Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Eastern monasteries
TheareaeastofthecentrealongMahabandoolaRoadisdottedwithfurthertemplesandmon-
asteries - none is of any particular antiquity, although the various clusters of often colourful
and quirky buildings make an attractive backdrop to a walk out to the
Shwe Sar Traditional
Umbrella Workshop
,
which is also in this part of town. Most attractive is the large
Megada
Wone Monastery
at the end of 28 Pagoda St, while further east (and just around the corner
from Shwe Sar) is the
Settawyar Pagoda
, one of the largest in town.
PATHEIN PARASOLS
Pathein is famous for its colourful
umbrellas
, perhaps Myanmar's most iconic handicraft
-you'lloftenseebothmonksandnunscarryingthemandlookingabsurdlypicturesque,as
though dressed up specially for some Burmese photoshoot. Umbrellas have always served
as a symbol of distinction in Burmese life. They once formed part of the royal regalia,
while an architectural umbrella (
hti
) crowns the top of the spire of all the country's most
important stupas, often richly decorated with precious stones.
Strictly speaking, the items made in Pathein are
parasols
rather than umbrellas, since
they'redesignedtoprotectagainstsunratherthanrain(althoughthey'realsoclaimedtobe
waterproof -not that you'll want to test this theory if youbuyone yourself). There are two
styles of umbrella: the traditional Pathein-style
cotton hti
, and the rather Chinese-looking
Mandalay/Bagan-style
silk umbrella
. Umbrellas take around a week to make. Handles,
stems and spokes are crafted from bamboo, with intricate geometrical and floral designs
hand-paintedonthetop.Anextractfromthe
tae
fruit(persimmon)isusedtowaterproofthe
umbrellas, and also boiled to create the glue which holds them together. Umbrellas come
in a wide range of colours - rich reds and intense oranges are perhaps the most traditional,
althoughmanyothercolourscanalsobefound.Monkstraditionallycarrydark-redumbrel-
las (pink for nuns), with no decoration on the underside.
There are a number of workshops in Pathein around the
28 Pagoda
- owners are always
pleased to see visitors and happy to explain the umbrella-making process, while prices for
umbrellas bought straight from the maker are a snip compared to what you'll pay else-
where.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: PATHEIN
By plane
There are sometimes a couple of flights weekly to Pathein in high season with Air
Bagan (or possibly other airlines) but details change regularly and flight info is difficult to
come by - ask at a reputable ticketing agency or travel agent in Yangon.
