WONDERFUL BAGAN

Bagan, in central Burma, is one of the most important archeological sites in the world. A green 26-square-mile plain, part-covered in palm and tamarind stands and framed by the hazy silver-grey of distant mountains, is caught in a bend of the lazy-flowing Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) river. Temples, dozens, hundreds of them, rise from the plain's canopy of green, stunning, otherworldly silhouettes constructed by Bagan's kings between 1057 and 1287, when their country was swept away by earthquakes and Kublai Khan and his invading Mongols. A remnant of the Buddhist notion that building a temple was a way to achieve merit, 2,230 of the original 4,450 temples have survived. Most are in excellent condition or have been restored by organizations like as Unesco, and many have paintings, carvings, and statues of Buddha, both large and little. By the standards of similar sites of equal beauty and stature, this is still a delightfully unspoiled destination. #travelguide#oldarchitecture#ancienttomb#ancientarchitecture#historicculture#nationalpark#roadtrip#summervacation#urbanexplorer