Bagan #2

I dived head on into the Pagoda (/temple) experience today. Up for the sunrise again (not that there was much sun to be seen) I've been on them, in them, over them, through them, up them and down them, with small ones, big ones, plain ones, elaborate ones, touristy ones and empty ones. All of them with their own unique charm and characteristics.

My favourite was a collection of 3 small temples I came across well off the main tourist trail, down by the riverside in old Bagan. The 3 entrances each guarded by 2 beautiful and imposing mythical beasts. Combined with the riverside setting and a solitary old man with two dogs, gazing out over the river, I rapidly fell in love with the place.

Exploring further I was amazed to find a busy village nearby, packed with tethered cows up and down the sandy streets. It was like discovering a lost tribe and I did feel a little self conscience wandering the streets photographing cows. As is the Burmese way however no one paid me much attention but those that did, did so with a smile.

It was a bizarre surprise given that all the residents were relocated (not voluntarily) from old to new Bagan around 20 years ago, to preserve the heritage for high end hotels and tourists.

Luckily I didn't leave the village thinking the people had secretly moved home; a local informed me as I was making my exit that the people here were not locals at all, but had been displaced by the floods (of around a month ago in western Myanmar) - hence all the cattle unusually occupying the streets.

Old Bagan has the greatest collection of big Pagodas and temples and the most variety in style and design. I was still expecting a village of sorts (despite knowing everyone had been forcibly moved out) but it is just an area of temples and hotels with a cluster of restaurants outside the town walls. Still quite spread out though and I surprisingly had to check the map a few times to find the main attractions.

The pick of the big ones was the Anonda Pagoda. A blinding white in the sun, the inside was dominated by four giant standing Buddha's and high cool passage ways.

Outside of old Bagan, I was expecting more from the Sulamani Paya given that it's apparently rated by many as the most beautiful in Bagan. The outside was nice but nothing (relatively) spectacular, but the large inside walls were painted with largely intact original murals. I'd seen better in the morning however.

I went in hunt of an 'underground' monastery in the  late afternoon and think I found it. Not quite as exciting as it sounded however. No longer used and the underground element comprising of some sunken, brick parade type areas. That is of course, if I was really where I thought I was. It did have a nice temple you could climb however so I stayed there for sunset and had a lovely hour to relax and read a little although the sunset was as spectacular as the sunrise. The experience only slightly tempered by one of the two other people there convinced his whistling was communicating with the birds.

Bagan is undoubtedly touristy (by Burmese standards) and you do get hassle from people trying to sell you things. They're often so damn friendly about it however that I've found myself repeatedly buying things. Something I don't really do that often. Even if you don't buy, the people are still friendly and like to give you a mini tour of whatever temple or Pagoda you're visiting at the time. It's the low season and the 'lucky' tourist money they're all looking for is hard to come by. The Burmese charm has absolutely won me over today, though I expect it's quite a different experience in the peak season.

Bagan #1

So here I am, sat high up on a Buddhist temple, watching the stars come out, with a golden Pagoda lit up in front of me and a scattering of other spiritual beacons shining across the plane.

I'm in Bagan: a magical expanse of Buddhist appreciation, with more than two thousand temples, pagodas and shrines littered across the flat, lush green plane. Buddhas are everywhere, big and small, golden and plain, some surrounded by beautiful faded murals, others sharing their home with bats and pigeons. The peace had just been somewhat shattered however by some terrible, and terribly loud, music coming from the nearby town of New Bagan.

I arrived in New Bagan bright and early at 4am after taking a night bus from Kalaw. The bus left an hour and a half late but still somehow got here on time. Not the most comfortable of rides but managed a few hours sleep. Enough to get me through a day of cruising around the roads on an electric scooter (the de facto mode of tourist transportation around here), a little motor cross on the dusty side tracks, watching the sun rise from another majestic temple and watching the sun go down from my current seat of contemplation.

The e-bikes are fun. They don't go very fast but they're quiet and obviously emission free so a nice way to cruise around and relax into the ride. There aren't exactly any major highways you need to open up the throttle on.