The bus trip from Mandalay to Bagan was not so comfortable. Road was mostly unpaved, the air-conditioner was not functioning well, it was hot! The dust gushed in through the wide opened window covered up my face like cosmetic mask, 8 hr journey.
All foreigners have to pay USD10 to enter Bagan, sort of entrance fees to all sites. Traditionally the heart of Bamar culture, Bagan is crammed with more than 4000 red-brick temples. This small town has high concentration of hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops. The historical and religious rich elements make it probably the touristiest place in Myanmar.
The villages in Old Bagan were forcibly relocated in 1990 to reserve for archeological zone. The area is largely agricultural plain land, possibly the cleanest I have seen in Myanmar. Different sizes pagoda studded all over the area. Most of them are well maintained, it presents different kind of beauty compared to the ruins in Angkor Wat (Cambodia).
Most of the tourists concentrate on the big pagodas and temples at the central like Ananda, Htilominlo and Dhammayangyi. Instead the further distance Sulamani (has the most beautiful frescoes) and the scenic Pyathada were my favourite. Cycling under the scorching sun to these remote places was tiring but fun.
There are many many more smaller temples with intricate fine colourful murals unknown to the tourists. Many of them are gated and unlit, in order to protect the precious arts from being damaged and exposed to the light (which may fade the colours).
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Foreign visitors entrance fees.
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Filthy money, but they only accept crisp clean USD notes.
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Signboards
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Market view in Nyaung U.
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Parade for a Buddhist festival.
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Barber shop in the market.
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Playground - not for free.
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Htilominto Pahto
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Shwe San Taw, a popular site for sunset viewing.
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View from Shwe San Taw.
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Breakfast, almost all guesthouse in Myanmar provide free breakfast.
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Bagan bus station, horse cart is a common transportation mode.
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Htilominto Pahto
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Htilominto Pahto
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Sugar cane juice... delicious.
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Sugar cane stall owner and her 2 daughters.
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Ananda Pahto
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Ananda Pahto
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Ananda Pahto
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Tharabar Gate
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Jetty
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Had lunch here, near Bu Phaya, quite expensive.
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Kids were curious with my camera.
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Ice cream vendor.
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Dhammayangyi Temple entrance.
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I bought this sand painting for USD4.50, I didn't really like it, just to help him.
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Dhammayangyi Temple, reclining buddha.
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Abeyadanar - protected colourful murals.
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It looks funny.
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Shwe Zi On Zedi
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Shwe Zi On Zedi
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Novice monks wandering in Shwe Zi On Zedi.
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Kyan Zit Thar cave.
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Rest
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Beheaded statues in an unknown phaya.
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Frescoes in an unknown phaya.
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The authorities should implement the same countrywide, not only in Bagan.
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Sulamani Guphaya - murals.
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Sulamani Guphaya - murals.
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Paintings for sale.
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Sulamani entrance.
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Sulamani - Jens.
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Sulamani far view.
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View from Pyathada Phaya, rain started right after we arrived.
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Spacious platform of Pyathada Phaya.
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View from Pyathada Phaya.
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View from Pyatha Phaya.
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The guard lit candles on the staircase, thoughtful.
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Placing U shoe.
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Simon & Chiaki.
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Local soft drinks.
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Inside the cave - Kyat Kan Kyaung.
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Inside the cave - Kyat Kan Kyaung.
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Tayok Pye Phaya - 2 Buddha images.
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Sand paintings.
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Feeding.
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Food insufficiency.
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Mr.Paw-Paw-Beer in the market.
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| Stopover for breakfast on the way back to Yangon. |
