The day starts with breakfast, our appetites compromised by the inappropriate apparel of an elderly tourist.
On the other hand, the REI bike capris are comfortable and convenient.
We opted for the local transport choice for tourists, e-bikes (battery-operated scooters - think two-wheeled golf cart).
Fun fact: the pedals are fake (a lie shared in by the police to avoid enforcing a licensing requirement).
Nice contrast with the more traditional transport, still very much in evidence.
In fact, the oxcarts are the only farm transport we see in the country around Bagan, and we've seen scores of them, with wooden wheels like this one. Our driver today (former high school English teacher turned to tourist driver for the money - excellent English, very handy for us) says that only the rich farmers have mechanized transport. Another example of the income disparity problem.
First stop was a spectacular - tho somewhat imaginary according to the LP - palace complex, built across the road from the site of the 13th century original on which it was based, now under archeological excavation. While it looked a bit like a movie set (it is the site of a sound and light show), I couldn't resist taking pics.
The columns are solid teak, more visible on those inside.
It did look a lot like one of the supposedly historically accurate plans in the archeological museum, but those probably involved some imagination as well.
We next continued with our pagoda touring. Some things perhaps of interest:
Mahabodhi Paya...
an unusual pyramidal tower of Buddhas, built about 1215, meant to resemble the temple of the same name in India where Buddha attained enlightenment.
Bupaya, on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River, a stupa in a Pyu style that dates to the 3rd century, farther back than any other Bagan temple.
It's name comes from "bu" (gourd), which it of course resembles, sort of.
Dhammayangyi, a fortress like structure built in the 12th century by a rather nasty guy (King Narathu) as atonement for smothering his father and brother and executing on of his wives (an Indian princess) for practicing Hindu rituals.
A trifle anal, Narathu insisted that the bricks be fitted so that a pin could not be passed between them (pre-mortar), and he had the arms of masons who failed that test amputated. The structure contains several high ceilinged passageways, and a shrine holding original statues of the ancient and future Buddhas, Gautama and Matreiya, the only pair of Buddhas in Bagan presented side by side.
Have to include another plethora of Pagodas pan...
and another Buddha image diversity set.
I like to imagine moods of the Buddhas, or figure out who the image reminds me of.
Our day ended in a memorable way. We attended the sound and light show, which was quite well performed. Of note, the cast outnumbered the audience, they picked Dana out of the audience as a prospective bride for the king (she came in second), and they had us fill out a rating form at the end. On the way back to our hotel our e-bike battery failed, stranding us on a remote section of the highway (next to a temple of course). The good news, I was able to call the rental place on my iPhone using the SIM card I bought in Yangon, and they sent a kid out with a replacement. Also, several Myanmar folks stopped to offer assistance, including an officer of the tourist police, who helped guide our battery guy to our position and stayed with us until he arrived. I've never felt safer anywhere, including in the US.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
On the other hand, the REI bike capris are comfortable and convenient.
We opted for the local transport choice for tourists, e-bikes (battery-operated scooters - think two-wheeled golf cart).
Fun fact: the pedals are fake (a lie shared in by the police to avoid enforcing a licensing requirement).
Nice contrast with the more traditional transport, still very much in evidence.
In fact, the oxcarts are the only farm transport we see in the country around Bagan, and we've seen scores of them, with wooden wheels like this one. Our driver today (former high school English teacher turned to tourist driver for the money - excellent English, very handy for us) says that only the rich farmers have mechanized transport. Another example of the income disparity problem.
First stop was a spectacular - tho somewhat imaginary according to the LP - palace complex, built across the road from the site of the 13th century original on which it was based, now under archeological excavation. While it looked a bit like a movie set (it is the site of a sound and light show), I couldn't resist taking pics.
The columns are solid teak, more visible on those inside.
It did look a lot like one of the supposedly historically accurate plans in the archeological museum, but those probably involved some imagination as well.
We next continued with our pagoda touring. Some things perhaps of interest:
Mahabodhi Paya...
an unusual pyramidal tower of Buddhas, built about 1215, meant to resemble the temple of the same name in India where Buddha attained enlightenment.
Bupaya, on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River, a stupa in a Pyu style that dates to the 3rd century, farther back than any other Bagan temple.
It's name comes from "bu" (gourd), which it of course resembles, sort of.
Dhammayangyi, a fortress like structure built in the 12th century by a rather nasty guy (King Narathu) as atonement for smothering his father and brother and executing on of his wives (an Indian princess) for practicing Hindu rituals.
A trifle anal, Narathu insisted that the bricks be fitted so that a pin could not be passed between them (pre-mortar), and he had the arms of masons who failed that test amputated. The structure contains several high ceilinged passageways, and a shrine holding original statues of the ancient and future Buddhas, Gautama and Matreiya, the only pair of Buddhas in Bagan presented side by side.
Have to include another plethora of Pagodas pan...
and another Buddha image diversity set.
I like to imagine moods of the Buddhas, or figure out who the image reminds me of.
Our day ended in a memorable way. We attended the sound and light show, which was quite well performed. Of note, the cast outnumbered the audience, they picked Dana out of the audience as a prospective bride for the king (she came in second), and they had us fill out a rating form at the end. On the way back to our hotel our e-bike battery failed, stranding us on a remote section of the highway (next to a temple of course). The good news, I was able to call the rental place on my iPhone using the SIM card I bought in Yangon, and they sent a kid out with a replacement. Also, several Myanmar folks stopped to offer assistance, including an officer of the tourist police, who helped guide our battery guy to our position and stayed with us until he arrived. I've never felt safer anywhere, including in the US.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Went ahead and embedded the video for you!
ReplyDeleteEnjoying your blog. What an amazing country.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful story at the end--Dana plucked out of the crowd as a prospective bride, the generosity of strangers, and the e-bike problem solved with that handy phone!!
ReplyDelete