Page 24 - Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam

Day 4 Explore Rangoon • Optional =TaP] ?ST^ \`LWTʭP^ -LRLY L^ _SP WL]RP^_
Beyond the Rangoon River tour temple city on the planet, as well as one of
,Q_P] M]PLVQL^_ bPɪWW SPLO _Z _SP NT_d NPY_P] the most important archaeological areas in all
bSP]P bPɪWW OT^PXML]V _Z PYUZd L bLWVTYR of Asia. The majority of ruins in Bagan were
_Z`] L]Z`YO _SP L]PL ZQ >`WP ;LRZOL _SP NZY^_]`N_PO MP_bPPY _SP PWPaPY_S LYO _S
.T_d 3LWW LYO _SP 4YOP[PYOPYNP 8ZY`XPY_ centuries, a time when Bagan was the capital
TY 8LSLMLYOZZWL ;L]V BPɪWW bLWV LWZYR ZQ _SP 1T]^_ -`]XP^P 0X[T]P
>_]LYO =ZLO bSP]P bPɪWW ʭYO ]PXYLY_^ ZQ
BP _LVP L M]TPQ _Z`] ZQ >SbP >LYOLb ;LRZOL
ZWO NZWZYTLW P]L M`TWOTYR^ L^ bPWW L^ XZOP]Y
MPQZ]P bP SPLO _Z L aTWWLRP XL]VP_ TY _SP _ZbY
architecture. Then we can spend time
ZQ 9dL`YR @% L R]PL_ Z[[Z]_`YT_d _Z XTYRWP
M]Zb^TYR _SP ST^_Z]TN >NZ__ 8L]VP_ MPQZ]P L
with the locals and wander among stalls that
aT^T_ _Z _SP .SL`VS_L_RdT ;LRZOL SZXP _Z ZYP
QPL_`]P WZNLWWd R]ZbY N]Z[^ ]L__LY T_PX^
of Burma’s most revered reclining Buddhas.
tea leaves, and colorful traditional clothing.
Begun in 1899, the massive image of the
?SPY bP [L`^P Z`_^TOP ZQ _SP RZWO OZXPO
elegant Buddha resting on its side in the
>SbPeTRZY ;LdLZY ZY Z`] bLd _Z bT_YP^^ _SP
^Tc ^_Z]d [LRZOL T^ XZ]P _SLY QPP_ WZYR
beauty of Ananda Pahto, a terraced temple
Then, we return to our hotel for lunch and
[PLVPO TY ^STXXP]TYR RZWO _SL_ T^ NZY^TOP]PO
dinner on your own.
a symmetrical masterpiece. Built around 1090
0YUZd _SP LQ_P]YZZY L_ WPT^`]P ;P]SL[^ dZ`ɪWW Md L -`]XP^P VTYR TY^[T]PO Md _LWP^ ZQ aT^T_TYR
visit a traditional tea house to sample local 4YOTLY XZYV^ ,YLYOLɪ^ [P]QPN_TZY \`LWTʭPO T_
aL]TP_TP^ ZQ _PL Z] dZ` XLd Pc[WZ]P ;ZXPWZ L to serve as a prototype for successive Burmese
QLT] _]LOP XL]VP_ _SL_ LTX^ _Z RTaP MLNV _Z _SP temples. The inner shrine of the temple is
community and promote handcrafted items home to four large statues of Buddha.
that were created by locals. Or, you can join
,Q_P] W`YNS L_ L WZNLW ]P^_L`]LY_ bPɪWW NSPNV
an optional -PdZYO _SP Rangoon River tour,
into our hotel followed by some time at
which features a visit to Dala, a rural village
leisure. Then we’ll visit a lacquer ware shop to
ZY _SP MLYV^ ZQ _SP =LYRZZY =TaP]
learn about this local tradition before heading
-]PLVQL^_
to a nearby jetty. Here, we’ll board a boat to
RLTY L YPb aLY_LRP ZQ _SP 4]]LbLOOd LW^Z
called the Ayeyarwady). The people and the
Day 5 Fly to Bagan • Temples of Bagan • country’s economy depend on this natural
Cruise the Irrawaddy River resource. From on board, we will be able to
0L]Wd _ST^ XZ]YTYR bPɪWW _]LY^QP] _Z _SP observe how everyday life plays out along the
LT][Z]_ QZ] L ^SZ]_ ʮTRS_ _Z NPY_]LW -`]XL ]TaP]MLYV^
:`] OP^_TYL_TZY T^ -LRLY LW^Z VYZbY L^
BP OTYP L^ L R]Z`[ L_ L WZNLW ]P^_L`]LY_
_SP ɭ.T_d ZQ 1Z`] 8TWWTZY ;LRZOL^ ɮ 8LYd
this evening.
of the pagodas and temples are small
and simple—but the number of them is -]PLVQL^_ 7`YNS /TYYP]
^_LRRP]TYR ,W_SZ`RS -LRLYɪ^ NPY_`]TP^ ZWO
shrines, pagodas, and stupas do not actually
total in the millions, there are well over
ZQ _SPX ^NL__P]PO LWZYR _SP ]PXZ_P
[WLTY ʮLYVPO ZY ZYP ^TOP Md _SP 4]]LbLOOd

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