Varanasi, India. November 16, 2017: My second night in India….and stories to tell already…especially the road here and then arriving and realizing you’ve just crossed into another dimension…bursting through the screen as Lion plays at the multiplex and into the theater that is India. Anything I say right now will not begin to…express…anything of this…there is just too much…. I’ll be back soon.

I am feeling beyond overwhelmed by this world, this incredible world. Also feeling way behind on posting so here’s where a photo album from Bagan, Myanmar comes in handy.

Bagan, Myanmar. November 10, 2017: The day exploring temples in Bagan was a peaceful interlude after the briefest of times in Yangon and then the famous train ride (wait until you hear about the famous road trip!). Would I do it again? Of course. However I will say that for me, especially now from the perspective of India, Bagan is a bit anti-climatic. It is perfect for serious history buffs of regional religion and culture I would think. Also, sadly perfect for a lot of well-to-do golfers on a tour that can combine the sporting urge with easy local history sites. I probably shouldn’t say sadly…but then I always think big tours are sad enough in themselves and when you throw in age and golf…well…  It turns out the hotel I had booked into was part of a golfing resort; the actual golfers were staying at the ‘main lodge’ and we ‘others’ were down the road a piece. Still, they annoyed me, probably because they all were just as old as me and therefore I didn’t get that special attention of which I’m becoming very fond!

I am thinking about religions some as I travel; always with my general attitude of ‘a pox on all your houses’ but nevertheless a slight renewal of a slight interest in Buddhism. Perhaps because Buddha wasn’t a capital-letter god, and because he always looks approachable, in some of his likenesses as though he might even have a sense of humor.

Did I already say this: Bagan is an ancient city in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), southwest of Mandalay….it’s known for the Bagan Archaeological Area, where more than 2,000 Buddhist monuments tower over green plains. 

Of course, it was not possible to get to many of the 2000 or so structures. The ones I did get to visit and even climb around on were wondrous enough for such a short time in country.

I did climb sometimes. The only hard ones were up and down in enclosed stairways where my claustrophobia kicked in … but I only looked straight in front of me and breathed … and then another … and then…

Sunset was the best. The highest temple, in the past available for climbing for sunset photo ops, has been closed but we got as high as we could. Those magical sunsets wherever in the world they take place.