Yoe Yoe Lay Hotel

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Today I wake up quite early. The moment that I open my room door, cold weather hits on my face. The view in front of me is so amazing. We can see the pagodas that are located on the hills and decorated with colorful lighting. I walk up to the hotel roof and see the top view. The east side of the hotel is where people live and on the west side is mountains.

Yoe Yoe Lay Hotel is also located on the top of the mountains. The hotel has many building which have different atmosphere but every building has a roof top for 360 degree view. There are amenities to support your convenience in the room. For restaurant, breakfast buffet mainly are boiled rice, fried rice and noodle.

At around 8:30 am., we check out from the hotel and visit the pagoda again before leaving. At the entrance of the pagoda has security check for metal and not around women to go in. