2015 - THE IRRAWADY of MYANMAR - Old Bagan

AGAIN WE HAVE NOT MOVED VERY FAR.

TODAY IT IS TIME TO SEE SOME OLD PAGODAS. THERE ARE LOTS AROUND HERE. HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS. IN EVERY DIRECTION THERE ARE MORE.

MR SO - OUR GUIDE, TELLS US IN DETAIL ABOUT THE THREE OR FOUR WE WILL VISIT TODAY, BUT DON'T ASK ME WHAT HE SAID ...

WHILE I WAITED OUTSIDE, I HAD A DRINK HERE. THE LADY WHO SOLD ME THE DRINK GAVE ME A CHAIR TO SIT ON. I MUST BE LOOKING MY AGE, BUT IT IS HOT & TIRING ALREADY ..

THAT IS ON THE WALL INSIDE A PAGODA ..

MAYBE THIS ONE .. MAYBE NOT

I WENT FOR A BIT OF A STROLL ON MY OWN ...

NOW I AM BACK WITH THE GROUP & THIS YOUNG THING IS TRYING TO SELL ME THE LITTLE POT IN HER HAND.

BARBARA & I CIRCLE THE BUILDING & SHE FOLLOWS, CHATTERING AWAY IN HER EXCELLENT ENGLISH.

I LIKE HER GUMPTION SO I OFFER TO BUY A POT, SHE OFFERS TWO FOR 15 DOLLARS. WAY OVERPRICED BUT NEVER MIND & I GIVE HER A TWENTY. SHE OF COURSE HAS NO CHANGE WITH HER BUT TAKES THE TWENTY & SAYS SHE WILL BE BACK WITH THE CHANGE. SHE DISAPPEARS, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN I EXPECT.

BARBARA & I COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT & THE LITTLE GIRL IS WAITING FOR ME WITH THE 5 DOLLARS CHANGE.

GOOD GIRL!

WE MOVE ON TO ANOTHER PAGODA .. THIS ONE IS VERY LARGE & HAS SOME ACTUAL TOURISTS & LOTS OF SOUVENIR SELLERS.

I BUMP INTO THE LITTLE POT SELLER AGAIN. SHE IS TRYING TO SELL TO A JAPANESE TOURIST BUT WAVES TO ME ON THE WAY ... SHE KNOWS I HAVE FIVE DOLLARS IN MY POCKET.

I HEAD INSIDE THE PAGODA ...

AND OUT AGAIN --

LOTS MORE SOUVENIR SELLERS OUT HERE & THIS LITTLE FELLOW HAS HIS EYES ON AN UMBRELLA ...

HE RUNS AWAY WITH IT AND GIVES THE LITTLE GIRL A GOOD IDEA ....

I GO LOOKING FOR MY BUS & THE POT SELLER SPOTS ME. SHE DIRECTS ME TO THE BUS, STILL TRYING TO SELL ME THE OTHER POT.

SHE TELLS ME SHE & HER FRIEND ARE TRYING TO RAISE SOME CASH TO SEE FIVE CITIES IN FIVE DAYS, SO THIS SELLING IS MORE OF A GAME FOR HER THAN A BUSINESS.

SHE IS VERY GOOD AT IT, THOUGH MY FIVE DOLLARS REMAINS IN MY POCKET.

MY DAILY GIRL IN YELLOW ...

I THINK I WAS ONE OF THE FEW PASSENGERS THAT DID NOT CLIMB THE PAGODA ..

WHILE I WAS WAITING ON THE BUS THE LITTLE POT GIRL WAS OUTSIDE, STILL AFTER MY FIVE DOLLARS. I REGRET NOT GIVING IT TO HER NOW.

BARBARA & MARIANNE - IF YOU READ THIS. THAT IS WHERE YOUR POT CAME FROM.

BACK ON THE BOAT WE WERE GIVEN A VERY ENJOYABLE PUPPET PERFORMANCE.

THAT WAS A VERY GOOD DAY ..