I had never heard of Bagan until I went to Myanmar (a.k.a. Burma) in February, 2004. It is THE place that gave Myanmar the nickname “The Land of Pagodas”. With thousands of temples and pagodas in various styles and sizes built between the 1000s and the 1200s while it was the capital of the Burmese Empire, Bagan exuded an air of otherworldliness. I stayed in Bagan for four days and explored on a rented bicycle the maze of dirt tracks connecting many of the pagodas scattered throughout the plains. It would take someone with a degree in archeology and Burmese history to fully understand the different styles and significance of the pagodas. Content with a simple description and explanation from my Lonely Planet guidebook for the major pagodas, I just enjoyed the artistry of the architecture and the relative isolation of the place. Pagoda fatigue notwithstanding, I relished the moments of watching sunsets while perched atop one of the taller pagodas, enjoying the delicious local food at roadside restaurants, and talking with the locals at juice stands and at the riverbank.
Sunrise from one of the smaller pagodas near my guesthouse
From the top of Shwesandaw, the countless pagodas dotting the now parched plains came into view. The lush vegetation would return when the monsoon came later in the year.
With very little vehicular traffic around, the trishaw was a cheap and efficient way for people to get around.
Vendors hawked souvenir at the more popular pagodas.
Shrines like this one, scaled to the appropriate size, are always found inside the pagodas.
This little kid sat with us at dinner. He was wearing thanaka on his face like many children and women in Myanmar.
This lady at our guesthouse made thanaka by grinding a log of thanaka wood on a piece of stone. Thanaka is worn as a cosmetic, sunscreen, and skin conditioner mostly by women and children.
With the cooling sensation of the freshly applied thanaka on my face and the drafty longyi tied around my hips, I was now ready for the oppressive heat of the dry season.
Lacquer ware was a famous local craft.
When parched from riding around the dry dirt tracks, a glass of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice was all you’d need.
Goats grazed in the shadows of the Ananda Temple.
Workmen repairing a sign in front of one of the pagodas
Ananda Temple, like many of others here, was still being used by the locals as a place of worship.
The afternoon sun streamed through a window inside the Ananda Temple.
This gilded statue of Buddha received many offerings from the locals.
Dinner consisted of rice with little dishes of delicious Burmese curries.
Sunsets were always magical in a setting like this.
The lifeline for much of Myanmar, the Irrawaddy River is a place where people do their daily bathing and washing.
Sunrise from one of the smaller pagodas near my guesthouse
From the top of Shwesandaw, the countless pagodas dotting the now parched plains came into view. The lush vegetation would return when the monsoon came later in the year.
With very little vehicular traffic around, the trishaw was a cheap and efficient way for people to get around.
Vendors hawked souvenir at the more popular pagodas.
Shrines like this one, scaled to the appropriate size, are always found inside the pagodas.
This little kid sat with us at dinner. He was wearing thanaka on his face like many children and women in Myanmar.
This lady at our guesthouse made thanaka by grinding a log of thanaka wood on a piece of stone. Thanaka is worn as a cosmetic, sunscreen, and skin conditioner mostly by women and children.
With the cooling sensation of the freshly applied thanaka on my face and the drafty longyi tied around my hips, I was now ready for the oppressive heat of the dry season.
Lacquer ware was a famous local craft.
When parched from riding around the dry dirt tracks, a glass of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice was all you’d need.
Goats grazed in the shadows of the Ananda Temple.
Workmen repairing a sign in front of one of the pagodas
Ananda Temple, like many of others here, was still being used by the locals as a place of worship.
The afternoon sun streamed through a window inside the Ananda Temple.
This gilded statue of Buddha received many offerings from the locals.
Dinner consisted of rice with little dishes of delicious Burmese curries.
Sunsets were always magical in a setting like this.
The lifeline for much of Myanmar, the Irrawaddy River is a place where people do their daily bathing and washing.
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