Well the gamble of booking a balloon ride didn't pay off. After getting up at 4:30a this morning we found out that the flight had been cancelled. The weather just wasn't cooperating.
C'est la vie.
The clouds cleared eventually so at least we didn't get soaked today. Bagan on foot (bus) is nothing to complain about. After morning market, it was a whirlwind tour of 8-9 pagados (zedi) with a stop at a laquerware workshop and lunch at a lovely hotel/spa restaurant. I've seen more buddhas today than I have in my lifetime. It will take a while to sort them out.
Market was interesting. Several vendors were very assertive in grabbing my attention. When I caved and bought a shirt, the young women took my money and waved it over all of the goods in her stall chanting "lucky money, lucky money" with a big grin on her face. Apparently I was the first customer of the day and that cash money is auspicious for the day's sales - hence the assertive vendors. Everyone was trying to get their luck going.
Bagan has hundreds of zedi - every where you turn - almost felt like a large cemetery. The earliest date back from the 11th century. Most are brick with the most ornate being white stucco with gold leafed towers and finials. The biger more popular sites have souvenir markets lining the four paths to the four entrances with the largest concentration nearest the tour bus entrance. The vendors and kids are very aggressive here. One repeating pattern is for them to chat you up and be a mini tour guide. It seems like they are just wanting to practice their english but then it's "please visit my stall for you country canada souvenir." I bought a couple of things from people who appeared to be the actual aritist. For the in-your-face kids, the best thing to do is to not make eye contact, otherwise you are done for.
One item that is being pedaled is George Orwell's "Burmese Days" which is all about how the colonial Brits grossly mistreated the Burmese. Not sure if the kids selling have been reading it.
Laquerware is not my thing but the patterns and colour here are so interesting that I did pick up a few pieces. The crafts people were amazing to watch, such dexterity all while kneeling on a platform in the heat. One young man was using his toes to help strip the bamboo. Bamboo is used to form the dish/object then sequential layers of laquer are applied. A week of drying is needed between coats. Colours and patterns are added to the last few layers.
I've been getting lots of practise walking barefoot as it's shoes and socks off before stepping into the zedi. I will have to burn my shoes when I return to Toronto though. All living things are sacred to Buddhists including those flying rats, pigeons. There is no avoiding the bird crap on the ground (not to mention the occassional betel juice gob) and bare feet end up back inside shoes eventually so - ick. Maybe i'll just leave them in Bangkok at the airport...i just won't picked them up again after clearing security....
Our final stop of the day was the decomissioned paya for a sunset view over Bagan. Very steep steps up to the top of this one but with a solid handrail I was able to manage the 24" plus risers. The lovely expanse of pagados in the dusk, although at a slightly lower altitude, made up for the cancelled balloon.
When we came in the forecourt to go upstairs for the sunset view I had noticed two Karen women sitting seemingly waiting to be photographed for money. I was fascinated by their neck rings which are added starting at age five. On the way out they were still there so went and asked if I could take a photo. One gave a little nod, one looked a little stern but both broke out into big grins when I showed them the preview. They in fact were not posing for money but were just drawing attention for thier sister. She was weaving and selling some textiles off to the side. I picked up one of her very impressive silk and cotton pieces. Only 4000 ($5-ish CDN) kyats for 3 days work. I didn't dare try and talk the price down.
Peg was feeling under the weather and I was shattered so it was just ginger chicken in the garden for dinner instead of the Green Elephant down the road with the others.
Another sensory overloaded day.
C'est la vie.
The clouds cleared eventually so at least we didn't get soaked today. Bagan on foot (bus) is nothing to complain about. After morning market, it was a whirlwind tour of 8-9 pagados (zedi) with a stop at a laquerware workshop and lunch at a lovely hotel/spa restaurant. I've seen more buddhas today than I have in my lifetime. It will take a while to sort them out.
Market was interesting. Several vendors were very assertive in grabbing my attention. When I caved and bought a shirt, the young women took my money and waved it over all of the goods in her stall chanting "lucky money, lucky money" with a big grin on her face. Apparently I was the first customer of the day and that cash money is auspicious for the day's sales - hence the assertive vendors. Everyone was trying to get their luck going.
Bagan has hundreds of zedi - every where you turn - almost felt like a large cemetery. The earliest date back from the 11th century. Most are brick with the most ornate being white stucco with gold leafed towers and finials. The biger more popular sites have souvenir markets lining the four paths to the four entrances with the largest concentration nearest the tour bus entrance. The vendors and kids are very aggressive here. One repeating pattern is for them to chat you up and be a mini tour guide. It seems like they are just wanting to practice their english but then it's "please visit my stall for you country canada souvenir." I bought a couple of things from people who appeared to be the actual aritist. For the in-your-face kids, the best thing to do is to not make eye contact, otherwise you are done for.
One item that is being pedaled is George Orwell's "Burmese Days" which is all about how the colonial Brits grossly mistreated the Burmese. Not sure if the kids selling have been reading it.
Laquerware is not my thing but the patterns and colour here are so interesting that I did pick up a few pieces. The crafts people were amazing to watch, such dexterity all while kneeling on a platform in the heat. One young man was using his toes to help strip the bamboo. Bamboo is used to form the dish/object then sequential layers of laquer are applied. A week of drying is needed between coats. Colours and patterns are added to the last few layers.
I've been getting lots of practise walking barefoot as it's shoes and socks off before stepping into the zedi. I will have to burn my shoes when I return to Toronto though. All living things are sacred to Buddhists including those flying rats, pigeons. There is no avoiding the bird crap on the ground (not to mention the occassional betel juice gob) and bare feet end up back inside shoes eventually so - ick. Maybe i'll just leave them in Bangkok at the airport...i just won't picked them up again after clearing security....
Our final stop of the day was the decomissioned paya for a sunset view over Bagan. Very steep steps up to the top of this one but with a solid handrail I was able to manage the 24" plus risers. The lovely expanse of pagados in the dusk, although at a slightly lower altitude, made up for the cancelled balloon.
When we came in the forecourt to go upstairs for the sunset view I had noticed two Karen women sitting seemingly waiting to be photographed for money. I was fascinated by their neck rings which are added starting at age five. On the way out they were still there so went and asked if I could take a photo. One gave a little nod, one looked a little stern but both broke out into big grins when I showed them the preview. They in fact were not posing for money but were just drawing attention for thier sister. She was weaving and selling some textiles off to the side. I picked up one of her very impressive silk and cotton pieces. Only 4000 ($5-ish CDN) kyats for 3 days work. I didn't dare try and talk the price down.
Peg was feeling under the weather and I was shattered so it was just ginger chicken in the garden for dinner instead of the Green Elephant down the road with the others.
Another sensory overloaded day.
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