Grasshopper Tours

There's no way to make this sound appropriate, but despite having a very sore bottom today, yesterday was a true highlight of the trip. We took a half day bike tour through the temples and villages of Bagan. In terms of background, there is one main road that we had travelled via moped, along with all the other tourists, locals on motorcycles, horse drawn carriages, cars and buses, that led up and down a stretch connecting the main villages and temples. I was hoping like hell our bike tour didn't mean riding that road the whole time, eating exhaust fumes and gripping our handlebars for dear life.

Luckily, my fears were proven wrong. Our guide was a well-spoken, wonderful, recently graduated university student, with a passion for cycling. Arawak was typical of the Burmese we've met so far in that he was open and gentle, patient with our questions and quick with a smile. He first led us through the morning market where he identified for us a number of previously unidentified items that we had been curious about (mounds of fish paste, turd looking food that was in fact delicious donuts, and others).

We then started on our bikes through, what he referred to,as the back roads. I would define them not as back roads, but sandy, dirt walking trails. It was awesome.

It was a tour of Bagan we could not have done without a guide. We wandered through tiny villages, where oxen and pigs were wandering the path and families were sitting in the shade carving house siding out of bamboo. He led us to an active monastery, which was from the 11th century with a 20th century open air hut behind it where three monks lived, prayed, meditated and cared for the monastery. We sat inside. Of all the temples I had experienced in Bagan, this monastery held the most presence for me. There was such a stillness and sense of devotion that was palpable once you sat still for a minute. I could have stayed there for hours.

We continued on and reached several of the main temples through the back roads. It was so incredibly cool.

As we ventured through more established villages, I wish I could have taken more pictures while riding. There were tiny shanty's with dirt floors and satellite dishes coming out of the thatched roof. There were so many moments where I wanted to do a double take but navigating the bumpy path and dodging stray dogs took most of my focus.

We finished up at a traditional tea house with a bunch of Myanmar snacks, dirt streaked faces, sore butts and sheer delight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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