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Published: September 10th 2007
From the cool hills we dropped back down into the heat and boarded a government run night train bound for the temples of Bagan. And night train is just what we got, with the only light coming from a crazy lightning storm outside and our trusty 30c plastic torch inside. Met a couple of Aussies in our 'first class' cabin and had one of those sit-and-chat-in-darkness-on-arse-breaking-wooden-seats kind of conversations, cos sleep was outta the question.
One derailment and 10 sleepless hours we rolled (literally) into Bagan station. Even though we were tired, we were also pretty damn excited to be here. Its not everyday you get to check out 2000 temples built by a succession of slightly deranged Buddhist-luvin Kings some 800 years ago!
A short 6 hour nap later (the daytime heat was insane), we jumped on bicycles and had our first look round. We started off passing by some decent small sized temples, but it was not until we saw one of the big boys that we realized we were somewhere pretty special. Proudly piercing the dusk skyline, temples such as Sulamani Pahto (pictured right) have to be seen to be believed. Its not just their unique architecture
or their height (topping out at over 60m, which in the 1100's was insanely high) that's inspiring, its the fact thats there are so many of them spread out over such a large, flat, accessible area.
Over the course of the next three days we explored them in every way possible. Not even 45 degree heat nor our 70 year-old wrought iron bicycles could stop us moving along the myriad of sandy lanes (some two lanes wide, others almost completely undefined) that connect the temples! Spent some very cool time with the friendly temple kids who weren't at all shy of the camera, provided two key conditions were met: A chance to see a digital version of themselves, and a handful of candy (business in SE Asia, so easy) .
At other times had places completely to ourselves. There is nothing quite like the feeling of watching the sun set over the Bagan plain from your own private temple! Red, yellow and gold shimmering reflections in one direction, long shadows cast over the green plains in the other. We'd seen a lot of amazing places up until this point, but this was the shit! For sure we'll be
back, but next time we'll do it in style: Bagan by balloon...
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amanda
non-member comment
Magnificant
Hi Guys, Great to see you two are continuing to have a ball! Bagan looks magnificant!!!!!! Love the photos!!