Travel blog
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Bagan was the first capital of the unified empire of Anawratha and was founded in the year 849. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in Asia and has been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. A walk among its ruins and temples and a panoramic visit from the top of one of them is impressive to appreciate the magnitude of the place.
On the banks of the Ayeyarwadi River, an area of 42 square kilometers extends completely covered with ruins that form one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world and that, together with Angkor, in Cambodia, is one of the most important in Indochina. The profusion of ruins testifies to the splendor reached by the ancient Burmese capital between the 11th and 13th centuries.
Bagán was founded in 107 AD, succeeding in its reign to 55 monarchs, although its period of greatest splendor does not begin until 1044 with the accession to the throne of Anawrahtaque King, who after conquering Thaton, brought here an endless number of artisans and monks, and 30 elephants loaded with Buddhist scriptures. Two thousand and two hundred stone buildings were built between the 11th and 13th centuries, acquiring during this period a position of great privilege and an immense reputation as a Buddhist center throughout the Asian continent. And, although in 1287 the city was sacked by Kublai Khan’s troops, its remains still reflect its lost grandeur.
Only 5000 people today populate the city of Bagán, being completely diluted in the immense field of stupas. Walking among them, climbing up the narrow interior stairs of one of them and contemplating the whole landscape from above is a unique experience. Here, one is alone with history, becomes unique companion of the past, explorer advanced towards the grandeur of exoticism. The absolute silence, the slow descent of the waters of the river, the brilliant sunset on the horizon, create an atmosphere full of magic that reaches its peak when, in the distance, the rain appears timidly and on the stupas is drawn the Rainbow. It is a world without hurry, without cars, without hardly tourists, that faces you to eternity.
Distribution
There are 3 cities that one must distinguish in order to be better oriented during their visit: Nyaung-U, Old Bagan and New Bagan (Myinkaba).
Nyaung-U: is the main city of Bagan where the airport and the bus station are located. In Nyaung-U you will find the best hotels and restaurants in the whole area.
Old Bagan: it is the place where the most important pagodas and archaeological structures to visit are concentrated. It is the most recommended part to visit. Old Bagan (Old Bagan) is surrounded by an old wall with 3 access gates. The Tharabar gate is the most famous of them all.
New Bagan: it is a small town without any type of tourist interest but that offers the best offer of cheap accommodation in all Bagan. It is a main street with hostels, restaurants and cafes shop.
Places to visit
Although there are thousands of temples and pagodas, it is important to know those that are most interesting and worth visiting. Due to the passage of time and weather conditions (as some earthquake that affected considerably) many of the temples are just a pile of stones and ruins that have not been restored and the same vegetation has taken over them. Next, you have the 9 most famous Bagan temples and pagodas to visit:
Transport
Visiting the pagodas and temples of Bagan walking is the least advisable since the distances are considerably large. These are the different options:
Rent a bicycle: it is one of the best ways to enjoy the Bagan landscape and visit the places of interest. Being a flat area, it is easy to travel from one place to another. Renting a bicycle can cost around 2 or 3 dollars per day.
Rent a car to horses: it is also a good transport to move around the Bagan area. It is somewhat more expensive, but can fit 2 people comfortably. Renting a horse cart for a whole day can cost about 20 or 25 dollars depending on what places you want to visit.
Electric motorcycle: a means of transport that does not pollute, but is not as economical as the bicycle. Electric bikes can be achieved for well under $ 7. In the street that connects Old Bagan with Nyaung-U, near the Royal Bagan hotel there are two shops that can be used for this price.
By car: of course, the least recommended of all for not enjoying both the landscape and access to all corners. It’s a way to go faster and visit more places in a day, however, not so fun and entertaining. Renting a car can cost around 50 or 60 dollars.
By boat: Take a boat trip on the Irawady River and watch the sunset. You can hire the service at any local agency or at the same hotel. It can cost about 10 dollars depending on the number of people.
