Burmese ladies

I liked traveling with Noel, but I prefer to travel alone to make myself more acessible to the locals. And sure enough, the moment he left I had a little mini-adventure. It was another day of riding bikes around the ruins, starting with the sunrise on top of mingalazedi. Then we went to several interesting temples, including a cave, and a big pyramid. However, at each one we had to run a gauntlet of merchants. These people don't take "no" for an answer, and they all have a "special" price for you. Nothing works to make them leave you alone, besides staring at the ground as you walk past. Even a casual glance at their wares will unleash a chorus of "which do you like"s. They are the worst people in Myanmar (besides the government).

With the departure of Noel, I rode off alone, and promptly got lost, which is impossible not to do in Bagan. The amazing heat and the effort of peddling the shitty bike over the sandy trails quickly covered me in sweat. I rode up to a strange wooden structure (all the temples are brick), like an Asian picknick pavilion. I went inside, and an old man, presumably the caretaker, took pity on me. He sat me down and fanned me, then his wife brought tea and snacks, then sat off to the side, as is the custom here. Then he took me up on the roof and showed me the zedi he's guilding with gold, then he gave me some incense to offer to the Buddha. Even though they didn't speak a word of English, I spent an hour with them, and my faith in the people of Bagan was restored. At least until the shepherd I photographed asked for money.

Change Money?
In Yangon I got 1100 kyats to a dollar but stupidly only changed $50. My first time in Mandalay I only got 1000 kyats, but changed a Franklin. Today I got 900 kyats, so I only changed a twenty. Everybody's saying the banks have been closed for ten days, and nobody can get their money. I wonder what's going on?

Looking at a temple

Ten Dollars a Month Plus Benefits
The cute manager of my hotel says she wants a new job because she only earns $10 a month. That's for a freakin' manager! She wants to be a tour guide, because that's where the money is. When asked if she's worried about the banks, she said "no," since she doesn't have any money! This is only a problem for rich people and tourists.

Rich Tourists
I'm still amazed at how few tourists there are. I hardly see any in the town of Nyaung U. But out among the temples you see quite a few large busses that discharge middle-aged tourists. I'm guessing they must all be staying in the $100 a night hotels in Old Bagan in order to limit their contact with Burmese people. At one of the temples I was enjoying freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, and a car drove up and an American and an entourage of three guides got out. This guy can take all the photos of children playing he wants, but if you're surrounded by guides you're not going to actually meet anybody.

Dietary Roulette
After four weeks of rice, with occasional greasy noodles to mix things up, I've succumbed to the temptations of Bagan's "Western" food. Pizza, pasta, and tonight, since my poop becomes more solid each day, I risked a hamburger. It's never quite right, and it's twice the cost of local food, but it's nice for a change.