lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

49

(^) SIGHTSYANGON
SIGHTS
YANGON
SIGHTS
Several of the city’s embassies, clinics
and smaller hotels are in the lake’s vicinity,
the majority north of the lake. Just east of
the Kandawgyi Palace Hotel, on the south-
ern side of the lake, fl oats a Shin Upagot
shrine. Upagot is a Bodhisattva (Buddhist
saint) who is said to protect human beings
in moments of mortal danger.
The eastern side of the lake is domi-
nated by a very expensive government-
fi nanced project including a small park
and a playground for children, as well as
the fanciful or monstrous (depending on
your taste) Karaweik, a reinforced con-
crete reproduction of a royal barge. Apart
from being something of a local attraction
in its own right, the Karaweik (Sanskrit for
Garuda, the legendary bird-mount of the
Hindu god Vishnu) is also the name of a
government-owned restaurant nearby.
Kaba Aye Paya &
Mahapasana Cave BUDDHIST MONUMENTS
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When the designers were asked to come
up with a suitable blueprint for the ‘world
peace’ zedi, which was built for the 1954–56
Sixth Buddhist Synod, they obviously decid-
ed that Mickey Mouse and friends were the
epitome of world peace, because the Kaba
Aye Paya (Map p 38 ; Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd; admis-
sion free; h24hr) has a Disneyesque feel and
look to it. The 112ft-high paya also measures
112ft around its base. It stands about 5 miles
north of the city centre, a little beyond the
Inya Lake Hotel. The interior of the monu-
ment is hollow and contains some nice Bud-
dhist sculptures, including a lei-myet-hna
(four-sided Buddha sculpture).
Just north, Mahapasana (Map p 38 ; Kaba
Aye Pagoda Rd; admission free; h24hr), the
‘great cave’, is a totally artifi cial. It was here
that the Sixth Buddhist Synod was held in
1954–56 to coincide with the 2500th anni-
versary of the Buddha’s enlightenment. This
enormous cave (measuring 456ft by 371ft; it
can accommodate up to 10,000 people) took
only 14 months to build. It helped that there
were 63,000 labourers. The cave is still used
to hold grand religious ceremonies.
Inya Lake LAKE
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Inya Lake (Map p 48 ) is roughly fi ve times
larger than Kandawgyi, but to see actual
water you must explore on foot and brave
the powerful sun. There aren’t many oppor-
tunities for shade, only scattered umbrel-
las, which are popular with young couples
sneaking a little alone time.
Before reclusive dictator Ne Win died in
December 2002, he lived on University Ave
Rd at one end of the lake while Aung San
Suu Kyi, who was released from house ar-
rest at number 54 in November 2010, was at
the other end. For years these two important
fi gures in contemporary Myanmar history
resided like powerful nat locked in a battle
of wills.
Myanmar Gems Museum &
Gems Market MUSEUM
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(Map p 38 ; %665 365; 66 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd;
admission $5; h9am-5pm Tue-Sun) Just north
of Parami Rd, thisgovernment-owned mu-
seum is meant to impress – starting with
the world’s largest sapphire, which comes

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