Burma Bago: a day in the heart of Buddhist temples New, Travel to Burma (Myanmar) 5 (2)Let us continue, if you wish, this journey through Burma. After Yangon (formerly Rangoon), the next logical step was New, Frenchified in Pegu. Former capital of the Mon kingdom, which dominated southern Burma more than 1500 years ago.Known for housing a few temples including the Kyaik Pun pagoda or that of Shwe Maw Daw, larger than the Shwedagon of Yangon and whose remains of the original structure, destroyed by an earthquake in 1930, rest in front of the new one. Summary hide How to get to Bago A day in Bago, instructions for use Kya Kha Wain Kyaung Temple Shwemawdaw Pagoda Snake Pagoda Buddhas galore! Easy night in Bago Where to sleep in Bago How to get to BagoIt is possible to get there by train from Yangon or Mawlamyine, many do the day trip from Yangon, either by taxi or bus.In our case, we thought we would go by train. But because we were poorly informed about the schedule, we missed it… As it was a bit of a hassle at the ticket office, we luckily had someone who kindly came to enlighten us. The problem is that the next train is too long away, while we plan to visit Bago during the day, so we decide to take the bus instead.So we headed to the terminal by taxi, 10 kyats from Yangon station then bus to Bago. We had then planned a night there, since we were continuing our journey further east and south for the rest.Count around 2 hours journey from Yangon and a cost of 2 kyats per person only.The worst of the bad luck on this day was that we missed the scheduled bus stop, also because they had not told us about it... Fortunately, while the transfer to the hotel was included (which I didn't know), the guy who was supposed to take us on this journey, not seeing us get off, followed the bus when he saw us go by! So, he was waiting for us when we finally got off shortly after!Since we were further than expected, he called a motorbike taxi to take us back (with 2 people plus luggage it would have been difficult with just one motorbike), resulting in a small charge of 1 kyats to arrive safely, a lesser evil.A day in Bago, instructions for useTo put it simply, we accepted the help offered by the guy at our hotel and therefore opted for the tuk tuk rental for the day. For 20 kyats for the rental itself plus 000 kyats (20×000) for the payment of the access pass to the historic center which includes several sites.Regarding the latter, I have doubts about its real usefulness given that at no time did we check our tickets...After a meal in a local restaurant where the young boys who act as waiters looked at us with their big round eyes (another nice long sentence as I know how to do so well!), we stopped at our first destination, the Kya Kha Wain Kyaung Temple (like, super easy to remember…).Kya Kha Wain Kyaung TempleThis temple is home to over 1 monks. We arrive in a room where they are in chanting/meditation mode. We stay there for a while, time for me to take pictures and for Jitima to make some sketches, we will come across a few tourists on the way out but it will be one of the only times of the day when we will come across other foreigners. This is all the more understandable since it is one of the most famous temples in Bago. As superficial and almost disturbing as the experience may be (can you imagine tourists arriving in the middle of a school, and a religious one at that, anywhere else?), it is still interesting to share the daily life of these young monks for a few minutes.Monks at Kya Kha Wain Kyaung temple.Shwemawdaw PagodaNext stop, the Shwemawdaw Great Pagoda, which I mentioned in the intro. The Shwemawdaw Pagoda is an imposing stupa, located in one of the main temples of the ancient city, often called the temple of the golden god. With a height of 114 meters, the Shwemadaw Pagoda holds the record for the tallest pagoda in the country, although the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, officially 105 m, is considered the highest pagoda in Myanmar (probably for reasons of ego of importance in terms of sacredness).Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda.The fact is that the current pagoda is a more recent version, rebuilt after the destructive earthquake of 1917. You can also see a piece of the original pagoda collapsed, left as it was at the foot of the new one. Another earthquake damaged the structure in 1930, but the building was able to be repaired.The original pagoda was not as prestigious, built around the 10th century CE, the original version of the pagoda was only 21 meters high. It was then to house a new relic, two hairs of the Buddha. Apparently, the hairs were personally given to two Mon merchants named Mahasala and Kullasala by the Buddha during a trip to India. Tooth relics were also added to the pagoda in 982 and 1385. Hence the proven importance today of this site, believed to contain relics particularly sacred to Buddhists.Snake PagodaWe continued with the curious snake temple. Presented as the reincarnation, at choice, of a former monk or of a "nat" (a spirit venerated in Burma), it is said of this Burmese python, which sleeps all day, that it would be 125 years old (yeah, well in my opinion, it is mainly the little, little, little fillot given how lucrative it seems to the locals).Between 2 temples.“Have confidence, believe in me”Serpent Monastery.View from the small hillock at the Serpent Monastery.Dump just behind…Buddhas galore!To end the day, we will visit 2 large reclining Buddhas. First that of Naung Daw Gyi Mya Tha Lyaung, a name to sleep outside, it is the case to say it, since this one sits in the open air. With a length of more than 76 m, it is recent construction, started in 2002 thanks to a donation campaign.Not far from there is the "best known" Shwethalyaung Buddha, a little smaller at around 55 m, this one has been protected for over a hundred years by a metal roof, while the large Buddha statue itself is said to be over 250 years old. It also has survived the destruction of Bago in 1757 and was rediscovered by chance during the construction of a railway line in 1881 by the British.Finally, it is soberly titled "temple with four figures", that we end this day. Also referenced as the Kyaik Pun Pagoda, this temple is not far from our hotel and has, as its name suggests, four statues of Buddhas which are seated back to back, a rather atypical configuration.We won't have had time to see the Kanbawzathadi Palace, a royal palace dating from the 90th century (but rebuilt in the early XNUMXs). Not too disappointed, we feel like we've seen the essentials.Easy night in BagoWe will have dinner in a small local restaurant 200m from the hotel, a good fatty meal as the Burmese know so well how to make.Where to sleep in BagoWe stayed at Amara Gold Hotel, he has a not so good rating on Agoda but personally it worked well for us, certainly the breakfast is basic, it is just lacking a little in terms of maintenance but it is recent (at the time of our stay), the staff is generally welcoming, the price is a little expensive all the same (even if it is specific to Burma), $30 per night.Does a stop in Bago seem interesting to you? Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 5 / 5. Number of votes: 2 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Culture and traditions Suggestions for visits Buddhist temple 0 0 Roman 27/01/2015
