After a long, bumpy, semi freezing, ten hour overnight bus ride with JJ Express, we finally arrived in Bagan around 5am (it was still pitch black outside). Luckily, neither of us needed to hug the porcelain god along the way, which is always a positive, especially given there wasn't a bathroom on board. Hopefully this means whatever was wrong with us in Yangon is now in the past. I'm yearning to get out there and start exploring again. This girl wasn't meant to be confined to a tiny hotel room with only one window, no one to talk to and very little natural sunlight. Since we knew it was going to be so early in the morning, we arranged for someone from our hotel to pick us up. The last thing we wanted to do after not really sleeping on a chaotic bus ride was negotiate a taxi price (assuming cab drivers were even here that early) so for $10 USD, this was a win for us.
Day 1 - March 27
Bagan is an ancient city in central Myanmar, standing on the eastern banks of the Ayeyarwady River. It is known as the Bagan Archaeological Area, where more than 2,000 Buddhist monuments tower over what seems like endless plains. Given we most likely couldn't check into our hotel yet, we had our driver take us to the famous Shwesandaw Pagoda to catch the sunrise. I figured not very many people would be awake knowing it was before 6am but I was totally wrong. An abundance of tourists from all over the world decorated the graceful white pyramid-style pagoda with the same hopes as us, to see a fresh start to a beautiful new day. Shwesandaw means 'golden holy hair' because legend has it that the stupa enshrines a Buddha hair relic (just like the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon). For a few seconds here and there, it would be extremely quiet. Not a single noise would cross my ear drum. I would quickly get lost in my own thoughts while staring out into the wide opens spaces. But then for the rest of the time, it was a collaboration of sounds consisting of roosters crowing, cameras flickering and people chatting. About an hour later, the sun fought really hard to rise although it seemed to struggle a little (I get it, I have mornings like that too). It wasn't the epic, colorful burst of emotions Bagan is so infamous for but it was still the perfect way to start our chapter in this very unique city.
Now that it was light out, we got back in the car and drove to The Areindmar, our hotel for the next four nights. It was 7am so we crossed our fingers, toes and eyes that we would be able to check in (talk about multi-tasking, huh?). Thankfully, luck was on our side and our room was ready for us. Woohoo! We were so discombobulated from the overnight bus ride and being sick so we took showers, brushed our teeth and headed off into lala land for a much needed nap.
It is ridiculously hot during the day, averaging 105+ degrees, so most people tend to have the same itinerary. Wake up early to chase the sunrise and explore pagodas, rest during the day or relax at your hotel's pool and then head out again for the sunset. This sounded like the perfect plan so just to warn you, our next four days will sound a little repetitive (in a good way), almost like Groundhog Day the movie with Bill Murray. Sunrises, temple hopping, eating, sunsets, temple hopping, eating - and repeat again tomorrow.
Neither one of us have really eaten a legit meal in a few days so after we caught up on some Zzzzzz's, we took our umbrellas and walked to Starbeam Bistro, a restaurant we had read about for lunch. But after fifteen minutes of intense sweating and a slight case of heat exhaustion, we arrived to a place that was closed. Ugh, you've got to be kidding me. Why did the internet say it was open but it isn't? I was so annoyed. Now what? I know it's such a minor problem but this isn't New York City where there are food options on every corner. This is Bagan, a small town with very few places, which is what makes it so special. As we headed back towards our hotel, we came across LA Pizza. Not very cultured but not a horrible Plan B either.
Around 5pm, we had our hotel arrange for a taxi to take us to a few temples at sunset. The first was Thisa Wadi, which we climbed up to the top through a very dark, narrow stairway and watched as the sun began to glisten on the sprawled out temples.
The second was Thabeik Hmauk, which we couldn't walk up since it was locked and apparently the gate key was lost but the family that guards this temple was super friendly. I believe they live right there onsite. An older gentleman took us on a quick tour around the temple which was very nice of him. And whom I believe to be his grandson was so adorable. You could tell they were extremely poor and didn't have a lot. The young boy was playing with a plastic bag as if it was the newest electric toy helicopter. He would throw into the wind, watch it fly for a second and then chase after it once it landed. This would be repeated at least ten times while we were there. It makes you sad at first to see him entertaining himself this way but then you realize, he's happy. When you don't know any different, the little things in life go a long way. Sometimes I wish we weren't so influenced by the world around us and we too could live this simple.
Last but not least, we visited the The Sulamani Temple. This temple is known as the Crowning Jewel and was built in 1181. It is one of Bagan's most attractive temples, mainly due to the brickwork. It has five doorways, carved stucco on mouldings, glazed plaques around the base and terraces and Buddha images that face the four directions from the ground floor. Definitely way more crowded then our first two stops but we figured that would be the case since it was one of the top sights to see.
