number from this person. Don’t worry, you will have plenty of time to fill out the form before your number is called.

Fill out the form completely. I mean completely, including your hotel address and phone number in Laos. They want this information. Tourists visas don’t require a representative in Thailand, so you can leave that blank, but everything else should be completed. So many people don’t complete the form fully and have to go back and do it. If you are unsure, ask the person that gave you the form or your number if it looks good. They are very helpful and will tell you if something is not right.

If you want a double entry tourist visa, write “2” in the line under your photo and make sure you mention it to the Thai consulate officer when you turn in your paperwork and passport.

2. Two (2) Passport Size Photos

You will need two photos. This is the only thing you might need to use the people outside the consulate for. They charge 25,000 kip (about $3). Most likely the photos you get elsewhere are too big, but don’t worry. Scissors are provided to trim them down to a small size to attach to the application. The photos should be glued to the application. Glue is provided at the consulate, as well.

3. Photocopies

You will need copies of your passport information page, Laos visa and Laos entry stamp. Do NOT use the services out front of the consulate. They charge at least 10,000 kip for a copy (some even more). Inside the consulate there is a person that will make the copies for you for 1000 kip per a page—significantly cheaper. You will see a sign pointing you upstairs that says “Copies” if you need this service. Just go up there and he will make the copies, tell you you to sign the passport information page, glue your photos on, and staple everything together for you.

You need to sign the copy of your passport information page. All of the pages should be stapled together, application first, passport information page second, Laos visa and entry stamp last.

4. Wait for Your Number to Be Called

They have a number board, but they don’t use it. You need to listen for them to call your number. They will announce them in groups, such as 51 to 55. This takes some time and you’ll be waiting for a while. Getting there early is a good idea. They open at 8:30am and close at noon. You can only apply for your visa during these times. If it’s busy, them might stop letting people in before it’s even noon.

When your number is called, the person at the window will check your paperwork to make sure it’s in order. This is a good to mention you want a double entry visa (if you do) just so they take note of it (the double entry visa is 2000 baht). You do not pay this person. He just checks everything over and if it’s in order he will tell you go into the building next door to pay.

5. Paying for Your Visa

You need to pay for your visa the same day you request it. Go to the building across from the area where you turned in your paperwork and take a seat. They will call your number when they are ready for you to pay. This area is indoors and air-conditioned, so its not so bad. This will be a little bit of wait as well. Your paperwork has to be put together, ferried over to where you’re at, and they have to print a receipt for you.

They call several numbers at once and not in order, so just listen for it. Go to the line and pay when your number is called. You must pay in baht. It’s best to have exact change. A single entry visa is 1000 baht and a double entry visa is 2000 baht. Make sure you keep your receipt. You need to present it when you pick up your passport.

6. Pick Up Your Passport

Your visa will be ready the next day from 1-3pm. You pick it up where you paid. You will present your receipt and they will give you your passport. Check the consulate website to make sure there are no holidays, Thai or Laos, since the consulate will be closed.

That’s all there is to it. The visa process goes rather smoothly, if a bit slowly, when you have everything in order and know what to expect. The biggest things to keep in mind are that you don’t need any of the services out front, you don’t need anyone to help you, and there is no way for anyone to expedite your visa. The Thai consulate simply does not provide rush or urgent visas. The turn around time is already one day, which is pretty short. My double-entry Thai visa was granted with no fuss and everything went smoothly.

Did you get a Thai visa in Laos? Share your experience in the comments section below.

Weekly Photo: Prayer Flags on the Mekong

April in Laos is one of the hottest times to of the year. It’s just before the rainy season and the temperatures get well into the 100s F, exposing large sandbars on dry the Mekong River. For Buddhist New Year in early August, Buddhists build symbolic representations of Mt. Meru, the center of the Buddhist universe, from which to send off their prayers. These flags were beautiful as they blew in the scorching breeze, but they’ll be gone soon when the heavy rains fill the Mekong River once again.

Inthein, Inle Lake: Nyaung Ohak & She Inn Thein Paya

Nyaung Ohak was one of my favorite places to visit around Inle Lake in Burma. A typical visit to Inle Lake involves a day or two visiting the villages around the lake and the floating market. Nearly all of the sights around the lake are treated as fairly equal by the Burmese, though that is far from reality. Nyaung Ohak is by far the best of the places to visit around Inle Lake.

