Next stop Pagan (Bagan)...................

This post is coming to you from Bangkok....................

From Mandalay we caught a flight to Pagan. Myanmar's road infrastructure is poor to say the least, so we flew between each place!  Located on the banks of the Irrawaddy River, Pagan is an ancient area situated on Myanmar's dry, flat central plain and home to hundreds of payas & stupas dating from 1057. We spent 3 days in an around Pagan and for me it was the highlight of the trip. The scope of the pagodas is an astonishing sight, hard to capture in a photo but the following will provide a glimpse of our first day in Pagan ...........................

An example of a stupa dateing from around 1100.............

We climbed a pogoda for a view of the area - absolutely astonishing! The photo doesn't do it justice.........

A buddha in one of the payas...............

And more stupas....................

In the midst of pogodas we came upon the local market. These ladies are selling locally grown vegetables which looked delicious!!!

Shopping in the market for a local outfit to wear at our final group dinner. Of course, I had to have the top made to measure, the local women are mostly tiny & the markets don't cater to the fuller figure!!!

Note the bouganvilla. Grown widely in this area it is lush and beautiful.......

A paya built around 1150 from local bricks & partially covered in gold leaf............  

Local women inside the paya deep in prayer in spite of the tourists!

This old lady, one of the market stall holders was smoking a huge roll your own cigarette!!

Most away as I'm running out of internet time & also must be off to the airport for my flight to Sydney................ and so ends my great adventure in Myanmar. Will provide more on my return home.

Unitl the next post, K...........................