The temperature that morning must have felt like forty degrees Celsius when our group boarded two vehicles heading to Mount Popa. The plains of Bagan were unforgiving during that time of the year, when the sun seemed to be closer than any place on Earth. The thought of a side trip to a place thousands of feet above sea level seemed like finding an oasis. As I sat in the backseat of the car as it rolled over burning-like asphalt roads, flowing fire disguised as wind blew across my face. My eyes were almost tearing up because of the scorching heat. I listened to the small talk between Chef Jana, who was seated beside me, and Melo, who was in the front passenger seat, for a time before the two of them fell asleep, leaving me to watch the passing dried farmlands, trees, and twigs by the side of the road.
Monkey Filled Stairway to Taung Kalat Monastery, Mount Popa | Myanmar
Once in a while, we would pass by small pockets of towns and then a long stretch of highway again; then I would see one or two people walking by the side of the road. With the intense heat, I wondered silently how they survived being out for long in that heat. After an hour and a half of that repetitive scenery, our car finally rolled onto the slowly elevating zigzag road leading to the center of Mount Popa. I rolled down the window of the car, and soon, I felt the breeze becoming cooler.
Another half an hour later, our driver parked at the side of the road, ordered us to get out, and pointed to the Taung Kalat Buddhist Monastery. From where we were standing, I saw the stunning structure as it sat immovable atop a hill of the same name, which was formed out of a lava neck, also called a volcanic plug.
The Ascent of Taung Kalat
Rising a total of 2,417 feet above sea level and reachable by climbing its 777 steps, Taung Kalat Temple provided an amazing panoramic view of the entire Bagan plains. Tourists and worshippers of the Buddhist faith flocked to this temple all year round. After a few minutes, we went back to the car and headed to the foot of the Taung Kalat pedestal hill.
During the middle part of the trip, I had already felt some unusual rumbling in my stomach. I resisted the urge to fart or even make sudden movements, as I was pretty sure the dam would break wide open if I did. So, I was really hoping we would reach the place fast and hoped there were public restrooms located there. I am proud to say I was able to hold the fort until we arrived.
I got out of the car first and told Melo and Chef Jana I would just meet them at the top. The other van, which was transporting Gaye, Monette, Dong, Jerome, Ron, Reuben, and Baby Luna, had yet to arrive. We later found out that they had stopped by the market, bought thanaka, and had it applied to their faces.
Encountering the Mountain Residents
Climbing barefoot, I encountered Mount Popa's famous residents: some of the twenty thousand monkeys known to be living on the mountain and mostly concentrated at the Taung Kalat hill. They bothered visitors for peanuts and sometimes would pick up bottles of water or anything they could get their hands on. After a dozen steps, I saw a sign pointing to a public comfort room. I wasted no time and headed straight there. The toilet was surprisingly clean—almost spotless—which gave me a comfortable time depositing my loose load for that day. I gave the caretaker one thousand kyats afterward.
Feeling like a rejuvenated soul, I found the rest of our party huddled together by the steps, all set to climb the rest of the 777 steps. After fifteen minutes, I reached the top of the hill and the temple itself with Monette. The temple looked simple and a bit detached from the impressive view as seen from afar. Still, the feeling of stepping foot on a place once resided in by the hermit U Khandi provided a natural high—higher than the steps we had just climbed that day.
Panoramic Rewarded Vistas
The view from the Taung Kalat Temple showed the volcanic peak of Mount Popa, which towered 4,981 feet above sea level, and the surrounding plains of Bagan. I stood for a few moments while I gathered my breath and, at the same time, enjoyed the cool wind. Resting, I transfixed my eyes on the majestic 360-degree surroundings. I took a few photographs of some monks relaxing and surveying the scenery as well before I roamed around the remaining part of the temple.
Going down, I once again encountered a number of monkeys. Those funky, playful creatures had become one of the attractions of Mount Popa. I took one last dump at the toilet; feeling fine, I joined the rest and prepared to be extracted back to our hotel in Bagan. At that moment, I felt a twinge of a bittersweet feeling. Our Bagan trip was about to end, and I was just starting to savor the great experiences I had had in the short time I was there. On the way back, I fell asleep in the car and had a dream about being a monk living at Taung Kalat Temple; for some reason, I found it to be one of the best dreams I had ever had.
