Tuyin Taung Pagoda

As you approach Bagan from the river, you will view the mystical landscape scene in pictures of the city. If it's a fairly clear day, the excursion of balloon riding can be seen in the distance, imagine the view of the real 3000 temples, pagodas, and ruins. Off to the left, you will notice a lone stupa high on the mountain top. To access the stupa - named for the mountain or vice versa - you must rent some sort of motorized vehicle, for us it was a Toyota Van with all the bells and whistles. We had been told it would only take about 10 minutes to the top, but we stopped shortly after leaving the main road. We entered an enclosed area, only to discover we had been invited to a wedding. It is tradition that foreigners who are in the village are invited to the wedding. The couple was 19 years old, perfectly attired, and appeared somewhat hesitant yet welcoming to 28 strangers. We were asked to share a traditional breakfast with the couple, give a flower with greenery, and a fan which contained the couple's information, similar to our invitation or program. The couple went table to table, where photos were taken. Tradition also suggests that donations for the couple be collected; thus, a hat went around the room. The money was counted and written into a ledger-like book. Finally, we met the mother and father of the couple, took pictures, bows, Min-gala-ba (literally meaning "it's a blessing"), universal Hello in the country, and back to the van. The road to the top is in poor condition, yet when you look at the ride, you might notice a relatively new stone wall. Along the way, you will cross a wooden bridge, where the thought of - no way will they ever get a large bus over it when and/or if tourism increases. Once at the top, there will be the usual shops - no high pressure to buy -, a lady sitting near the toilets charging 100 kyat or about 10 cents for use (there are a few ladies who keep them very clean and stocked - one traditional squa,t the other western). To get to the stupa, you have very few steps, and once on top, you have a beautiful view of Bagan and the Ayeryarwaddy River in the distance. Of particular interest are the metal circular disks around the fence, which represent the 24 levels of consciousness as described by Buddha, rarely achieved by man,y expect some monks. Perhaps it's not the best idea to compare stupas, but some are more spectacular than others - this one would be rated average, but the view is the star. Back into our Toyota van and down the hill. We were invited to attend an elephant dance show, it is a tradition the villagers have shared for generations, but unfortunately, it's becoming a dying art. Two young men go inside an elephant costume. Their performance might be described as a human puppet show. They dance around with traditional music played by local musicians, while displaying some typical elephant movements. The highlight was their table/stool routine, where they climbed on top of each other and danced a #familytravel #thingstodo #travel