We took a tour with a guide who had the patience to answer questions from people from all over the eastern world and us, the only ones from South America. With data that was lost in translation, we learned that Bagan had more than 10,000 Buddhist temples, of which a little more than 2,200 remain.

Many temples and pagodas and stupas were destroyed in a great earthquake in ’85. This is why, despite being restored, tourists are now asked not to climb them. This we learned after climbing one up to see our first sunset on top of a temple. The rest of sunrises and sunsets we go up tempting fate and structures. The view of the sun descending on thousands of old buildings and trees that compete in height, is unique and it is impossible to get tired of these moments, none were the same. Chasing the sun was the best time spent on this trip.

This city, which lives entirely from tourism, maintains respectful practices. But visiting it as a tourist does not bring you closer to the history of the wars, dictatorships, famines, military abuses and genocides they have lived as recently as 2017. And the attacks against Rohingya Muslims continue, whom they have displaced, raped, burned, and killed. The death toll is 25,000.