Visiting Mawlamyine

Visiting Mawlamyine

Mawlamyine is always fascinating for me, but I have never explored the whole city because it is usually my transit destination whenever I go to Dawei. But, this time I have a chance to look around it.

I stay at Ngwe Moe Hotel which is situated on the corner of Kyaikthoke Pagoda Road and Strand Road. When I get up this morning, I think of a place to go first, because last night when I hailed a motorbike, and its driver told me there is a cultural museum in this city. I really want to see it. So, I decide I will go there and visit it.

Then, I leave the hotel for the place where the museum lies. But, I do not know which way to go. Easily, I follow the lane which is beside the hotel building, and that lane leads to another road called Lower Main Road which runs horizontally as Strand Road does. I go a few further down and another lane I find, and I follow it.

To my surprise, I find the museum which is situated at another junction. I read the board which is stated at the entrance of it. I step into the museum and the staff there welcome me. I need to pay Ks 200 for admission fees which is cheaper than the one which is set for foreign visitors which is Ks 2000.

Firstly, I explore the ground floor, and find several interesting things displayed in it. I find the walls which shows the process of making pipe, slate, salt production, pottery, etc. It is really knowledge to look at them.

I find the photo of U Nar Auk who is a bit famous for his patriotic spirit which was shown to English when he tried to ply his ships comparatively to English ones. Another interesting display is the letter to U Chit Hlaing by Gen Aung San. It is quite wonderful to read such a good letter.

After that, I go upstairs where I find a few oil paintings which I take some of those. Then, when I am about to leave the museum, I find the pamphlet prepared by Cinderella Hotel which is recommended by Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor. There I find interesting places I should visit.

Among them I choose the Clock Tower which was built in 1912 when VII Prince of Wales visited Burma/Myanmar. I look at the pamphlet and direct my steps to it. But, unfortunately I take the wrong direction which I find when I see Theik Pan Street which is totally in different direction.

So, I take along Lower Main Road back until I reach the museum. Then, a few feet away from it lies the clock tower, in front of which lies the park called Mawrawaddy park in which I take a short rest because I feel a bit thirsty.

Later I feel a bit hungry and decide to find Myanmar food center or restaurant. Luckily I find Myoma River View Restaurant which lies on Strand Road. Its decoration invites me to go into it. I love its arrangement and I find local souvenir shops in it.

When I finish my lunch, I stops myself in front of the shop and buy four slates for my friends and my family. I am sure they will like them. With a happy sensation, I return to my hotel when the clock strikes 12:30 p.m.

I take a nap at my hotel because I think I should need to go to visit the central market in town and viewpoint where I can take photos of the city. Accordingly, I call my last night motorbike taxi driver. In less than five minutes, the driver arrives at the hotel entrance, waiting for me to go.

He is a good, friendly man and a man of knowledge about the city. I get on his bike and off we go to the market where many goods are sold. I find much people there, but on Lower Main Road few pedestrians can be found, but several motorbikes are going. 

When I reach the viewpoint, I find some people sitting at the bench prepared for viewers. I take a few photos of the city, and enjoy the scene.

 Later, I go to visit Mawlamyine University and I tell the driver to bring me to the last night teashop named "Min See Sein" which can be translated as "Royal Luxury" where we order and enjoy our tea before I go back to my hotel and pack my things for tomorrow trip back to Yangon.

San Lin Tun

Written on Oct 14, 2015