Day #2 in Bagan was much less crazy than Day #1, but it was still a very special day. I met a lovely New Zealand kiwi named Chantal, and we rented bicycles and biked all around Bagan. We stopped in deserted random temples on the road, and it was just really special (especially to be sharing this experience with a new friend). I will never forget climbing to the top of one of the temples and her just venting to me about her crazy mean Nigerian boss at Unilever (so interesting for me to start to get back into the corporate "Western" world and its problems). I think that I was a good, stranger-ear to vent to, and it couldn't have been a more spectacular view...thousands of temples dotting the plains! I just soaked it all in. I will never forget the feeling I also had, knowing it was the last leg of an incredible 3 months of travel, 12 months in Thailand, and the one place that I had to see before leaving Asia.
Chantal and I also talked about how wild it was that Burma couldn't cater to the number of tourists they had at this time. She thought that it was because they had no infrastructure. I think she's right!
At one of the major temples we biked to, we stopped and had a Coca Cola with a Swiss man that I ran into from our Irawaddy boat cruise the other day! I also bought an "antique" Buddha head for $12 from a stickler woman selling it...but I really liked it! I also bought a little wooden carved man sitting on the moon and fishing. When I entered the temple I noticed a hundred more of the same Buddha heads and carved wooden man on the moon(s)! Just shows you, you should always think and walk around before buying something. At the same time, I love these souvenirs :)
That night, I didn't need to worry about finding a hotel because I (purposely) booked an overnight bus to Inle Lake!
Enjoy my last pictures from Bagan :)
Chantal and I also talked about how wild it was that Burma couldn't cater to the number of tourists they had at this time. She thought that it was because they had no infrastructure. I think she's right!
At one of the major temples we biked to, we stopped and had a Coca Cola with a Swiss man that I ran into from our Irawaddy boat cruise the other day! I also bought an "antique" Buddha head for $12 from a stickler woman selling it...but I really liked it! I also bought a little wooden carved man sitting on the moon and fishing. When I entered the temple I noticed a hundred more of the same Buddha heads and carved wooden man on the moon(s)! Just shows you, you should always think and walk around before buying something. At the same time, I love these souvenirs :)
That night, I didn't need to worry about finding a hotel because I (purposely) booked an overnight bus to Inle Lake!
Enjoy my last pictures from Bagan :)
Only crisp, mint-condition USD from the year 2006+ can
be used in Burma (this picture was taken halfway through
my trip...I needed way more $ than this in pricey Burma!)
That sucks! I met the English man who lost his passport...
he was not stressed at all, but told me the UK told him he could
either fly to Hanoi, Vietnam tomorrow or wait in Burma for
another 6 weeks hahaha.
Buddhist nuns are very prevalent in Burma!
They all wear lovely bubblegum pink robes.
Oh hey!
Some deserted temples Chantal and I had all to ourselves :)
The only country I felt safe to wear my Cubs hat in: Burma!
(The Burmese, generally, freaking love Americans! It didn't
hurt that Obama visited last month, either :))
Tuh- dah!
It was amazing how dry Bagan was...we spotted cacti!
A Buddha within a Buddha!!!
The dot on Buddha's forehead signifies that he is enlightened.
This dot was present in Sri Lanka, but not really in Thailand.
(I think that it's a bit of Indian influence!)
Cactus + Temples :)
A solo shot of our bikes
Me on my bicylce!
Chantal and me on our bikes
Look at that blue sky :)
View from our perch on top of a temple
More of our view...
We just stood up there in the shadows talking for a while.
Chantal had this difficult boss in London, but she was a kiwi too!
(So many kiwis in Burma!)
Renting a bicycle in Bagan is a must!!!
Finally, I got my ox and cart picture!
It's kind of unbelievable that oxes and horses are
still used as much as they are in Burma!
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