​Tuesday 15th November - It seems that every travel day in Myanmar starts at the crack of dawn. Depite the fact we were to catch the same plane we came from Yangon from Mandalay we found ourselves with a wake uo call at 0445 for a 0810 departure.



As it turned out we arrived at the huge airport before it opened and had a slight moment of panic as our guide Zin and driver had driven off and our plane was not shown on the departure board. Eventually another bus load of toursits turned up, the board sprang into life and security opened ! 

The flight to Nyaung U airport was a mere 25 minutes on a turbo prop - with 8 passengers - but the alternative was a 8 hour ferry ride up the Irrawaddy.  Our hotel the Auereum Palace hotel was just 10 minutues from the airport - a first on this trip - it was not our first choice as it is out on its own so limits dining choices and it also has unfortunate ownership. But mind you pretty much every large enterprise in the country will do after so many years of the junta.

Bagan is one large archaeological site reflecting a 230 year building frenzy from 1057 AD resulting in over 4000 temples on the banks of the Irrawaddy. Our first stop was the Ananda Pahto which dates from the end of the early period and where the buddhas are of Indian rather than the later Myanmar style. Also there are several original Nat statues which animism pre-dates the introduction of buddhism. On to a temple with murals some of which are now in a Berlin museum and a brick built series of monks meditation cells. The final stop before lunch Htilminlo Pahto. 

Lunch was a vegetarian paradise before a short rest in the afternoon sun by the pool.

At sunset we joined the throngs at the Shwesandaw Paya to see the sun set over Bagan and the river.