Popa Mountain

The ride to and up Popa mountain wasn't very eventful except that it was a very tough climb. Only 4 of us took the challenge. I had fun, felt really strong, and feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

The Popa mountain resort in which we stayed was spectacular. It was on top of a mountain and the view was incredible. We all wished we could have stayed another night. We left there this morning and biked about 60 miles. We saw how they make peanut oil, rice liquor, and how they tap sap from the coconut palm tree by slicing a leaf high up on the tree and hanging a little basket under it. Everything is done by hand. We saw a man climbing up the tree like a mountain goat!

In a little town near Mount Popa, we were entertained by the little monkeys, running and jumping everywhere, stealing the bananas from the people that sold them!

We're now in Bagan where we will spend two nights before we fly back to Yangon.

I have to go to sleep now. Tomorrow we're going to tour pagodas from the 11th, 12th and 13th century.