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So me, Andy and our new found friends Kate and Gavin all get to know
each other very well on a 12 hour bus journey through the night to
Bagan. On our way we stop at some questionable eateries and have the
pleasure of discovering the 'toilet break'....the first time we
discover the Myanmar bus toilet break is this - the bus has already
stopped like an hour ago at one of the questionable restaurants
however is pulling over again, this time it appears in the middle of
no where, even more strangely everyone including the driver appears to
be getting off, however us the suspicious foreigners decide we are
going to take our chances and remain on the coach. We all push our
little faces up against the windows trying to see where everyone seems
to have fled to. At first it is unclear as we can't see anybody...but
then on a closer inspection there everybody is, a field of squatting
men, women and children all no more than a couple of feet away from
each other...toileting themselves...no toilet paper, no sinks...no
toilets! This happens another two times before we make it to Bagan.
The bus is comfy enough apart from the smell of petrol which is around
the back, so strong that the fumes are sticking in the back of our
throats. It is also freezing, the air con is on so high we feel that
the next ice age might be just around the corner.
We finally arrive in Bagan around 2am, very tired, smelling like
petrol and no idea how to get to the hotel. The 'bus station' is a
shack with our bus outside and as we walk down the steps of the bus we
are greeted by local people all wanting to escort us to our hotel on
either a motorbike or a horse and cart. But determined that we are not
going to pay and with our lonely planet map in hand (wearing head
torches (no street lights), backpacks and looking disheveled) and lots
of backpacker enthusiasm we attempt to navigate the dusty roads alone.
However, our plans for independence are scuppered by the two local
lads on motorbikes determined to escort us (with or without payment)
to our hotel...it's a good job as well because we would never have
found it, we would still be there...seriously! Welcome to our next
hotel New Haven...
This is now officially my first budget accommodation hotel, Andy
assures me that The Three Seasons was actually mid-range. There are
two single beds and a small bedside table...this is the width of the
room, it is tiled half way and the rest is painted in a mint green.
The wall is decorated with a laminated picture of a waterfall that is
sellotaped to the wall. The floor is also tiled. The bed is OK but the
sheets are not and on top of the sheets is an even worse fleece
blanket with a floral print (the standard duvet in all hotels I was
later to find out) but not to fear for I have the 'Safety Cocoon' (my
sleeping bag liner). The bathroom is more a toilet/shower, and it is
her that I learn that in Myanmar all of the sinks have pipes however
these are just for show because actually the water comes out the
bottom of the sink and runs down the bathroom floor out of the
conveniently placed hole in the wall.
The next day we wake up and manage to get up dressed and ready for
around 11am...much to Andy's dismay we have missed breakfast. So we
find ourselves a horse cart or more correctly the horse cart finds us
and off we go to explore and discover the beautiful town of Bagan.
Bagan which is made up of New Bagan, Old Bagan and Nyaung U is a 26
square mile plain of over 4000 temples and ruins some over a thousand
years old. The temples house images from both Hinduism and Buddhism as
well as the local Nat (spirits) as well as amazing Buddha statues
(sitting, reclining, standing of all shapes and sizes). The temples
are dotted along dirt tracks and can be most easily accessed on bike
or on horse cart. The Temples were built over 230 years by various
kings exhibiting their power and wealth.
