The View from the Hills of Sagaing (Myanmar)

I crossed Ayeyarwaddy River to get to Sagaing. Like Bagan, I could see several Buddhist structures rising from the hill and down below. Unlike Bagan, these structures were white pagodas, were newer, and were mostly white with golden peaks. An old kingdom, Sagaing has had 7 kings during the reign of the Sagaing Kingdom: from Sawyun of 1315 to Minbyauk Thihapate of 1364. And then there was King Naungdawgyi who reigned in 1760.

While riding my "tuktuk", I was in awe of the gorgeous queue of pagodas from the hill. It was something you don't see everyday in your short life span - and it was beautiful. Like a very fast slideshow that displayed magic. I was on my way to a couple of pagodas - the U Min Thonze Pagoda and U Pon Nya Shin Pagoda accessible through a covered staircase that ran up the 240 meter (787 feet) hill. It would be a harrowing climb if you think about it, but the ascent is gradual, and you can take your sweet time to get there. From the top, I could see Ava Bridge crossing Ayeyarwaddy.

Sagaing is located 20 kilometers southwest of Mandalay. It is 566 kilometers north of Yangon, roughly a 7-hour bus ride from Mandalay.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

The Curious Novice Monk of Innwa (Myanmar)

There are 3 ancient imperial cities that can be visited as day trips from Mandalay in Myanmar. Innwa (aka Ava) was my favorite. I crossed Ayeyarwaddy River to get there, hired a horse-drawn carriage to take me around, and checked out relics of old temples. Catastrophe got the better of this ancient Burmese kingdom, which reigned between 14th to 19th century. The Big Earthquakes of March 1839 leveled the grandeur that was Innwa which literally means "mouth of the lake". The location couldn't be more strategic because it sits at the confluence of Ayeyarwaddy and Myitnge Rivers. But natural forces seem to have cast Innwa's fate.

From Ava Palace, now just a watchtower, I visited Bagaya Monastery. At a relic nearby, I found my youthful welcoming committee - two novice monks who were curious of my presence. I caught my shy but curious little host in one of my photos (above).

Red robes characterize the garbs of Burmese monks. You can't miss them.

This is the Eye in the Sky!
  

Sunset in Bagan and Bupaya's Pineapple-shaped Temple

Bupaya Temple in Old Bagan. This photo only courtesy of jingalex.wordpress.com.

Bagan's temples. Just a few of the 2,000+ temples in Bagan. This photo only courtesy of wikipedia's MurrayJ3.

I knew I had to hire a horse-drawn cart for another ride on my last day in Bagan.

If I gave up too early the first time because of the harsh sun, this time I made the decision to start my temple visits at 3:30 PM. My main destination was a temple beside the Ayeyarwaddy River - and the sunset view of the spires. I needed the illusion of water. Bagan was just too hot and too dry during the summer. Though I have compromised my budget by taking another round with the temples, a visit from Bupaya Temple made it all worth the effort and money! There is nothing like a pineapplie-shaped temple gleaming furtively beside a wind-swept river. From the distance across the river was a sand dune, blowing grains off like sand storm - it was fascinating. It seemed I was the only one to notice this. The riverbank was dotted with long boats lazily parked at the jetty down below, floating calmly over Ayeyarwaddy's strong current.

When the sun started to set at the horizon, Bagan's skyline turned luscious orange and hues in between. There was nothing like ambient light - the existing light before darkness enveloped the sun-kissed terrain - to stoke my imagination.

It was beautiful.

And this is the Eye in the Sky in absolute awe.