lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

210MANDALAY & AROUND MANDALAYTHE WORLD’S BIGGESTBOOKAround the gilt-and-gold stupa of mid-19th-century Kuthodaw Paya (MahaLawka Marazein Paya; Map p 204 ; admission$10 combo ticket; h24hr), you’ll find729 text-inscribed marble slabs, eachhoused in its own small stupa and togetherpresenting the entire 15 booksof the Tripitaka. Another 1774 similarlyensconced marble slabs (collectedin 1913) ring the nearby SandamuniPaya (admission free; h8.30am-5pm)with Tripitaka commentaries. Collectivelythese slabs are often cited as the‘World’s Biggest Book’. Producing theKuthodaw set alone required an editorialcommittee of over 200. When King Mindonconvened the 5th Buddhist Synodhere he used a team of 2400 monks toread the book in a nonstop relay. It tookthem nearly six months to finish.are rip-offs. If you don’t know your jade anddon’t want to pay the $1 entry (not always enforced),it’s still interesting to see the cuttingand polishing of jade pieces that takes placejust outside along the market’s eastern flank.Or retreat to the octagonal Unison Teahouse(38th at 87th St; snacks K500-1500; h5am-1am) towatch more furtive-looking jade merchantsdiscussing deals over a cuppa.2 ActivitiesSwimmingThe Mandalay City and Mandalay Swan hotelsboth allow nonguests to use their attractiveoutdoor pool for $5 per day. Behind thezoo, the outdoor, Olympic-sized YatanabanSwimming Pool (Map p 204 ; admission K2000;h6am-6pm) is OK, but don’t use the divingboard or you’ll pike yourself into a fountain.At the base of the Shan Hills beyondYankin, 18-hole Yedagon Taung (www.myanmargolf.com/yedagontaung_golf_club.htm) is arguablythe most attractive of Mandalay’s threegolf courses. Shwe Mann Taung Golf Resort(Map p 204 ; %60570; 9-/18-holes $15/30, gear rental$10) is also lovely and sits handily close toMandalay Hill. There’s a driving range nearby.CCoursesDhamma MandalaMEDITATION CENTRE(%39694; www.mandala.dhamma.org; YaytagunHill) Spacious centre several miles fromMandalay offering regular 10-day Vipassanacourses (bilingual) on a donationbasis. Bookings usually close two weeksahead. Website gives schedules.zFestivals & EventsTraditional pwe (festivals), big and small,happen all the time – for weddings, birthdays,funerals and holidays, and in sidestreets and at pagodas. Ask a trishaw driverif they’ve passed one. Major festivals includethe following:» Mahamuni Paya pwe In earlyFebruary thousands of people from nearbydistricts make pilgrimages to Mahamuni(see p 208 ).» Mingun Nat Festival Pays homage tothe brother and sister of the Teak Tree,who drowned in the river while clingingto a trunk. Fifth to 10th days of the waxingmoon of Tabaung (February/March).» Sagaing Waso festival & Paleik FestivalThe Sagaing Waso festival and then the bigPaleik festival take place in the two weeksfollowing the Waso full moon (June–July).» Taungbyone Nat Pwe This massivefestival is held in August about 12 milesnorth of Mandalay. It honours the so-calledMuslim Brothers, Byat-wi and Byat-ta, twoof the most famous nat from the Bagan era.Celebrations culminate on the full moon ofWagaung.» Irinaku Festival (Yadanagu) A weekafter Taungbyone Nat Pwe worshippersmove to just south of Amarapura to honourthe brothers’ mother Popa Medaw.» Thadingyut Central Mandalay’s biggestfestival at Kyauktawgyi Paya (p 225 ) lastsseven days in early October.4SleepingAside from our listings, many more Chinesetypehotels in the blocks south of 27th Stoffer generally mediocre to poor midrangerooms for $20 to $30. None of the cheapestlocal guesthouses takes foreigners.Unless otherwise stated, all room ratesinclude breakfast and a bathroom with hotwater. However, in budget places, don’t besurprised if your air-con or hot water isn’tworking. Most midrange hotels have roomsthat are every bit as dowdy as budget hotels,but add a lift (handy in the heat given thatmost hotels are at least five storeys) and perhapsa doorperson or two. In the high-endbracket only a handful of choices are reallyappealing.