Temples, thousands of 'em

By sheer dumb luck, I arrived in Bagan, the capital of an ancient and prolific kingdom which sprung up over a thousand years ago, on the biggest day of the biggest festival of the year there. It was the morning of the full moon of the month of Pyatho, and a week-long celebration that brings thousands of pilgrims to Ananda temple was wrapping up with hundreds of monks lining the temple grounds, waiting for their annual gifts of food and alms. It was an incredible sight to watch the sun coming up over a sea of maroon-clad monks, wreathed in the smoke from hundreds of small fires lit by the faithful, while hot air balloons floated overhead and Buddhist prayers echoed from inside the temple.

Full moon festival, Ananda temple

Monks in the early morning

Hot Air Balloon over Ananda temple

Pilgrim watching the monks

Monks receiving alms

Tiny pilgrim banging sacred bell for luck

After that auspicious beginning, I spent the next three days visiting as many of the 10,000 plus temples, pagodas and ruins dotted across the 41 sq km Bagan archaelogical site. Ananda is still a working temple, and most of the others have not exactly been preserved with care. Those that aren't ruins have often fallen victim to dodgy restoration efforts. But the site is still breathtaking in scope.

Bagan

Thabeik Hmauk

Thatbyinnyu Pahto

I spent my first day there trying to see the sites by bicycle, but the hordes of pilgrims in town for the full moon celebration made the roads especially dangerous. So I spent my second day lounging in the back of a carriage being driven around by Bobo and his horse Madonna (no kidding, his kids named her). After such decadence, I braved the bicycle again for my third and final day and was relieved to find the roads relatively clear. If anyone is interested in my full itinerary, I've listed it at the end. And while the architecture and the atmosphere was incredible, I enjoy talking with the Burmese people the most. From the group of hardened red-mouthed and almost toothless betel chewers who chuckled as I tried my first betel quid (and spat it out a mere ten minutes later), to the lady living in a temple with her family and 20 goats who smothered me in the Myanmar Thanaka make-up then gave me a guided tour with her four kids, to the cart driver who jokingly mimed his suggestion that I punch out any official asking for my non-existent site ticket (I never did end up paying the $10 entrance fee, but fortunately no fisticuffs were required), to the pilgrim kids who wanted to take photos with me for souvenirs. The people were definitely the best part of Bagan.

Bobo and Madonna

Making Betel Quid pouches

Bagan kids getting out of school

Bagan Itinerary:

Day 1: rented bicycle for 3,000 kyat a day
Ananda Temple for sunrise
Shwezigon Paya
Afternoon nap & pool
Day 2: rented horse & cart for 25,000 kyat a day
Thisawadi Paya
Lay myetha group
Payathonzu group
Tayok Pye Paya
Thambula temple
Nandamannya Pahto
Kyat Kan Kyuang monastery
Dhammayazika Paya
Lunch at Green Elephant in New Bagan
Nagayon temple
Abeyadana Pahto
Manuha Paya
Gubyaukgyi
Dhammayangyi Pahto
Shwesandaw Pahto for sunset
Day 3: rented bicycle for 3,000 kyat a day
Sulamani Pahto
Thabeik Hmauk (where the lady, her goats, children and thanaka live)
Htilominlo Pahto
Upali Thein
Lunch at Be Kind to Animals The Moon in Old Bagan
Thatbinyu Pahto
Shwegugyi temple
Gawdawpalin Pahto

Sunset over Bagan