Our hotel restaurant overlooks the pool and is surrounded by welcoming trees, wrapped around ivy, fruitful flowers, romantic lighting, brightly shining candles and peaceful music so we decided to just have dinner here. Why go anywhere else?
Day 2 - March 28th
There was no way we were waking up for sunrise (talk about being lazy) so we slept in, had breakfast by the pool and laid low. Around 4pm, we rented an eBike, which is a very popular mode of transportation here in Bagan. They are basically electric scooters or motorbikes that run on a charge vs. on gas. I wish every city had these! For half of a day, it cost us 4,000 Kyat or $3.42. Yes please.
We started our pagoda chasing evening with a thirty minute drive through some small, quaint, quiet, traditional villages...
Our first temple for today was Pya-Tha-Da Paya. I loved this one. It had beautiful views once you climbed to the top and the bricks were still pretty much in tack for the most part. As with all of the other temples, every corner you turn there is another Buddha statue silently welcoming you to its home. Instead of Bubba Sparxxx's "Booty, Booty, Booty rockin' everywhere" song, I changed the lyrics to "Buddha, Buddha, Buddha rockin' everywhere" - HA!
Our second stop was the Dhammayangyi Temple, which is the largest in Bagan. It was constructed in the 12th-century and is infamous for its mysterious, bricked-up inner passageways and cruel history. It's said that King Narathu built the temple to atone for his sins - he supposedly smothered his father and brother to death and executed one of his wives, an Indian princess, for practising Hindu rituals. It is also said that Narathu mandated that the mortarless brickwork fit together so tightly that even a pin couldn't pass between any two bricks. Workers who failed in this task had their arms chopped off. Just inside the west entrance, there are apparently stones with arm sized grooves where these amputations happened. After Narathu was assassinated in 1170, the inner encircling ambulatory was filled with brick rubble, as 'payback'. Others quietly argue the temple dates from the earlier reign of Alaungsithu, which would refute all this fun legend behind it. It's also likely that this bricking up of the passages was a crude way of ensuring the massive structure didn't collapse. Who knows what to believe but if the stories of Narathu are true, ouch. Not a very nice man. This temple was extremely busy, with tons of buses piling in as many tourists as they could possibly fit. Great people watching but kind of killed the vibe so we didn't stay long.
Our third and final stop of the evening was the Myauk Guni Phaya, otherwise known as North Guni. We got here just in time to catch the sunset. This specific temple was recommended to us from an awesome Dutch couple we met in Bhutan. And they didn't stir us wrong. Wonderful views and far less people than the other few pagodas. It was so wonderful to sit on top, high above Bagan, and look out as far as you possibly could (good thing I have 20/20 vision so I could see real far). There are just so many magical pagodas almost smiling back at you, horse carriages that are gracefully transporting tourists from one place to the next and the sun slowly making its grand exit for the day. I felt like I was living thousands of years ago, not in the present of 2016. One literally travels to the past when in Bagan and it is quite surreal. Not to mention a perfect break from chaotic cities.
That night we walked to Green Elephant for dinner. Decent food but nothing to write home about. It's a small chain with locations in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan. But it did the trick for us so we went to bed feeling happy, full and ready for some positive dreams.
Day 3 - March 29th
Today we woke up at 5am, left the hotel at 5:30am and arrived at Shwe Gu Gyi Temple at 5:50am to catch the sunrise. We are obsessed with our eBikes. They are so easy to maneuver and really makes pagoda chasing convenient.
Next up was the Thatbyinnyu Temple, meaning Omniscience, which is the one of the tallest temples of Bagan. You can't climb it so we did a quick walk around and moved on.
Last on our morning ride was the Ananda Phaya, one of Bagan's most well known and beautiful temples. It was one of the first to be built and is located near the Tharabar gate, the only gate remaining of the original twelve in the Old Bagan city walls. The architectural style resembles that of North Indian influence. I definitely liked this one from the outside the best. It shimmered in a reddish tint with gold reflections. Plus, locals asked to take photos with me which made me happy. It had been awhile since I felt like a celebrity in a foreign country. Even young nuns (female monks) approached me. So I have course, had Vinny capture the moment as well.
We chilled in our room for the rest of the morning and then rode our eBikes to Be Kind To Animals The Moon for lunch. Absolutely loved this place. It was an all vegetarian restaurant with a cool outdoor vibe consisting of Asian style umbrellas and a flower garden as your roof. Great food, great prices, great choice. Thanks Kari and Lonely Planet.
Then we drove to the Black Bamboo for mid-day coffees and something to fulfill this sweet tooth of mine. I got a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of banana ice cream (homemade, of course) and Vinny got a banana split. It was the perfect remedy to this incredibly hot day.
That night, we took a break from temples and embarked on a sunset boat ride along the Irrawaddy River. It was a nice change of atmosphere but unfortunately, there was no setting of the sun due to the clouds. Definitely a disappointment but oh well. It's always nice to be on the water with a cool breeze to lighten up the intense heat.