The horse cart is loads of fun...I'm worried not so much for the horse
:o( the cart is wooden and rickety and is made a little comfier by
some floral print cushions and is finished off with a red canvas
cover. Our driver was a young man who was currently at University
(this is not however university as we know it). We saw the most
beautiful temples and ruins and breath taking views over the whole of
Bagan (for those who dare to climb up the sides and walls of the
temples...this is a health and safety nightmare and would never be
allowed at home, at home there would be big signs that would read 'DO
NOT CLIMB ON STRUCTURES RISK OF FALLING AND BROKEN BONES'. However the
local guides (otherwise known as sellers) fly up and down them like
they were climbing lizards keen to show you the amazing views and
maneuvering in and out of the narrow entrances and exits with
ease...unlike us much taller and not so lean westerners. On one temple
we were escorted to the top for the views by a small boy who was no
older than about 7. He allowed me and Andy to reach the higher
platform alone, after wondering around and taking many photos for
around thirty minutes we descended the temple to find our 'guide' fast
asleep on the temple roof. After much deliberation I decided I must
wake him up as I was scared he night stay there on his own and get
rained on. Another 'guide' we met me and Andy lovingly refer to as
'the guy in the Arsenal shirt' (something else you should know about
the people of Myanmar is that they love English football, in
particular Manchester United! When we met new locals the conversation
would normally go...'which country', 'England', 'Argh Manchester
United'. But our guide was an avid Arsenal fan and knew more abut our
premier league than most English. He started off as a seller, like
many telling us that in his spare time he is a 'painter' who paints
beautiful sand paintings that are copies of the images fund on the
walls of the temples...this would be a lot more convincing if all of
the 'painters' weren't 'painting' exactly the same images! However
once he was completely sure we wasn't going to buy anything he sat
with us at sunset (unfortunately this was more watching the sun go
behind the clouds but still beautiful), after seeing us on our horse
and cart and chasing after us on his motorbike recognising us from his
attempts to sell us a painting in the morning, and told us about his
life in Myanmar and his hopes to leave to work in Singapore. During
this conversation a convoy of 4x4's drove down a road we could
see...he told us this was the government. Another highlight from our
day discovering the temples was meeting a lovely young Burmese woman
who showed us around one of the temples which was built to be a
replica of a Buddhist temple in India. After educating us about the
animal that represents the day you were born and greatly enjoying
showing us a padlock that was made in London, she took time to paint
our faces in Thanaka (pronounced like Danaka) this is a paste made out
of tree bark that the local people wear as a sun block and as make up,
many of the girls can be seen with patterns and shapes all painted on
their faces. She also dressed me and Andy up in our own Longi's so
that we could have a photo. As we walked around the gardens of the
temple which each in someway represented a part of Buddha's journey
she picked flowers to put in my hair and informed me that a longi is a
good way to get a breeze 'up by your knickers' when it's hot. We also
saw lots of monks and stumbled upon a monastery where it appeared the
monks were doing their washing as there were washing lines full of
robes. On the night we met up with Kate and Gavin who were our buddies
living in the rooms next to us and went for an Indian at the
recommended aroma two restaurant. The food was great however I managed
to greatly insult the chef who did not appreciate my poor attempts at
trying the fresh dips and chutneys he had provided me with. It was
after dinner when we went to the nearby stall version of a corner shop
that I first discovered OkI! OkI is a Japanese cream washing detergent
that me and Andy happily spent an hour the following morning washing
and rinsing our clothes with before rigging our balcony up as a wash
room with our handy washing line. The process went - me washing the
clothes with the OkI in the sink basin (whilst trying not to pull the
thing off the wall) then Andy rinsed them in the shower, rung them out
and then hung them out to dry. Our very substantial efforts also
inspired balconies full of washing from fellow travelers...now there's
a revolution I never thought I would lead!
However in the early hours of the morning prior to all the clothes
washing action, me, Andy and Gavin had all arranged to meet at
5am...yes 5am to rent bicycles to try and find a temple to climb to
witness the sun rise. This all started very well...we got the bikes
and headed off in what we thought was the right direction. However
after cycling for fifteen minutes and traveling deeper into the local
village eventually ending up at the Nyaung U jetty we realised we had
gone the wrong way. So instead we caught a glimpse of a sun rise over
the river...watched by locals who were more than aware that this is
obviously not where we had intended to end up! Although disappointing
to miss the sunrise over the beautiful temples out bike ride was not a
complete disaster. Riding through the village enabled us to witness
the young local nuns and monks collecting elms (offering of fruit,
rice, money etc) from the villagers and carrying them (nuns - on their
heads) back to the monastery. We also was locals taking produce on ox
and carts and the village waking up.
After getting back to the hotel around 7am and getting some extra
hours sleep and doing our laundry we decided to make the most of our
bikes and take them out around the villages, trying to find temples we
had spotted but not visited the day before. The bike ride was really
lovely we first cycled up to Old Bagan from Nyaung U (which is where
our hotel was), this was lovely we stopped at a few of the temples and
sat and relaxed. Our only annoyance was that as we were cycling we
passed a local man who was sitting on the kurb next to his motorbike,
we wished him good day as we cycled on past him. Next thing we know
the guy is driving up alongside us telling us how he is a
'painter'...yeah we've heard that one before! Any way he is asking us
how long we are staying etc etc and we think that we manage to
politely shoo him away. So we carry on cycling and mosey on up this
dirt track where we find some beautiful ruins and its just me, Andy,
the insects and the temples. Then low and behold we hear a vroom vroom
and who has found us..it's only the 'painter' on the motorbike. So up
the dirt track he comes smiling at us as he passes! So we try to avoid
him...this is very hard when you are the only humans amongst 4 - 6
temple ruins and the person you are trying to avoid is blocking the
only stairway you were hoping to climb. So he starts telling us 'no
charge, no charge to climb up', yeah we know this already we have seen
like a zillion temples by this point. So we go up and thankfully he
doesn't follow, so we wonder around on the roof of the temple take
some photos, the usual. Then just when we think he has been distracted
at another temple by like a...bug or something we try to make our get
away. But in the time it takes us to descend the stairs and get out of
the temple there he is sat in the door way with all 'his' paintings on
display. But by now we are pro's and we politely excuse ourselves
without a painting.
