Bagan
We took a looong boat ride down the river to our next stop, Bagan. Bagan is famous for its over 2200 temples, strewn through 26 square miles. We docked at old Bagan, and drove to new Bagan where the people were relocated when the tourist industry started to develop a couple of years ago. Visitors are charged $20 to enter the area, to help restore it to become a world heritage site. Some temples are outfitted with flashing neon lights which is just wrong. Streetlights would be nice though. We walked with flashlights to a nearby restaurant for dinner.
We visited some of the most impressive temples on our first day.
Some are known for their exteriors, others for their interiors with colourful frescoes. The first we went to was being used by a film crew for a Spanish version of Amazing Race. At the next, the sellers lined up with shops near the entrance included women with metal rings around their elongated necks.
We tried to view sunset from a temple, but haze obscured the sun.
Next morning was an early one, to see sunrise from the highest temple.
Many of the group opted for a balloon ride but I think the view we had from the temple was just as good. And cost $300 less.
Next was a bike ride along the rutted sandy roads through the temples, which could have been fun if not for the unrelenting heat. And a slipped chain on one of the ancient heavy bikes.
We came back for a dip in the pool, then I wasted away the afternoon in my air conditioned room. The locals seem to keep going all day though, not sure how they do it! It was 37C at 10 pm that night.