Bagan, Myanmar

According to my Lonely Planet guide book, there are over 3,000 pagodas here, and they’re still building more. Many have amazing murals inside. Lots of statues inside various wall nooks. Birds and bats nesting inside. Many are wired and lit up outside at night.

This large, central plain has been formally occupied since about the fifth century AD. Kublai Khan and his raiders came through here in 1287. Over a 230 year period, when there was a mix of Hindu and Buddhist tradition, over 4400 temples were built. Neglect, earthquakes and looting were the end of many. The golden era ended when the Mongol hordes of Khan came rolling through. The sites were then deserted and fell to neglect. In 1975 a major earthquake hit. Some pagodas fell, many were badly damaged. Rebuilding has been ongoing ever since.

Fascinating pagodas, each different in its own way, yet similar to the last.

Had dinner at a large open sided restaurant next door to the hotel, which featured a puppet show accompanied by badly recorded and rather loud music. We took time to feed portions of our meal to one of the local cats, who had a post-meal nap curled up beside my foot. Not like Viet Nam – no cat on the menu so far.

Hired a driver to drive us around the area, and up to Mount Popa afterwards. He first took us to a local market. Bustling, local place with lots of fresh produce. Interesting that there was no meat on display. Perhaps that’s in a separate wet market? Again, the moment you pause or make eye contact with a souvenir vendor, child or beggar, you’re prey for them all. Relentless. Got some great pictures, and started my Christmas shopping. Saw the bark used to make thanakha (the face paint) being sold in multiple spots. It’s rubbed on a small wet stone to make a bit of paste each day.