Monday, 10th September 2012
After my customary breakfast, I took a short walk along the promenade before checking-out and meeting Min and the driver in reception just before 9.0 a.m. Our first visit was to be to Gaung Say Island ('Shampoo Island'). We drove underneath the approach span to the new bridge, as I had done on foot two days earlier. Instead of the deserted car park I'd seen then, there were now hundreds of mopeds and their drivers, Min explained that it was the date for re-taxing mopeds, hence the urgency.
We parked near a concrete slip where a small wooden ferry was being boarded by a Nun. It was agreed that we would share the boat and I clambered aboard, followed by Min. The ferry was powered by an automotive engine mounted on a universal joint on the stern, with a long propellor shaft terminated in a small propellor. We made a brief, but noisy, passage to Gaungse Kyun (usually called 'Shampoo Island') where we berthed at a slip protected by a number of "barber's poles" rather reminiscent of Venice.
The Island used to be isolated in the wide estuary but now the long new bridge we'd used to get to Mawlamyine passes very close to one end of the Island. The island is about 9 acres in size, with a number of large and small monastery buildings, gardens, stupas and interconnecting paths. We were allowed to inspect the main building and one of the monks joined us to answer questions put by Min. There are now only three monks in permanent residence and around ten nuns. The monk then took us on a walking tour of the fascinating island.
We drove back to the city centre and took the road up the range of hills running north – south to the east of the old city. There are five monasteries and shrines along this range of hills. First, we entered the famous Mahamuni Paya, the largest temple complex in the city built in the 'Mon Style'. Unlike the Mahamuni temple in Mandalay, in Mawlamyine women are allowed to enter the main chamber containing a golden Buddha image. A short drive took us to the Kyaikthanian Paya with the most visible stupa in Mawlamyine. We took an ancient-looking lift from the road, avoiding the long, covered stairways to the main platform. This stupa is believed to have been the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's reference to "the Old Moulmein Pagoda" in his famous poem 'The Road to Mandalay' and, I confess, was the reason I decided to come to 'Moulmein' (now rendered as 'Mawlamyine') on this trip.
Finally, we made a brief visit to the 19th century Seindon Mibaya Kyaung monastery, now in need of a lot of repair work. We didn't go inside any of the sad-looking buildings.
We descended the range of hills on the east side, where the railway station is situated. The station building is quite large and modern but, once on the platform, the usual run-down appearance of Myanmar stations re-asserts itself. Countless vendors had 'pitches' on the platform and the wall of the station building facing the track was covered from end-to-end with things to buy. After a few minutes looking around, I found Min talking to the Station Master. My brief presence had been noted and I gather the Station Master was disappointed I wasn't travelling by train as he hadn't had European travellers for a few weeks! Min thought taking photographs might be 'sensitive' but there's a very small collection here.
We started our long journey back to Yangon by a different route to the east of the main road we used when heading south. We crossed the Thanlwin River by a suspension road bridge a few years old. Like an older bridge we'd crossed earlier, the bridge deck was steel which had settled into curious 'waves' which produced an odd oscillation as we crossed.
We left the main route to reach the Monastery of Kaw Hnat. This large complex is next to a large village of 480 houses which we didn't visit. We didn't go into the main monastery building and women are not allowed in the Ordination Hall but the halls we did visit were unexpected treasures. We first visited the pagoda donated by U Na Auk, a shipping magnate. The richness of the decoration was impressive but, for me, the late Victorian hall with some real age was the star. We were shown round by two villagers acting as guards as they have suffered thefts from the remarkable buildings. I was asked to make a comment in the Visitor's Book and I was interested that the comments (mainly in French) recorded surprise similar to mine at the unexpected discovery of such a treasure in a remote village.
A Victorian 'jewel' at Kaw Hnat.
Min had one more surprise before we arrived at our destination. Again, we left the main route and turned down a straight road which led to a few houses and a lake. In the centre of the lake was an island, joined to the shore by a footbridge. Rising up in the centre of the island was a rock pinnacle – not very tall but, improbably, wider at the top that the bottom, like an inverted teardrop. A small stupa had been erected at the top of the pinnacle and a number of small stupas stood on the plateau a little way up. Needless to say, I wanted a closer look, so we crossed the wooden bridge. I correctly decided that it might be possible to visit the plateau and a spotted a bamboo ladder which gave possible access to the very top. As we stepped off the bridge onto the island, two monks were entering the bridge. One of them gave me a most radiant smile. There were various signs in Burmese but one crude sign said 'To The Top' with an arrow and I hared off. The patch led around the main building of the monastery, through compact gardens and past a rock pool to concrete steps which threaded around the base of the pinnacle. As I expected, we could climb as far as the stupas on the plateau but our additional elevation gave superb views. At least one monastic building had been built over the water with a short bridge connecting this extension to the island. The sound of young monks reciting came from this building. Min was visibly relieved when I got back to ground level without incident. Halfway across the bridge, we passed a middle aged couple feeding the fish and the water boiled with black carp. This magical place is called Kyauk Kalat.
After a fairly short drive, we came to the Zwekabin Hotel. Only three years old, four buildings facing the road provided eight luxurious semi-detached cottages. A single two-storey block behind provided additional accommodation. The facilities were completed by a reception building next to the car park and a restaurant building built under a sheer cliff face. Landscaped gardens, a decorative pool and paths connected up the whole site.
I was glad of the opportunity for a shower because the day had been warm and it had been quite active. We agreed to meet at 4.30 p.m. for a trip to the nearby city of Pa-An (spellings vary). The Thanlwin River, quite wide at this point, passes through the city and various sizes of river boat were in evidence. We didn't see much of the city itself but did visit the Shwe Yin Myaw Pyi Taw Aye pagoda and (of course) I wanted to see it all. We ended up at part of the pagoda forming a pier into the river, along with a number of locals watching the sun go down. The peace was only slightly disturbed by three loud explosions. Min explained that this was blasting at the quarry where cement is made. All-in-all a satisfying and exhausting day. I was happy to return to the comfort of the Zwekabin Hotel for the night.
Shwe Yin Myaw Pyi Taw Aye pagoda, Pa-An.
Photographs:
Gaung Say Island ('Shampoo Island').
The Hilltop Temples of Mawlamyine.
Mawlamyine Railway Station.
By Road to Pa-an.
Kaw Hnat U Na Auk Pagoda.
Kyauk Kalat.
Around Pa-An.
Shwe Yin Myaw Pyi Taw Aye pagoda.
Hotel Zwekabin.
[Revised 27-Sep-2012, 3-Oct-2012]
