Sunday, 6 March 2005

Temples of Bagan


Bagan, land of a thousand stupas (or more like 2217 according to Lonely Planet, and that's not including brick mounds which if included would give a total of nearly 4000 sites).

Bagan is an area filled with temples and stupas for as far as the eyes can see. Spires rise up from the ground like mysterious ancient alien citadels especially early in the morning when there's still some residue of fog hanging around. Cycling is a great way to explore Bagan (I felt like some cheapskate Indiana Jones going on a treasure hunt amongst the eerie looking temples). Besides giving me the much needed exercise (I'm proud to say I'm leaner and fitter (and darker) now), it is cheap at only about 2 ringgit per day, for as long as you well please (but mine doesn't have lights, and the bell doesn't work, so I thought it wiser not to cycle at night, besides what's there to see huh?). Bagan's also sparsely populated, and there're not that many tourists (unlike many parts of India) so you won't get much problems with cars and buses and what else d'yu have honking the hell out of you. Sometimes, especially in the less popular temples, and in the afternoons (when the sun is at its glorious peak), you'd find that you're the only one in the temple. Some of the less used tracks are quite sandy and hard to cycle thru though. A puncture cost me 400 bloody kyat, which is not too expensive actually, but my bike only cost me 500 per day!

If you don't fancy cycling, you can get a horse cart. But I was feeling a little adventurous at that time hehe.

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