Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

Categories: Aerophoto | Asia |

“Balloon flying is a popular activity in Bagan. Five years ago, only one company with two balls worked here, and now there are already three companies and fourteen balls,” says Sergey Dolya.

(Total 45 photos)

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan
Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

1. I really like to fly balloons. Smooth movement, panoramic access, no windows, etc. Five years ago I took many interesting aerial shots, but this time I surpassed my previous result. There was a haze above the ground, the whole sky was strewn with balls - it was a pleasure to shoot! Under the cut are four dozen of the best shots that remained after a long and painful selection ...

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

2. They bring you to the place of rise on an old, colonial-era bus.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

3. The flight starts at dawn and, accordingly, delivery takes place at dusk.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

4. How to inflate the balloon: first, two fans draw air until the balloon takes shape. After that, the burners are turned on and the already warm air is blown.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

5. After the briefing, they are invited to the basket. This time we had a very spacious basket for 16 people. Square holes on the walls are made in order to make it more convenient to climb inside.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

6. Our pilot. A very skilled and experienced aeronaut.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

7. The ball can be rotated around its axis. To do this, the pilot has a complex rope system that changes the shape of the canopy, which in turn leads to rotation.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

8. In the first minutes of the flight, all the balls fly in a tight group.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

9. Bagan is known for a record number of temples - about 5000. They make up the main part of the Bagan landscape. Where there are so many temples, I will tell in a separate post.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

10. We rose with the sun. You could say it was our 15th ball.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

eleven.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

12. Among the thousands of temples, there are many remodels. During an earthquake in the last century, almost half was destroyed, and restoration work is going on to this day. Most of the stupas are brown, although it used to be customary to paint them white (one of these is visible on the right side of the frame).

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

13. On the right stupa, if you look closely, you can see people. Many climb to the tops of temples to meet the dawn. There are even their own "sunset" and "dawn" stupas, which offer the best view

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

14.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

15.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

16.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

17. The previous photo is slightly toned in yellow, and the next one is in a cool shade. Capturing the exact color is very difficult, so I saved a few options. Which one do you like better?

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

18. Over time, the balls disperse over the plain. The more experienced the pilot, the lower he flies. A balloon is an inertial thing, and to get the hang of maneuvering it, you need a lot of experience.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

19.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

20. The tower of an unusual shape, which seems to be a religious building, is actually a local hotel with an observation deck. It was built a long time ago, apparently, when Burma was under martial law (I don’t see another explanation for how such a “skyscraper” appeared over the valley).

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

21.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

22.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

23.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

24. The very first temple that appeared in the valley.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

25.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

26.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

27.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

28.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

29. Near the airport.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

thirty.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

31.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

32. Only an experienced pilot can fly so low and close next to the stupa

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

33. The plane is landing.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

34.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

35. A unique pentagonal stupa built, according to legend, for the next coming of the Buddha. At the moment, it is not ready, however, there is no particular hurry yet - it is believed that the Buddha will return only in the sixth millennium.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

36.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

37. They flew over the peasants and the "cargo" oxen.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

38. Tractors I have not seen here at all. They plow on cattle, the old fashioned way.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

39. Sheep. The only time we saw any animals other than oxen.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

40. Parallel to the ball, a tourist bus and a truck are traveling along the ground, carrying the ball and the basket.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

41. The balloon comes in for a landing.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

42. Our landing was soft and easy, although it is often acceptable to roll over the basket during landing.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

43. The guys fill up the ball.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

44. Our hyper basket.

Hot air balloon flight over Bagan

45. After landing, kids run up with a souvenir. Children's drawings of balloons for sale look especially cute.

Keywords: Hot air balloon | Flight | Entertainment

     

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