Bagan, Myanmar

Happy Thanksgiving, USA, from Bagan, Burma! Seemingly endless miles of ancient brick pagodas and temples transform the skyline of the Bagan Plain to one of the world's most untapped wonders. With grandeur rivaling that of Cambodia's Ankor Wat, Bagan is Myanmar's religious and cultural center. That said, it is still a collection of small villages and dirt footpaths. Only a few paved roads traverse the plain and the amount of open space in such a reknown Burmese pilgrimmage destination is striking. Each of the five days spent here I rented an electric motor scooter and explored the expanse without repeating a single pagoda. Government permissions limit visitors to five days for $20 (before extending for another $20), a tall order in light of the cost of living here. It will remain one of my favorites places on the globe, nonetheless.Read more