Bagan - Village Life

Around Bagan there were many forms of transportation in use. For the tourists, there were cars, bicycles and horse carts. In Bagan the locals mostly used bicycles and motorbikes. But in the villages we often saw oxen and carts in use, primarily for agricultural uses…



such as pressing peanuts for oil.





More prosperous villagers might also have what they called the "Chinese buffalo," a Chinese-manufactured one or two cylinder diesel engine that could haul large loads, of crops, tools or people, but not very quickly.



But many basic tasks are still done with simple human power. Hauling water…



carrying food for the oxen…



and chopping it up.



A community that still depends on the oxen cart also requires a wheelwright and blacksmith to build and repair wheels.



As Gail has noted, in her college dorm room in Hanoi cooking is done in the bathroom which is workable for us but hardly ideal. But our conditions are nothing compared to those of a moderately prosperous villager in Bagan.



The children of this family have all graduated from college, which is perhaps similar to our two year college degrees.



Some of the children have moved away from home in pursuit of jobs, but this daughter has returned home to help with the farm and family businesses.



After a day spent cooking, cleaning, weaving and doing other work by hand, the mother of the household takes a few moments to roll and smoke a "cheroot."



And after another long day of traveling, Gail and Phil relaxed and watched the sun set over the Ayeyarwady river.