With all these pagodas, we must have good karma

Buddha would be proud of us, as we have visited an impressive number of temples and pagodas over the past week.

The temples are cool, in part because of the randomness with which they are spread over the landscape, particularly here in Bagan.

CJ and Sophie have outright refused to visit any more, preferring instead to lounge by the pool for a few days.

Meanwhile, Katrina is a celebrity of sorts. Numerous strangers have stopped her for photo opportunities.

Yangon: Most of what glitters is real gold

Yangon is not a terribly attractive city, with the exception of some temples strewn throughout otherwise developed areas.

The city's extraordinary attraction is the Shwedagon Pagoda, gilded in some 30 metric tons of gold (estimates vary), adorned with over 5,000 diamonds, and tipped with a single 76 carat diamond. Katrina pronounced it "more impressive than the Taj Mahal." (I think the Taj has more impressive architecture, but let's just agree that they are both something to behold.) We visited Shwedagon after dark. Katrina, armed with a new tripod, took some awesome pictures. Remember, this is real gold.

Things that happen while we are doing other things

Last night, once the heat of the day had dissipated, we went to see the Schwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Truly spectacular. Katrina took some excellent photos, which I will post later. After the visit, we went in search of dinner. Suffice it to say that we've eaten a lot of noodles in the last month. And a lot of rice. Like a real lot. So the family was looking for something a little different, when what should arise on the distant horizon . . . Could it be? Yes, Potato Break--a restaurant devoted exclusively to French fries (and related products).

We had French fries with wasabi, and French fries with sour cream, and then some regular fries. (Sophie opted for mashed potatoes with cheese.) The evening would only grow more bizarre. When I got back to the hotel, I settled in the dining area to do some work. The hotel staff asked if they could turn on the TV. Why? Because it was time for Myanmar Idol! We watched young people from Myanmar sing classic 1970s rock tunes for the next hour. I never could have dreamed that up.

Laos: We barely knew you

We have arrived in Yangon, Myanmar, which is a huge, semi-crazy city. Our task for the last two days has been to take on the petty bureaucrats at the Indian Embassy in an attempt to get an Indian visa. Spoiler alert: the bureaucrats are winning. (Today we were turned away because our $1 bills were not crisp enough and because we had not downloaded a photo described on the website as "optional." As a native English speaker, I've always felt the definition of "optional" was unequivocal. We are going to try again on Monday at the Indian consulate in Mandalay.)

Meanwhile, I can lower my blood pressure by reflecting back on the relative tranquility of Laos, which is smaller, slower, and arguably more charming (if less interesting) than Vietnam or Myanmar. We did not have time to do much beyond the elephant visit and the hill trek, but the city of Luang Prabang had some lovely sites. It was a great place to explore at a leisurely pace.

Elephants! Sophia, CJ and Leah visit the Elephant Conservation Center

While Katrina and Charlie were hiking in the hill country, the three of us decided to spend a few days at the Elephant Conservation Center near Luang Prabang. The organization was amazing. They are trying to save the Asian elephants which are quickly disappearing in Laos due mostly to deforestation. We spent time at the elephant hospital with the resident biologist who was a great speaker and advocate.  She had fascinating stories about treating the elephants. You can only imagine the size of the examination gloves!

Here's how we got to the center:







And yes, finally the elephant photos. . .

Katrina and Charlie: Trekking into the hills of Laos

Katrina and I took a two-day trek with a guide into the mountainous countryside (past the new dam being constructed by the Chinese). The scenery is interesting, not necessarily beautiful. The level of deforestation is alarming and depressing. Slash and burn agriculture is still what sustains most of the villages, usually to plant rice.

We walked through a number of Khmu and Hmong villages.

These guys made their own scooters.

While these more enterprising boys were out in the woods hunting rats, which are delicious when grilled (we were told).

We spent the night in a village, climbing into bed before 7:30 because it was the only place to stay warm, and then hiked out the next day.

The (relatively) sleepy city of Luang Prabang. Family splits!

We have arrived in Laos, which is mountainous and quiet compared to Hanoi. Luang Prabang is a small, tourist-friendly city along the Mekong River.

The family has split into factions! Leah, CJ, and Sophie headed off to an elephant conservation camp. Charlie and Katrina set off trekking to Khmu and Hmong villages in the mountains. Stay tuned for their competing posts.