South East Asia trip 2014: FEBRUARY 14, 2014: MYANMAR-BAGAN: ARRIVAL, GAWDAWPALIN, THANDE HOTEL, DINNER-HOTEL

BAGAN-February 14-20, 2014

February 14, 2014

OMG! We are up and it's 4:00 am and this is supposed to be our vacation?? Check out smooth as Thai silk. I leave my completed hotel feedback form at the front desk. (I will do this at every hotel we stay at if there is a form in the room to complete. I'm a firm believer in providing feedback and I try to be very honest in my assessment of our stay). We did not opt for a breakfast box as we will be arriving in Bagan early enough today to get something to eat. Hard to say goodbye to everyone who has been so kind to us here but I'm reminded that we will be returning to this hotel at the end of our trip to Myanmar/Burma.
Taxi to the airport 10000k. Check in AIR BAGAN counter-no problems even though our combined luggage weight is a bit over the 40 kg. limit. Given our boarding passes, seat 8F and 8D. I ask for seats on the right side of the plane as recommended by my research. I can't remember if it was Fodor's or TA and who mentioned that but I jotted it down in my notebook. The counter staff person affixes a sticker to me and DH. This sticker is so we get on the right plane. I look at others' stickers. They're different and the same. Eventually we see a man with a sign walking around the waiting area with the flight info. Everyone that has stickers like us lines up as do we. A small plane with 2-2 seating configuration. We have seats on the right side of the plane-window and aisle. Take off smooth and on time. Served a light breakfast of fruit and croissants and tea or coffee. All this on a 1 hr. 20 minute flight! We hear the pilot/captain announce "if you look on the LEFT you will see the hot air balloons." So don't sit on the right-sit on the left side!! Landing is as smooth as take off. We retrieve our bags and find a taxi to our hotel. Cost ?? I didn't jot it down.

My sticker

Sorry this is out of focus-boarding sign

Our flight being "announced"

Shuttle to plane

Our Air Bagan plane to Bagan from Yangon

Sunrise from plane window

Our breakfast

First glimpse of Bagan

Bagan Airport

Our plane again

THANDE HOTEL-Old Bagan I really think I'm going to like it here. Our room isn't ready as we are here so early. We decide to take a walk. We see the Archeological Museum from the hotel property but there is no entrance from here. End up at GAWDAWPALIN. The courtyard is very nice. Construction started by King Narapati Sithu 11th century supposedly to receive pardon/forgiveness for insulting the memory of his ancestors. Name means"Act of obeisance from the throne." Imposing. Highest terrace not open to visitors.

Sitting Buddha image

Another one

And another!

We return to the THANDE HOTEL thinking we will check out the property but our room is ready. It's 11:00 am. Our room is S1029 located close to the pool and reception . Our room is quite nice with all the necessities including a bathtub. The beds are comfortable and the room is clean. For this superior double/twin room we pay $95 per night. We have a spacious porch with a table and 2 chairs. Just the place to drink our bottle of wine. Now it's time to check out this place. The pool area is perfect and we intend to be there later. The area where breakfast is served faces the river and the seating is outside. There's also a seating area to just relax and watch the river life. I pat myself on the back. I did good choosing this hotel!

Pool

Pool spa

Hotel restaurant-inside seating

Another hotel restaurant-this is where we have breakfast

View of river

View

Bar

We gather together our laundry, drop it off in reception and get a taxi to town. I need to go to the post office as I mistakenly have the keys for our room from Chiang Mai and I want to mail them back. What a fun experience at the post office trying to make myself understood!! Finally all the forms are completed, payment is made and I even bought postcards and stamps. Stop at the TUN Foundation Bank where I exchange $300 USD for 294300 k. Since we're in town we make a stop at a pharmacy and I buy more bug spray, some ointment for muscle aches, and tiger balm anti itch. Taxi/car cost 5000 or 6000k?? Not sure. Returning we do some unpacking and head for the pool. That water is so refreshing. Maybe this will clear my mind so I'll remember to write down stuff like how much we pay for transportation!

Tharabar Gate

Pharmacy in town

Our laundry is returned this evening. That was fast. Cost $30 for a lot of laundry-reasonable. Dinner at our hotel down by the river. Pork with red curry and chicken with pineapple-tasty. Served with steamed rice. Bill $24. A good first day in Bagan.