Getting to Nyaung Ohak involves a winding boat ride through a long and narrow canal. Young monks are playing in the water and farmers are planting rice and diverting water from the canal to their fields. Around every turn there are small dams built of bamboo and mud with a narrow spillway in the middle that the long boats shoot through at rather high speed.

Canal and dam on the way to Inthein
Canal and dam on the way to Inthein

Once you reach the village you are greeted by tourists stalls filled with t-shirts and other souviners. If the market is at Inthein (Indein) that day then it is even more crowded and crazy. Fortunately the market was elsewhere when I visited, so it was relatively calm.

Getting to Nyaung Ohak involves a short walk through the village and then up a covered stairway to the top of the hill. Nyaung Ohak is near the bottom and is overgrown with vegetation. I felt like I was one of the first to discover this hidden treasure even though there are plenty of touts nearby.

Walk off the covered stairway and out into Nyaung Ohak and you are in a whole different world. Crumbling pagodas with amazing carvings and buddha statues fill the area. The carvings are what really grabbed me. They are absolutely beautiful! The disappointment is that no one seems too interested in them. They are truly unique with more rounded look than Angkor or Thai sculptures. There are carvings of elephants, peacocks, devas (female deities), chinthe, and more.

Nyaung Ohak devas
Nyaung Ohak devas

The souvenir carvings that are sold all along the covered walkway up to She Inn Thein Paya are of a high quality, though I didn’t see any that depicted what I saw carved on the pagodas. Instead, there were typical Thai buddhas and Khmer (Angkok) style devas. I found that terribly disappointing.

After spending quite some time at Nyaung Ohak, I worked my way up the staircase only to stop a short distance away. The landscape was literally covered with little zedi (pagodas). of every size, some standing tall and others crumbling upon themselves. I was awestruck at the sheer number of them. There are, in fact, 1054 of them. While not as elaborate as the carvings at Nyaung Ohak, many of tilting and ruined zedi still had fabulous carvings of mythical beasts, half human and half fish, as well as the familiar devas, peacocks, and elephants.

Eventually I continued up the hill to reach She Inn Thein Paya. The pagoda is smaller than many in Burma, but still impressive. Once again several zedi were crowded into the main enclosure, though these were in far better shape, many guilded with gold. The pagoda also affords a panoramic view of the ruins and the surrounding valley.

A visit to Inthein on Inle Lake would not be complete without a visit to Nyaung Ohak and She Inn Thein Paya. I enjoyed this part of my trip to Burma more than anywhere else. The area is small and easily done in a couple hours, but the ride to Inthein and the amazing carvings made this the highlight for me.

Lake Inle, Burma: Pagodas, Floating Markets & Jumping Cats

Lake Inle is not that large of a lake, though it certainly feels like it. Most people live very close to the lake and make their living from it. They fertilize their fields with the nutrient rich black mud they pull up from the bottom and they use the floating plants they gather to create floating gardens of tomatoes. Fish are caught to sell at the floating market that travels around the lake to a different city each day. Life completely revolves around Lake Inle and it’s a unique and beautiful place to see.

Farms on Lake Inle
Farms on Lake Inle

I was happy to be out of Bagan thinking that Lake Inle might be a bit cooler. Alas, it was just as hot and there’s the issue of the sun beating down on you all day. I rented a boat for 15000 kyat, about $18, for a day to visit the cities, sites and floating market around the lake. The boats are long, similar to Thailand, and have very loud diesel motors that kick up a great deal of spray from the long props cutting through the water. After hours of the pounding engine, your eardrums are so numb you barely notice the noise.

Lake Inle Boardwalk
Lake Inle boardwalk

Leaving early in the morning is best since it gets hot on the lake. There’s a lot of activity on and around Lake Inle, regardless of what time of day it is. Most transportation is by boat and there are people going to the markets and tourists out sightseeing. Farmers are gathering mud and weeds from the lake to fertilize their fields. Perhaps one of the most interesting sights on Lake Inle are the fisherman paddling their boats. The Burmese on Lake Inle have a unique and highly distinct way of rowing their boats with their leg. This form of rowing supposedly started because the fisherman couldn’t see over the float weeds on the lake surface if they were sitting.

