“Early
start” since that is our last day among the wonderful Bagan temples. Today we
actually started early to catch the sunrise over the plain but it wasn´t rally
much to see. Maybe because the haze
during the dry period made the horizon...duuuh...hazy J?
I´m not sure that the rainy period makes the air more clear but it´s for
sure less dusty. We rode our single speed English Robin Hood bikes to one of
the biggest temples just outside the main road close to the Tharaba gate . A
short climb to the upper terrace and we saw the sunrise...OK. Not that sexy
really. The sunset is much more beautiful and it lasts longer. Somewhat disappointed
or rather...whatever...we continued the bike ride and we jumped temples all
across the plains again without any goal or plan. The dirt track passing
several hundreds of temples was nice. Sometimes it´s nice to get “lost”. That
is when you really can enjoy the surroundings. After all, most of the temples
look better on the outside then on the inside. It´s mainly about the landscape view
of the Bagan plain. And let´s be honest, you can only consume a certain amount
of Buddha images.
No
adventures with any thorns in the tires today. We managed to bike across the fields to New
Bagan without major hiccups. Except one mud guard coming loose. My Mrs stopped
it by shoving a wooden stick in the hole where the screw used to be. Worked just
fine for 20 kilometers! We got soaked to death by all the water stations around
the New Bagan village and then later in Minkyaba. It was fine really since the
clothes dried almost instantly and my photo gear was in a waterproof Northface
bike courier bag. It was just sweet to be able to enjoy the local traditions
and bring so much joy to the kids in the villages. Just before we entered the Minkaba
there was a mother of all water stations. I guess half of the village people
want out on the road. Both adults and children. They have put up some speakers
that played the latest local rave hits. They all attacked and poured buckets
upon buckets of water on everybody passing through, inclusive us. A sick combination
of a rave party and a hosing down with water. Not even the monks, that seemed to be omitted
by the water attacks in other places, were safe here. Everyone got some. I was
a bit worried since the water came for the local pond and was not really safe
to drink. Yes, you did get that water right in your face passing the water
station, so it was hard to avoid it hitting your mouth but then....there was
some local shops selling local Myanmar whiskey for disinfectionJ. Convenient. I was impressed by the
amount of water a group of kids can pour
in you in 10 seconds. It was amazing! We saw busses and pick up trucks leaking
water several kilometers after they passed one of the stages. I´m not sure
everyone liked it but hell...live with it. It´s a local custom and most of the
people seem to enjoy it.
We stayed
in Minkaba at the road shop just opposite the main temple and sat down and watched
the locals having fun for hours. Went back to the mother of all stations to get
some more photographs, got wet again. Didn´t really mind that since it was over
+40C. On the way back home we shopped some more lackerware gifts and rode pass
the hotel to the Sarababab behind the Tarabha gate for lunch.
The sweet and sour duck and the grilled fish were actually OK, far better the lunch
yesterday but the Myanmar cuisine is far better at the Gooden Myanmar 50meters
futhrer down the road. Came back to the hotel at around 13:00 since the chain
of my bike fell off! Easy fix, yes unless.....the chain in encapsulated in a metal
cover and you can´t access it. Needed tools to remove it.Some local kids wanted
to help us, I mean, how hard it it to put back a chain on a bike, but since we
could not access it, we gave up. My Mrs jumped on the bike and used it as a
push bike and on the flats I pushed her sitting on the crippled bike while I
was pedalling on her bike. I think I lost like 8kg on that ride home hahahahaa.
We got back to the swimming pool in midday and dropped dead on the launge
chairs by the pool.
I guess
four days among the temples. Even in a beautiful hotel like the Thiripyitsaya Sakura Hotel it´s actually enough. We didn´t visit EVERY
temple. Nor was it our intension. We did get a good chronological ride among
the temples of Bagan. We saw the amazing temple initiation rituals. We saw the
life in a real rural village of Bagan. We experienced some great moments while
joining the traditional water festival games. We got “lost” on the plain and
rode our bikes all around the temples. We met some wonderful people. We got
some nice relax time at our beautiful hotel and ate some great traditional
Myanmar food. LIFE IS GREAT!
