We left Kalaw, high in the hills of Shan state and drove toward Inle Lake. We saw overloaded vehicles on the way to market, women in fields cutting and threshing wheat. We stopped at a colorful market. I love markets. All colors and shapes of vegetables, fruits, dried fish, skewered eels, and cigar smoking women were there. I stopped to get a smear of thannaka, the light colored paste that so many women wear on their face to keep cool. The vendors were so patient and gracious, and loved seeing their photos. This helped them get over their puzzlement at the westerners staring at the strange produce. Then we stopped at Pandaya, an absolutely incredible natural cave that is filled with thousands of Buddha images. I thought the entrance was overwhelming with Buddhas, but there was
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