Fisherman on Lake Inle
Unique style of paddling with a leg

Since most activity revolves around Lake Inle in one way or another, it’s not surprising that the markets are on the lake as well. Unfortunately there were no floating markets when I visited. The water level was too low so the floating markets were inland instead of floating on the lake. To be honest, this didn’t make much sense since there was plenty of water for a floating market. Whatever.

Lake Inle Fishman
Farmers pulling weeds from the lake to fertilize the fields

The markets turned out to be fairly typical with fruits and vegetables for sale, along with fish and half rotting meat baking in the heat. On the way to walking to the market you have a few vendors trying to sell you souvenirs, but the Burmese are not pushy. They pretty much leave you alone. Nonetheless, it’s clear that tourism is becoming a greater focus for the people on the lake and one of the floating markets is purely a tourist trap.

Tomatoe field, Lake Inle
Tomatoe field on Lake Inle

The typical visit to Lake Inle includes a stop at a silver smith. I completely avoided this—I mean, who cares about some silver earrings? You can visit a hot springs, which are dirty, film covered pools of dank water a few kilometers walk down a winding road with no sidewalks or shoulders (not fun, especially in the heat; and dangerous). There are a few quaint cities to visit around the lake and the floating village of Yawama is quite beautiful to boat around. Nearly everywhere you go people are smiling and waving (kids especially seem to love smiling and waving at the foolish tourists baking in the heat as they swim in the water).

Yawama Village, Lake Inle
Yawama Village

Certainly you’ll visit Phaung Daw Oo pagoda. Boats are everywhere in the canals near the pagoda, either motoring around or parked in massive groups. You’ll have to walk along thin boards strung together with bamboo railing that are supposed to pass for foot bridges if you want to get to the pagoda. There’s a great deal of activity around Phaung Daw Oo, but not much to see. You’ll have to take your shoes off even to walk around it, which means stepping in plenty of bird shit and god knows what else in the plaza around the pagoda. Of course, there is also Nga Phe Kyaung, or “Jumping Cat Monastery,” which is fun to visit only because it is so absurd to see jumping cats (video I took and put on YouTube).

Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, Lake Inle
Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda

Unfortunately, there is little distinction made between the places to visit around Lake Inle—they’re all treated equally even though they’re not. Nyaung Ohak was one of my favorite places and clearly a top-tier site around the lake, yet it’s only mentioned in passing as another stop on the lake itinerary. I loved Nyaung Ohak so much I’m giving it its own post next. (Correction: I originally thought Nyaung Ohak was Kakku Pagoda.)

Despite all that, Lake Inle is a strikingly beautiful place. There is so much that is unique to the lake that it really is a must see when you visit Burma. The Burmese people remain warm and welcoming even as you snap photos of them working their asses off on the lake so they can fertilize their fields of tomatoes or catch enough fish to sale at the floating market (or non-floating market, as the case may be).

Wandering Backwards: What Really Happened in Bagan

I went out for drink the other night with my friend and we started chatting about Burma, specifically my time in Bagan. I spent most of my time in Bagan while I was in Burma so a lot more happened than just visiting some temples like I wrote in my post. I was telling him about it and laughing. He said I should write about it, so here you go!

It all started at the airport. It’s a rather small, nondescript airport, but they had free wifi. This might not seem like a big deal to you, but getting any internet to work in Burma is like surfing a porn site on a 14.4 baud modem—it doesn’t work! I managed to login into Google Latitude and tried to check into “Bagan.” Unfortunately, Google doesn’t seem to know that Bagan exists or where it is. But, before I could do anything else, I was wisked away to my waiting taxi.

By taxi, I mean horse-drawn carriage! This was a bit of a surprise at a first. I mean, it’s a horse and carriage. I thought, well maybe this will be charming. After all, people spend stupid amounts of money in Central Park and Paris to be pulled around in an uncomfortable wooden box with a horse shitting in their face. I thought it might also mean that the hotel wasn’t too far away.

Wrong! It was a ridiculously long ride. And it was in a horse-drawn carriage!

If that wasn’t bad enough, it was literally 105 degrees or more outside. Cars are passing us as we are trotting along, or rather plodding along. I’m sure the horse hated the situation as much as I did. I’m baking in the heat and wondering if I’ll ever get to the hotel when it started. Yes, I am one of THOSE people. I’m allergic to everything, especially farm animals (that’s why I pre-booked a taxi, not a horse!). I start sneezing, my eyes started watering and the snot started flowing. I was not happy.

