THEY STAND TALL - LIKE WITNESSES FROM AN ANCIENT TIME! As if growing out of the dusty plains in a troubled land, the thousands of structures look more like a fantasy movie set than a real life scene from the past! This primeval capitol of Bagan, in Myanmar, is like no other place I have seen!

Leaving Mandalay for the second time, I caught a taxi to the river dock . Walking down the plank I boarded the boat that I would ride all day long until I arrived at Bagan. 

Bagan is about midway between the big cities of Yangon and Mandalay and is located on the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River.

I had the option of taking an overnight bus, an overnight train, or going by boat. (Flying was an option, but it is always my last choice).

More visitors are coming to Myanmar now that the country's isolation is ending. Now that it's possible to travel here, people want to see the ancient temples in this mysterious land! But, transportation is behind the demand. Travel between cities, even for a short distance, is still very time consuming.

I chose the slow going on the boat. Boats are usually not overcrowded and there is room to roam around. I enjoy the outdoor feel of nature they have.

I left the hotel with two other foreign travelers in a taxi and went to the boat dock in Mandalay . I had walked to the dock the first time I was in Mandalay, so some of the photos are from that day.

There were assigned seats inside the cabin area and we all went to our seats. But, soon we were roaming around the boat and seeing what it was like. There was an eating area where we were served breakfast (included in the price of the ticket) and open decks on two levels to sit or stand if you rather be outside instead of in the air-conditioned cabin.

There were pagodas along the banks now and then and locals on the banks going about their daily business of bathing, washing clothes or fishing, making for some great photo opps.

We passed small fishing boats and commercial boats along the way. After a few hours the banks of the river were too far away for any photos, so I relaxed in the lounge chairs on the top deck, (when I wasn't standing at the front of the boat against the railing) .

There would be a few stops along the way, just to let a local person off at their village, or to pick someone up. We never went onshore, though.

At one stop there was a woman selling bananas. You can see in the picture she had some on her head and in her hands. Someone on board (a foreigner) called down to her to ask how much the bananas were. She thought they wanted some. So, she threw a bunch up to the deck of the boat to them.

They did not know how much money to throw down to her, though. While they were yelling back and forth to her to try to find out, the boat pulled back into the water. 

The banana lady wandered down the bank, looking back at our boat and her lost bananas! I hope the deck hand standing there knew the price and the people gave it to him to pay her the next time the boat passed through, but I don't know .

The boat trip took about 10 hours. It would be night by the time the boat reached Nyaung U. From there I have to find a way, by land, to Bagan. It was too dark to get a photo of the landing in Nyaung U. There is not really a boat dock, just some boards laid down to walk from the boat to the bank.

Once on land, you have to pay enough Kyat (equal to $20) before you can leave the banks. One thing I have mentioned before is that Myanmar wants to charge foreigners for things other countries don't. Like things at hotels that are included in other places are charged for here and they charge you to leave your shoes before going inside the Pagodas! And, now they charge you just to enter their city! I think as time goes on they will need to be more welcoming and affordable if they want to increase tourism to their country.

The people that are going to stay in Nyaung U can just get a horse drawn cart to take them to where they are staying . But, for those of us going a little further -- to the city of Bagan -- we would have to hire a taxi or jeep.

I had pre-booked a room with another guy that I met earlier. I wanted to stay in Bagan rather than in Nyaung U because I read where the places in Bagan were a little more upscale and quieter. But, when I saw Nyaung U with its' small streets and horse drawn carts for transport, I wished I had booked something here.

Early the next day I eagerly walked around Bagan. The small curb-less roads were interesting to explore. I talked to a few places about renting a bicycle to explore the many temples around Bagan.

My favorite sights are either historical in nature or nature scenes themselves. Here, in Bagan, everything looks and feels the way a history buff would want it to.

At the height of its' glory Bagan was the political and economic center of the Pagan Empire! The glory years ended for Bagan in 1287 . The Kingdom and this capitol city were invaded and sacked by Mongolia. The population was reduced to a village among the temple ruins.

Over 10,000 Buddhist temples were built by the king of Bagan between the 9th and 13th centuries! It's a sight that is like no other I have ever seen. It's almost unreal! It's a testimony to the extravagance of the king of Bagan.

It seems this was a major reason the kingdom eventually collapsed. The kingdom was just too heavy in debt to survive!

Some of the temples have been restored, but most of them are ancient ruins! The restored temples charge foreigners to enter. It's another $20. I thought when they charged the $20 to enter the city, maybe that was to support the temples. But, apparently not! I didn't go into any of the restored temples. I have seen many restored and new temples, and I am more interested in the ruins (and there is not charge to visit them).

I rode the bicycle for miles around Bagan, even back to Nyaung U, where I caught a taxi when first arriving.

When I would climb to the top of an ancient temple, I could see for miles and miles across the land. What I saw was thousands of ancient temples and stupas. It looked as if they were sprouting up from the earth! It's an awesome sight that you can only appreciate when looking at in person.

NEXT: "THE ALARMING RIDE!"