As the sun sets it brings out the brilliance of the wet planes of Amarapura. The skyline is defined by U Bein Bridge, believed to be the world’s oldest and longest teak bridge.
Walking along the wooden corridor at sunset makes time stand still. As the sun moves lower the colours become more vivid, more brilliant, more alive. Even the monks stop to take photos on the bridge, the colours of their robed silhouettes now inverted but reflected in natures’ counter-hues of orange, saffron, red and yellow.
As the sun sets and the pagodas retreat into the darkness of the surrounding hills, the bridge draws those from near and far to stop and appreciate the simple outline that somehow makes the sunset more significant, more alive and more beautiful as it sinks below the stupas.
U Bein Bridge is believed to be the world’s oldest and longest teak bridge. At 1.2 km long, it was built around 1850 and to this day serves as an important corridor for the local people to cross Taungthaman Lake in Amarapura, Myanmar. In the evenings locals and tourists alike crowd the bridge to watch the spectacular sunset disappear among the planes and pagodas.
“Nature always wears the colours of the spirit.”Ralph Waldo Emerson