The next destination for the Stockdales in Burma ( metric for Myanmar ) was Bagan.

If you were going to spend one single day in Asia over the course of your entire life, Bagan would be toward the top of the list of destinations you would consider.  In an area of about 20 square miles ( metric for 34-ish square kilometers ) there are over 2,200 temples.  No matter which direction you look ( except if you were on the edges and you looked away or closed your eyes ) all you see for miles and miles ( metric for kilometers and kilometers ) are temples.

The Stockdales were very lucky on this trip ( Mrs. Stockdale didn’t get bit by another rabid puppy of death and a month after our visit they stopped letting people climb on top of the temples. )

In Bagan, we had a guide.  She told us her name countless times, but none of us could remember it.  So, we just called her Betty.  Betty was a wealth of knowledge and Mrs. Stockdale thoroughly enjoyed the countless hours spent with Betty.

We saw many temples.

Inside each of these temples were many Buddha.  In Islam, you can’t draw Muhammad.  In Buddhism, you cover every square inch ( metric for two centimeters ) with his image.

Mrs. Stockdale especially enjoyed Betty explaining every single Buddha and why he is sitting, standing, laying, or his hands are this way or that.

I unfortunately missed some of Betty’s most captivating and interesting discussions because I was inconveniently ( metric for conveniently ) taking pictures or just wandering about trying to avoid the captivating and interesting discussions about when and why each of these Buddha were this way or that way.

On our second day in Bagan, the Stockdale awoke before dawn to go hot air ballooning.

When you go hot air ballooning, you get a free hat.

The best part of hot air ballooning is that when they send up the test balloon

and determine that it’s too windy, you get to keep the hat!  The free hat is even better than a tote-bag because it’s a constant reminder for the little Stockdales that they were supposed to go up in a hot air balloon, but their hopes and dreams were thoroughly crushed by the weather and some misguided idea that things are supposed to be safe.

After returning to the hotel for breakfast, we proceeded to see more temples, more Buddha, we watched some monks eat

and then we had a picnic.

Keep a close eye out for Part 3 when we give a monkey a shower.