If asked which of the two places I enjoyed the most this week, Angkor Wat or Bagan, I would definately say Bagan. Less famous, but the impact it left will never be forgotton. With thousands of temples spread across the land, it just seems like a very long time ago, something very important was happening here. It is rather sandy and dusty where ever you go. There is an eerie feeling in the air. The real beauty comes early in the morning at sunrise or later, at sunset where you watch the sun play with the color and shadows of these beauties. If the weather cooperated and the wind calmed, we would have taken a balloon ride: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgDJyHn3BDY Someday, come here.
Our first stop while in Bagan was to Nyaung-Oo's bustling market. As soon as we got out of the van, maybe even before, we were swamped with people wanting us to buy things from them.
They put a cream made from trees on their face that is used as a decoration and also to keep their skin from darkening in the sun. OK, so I bought the cream. Then I walked around the market with yellow patches of cream on my nose and cheeks for the rest of the tour. I also purchased some fabric and gave some dollars to women with children. How can you not give a dollar to a woman who comes up to you nursing a baby? As we were walking a fight broke out amoung two women. I can see now in the pictures I was taking, the expressions of people watching these two women fight. The fight, I think was because of a sale or lack of one. The market was colorful and unique to many we have seen so far. My favorite thing on these tours are the markets. Many items were just displayed on the ground. Seeing fresh chickens, fish and meat for sale and being weighed was something else. No refrrigeration. For sure, shopping is done daily here. The market was busy and people were buying. I even saw farm mice for sale, precooked, ready for your table. Yes, there is meat on them I was told.
After the market we visited Shwezigon Pagoda, Annada Temple, and the Gubyaukgyi Temple. The temples were amazing. I bought a sand painting at one of the Temples which is something unique to Bagan. David had a long,very rugged and bumpy horse cart ride through fields and fields of temples and climbed a narrow and steep staircase to watch the sunset. I wasn't feeling well and had to opt out. During our short time here we visited a family village and got a peek at what life is like today for people in Bagan. The whole family was together getting ready for an Buddhist initiation ceremony the next day. We were invited, as is the whole village, but we had to decline as were were leaving the next day. As they say, pictures are worth a thousand words. When our week ended, we flew to Kuala Lumpur to meet the boat. Even though I DID NOT drink the water, I find myself in bed....so far...for 2 days....Traveling...always the adventure.
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