Bagan - The Royal City

Around 6.00 in the morning we quickly ate our breakfast and then took a taxi to the bus station. The bus station in Yangon is a real jungle. The selection of buses is huge: From run-down local buses to luxury buses, everything is scattered around the place. Without the help of our taxi driver, we would definitely have spent more time looking for the right bus. We took our seats and waited for the departure.

After about ten hours - the journey was relatively entertaining and pleasant - we arrived at the Bus station in Bagan. From there we took a taxi to the hotel. After traveling for twenty hours in two days, our batteries were completely drained.

After breakfast - which is always included in Myanmar - we rented an electric scooter. With these we explored the temples and pagodas. Bagan is a historic royal city in Myanmar with over two thousand preserved sacred buildings made of brick (once there were nearly 6000 pagodas). The temple- filled area covers about 36 km² in a desert-like landscape and is one of the largest archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. (Source: Wikipedia) Many temples were built in the 11th and 12th centuries. The buildings differ in construction, the materials used, and the size. However, most of them were built with bricks and house one or more Buddha statues.

Of course, it is impossible to visit every temple in just two days. Most of them are not even marked on a map. We decided to drive around aimlessly and then stop when a building caught our eye. Some pagodas were only accessible via narrow paths, so the electric scooter sometimes reached its limits on the sandy ground. Not many other tourists chose the same route as us. So we enjoyed the isolation at the lesser-known temple complexes. There was often a crowd at the larger pagodas, as some tourist groups were on the way. The groups did not always consist of foreigners (mainly Chinese), but also locals from all parts of the country. It was interesting to observe how they performed their rituals. They knelt down in front of most Buddha statues and said a prayer. Other statues had to be touched at certain spots - this brings luck. Yet others were poured with water or adorned with golden plates.

The people particularly enjoyed our wrap skirts. We found our way into various family albums. The locals also found it amusing that Andrea sat on the scooter in the lady's seat (this is customary in Myanmar). After a few hours in the scorching heat, we returned to the hotel.

The next morning, we were picked up at 5.30 am in front of our hotel. Despite the high costs, we decided to treat ourselves to a hot air balloon ride over Bagan. On the one hand, we had never been on a hot air balloon ride before, and on the other hand, this adventure had been recommended by different people. We reached the launch site tired. After coffee and croissants and a short safety briefing by the Spanish pilot, the flight could start at 6.00 am. First, the balloon was inflated using fans, and then the pilot ignited the gas burners. When the balloon was fully upright, the passengers were allowed to board. We were twelve people on board with the pilot. The basket rose slowly and was immediately caught by the wind. It blew us towards the temples. With the rising sun, we slowly flew over Bagan. About fifteen minutes after takeoff, our balloon was at an altitude of 250 meters. There were other balloons in front of us and behind us - in total there were probably around twenty. The view was truly phenomenal and the atmosphere created by the light was absolutely unique. The balloon ride cannot be captured in photos or described in words. Whether over Bagan or in Switzerland, a hot air balloon ride is a special experience! Unfortunately, the ride was already over after an hour. We landed with our balloon in a field. It cannot be described as a soft landing, but rather as a safe one. Thanks to the team of fourteen people who were waiting for us at the landing site, the basket could not tip over. While enjoying a glass of champagne at eight o'clock in the morning, the crew packed up the balloon. By 8.30 am, we were already back at the hotel and went straight to breakfast. After that, we rode the electric scooter around the area for a few more hours. We ended the day with a dinner at a nice restaurant.

We continue by minibus to Mandalay. From there, we will take the train to Hsipaw.