By the time we finally got to the hotel I was drenched in my own sweat, eyes bloodshot and watering, snot was dripping from nose, and I was sneezing every five seconds. Nice.

This went on for pretty much the entire time I was in Bagan. My friend was patient and nice about it, but the amount of snotting and tissue couldn’t have been much fun to deal with. She gave me some cold medicine, which helped a bit, but I needed to bomb this with some real stuff like 10 Benadryls.

Oh, but I’m in Burma!

I went around to the drug stores and pharmacies asking for antihistamines, Benadryl—anything that would help. I would have mimed sneezing if it weren’t for the fact I was sneezing every moment. One “pharmacist”—and I use the term lightly—asked what was wrong and what I needed the medicine for. I was like, really?  Look at me dip shit! I am dying here!

Finally I managed to find some cold and sinus medicine. I spent most of the day in my room, which wasn’t so bad. I mean, it was really hot and dusty outside, and I felt like crap. The room had air-conditioning, except when the power went out which was fairly regular.  Welcome to Burma! They have the ability to follow you and imprison you, but not to get the power to stay on.

After resting for most of the day, I needed a beer. It’s hard lying around, and it was after all, a thousand degrees outside.  Besides, nothing goes better with antihistamines than beer.

I drank 5 bottles. Yeah, no big deal to you lushes, but a bottle is actually the same as 2 and half or even three regular bottles of beer. Mix that with antihistamines and I was lit up and flying higher than a kite. I managed to get Burmese makeup put on my friend’s face (that was fun for me, if not for her) and made friends with the cute servers (alas, nothing came of that other than repeated questioning if I wanted more beer the next day).

Throughout this whole ordeal I still had 2200 temples to see. In my infinite wisdom I thought we would ride bikes to the temples. Thank god my friend can’t ride a bike. She practically killed herself trying one out in the driveway of the hotel. That meant taking a jeep. The driver was nice, but didn’t speak any English and didn’t know his way around the temples. Seriously? You are a tour guide in Bagan where there is one single thing to do—see temples—and you don’t know where they are?

That didn’t go over so well. Aside from paying roughly $25 which was way too much, we actually missed out on a good sunset one night. Yeah, I know, $25 doesn’t seem like much. But would you like it if you walked into McDonald’s and they told you a hamburger was $25? You know what the price should be, so getting jacked, and jacked by an idiot no less, doesn’t make you feel good.

While all this is going on, I’m in the back of a jeep dying from my constant allergy attacks and massive hangover as dust is flying up around us while we search for the right temple. Oh yeah, I neglected to mention. These aren’t jeeps like in America. No, they are fully open pieces of crap that let every bit of dust kicked up by the tires surround you and cover every part of your body—even places you thought were sufficiently covered. How the hell does dust get THERE?!?! Really, I want to know!

Fortunately, all this BS gets us back to the bar a lot quicker because we never did find the temple. I was secretly thankful. I needed to douse my sinuses in copious amounts of alcohol. And it was as hot as balls outside, so a cold beer was a god send. I think my friend was happy too. She was saying she could barely breathe because she felt like she was in an oven. Everyone knows you can breathe better with a beer attached to your lips, so we were both happy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I saw Bagan and the people are great (even the hotel keeper that is always charging you triple what you should have to pay). I’m just not sure it worth spending more than a couple of days there.  More than three and you are seriously pushing the limits. No doubt there are some travelers that will find the dust and horses charming. I’m not one of them.

The roads suck, there are tour buses running through town every 10 minutes and for whatever god damn reason they feel the need to blast their horns. The temples are nice, but after you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. After 4 or 5 days, I was ready to move on.

Weekly Photo: Taung Kalat, Mount Popa, Burma

Tuang Kalat (“Pedestal Hill”) is often referred to a Mount Popa, but it’s actually a volcanic “plug” near Mount Popa. A Buddhist monastery is located at the summit of Taung Kalat and it’s 777 steps to the top. Throughout the entire, steep climb you have to fend off monkeys, vendors, and “donation” requests from people maintaining and cleaning the steps (shoes are not allowed since it’s a holy place). The reward is a beautiful view of Old Bagan and the surrounding area which is a bit greener than the rest of Bagan because of 200 streams and fertile soil from the volcanic ash.