(I apologize in advance if you have a slow connection... I had a little trouble with the whole editing thing here, so I just kept adding photos- despite the painful internet speed in Yangon! Don't tell Josh- he always seems to manage to get it down to something like 2 photos...)
Other than a day and a half in the capitol city of Yangon, Bagan was a first stop in Myanmar. And what a stop! I don't think we ever got around to posting photos of Angkor Wat, Cambodia, but that was an amazing place and one of my favorites on our trip. Bagan, however, is now a very strong rival!
Read the rest...
Bagan is an ancient capitol city a long overnight bus ride north of Yangon (let's just say, our last row seats were secured with one screw- bumpity, bumpity, bumpity- and my seat didn't recline...). With thousands of temples and pagodas in 16 square miles, the Lonely Planet describes it something like squeezing all the cathedrals of Europe into Manhattan. I think this description works! UNESCO has been unsuccessful at registering the site as a World Heritage Site, which apparently has something to do with that government I wrote about earlier... The government has also been adding some strange things to the landscape, like an ugly museum and viewing tower, and "fixing" certain temples that would be better left in ruins!
Some of the temples were gilded like this big one.
Although we could have opted for a horse and cart ride to the major sites (yes, there were more horses/buggies and ox carts than cars in this town), we decided to rent bikes and explore on our own. It was hot and sunny and surprisingly arid. After leaving Yangon's flooding (we just learned a typhoon was rolling through when we were there and UNICEF is sending aid it was so bad), the cactus were surprising!
Riding bikes around these temples was one of our favorite parts- that's Josh on the bike.
An alternative method of transportation...
Our first day was amazing. We wandered down dirt paths, avoiding sand and thorns when possible and stopping when and where we wanted. We encountered a few friendly people who helped us on our way and only two tourist couples the entire day. It was a fantastic day (except for the whole Josh losing the air in his back tire and having to walk back, but we won't talk about that).
We often felt like we were walking around in a video game set.
The second day we hit more of the bigger temples, and therefore encountered more pushy sellers. They would sit at the temple entrances, insist on showing us around, and then beg us to buy something from them. This felt a bit like some of the temples at Angkor and was disappointing/frustrating. The people are generally quite poor and with fewer tourists during the low season, they can get quite desperate for a sale. They would watch our eyes to see where they'd rest and then persistently hold out any item we'd hesitated over. It felt as though we had the choice of being hassled or being rude- neither of which are ideal.
These hasslers liked two phrases in particular. I began to hate the phrase "lucky money." Whether it was true or not, it meant that the sale would be their first of the day so the money would be lucky. Instead, it just made me feel sad when we'd encounter "lucky money! lucky money!" as late as sunset... On the other hand, the "just looking" invitation was quite amusing. I think they'd heard the phrase from polite English-speakers and now used it to wave people nearer their stand/blanket not realizing it meant, "please don't hassle me right now; I just want to see what you have for sale".
Josh trying to figure out where to go next!
A lacquerware workshop. Very interesting work and friendly people. On a sadder note, many of the people in this area were forcibly removed from their homes in what is now called "Old Bagan"" and resettled in "New Bagan" a few miles away. We met a kind family in Inle Lake who resisted the move and settled in Inle where the weather was gentler (read: not so hot) and there were better opportunities for the massage business they've built out of their house. If you move quick enough from tourist site to tourist site, it's easy to miss the very real people who have dealt with this oppressive government.
This temple was supposedly built by someone who had been imprisoned, thus the four too-big Buddhas crammed into the space.
Another too-big Buddha- it was almost claustrophobic!
One of our favorite places was a locked temple that a random "Key Master" (yes, that is his title) let us into. We wandered around and found the terribly dark and narrow stairs up to beautiful views of temples and these people working in the fields. Also in this complex were surprisingly well-preserved 800-year-old paintings. One part was left unfinished because the Mongols invaded and the artists ran away, the Key Master said. We also heard about a temple where the Mongols cut off the Buddha's heads and tore out their chests (hearts)!
Josh in front of this strange stomach Buddha. Can anyone help us on this one?
OK- one last pretty photo.
I lied. I like this one too- Can you see all those spires?!
PS A photo for Mom and my other nurse relatives and friends- this is the village "district hospital"!
I promise that's all.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Here a temple, there a temple, everywhere a temple, temple (e.g. Bagan)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Fantastic pictures! I am not sure it was worth that awful bus ride, but it sure is amazing. Josh - what's with the bare feet??
PS - Dad says your blog on the skirts is hilarious. His words were "I think Josh has lost it!" :)
Oh that shoes thing... Most of these temples are buddhist and the Buddhists don't allow shoes in temples. Megan took a funny picture of a sign that states, "please remove slipper." At the more popular places there is a place to "check" your sandals or just a big pile... its kind of funny actually.
Our guide book recomended that we check or hide well our sandals. Apparently we have some high quality flip flops!
Post a Comment