Which reminds me whilst at another temple the previous day we noticed
that as we were leaving we were getting stared at...now by now we are
used to this, my skin is a sure fire way to get attention (Andy on the
other hand already has a job convincing people he's not Italian or
Spanish he has tanned so well), however this was a little more intense
than usual. Finally a lovely man approaches us who informs us that the
coach load of people staring are his family. They have traveled from
the tiny villages from all over Myanmar to meet up as a family and
they have never seen white people before and are extremely
inquisitive. He then says that his family would very much like a
photograph with us. So there we stand Bagan's very own human
attraction standing with a huge family we have never met and don't
speak any English (apart from the man who has spent time in Thailand)
having a photo taken.
But anyway back to the day in question...so following our trip around
Old Bagan we cycle on up into New Bagan. We stop off for a cola and
take in the sights. Here there is a beautiful museum housed inside a
Chinese style Pagoda building. Following this we try to head back into
Nyaung U and hopefully back to the hotel (by this point we have been
cycling for two hours, my bum hurts and it is very hot...so hot the
sweat on our faces is washing the sun tan lotion and insect repellent
into our eyes a stinging sensation we are quickly getting used too
(twice I have actually squirted deet directly into my eye whilst still
half asleep in the morning)). So we have our trusted lonely planet
guide map and are following (we think) the map perfectly...so yes past
the nanda restaurant (very excited because it sounds a little bit like
nandos), next turning on the right, yes we do that and then oh
no...yes this is a dirt track, hmmm we are now in a field...and there
we are me, Andy, our map and a girl with a cow on a lead! As we cycle
a little further I have a little break down. Andy tries his best to
assure me that it is only 4.30pm so it won't be dark for another two
hours and we can't be far away...but I've got to admit at this moment
I am not all that convinced. So map in hand we try again. Andy
approaches a local man who gives us a big smile and a hand gesture
over in 'that direction' and off we go, I am still not convinced we
are ever going to make it back to the hotel and Andy tries his utmost
to contain my spilling anxiety. Our last resort is to approach what at
the time I considered to be a high school version of the hells angels,
now the incident is done and we are safely back I can see these were
actually just a small group of lads trying to pick up girls with their
fancy bikes. But they are very good and although don't speak much
English Andy manages to ascertain the general direction of the hotel
and with me in a...slight sulk, he gets us back to the hotel within 7
minutes. So with lots of apologies from me and lots of 'you're my
hero' we meet up with Gavin and go out in search of pizza. We find
pizza pretty easily in the town which is a shrt walk from the hotel
and we all sit and reminisce about the day. Andy and Gavin both share
a passion...planes and flying, Gavin is an airline pilot and him and
Andy by this point have spent a good deal of time sharing stories and
tales and experiences. Following dinner we meet up with Kate who is in
the hotel reception about to book her flight out of Bagan...but with
minutes to spare we all decide that actually tomorrow we are going on
a hike.
So the next morning nice and early we get up for breakfast (just so
you know breakfast in South East Asia is the same apparently
everywhere and this is it...two pieced of the sweetest bread you have
ever tasted toasted, this comes with 'butter' or a better description
would be gardened grease that when you eat it leaves a film on the
inside of your mouth, this is after you have prized the toast from the
rof of your mouth to swallow it, an egg...fried, scrambled or omlette,
and either watermelon or banana (flies may or may not be optional). So
off we go in a taxi heading for the Old Bagan jetty from here we hire
a private boat to Tan Kyi village across the Ayeyarwardy (a river).