Price
To visit or «enter» the Bagan area it is necessary to pay an entrance that costs 25,000 Kyats or an equivalent of 20 dollars. and is valid for a total of 5 days. Although there are no access points defined and in some temples, it is not necessary to show the ticket, in all the accommodations they will ask you to buy it if you still have it. It is likely that the cost will increase due to the great tourist interest that year after year does not stop.
For those who have a higher budget should not miss the experience of flying over a hot air balloon in the Bagan area. During the rainy season (from April to September) the service is not available. The price can exceed 300 dollars per person during 1 hour of flight.
How to get to Bagan?
It can be reached in several ways to visit the temples and pagodas of Bagan.
Bus: from Yangon there is a night bus for 18,000 Kyats that takes about 13 hours. From Mandalay there are 2 daily buses for 8 or 9 thousand Kyats. In Lake Inle, a daily bus leaves for 10,000 K, 10 hours.
Airplane: You can buy a flight with local airlines such as Air Bagan, Asian Wings or Air Mandalay that have good prices (between 40 and 80 dollars the journey depending on the origin). From the airport to Nyaung-U taxi costs 4 or 5 dollars and up to New Bagan approximately 7 dollars.
Boat: It can be a good option to take a boat from Mandalay crossing the Irawady River. It is a slow boat with a duration of 13 or 15 hours. They only leave 2 per week, Wednesday and Sunday.
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The Acropolis is the most important archaeological site of the city, the watchword of Athens in particular, and Greece in general. The meaning of the word ‘Akropoli’ city high, do honor to his name, as the site on which it stands is 156 meters above sea level.
All ancient Greek cities had an acropolis, the highest part of the city, which served as a place of defense against possible attacks and sanctuary for the local gods.
Conceived as a fortified and a place of worship, the Acropolis housed inside some of the most representative buildings of ancient Greece, the Parthenon as the most significant temple, considered even today as the ‘crown jewel’ of the Greek architecture. The Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Erechtheion and the Theater of Dionysus, on the southern slope are the main structures currently completing the archaeological site.
In the Athens of Pericles during the second half of the V century BC, an exceptional group of artists transformed under the direction of Phidias, a rocky hill in an extraordinary architectural and artistic ensemble that ancient Greece bequeathed to the world.
The Acropolis of Athens’ sacred rock «is a limestone plateau 270 meters long and 85 wide, situated 156 meters above sea level, which contains the most famous monuments of classical Greece: the Parthenon, the Erechtheion , the Propylaea and the temple of Athena Nike and represents the universal symbol of the spirit and classical civilization. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The Propylaea
The entrance to the Acropolis is via a monumental gate called «Propylaea». A large bronze statue of Athena, built by Phidias, stood at the center of campus. To the right of this statue the Parthenon that housed the statue of Athena Parthenos crisoelefantina also Phidias stands. On the left the Erechtheion was available.
They were built on ancient Propylaea from the time of Pisistratus by Mnesicles Athenian architect who had to deal with important functional and architectural problems of the terrain and available space as the Propylaea were at the edge of the upper concourse Acropolis, at the boundary between the slope of the ascending pathway and the horizontal plane of the Acropolis.
The Propylaea included a rectangular central building of 18.12 meters wide and 12.96 meters deep and two side wings.
The central body had an exterior facade and indoor formed two six Doric columns that marked five-door access to the Acropolis, the being wider in the center (4.13 meters wide and 7.38 meters high) that was where ran the sacred way that roamed the Panathenaic procession.
These two hexástilas facades were too far apart to hold the roof composed of marble coffered ceilings so they were used in more slender Ionic columns inside the Doric to maximize space. The building mixed by both Doric and Ionic orders as in the Acropolis.
Of the two buildings that formed the side wings, located north housed the Pinacoteca art gallery where paintings on wooden plates were exposed. The south, smaller wing consisted of a hall, leading to the west, the temple of Athena Nike.
