Bagan     

We went this time not with the car in nine hours from Mandalay to Bagan, but by speed boat because we wanted to get there quickly. Unfortunately instead of the prescribed seven hours we needed 10.5 hours because of the low Ayeyarwady River and it was not as entertaining as it was by car.
Bagan on the east bank of the Ayeyarwady is one of the most impressive sights of Myanmar. In an area of 40 square kilometres, extends one of the largest pagodas and ruins fields of Southeast Asia with 2230 listed monuments. The full extent of this area is best seen if you climb one of the well-preserved brick buildings.    

( Click for large image !)

We rented a car with English speaking driver for the whole day and at first we visited the largest city in the area of Bagan, Nyaung U with its shining golden Shwezigon Pagoda. It is one of the most important sanctuaries of the country and with its bell-shaped stupa, the prototype of Myanmar Pagodas.     

The Ananda Temple in Old Bagan is one of the 11 largest buildings here. Inside are four with gold plated, 12-meter-high Buddha statues which look in the four directions.

     

In and around the Temple was celebrating the annual festival that takes a week. Thousands of villagers move during this time here and live in tents and other dwellings. There was a fair atmosphere and it was great, we were right in the middle of it!

At atmospheric Bagan has, however, when sunrise and sunset. We were lucky and could enjoy the sight without a lot of tourist traffic.