Bagan

From the 11th century until Kublai Kahn come through in the 13th, Bagan was the heart and soul of Burma. It is flat, a central plain, 26 miles of pagodas everywhere you look. It is remarkable. We were lucky enough to have guides who were not only deeply educated in the history of the region, of Buddhism, and of the Bamar culture, but were multi generational residents of Bagan. Although it is now an Archeological Zone, it was once populated by families who had lived there for years, until they were removed and New Bagan, 2 miles away, was built to house them. Yet another layer of this country that surprises....