Bagan has been described as the land of a thousand pagodas - but more than 3,000 would be a more accurate description (over 7000 in its heyday) They are, basically, everywhere you look - not just one or two, but clusters as far as the eye can see!!!
After checking into our hotel we headed out to get up close and personal with one or two of the pagodas, in the company of our guide, Than, and driver. Sadly, monsoon season decided to reassert its presence so (1) a bit of a wet morning (2) conducted broadly without driver who was utterly soaked to the skin when attempting to remove a loose mudguard, and thus sent us on without him!
First stop: Ananda Temple (11th Century)
Pretty impressive non? Did not expect to be paddling at temples though...
Then it was on to the 12th C Gui Byauk Gyi Temple. Really amazing murals (12th C) which have been restored and protected thanks to a UNESCO project which our guide Than was part of. No photos allowed - UNESCO book awaited....
Weather decided to clear during lunch, so in the late afternoon (after a short siesta - well, it was a very early start!) we headed to a lacquer ware workshop (only made in the Bagan region - very ornate and long-drawn out process) and then for a sunset boat ride on the Ayerwaddy. A lovely way to end the day!
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