By: Julia Escaño
Asia, Travel, , , , , , , , ,

Postcards From Bagan

There was something cinematic about the clunking of hooves against pavement as the horse drew our cart across Old Bagan. Dawn was coming, and across the indigo sky the sun slowly stretched its rays in streaks of pink and orange. We were still laughing hysterically at the turn of events right after we got off the night bus from Yangon. The moment we exited, a horde of drivers closed in on us, offering their rides. In the rush of things and our grogginess and accents we haven’t yet mastered, we ended up on a rickety carriage pulled by a horse plodding at what seemed like 5kph through the barely-lit streets of the old city.

It may have taken a while to get to our hotel, but sitting in the horse cart, in the dimness and the silence, gave me a thorough soak of the size and the texture of the place. For certain it was a very unfamiliar feel to me; it was unlike anything I’ve seen yet, and the enigma made it all the more magical.

print (1 of 65)

print (5 of 65)
The main road running across New Bagan
print (6 of 65)
Topless guys giving us a show on their bikes
print (7 of 65)
waiting for dusk in one of Bagan’s biggest pagodas

print (8 of 65)

print (11 of 65)

print (12 of 65)

print (13 of 65)

print (14 of 65)

print (15 of 65)
The variety of designs of the spires are fascinating; no two seem to be alike.

print (16 of 65)

print (18 of 65)

print (19 of 65)

print (20 of 65)

print (21 of 65)

print (22 of 65)

print (23 of 65)

print (24 of 65)

print (25 of 65)

print (26 of 65)

print (27 of 65)
The Golden Temple

print (28 of 65)

print (29 of 65)

print (30 of 65)

print (31 of 65)

print (32 of 65)

print (33 of 65)

print (35 of 65)

print (36 of 65)

print (37 of 65)

print (38 of 65)

print (39 of 65)

print (40 of 65)

print (41 of 65)

print (42 of 65)

print (43 of 65)

print (44 of 65)

print (46 of 65)

print (47 of 65)

print (48 of 65)
Our tour guide said that the evil king had these twin buddhas built to make amends for killing his wife and brother.

print (49 of 65)

print (50 of 65)
This is my favorite pagoda for its architectural details

print (51 of 65)

print (52 of 65)

print (53 of 65)

print (54 of 65)

print (55 of 65)
A new dawn

print (56 of 65)

print (57 of 65)

print (58 of 65)

print (59 of 65)

print (60 of 65)

print (61 of 65)

print (62 of 65)

print (64 of 65)

We barely made it to sunrise each day but was up just early enough to still somehow make do. On our last full day though Nica and I flipped our bike and ruined it kinda badly, thereby ending any desires to explore and adventure further. Scratches and bruises were a small price to pay though for the sheer grandeur and captivating enigma that we had just witnessed. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I love, love, love Bagan.