The Burma Diaries - Part Three
Bagan - 3/25/05
I've finally arrived in Bagan and it is every bit as spectactular as I thought it would be. Temples and pagodas everywhere you look - an amazing sight. Got up early this morning to watch the sunrise from the top of one of the temples. Looking out across the plain, there are temples as far as the eye can see - and with the sun coming up behind them it's absolutely magical! Pictures really don't do it justice........
The
sun rises over the plain
History in this area dates back to the time before Christ, but the major building didn't start until the the 8th century and continued till 1287 when it was invaded and sacked by Kublai Khan and the Mongol Horde. After that the city was pretty much abandoned.
This place is very simple - the preferred method of transportation is the horsecart. The area isn't very large so so can see the whole place in 2 -3 days. You can do it on a bicycle, but I wouldn't recommend it. The weather here is extremely hot - have no idea how hot it actually was but you don't want to go anywhere without a bottle of water. Much easier and relaxing on a horsecart. I've got a horsecart and driver for about $7 a day.
When I got to Bagan I went to a guesthouse that was recommeneded by my friend Lisa who had just come from there. What I didn't know was that had called from Chiang Mai to tell that I was coming, so when I got there they were waiting for me and had arranged my horsecart driver. Miss Cho, the owner was a very nice lady who went out of her way to make everything was just right. Yesterday morning I got back a little late from the sunrise, and figuring I was too late for breakfast, I stopped and had breakfast at one of the local resaurants. When I got back they asked what I wanted for break- fast. When I said I had already eaten because I thought I was too late she said to come back at 2 o'clock to have lunch. So, when I went down for lunch I figurged that it was lunch for everybody. No - she cooked lunch just for me. When I came down the whole table was filled with food - traditional Myanmar of course, which was incredible! Not wanting to upset my most gracious hostess I ate as much as I could but there was no way I was going to eat it all!
The Burmese food is very good - a little like Thai but not quite as spicy. The sunrises and sunsets here are amazing - as long as you go to the right temples. Some are deserted and you can get up and climb around to the top. Yesterday I went to THE temple for watching the sunset. When I got there It was pretty much deserted, But as it got closr to sunset more and more people started showing up. It wasn't bad until the 4 busloads of tourists showed up. It was so crowded, you couldn't move without bumping into someone - it was terrible!! Rude, bnoxious tourists getting in everybody's way, bumping into you every two seconds, little kids trying to sell you crap you don't want. That's what I get for reading the tourbook and not listening to my guide! Got some good pictures but it really wasn't worth the aggravation! I did meet some nice people there though, so we were able to have a good laugh about the whole situation. But it was just too much.......The place went from deserted to completely mobbed in about 15 minutes. Then the sun went down, the buses left and it was nice again....
Bagan is so large that most of the places are very quiet and serene. Whatever people are there are not enough to disturb the scene - and then the the tour buses show up and ruin everything.........
Absolutely amazing place to see - to climb
to the top of
one of these temples and look out across the plain is absolutley
breathtaking.
