We hired a horse and cart to take us around the sights of Bagan for12000K (about $10).
As it was Sabbath, Yair wasn’t supposed to lift a finger so he probably has to make some extra prayers tonight as he couldn’t help but pass judgement on my poor bargaining ability. I was over whelmed by the desperation of people to sell something, anything. I ended up buying 3 pictures, two pieces of lacquer ware (we had a look around the village/factory where it is made), a marionette (puppet), a scarf. We went for lunch at a little ‘restaurant’ where we were all fired up by the over familiarity that a male traveller had with one of the young local boys. Funnily enough, Kate and I were more sympathetic to the fun these 2 were having, and Yair and Rob seemed to think there was something funny going on. At one point Yair was calling to the boy to get him away from this man and then we found out that he had given to family money because last night at 10pm they found out that they were in crisis. Their restaurant, which they have run for 4 years, is to be torn down as it doesn’t fall into line with government expectations. (The government are keen to turn the area into the sort of money spinner that Angkor Wat is). The family is expected to relocate elsewhere with no financial help. We paid some extra for our meal and we were invited back to eat with them tonight but we couldn’t go as we had arranged to meet Marine and Laurent, who we bumped into at the market and who I who I had met in South Laos. There were an over whelming number of beautiful temples to be seen on our tour but the heat makes it difficult to enjoy them fully. There are also stories of snakes but apparently it is too hot for them too.
I was very pleased with myself getting up pretty high to the view points which were so impressive and beautiful. I can’t compare this to Siem Riep as the whole experience is very different but the place is magnificent. I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes and the heat has enhanced the side effects of the anti malarials that I have been taking which has been a big surprise at this late stage.
As it was Sabbath, Yair wasn’t supposed to lift a finger so he probably has to make some extra prayers tonight as he couldn’t help but pass judgement on my poor bargaining ability. I was over whelmed by the desperation of people to sell something, anything. I ended up buying 3 pictures, two pieces of lacquer ware (we had a look around the village/factory where it is made), a marionette (puppet), a scarf. We went for lunch at a little ‘restaurant’ where we were all fired up by the over familiarity that a male traveller had with one of the young local boys. Funnily enough, Kate and I were more sympathetic to the fun these 2 were having, and Yair and Rob seemed to think there was something funny going on. At one point Yair was calling to the boy to get him away from this man and then we found out that he had given to family money because last night at 10pm they found out that they were in crisis. Their restaurant, which they have run for 4 years, is to be torn down as it doesn’t fall into line with government expectations. (The government are keen to turn the area into the sort of money spinner that Angkor Wat is). The family is expected to relocate elsewhere with no financial help. We paid some extra for our meal and we were invited back to eat with them tonight but we couldn’t go as we had arranged to meet Marine and Laurent, who we bumped into at the market and who I who I had met in South Laos. There were an over whelming number of beautiful temples to be seen on our tour but the heat makes it difficult to enjoy them fully. There are also stories of snakes but apparently it is too hot for them too. 
I was very pleased with myself getting up pretty high to the view points which were so impressive and beautiful. I can’t compare this to Siem Riep as the whole experience is very different but the place is magnificent. I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes and the heat has enhanced the side effects of the anti malarials that I have been taking which has been a big surprise at this late stage.
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