When we arrive we are again greeted by intrigued locals and children
waving like we are all long lost friends. We are lead through the
village by the gentleman who helped to escort us across the water, he
leaves us at the base of the mountain. And up we go, our aim to reach
the Tan Kyi Paya, a golden stupa atop the mountain, from where we are
promised a 'terrific and unque look over the river to Bagan's mighty
sprawl'...well not everything is quite as promised. Firstly the walk
up the mountain and steps is more exercise than my body has had to
handle in a while so I am hot, red and sweating and by the time we get
to the top (an hour or so) it is so cloudy and overcast that we can't
even see the other side of the river..l.thanks lonely planet
guide...for nothing! Well not all was lost the sense of achievement
that I hadn't keeled over on the mountain felt pretty good and the
village that awaited us on the other side of the stupa was one of our
most treasured experiences. Firstly on our way up a lovely elderly
gentleman and his wife called us into their home which was in the
grounds of a mid-way-to-the-top stupa, here they made us green tea and
gave us bananas to eat. Then as we reached the top we were greeted by,
what we thought at the time was a big family, lots of children and two
or three women. Later we realised that these children lived in what we
think was an orphanage on the other side of the stupa. The children
loved us they wanted their photos taken and wanted to play games, they
were just so lovely and very friendly. When we finally got away from
the children we sat for a while by the stupa where we watched a monk
praying, the monk passed by us with no words only a small smile.
However around 15 minutes later he reappeared with fresh mango's for
us all (OK so I don't eat mango but it's the thought that counts!) and
gave us a massive toothless grin! We then wondered back down the other
side into the village where we met the children again who were keen
for us to take photos of them together and then them with us. We sat
for a while and drank Crusher (Myanmar's very own version of Fanta)
and then made our way back down the mountain but not before big
goodbyes from the kids and lots of waving.
Once down the mountain (going down is so much easier than going up) we
met up again with the man from the boat and he lead us back through
the village. Whilst making our way through Kate got distracted by some
fried breads that were being freshly made at what I think is like the
equivalent of a local cafe...please don't be imagining a cafe like
starbucks! This is open fire, dogs running around, people smoking
cigars, no health and safety or food hygiene certificates on the
walls, small plastic stools and a wooden crate for a table style. So
we sit down and I tentatively take a bite of this fried dough/bread
thing (I'm hoping that the frying has killed all the germs). We then
get brought green tea and our newly appointed guide finds some paper
fans for us (he even does us a demonstration of how to use them by
fanning us for a few minutes). The guys then somehow get talked into
trying Betel nut (this is a nut that is wrapped in a paste and a big
leaf and chewed by all of the local men. The result is a mouth and
teeth that are full of seeds and a bright red juice. The locals then
spit this anywhere and everywhere. The nut is chewed as it is meant t
give a slight buzz equivalent to that of caffeine or tobacco. The
local men's smiles are not attractive as the juice appears to stain
their teeth and leave deep red and brown marks in between them. The
locals can appear to chew this nut for hours...our guys lasted all of
a few seconds before coughing and spluttering and dribbling it all
down their chins...this was hilarious to watch and the locals at the
'cafe' thought so too. So after creating a bit of entertainment and a
scene and taking some more photos we got back into our boat and sailed
back to the Old Bagan jetty.
On our way back to the hotel...in an ancient jeep 4x4...i mean like
safari style, no windows, you have to climb into the back, we make it
to Kate's favourite restaurant which is called 'be kind to animals' or
'the moon'. This a vegetarian restaurant where we ordered more food
than I had eaten all trip. But the highlight was ordering one of each
of the four beers on offer and doing a very classy 'beer tasting'.
This involved four glasses each with a different beer in then in turn
everyone had to close their eyes whilst we fed them beer and they had
to decide which one was their favourite...this may not sound so
exciting now but after a day of hiking this was good stuff! We then
made our way back to the hotel very very full of yummy foods and beer
and had a quick nap before meeting again for a farewell supper. In the
evening we all went in search of pancakes, still full from our
humongous lunch dessert was all we needed. So with great difficulty
trying to explain that we only wanted desserts me and Andy got our
first taste of chocolate since leaving England in the form of
chocolate and banana pancakes. We all chatted for a couple of hours
but went to bed early as tomorrow we were all up early as we were all
moving on to our next destination. So with fond farewells we left our
first traveling friends (with the hope that Gavin might confess his
(very obvious) love for Kate before she leaves too).
So the next morning we are up bright and early in a taxi and off we go
to the Bagan Train station, to catch the eight hour train to Mandalay.
The train station reminded me of something off a world war film and
was again packed with locals staring (nicely) at the only 'westerners
in town'. We were helped onto the train by a really lovely man who
showed us to our seats. It was only as the train left the platform
that we realised he didn't actually work for the train company and was
himself apparently waiting for a different train.
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