Bagan, Burma - part 1

Welcome to enchanting Bagan. One of my most favourite places that I have visited 

These first two photos were taken at our hotel, the Aureum Palace

Thatbyinnyu Phaya. It is just inside the south eastern corner of the Old Bagan city wall. It takes its name from the "Omniscience" of the Buddha

Beautifully framed

Pagodas-in-a-row

The plains of Bagan are dotted with thousands of Pagodas

Shwezigon Pagoda, ရွှေစည်းခုံဘုရား

The pagoda's graceful bell shape became a prototype for virtually all later pagodas throughout Myanmar

It is near the village of Nyaung-U and the Aye Yarwaddy river

Built in 1076 it is one of the most important temples and home to one of the four tooth replicas of the Buddhas tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka

If you visit all four temples that enshrine the replicas it will bring you luck and prosperity. Unfortunately we weren't that organised!

Just one of the thousands!

All shapes and sizes

Thatbyinnyu Phaya as it is getting close to sunset. It stands above the other pagodas in Bagan

Stretching into the distance

How lovely is this!

One of the entrances of the Thatbyinnyu Temple

Ananda Temple

It is known as the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples

After the construction of the temple, the king, Kyanzittha, executed the architects just to make the style of the temple unique. Blimey, these Kings!

In 1990, on the 900th anniversary of the temple's construction, the temple spires were gilded

Beautiful arches and porch ways

And what's above

Temple dog. The Burmese seem to have a kinder disposition towards dogs than many Asian Buddhist societies

Dhammayangyi Temple was built by King Narathu when he ascended the throne after killng his father. Nice chap!

Now it is time to make our way to the sunset temple, the Shwesandaw Paya. This and the remaining photos were taken from there as the sun was setting

The colour was turning golden

Adding more magic, to this most magical land

Is this really the 21st Century?

Or have I unknowingly travelled back in time to the 12th century?

Dhammayangyi glowing

And here I leave you to enjoy the last few photos of the sunset. There are many like these on the Internet, but I am so fortunate to have my own, because I was there!