Day 4 - March 30th
Yet again, we woke up at 5am, left the hotel at 5:30am and arrived at Law-ka-ou-shaung around 5:50am to catch the sunrise. This too was recommended by the Dutch couple and I had read online it was one of the more "unknown" temples. But when we arrived, there were definitely more people than we had been lead to believe. However, how could I know about something that's on the internet and not have the rest of the world know too? Duh, Kim. Regardless, it was a wonderful location with awesome views. One of the highlight activities to do in this town is a sunrise hot air balloon ride. We looked into it but for $380 per person, we quickly changed our minds. As breathtaking as it would have been, we thoroughly enjoyed watching the balloons soar from the ground, at no additional cost.
I had a hot date to catch up with my mom and sister this morning so we headed back to the hotel for our mid-morning relaxation. Unfortunately, they had some extremely heartbreaking news to report that instantly brought a dark stormy cloud over my head. I was an absolute mess for the rest of the day. Completely dazed and confused. Why do bad things happen to such good people? So many questions were running through my mind and I had no answers. Moments like this make being on the road really difficult yet remind me how precious life is so live it to the fullest. If you are reading this and you know who you are, I love you more than our Mac n Cheese holidays, more than the infamous Christmas wreath cookies and even more than TripAdvisor - and that's a lot. Keep smiling, keep shining and I know you'll get through this.
Since the Starbeam Bistro near our hotel was currently going through renovations, we rode our eBikes to the original location in Old Bagan, about 15 minutes away. They make their own French baguettes and it was mouthwateringly delicious. It was so nice to have a yummy piece of bread since all we've been having is rice, rice, rice and more rice. Plus, Starbeam had amazingly refreshing Lassi's as well. I got a strawberry one and Vinny got a mango one. So fruity of us.
That evening, we went back to Thisa Wadi for sunset and chatted it up with an awesome young boy who was so curious to learn more about Obama and of course, Trump. Since Vinny and I know nothing about politics, I think we disappointed him a little.
That basically wraps up our incredible 4 days in Bagan. This place is like nowhere else in the world. It is a city consisting of thousands of Buddhists temples and that's about it. It is surreal, mystical, magical, charming and absolutely breathtaking. Life is lived at a much slower pace and the locals are just so friendly. While cruising on our eBikes, they would drive past us and wave. So happy to have us in their country which in turn, makes me so happy to be here. Happiness is contagious and I wish it spread easier than it does. If you are thinking of visiting Myanmar, Bagan is a good reason to make that happen.
On a random side note, I want to tell you a little bit about Maps.Me, which is a genius app. Getting from one pagoda to the next can be difficult since there are no street names or real landmarks. It's basically dirt roads with random trees and sporadic directional signage. I had heard about an app called Maps.Me so we decided to try it out. If it can work in Bagan, it can work anywhere. And oh my Buddha, what a life saver it was. It is basically Google Maps but offline so it doesn't use any of your data. You download what city or country you are in over WiFi and when you leave, it will take your wherever you want to go. This made our lives so much easier. I'm sure it took away some of the fun of getting lost but given how strong the sun was, we were fine with that. I highly recommend you start using this app, whether you are a traveler or not. That's my secret tip of the day - shhhhh.
Now that we have spent nearly ten days in Mysterious Myanmar, there are a few random observations I would love to share with you.
Most everything in Myanmar so far has been quoted in USD including hotels, restaurants, activities and transportation. That's fine for us Americans but could you imagine being German or Australian or Brazilian or Chinese and having to pay in a currency that isn't your own nor is it the currency of the country you are actually in. A little odd, don't you think?
When you decide to pay with a credit card, almost everywhere will charge you an extra 3% - 3.5%. However, when you try to use the local Kyat currency, they make it so it is not in your favor with the exchange rate. It's kind of a lose-lose.
When cabs or young kids or random locals ask where we are from and we answer with USA, they always respond with "Obama!" and "can I have an American dollar?".
The driver seat is on the right hand side of the vehicle (just like the United Kingdom, India, Hong Kong, Ireland, Australia, etc.) but the vehicle drives on the right side of the road (just like America, Canada, Costa Rica, Peru, Switzerland, etc.). Quite an interesting mixture.
I'm assuming you have noticed that a lot of the women and children in some of my photos have some sort paint on their face, neck, arms and legs. This is called thanaka, a yellow-white cosmetic paste produced by grinding the bard of the thanaka tree on a flat, smooth stone with water. The milky yellow liquid dries quickly when it is applied to the skin. The main purpose for this product is to keep the skin cool, stop oiliness, tighten pores, improve the complexion and add a pleasant, soft fragrance. Thanaka is also used as a medicinal product to treat acne, fungus, skin sores, measles, epilepsy, poisoning and fever. Nowhere else in the world is thanaka so widely used. Some people put it all over with no real technique while others create patterns and designs such as circles, squares and various lines.