The Parthenon
It is the greatest monument of the Athens of Pericles and the architecture reflects the extraordinary cultural flowering of the arts and thought that reached Athens during the V century. C. culminating in the establishment of democracy.
The temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena, protector of Athens. The Ictino and Calícrates architects, led by the Athenian sculptor Phidias, designed a building to house the giant statue of Athena crisoelefantina, Phidias, who would guard the cella of the temple.
The entire temple project was conditional on the presence of the great statue of Athena, twelve feet high, so a cella of 19 meters wide was designed.
Work began in 447 B.C. and completed in just nine years, 438 BC This is explained by the economic power of the Athens of Pericles. Lasesculturas the pediment designed by Phidias were placed six years later, 432 BC
The temple was built on the unfinished Hecatompedon, Temple took some materials.
The Erechtheion
The Erechtheion is a masterpiece of the Ionic order. It was built between 421 and 406 a. C. to replace the old temple of Athena Polias that had been destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. C. during the Persian Wars.
Its name means «he who shakes the earth,» one of the penthouses epithets of Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes.
It housed the oldest religions in the city, was consecrated to the gods Athena Polias, Poseidon and Hephaestus and the legendary king of Athens, Erechtheus, who had been struck by Poseidon and was buried there.
It is located on the site of the Acropolis where the dispute between Athena and Poseidon held by the patronage of Athens. In a rock shows marks left by the trident of Poseidon and the grounds the sacred olive tree, a gift from Athena to the Athenians is.
Temple of Athena Nike
The small Ionic temple of Athena Nike (Victory), built on a tower of the Propylaea commemorates the victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis (448 BC), although the works began in 420 BC The architect who designed the project was Callicrates.
The temple housed an image of Athena Nike, symbol of victory for the wings (Nike wingless or without wings) were cut so you never could leave Athens.
The visit to the Acropolis is a unique and unforgettable experience for any traveler must pass through Athens.
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The Marietas Islands and its «Beach Hidden» a natural paradise, protected by UNESCO. It is an archipelago of two small islands and two islets uninhabited a few kilometers to the West of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. It is one of the destinations more requested by tourists visiting the region, above all to enjoy the Hidden Beach, which is difficult to access, but once you find yourself in the vicinity you can go climbing up the rocks either swim through one of the openings.
The Playa Escondida as it is also known and «Hidden Beach» by English speakers, has prohibited access to be a protected area, although it can be visited with special permission. The Mexican Government allows to make a tourist tour some few tourism companies, only occasionally to keep the natural paradise is the best possible.
Geology occasionally creates wonders and one can say that it is not very common to see a small island with the characteristics of the Hidden Beach, so this beach can be classified as an amazing destination of las islas Marietas. Try penny slots online for money from our partners with bonuses from us!
Although there are other theories for the formation of this unusual beach. Some argue that the Mexican Government was experimenting with pumps at the beginning of the 20th century, and as a result appeared this island a few decades ago. The Islands were used as a test because they were uninhabited, avoiding any danger to persons.
«Believed that the beach is has formed because of these tests, and by erosion caused by weather conditions» explains Ventura, inhabitant of Puerto Vallarta and customary island.
Of crystal clear water and white sand, the only way to reach the beach is swimming through a tunnel that opens at the end with this scene of a postcard. Known as the Playa Escondida, also called it the Playa del Amor (Love Beach).
In its surroundings are practice snorkeling and scuba diving. The visibility of the water in the Marietas is very good and dives to great depths are not required to enjoy it. Playa Escondida is a little-visited beach is accessed swimming underneath a cave.
Islands serve as a refuge and a wide variety of animals reproduction sites mainly birds these islands are also the «Blue footed Booby bird» habitat a species that has only been seen on these islands and in the Galapagos Islands.
Worldwide fame that has reached this island owes it to social media, via Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest the Love Beach has become one of the most popular tourist sites of Mexico.
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