Feb 2, 2005 - Day 211 in Mt. Popa, Myanmar (Burma)

Another barefoot climb, this time up Mt. Popa, was on today’s agenda. This inactive volcano is 1520 meters high with a site of worship at the top. We have been pretty tolerant of all of the barefoot activities, but this hill was full of naughty monkeys. The monkeys like to use the steps as their playground and as their bathroom! Needless to say, this was an unpleasant climb for that reason. The views from the top were spectacular. We could see for miles in every direction… with monkeys running all around, constantly tugging at our pants leg. On the way to Mt. Popa we stopped and saw how peanut oil is made in the rural communities. An ox walks in circles pulling a grinder for hours mashing the peanuts into oil. We also tasted some home-made candies and tequila (made from palm tree juice). Before returning to Bagan, our guide U Bo Ni, had us taste Papaya and strawberries from the village of Popa. They were the most delicious, sweet, juicy fruits we have ever tried. Supposedly the volcanic ash has fertilized the soil in this area which allows for some of the best fruit growing in the country.