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114and sparkling wine and snacks after youland and watch them get packed up again.Although sunset flights are offered (dependingon weather conditions), the sunriseones are preferable as the cooler dawn airallows pilots to fly the balloons at lower altitudefor a closer view of the temples. Seep 187 for details of the company’s balloon safarisin Shan State and Bagan.CCoursesFlavour of Myanmar Cooking Class COOKING(%09-863 5066, in Yangon 01-375 050; www.myanmarcookingclass.com; US$50) This Good NewsTravels cooking course is a half-day food-focusedexperience that can be tailored to thelevel of cooking you’re comfortable with andis interesting even for those not wanting tolearn to prepare Myanmar food. Kicking offaround 8am, participants visit New Bagan’smarket to go shopping for ingredients.Several dishes are then prepared at a fullyequipped outdoor kitchen at the cookingschool in New Bagan, with some of the foodafterwards being packed up into tiffin boxesand taken to a local monastery to presentto the monks. The morning ends with lunchback at the cooking school.Bagan Thiripyitsaya SanctuaryResortCOOKING(%60048,60049; www.thiripyitsaya-resort.com)This resort offers a variety of courses, includinga three-hour cooking course coveringfour or five traditional dishes for a maximumof four participants ($60 each). Other classesinclude a photography tour ($230; six hours)with a local professional shooter, Burmeselanguagelessons ($100; six hours), medita-BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR BAGANLEE HOOPER: HOT-AIR BALLOON PILOTBest templeDhammayangyi Pahto (p 159 ). It’s the most mysterious. You can spend hours there learningabout its history, and still learn new things.Best non-temple thing to doA sunset cruise on the river (p 113 ) can be a great way to end the day.Best shoppingTun Handicrafts/Moe Moe’s (p 126 ). Run by a lovely lady who produces good-qualitylaquerware. The range on display is just the tip of the iceberg – ask to see the specialroom, with the really nice bits. All the prices are negotiable, and Moe Moe does lots ofcharity work and generally has a good heart.Best restaurantThe Black Bamboo (p 118 ).Best nightlifeShwe Ya Su (p 119 ). It’s the only nightlife in Bagan! A great place to unwind with a coldbeer.Best place to hang out with localsSarabha III/Gyi Gyi’s (p 122 ). All the locals love eating there, which is always a good sign.The beef curry is amazing.Secret spotBagan is the country’s only producer of pon yay gyi, a black bean curd used in a lot of Myanmarcooking. It’s basically the Burmese version of Marmite or Vegemite. The factory in NyaungU, called Lucky Owl, is an amazing place to see the fascinating process, which is one ofthe most environmentally friendly I have ever seen. Peanut husks are used as fuel for cookingand the left-over beans are used as pig feed, so there are literally no waste products.Lee Hooper, Chief Pilot for Balloons over Bagan, has been flying hot-air balloons overBagan since 2003