Bagan

After sun has risen, the show hasn't yet stopped. Look to the west and you may see hot air balloons rise, and gently drift east, passing close to pagodas and stupas. This view can be just as rewarding as the actual sunrise.

So thanks to those visitors who take these balloon trips and give the rest of us awe inspiring moments.

A spectacular way to see the monuments is early in the morning before and as the sun rises. There are a number of monuments which can be climbed east of Old Bagan.

For full effect you need to be there about 30 minutes before the sunrises. At that time light comes into the sky, as blackness gives way to orange and golden hues. While the viewing points can be crowded, there is plenty of room for all.

The Irawaddy River flows from the north, starting at the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, flows past Manadalay, Bagan and on south to the Irawaddy Delta and the Andaman Sea,

The River has become known as the Road to Mandalay after Rudyard Kiplings poem of the same name. While he wrote the poem, he apparently never took the road as far as Mandalay but prefered the environs of Rangoon.

A good way to travel from Mandalay to Bagan is by boat - journey is about 8 hours.

It is obligatory for boys to be initiated as a monk, it marks the transition from young boy to a higher spiritual state. Boys can be initiated as young as five as long as they can pronounce the ceremonial phrases of Pali accurately. There seems to be no upper age limit, though most will be initiated at an early age.

The ceremony called Koyin can last a number of days. It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure their child does not miss this important event. Parents or relatives foot the bill for the ceremony. Though it is now common to have Community Shinpyu Ceremonies, where a number of families arrange to have their children initiated together, this effectively reduced the cost. After the ceremony the young noviciate goes and lives in a monastery. Though being so young they can return home at any time. It is now common for the children to spend a few days or weeks away from home, rather than indefinite stays.

Girls can also be ordained as monks, but there is no special family ceremony when they become nuns ( Thela-shin ) If a boy stays in the monastery till he is 19 he can then become a monk.

You can hire a small ferry, just below the Bupaya. The ferries can hold about twenty people but you can hire one for a few people for about 15,000. Though at this price you don't get coffee and meal served.

Negotiating a better price can be hard or a bit easier. The earlier you try to book the harder the negotiating, the closer to departure time, gives you much more bargains power provided there are quite a few boats available. All these boats leave about an 70 to 90 minutes before sunset. They head up stream for a while then across the river to the edge of the shipping lane. Here they will sit drifting lazily, floating on the water while the sun sinks below the mountain range.

Occasionally the boatman checks the water depth with a long bamboo pole, as the sand banks are building up making navigation more difficult. The trip on the river is primarily a short river trip to see the sun sink below the western mountains and the sky change colour. It's not a better or more interesting way to see the monuments as they are too far away and few are visible.

Stroll around Bagan and become absorbed in a time that has long passed in western society.

The Gaw Daw Palin Pagoda is an imposing building dating back to the 12th century.

Unfortunately, the building suffered severe damage in the earthquake of 1975. The enormous stupa and sikhara which rose to over 60 metres collapsed.

Restoration work has repaired much of the damage even if the quality of the restoration is critised by western experts.

The temple was built in the 13th century, duringthe reign of Nantaungmya.

The towers pyrmamidial structre is more common of buildings from the Indian Gupta period rather than more bell shaped structures common in Myanmar.

The hundreds of niches in the tower contain small Buddha figurines.

The tower is built on a solid quadrangle. This was also damaged during the earthquake.

This temple dates back to the early part of the 12th century and is the oldest in Bagan.

King Alaungsithu had the temple built with an north facing orientation, which is unusual for Bagan as most face east and the rising sun.

The That Byin Nyu Pagoda is the tallest in Old Bagan, its tower exceeding 60 metres.

Like the Shwegugyi it was built by King Alaungsithu.

The construction style of this temple was different to earlier periods in that a second cuboid was built on top of the larger ground level cube. This allowed four floors to be built, which original housed the monastry and monks living quarters.

The third floor contains the statute of buddha facing east.

The Bupaya Pagoga olies to the north of the walled Old Bagan and over looks the Irawaddy River.

The golden Stupa dates back to the 2nd century and was one of the first stupas built in the city, later stupas followed the same design. The Stupa rests on a platform with crenellated walls.

The Pagoda with its prominent river position acts as a marker to boatmen navigating the Irawaddy.

The Lawkananda Pagoda was built during the period of King Anawratha and contains a replica of a Buddha tooth.

The jewelled encrusted umbrella (hti) was placed on top of the pagoda as recently as 2003.

The Soming Gyi Monastry lies just north of New Bagan.

It is similar in layout to many of the wooden monastries which once dotted the Bagan plan and have been destroyed over time.

This monastry is built of red brick which helped it survive the ravages of time.

The Abeyadana Phaya was built during the reign of King Kyanzittha in the 11th century.

During his time, Bagan was known as the city of four millon Phaya or Pagodas. Kyanzittha was important as he establihed Mon Buddhism within the Bagan region, a mix of former Bagan Buddhism and Mon culture from the south.

The Manuha temple was built in the mid 11th century by the king of Thaton, who was being held captive in the Bagan region.

Winthin the temple there are three seated and one reclining Buddha statues.

The temple was badly damageed in the 1975 earthquake but has subsequently been restored.

A visit to the lacquer craft shop shows how the drinking cups, vases and pots are made from local material , laquered and engraved.

The Gu Byauk Gyi is famous for the decipher stones wich were found inside it in 1887. These tablets just like the Rosetta stone, helped to decipher the old language.

The tablets are in the Archaeological Museum in Bagan.

Inside the main prayer room, the walls are still covered in reasonably well preserved murals. These murals date back to the 12th century.

The temple was built by Rajakumar the son of King Kyanzittha.

The Mingala Zedi Pagoda was built in the late 13th century, just before the Bagan period came to an end with the invasion by Mongols from the north.

Very steep steps lead up to the terraces on the outside of the pagoda. There are over 500 Jataka or tiled plaques depicting scenes from the Jataka ( a large collection of stories originating inIndia about the life of Buddha )

Lik emany of the Pagodas it was badly damaged in1975.

The Ananda Pagaoda is just outside the city walls and near the only remaining gate within the walls.

The temple was built in the late 12th century. The temple is built in the shape of a cross. The buddha statues within are made from teak.

The buiding has five terraces above which is a golden Stupa.

This was an important temple of learning and all four sids of the corridors inside are lined with the same buddha stories allowing upto four groups study at the same time.

The Tha Beikh maukguh Paya is a small pagoda near the ossais and just north of Sulamani.

This temple while smaller is consider to offer a better view of the Bagan plains and stupas during the sunrise.

This temple was built in the 12th century by King Narapatisithu.

Inside there are Buddha images on each of the four sides. The murals on the walls date back only as far as the 18th century.

The Dahmmayangyi Phaya is the largest in the Bagan regon and was built by King Narathu, though never completed in his life time as he was assinated during its construction.

It is probably one of the best preserved temples and was least damaged by the earthquake of 1975.

There are numerous horror stories about King Narathu and how he killed his father and brothers and wives on minor pretetxts, so his violent death at the hands of a knfe weilding asasins may seem just rewards.

This temple wasbuilt in the early 13th century by King Nantaungmya.

There are some faint murals within the temple dating back to the early days.

This most impressive temple was started in 1070 by King Anawratha but after his untimely death it was completed by his sone King Kyanzittha.

The golden bell, spire and umbrella rise high above the temple.

This site is an important place of pilgrimmage for Buddhists, partcularily around the time of the annual festival in November - ecember period.

The practice of venerating nats was first allowed for buddhists in this temple and the practice has grown throughout the country. At many sites including here you can see the nat images.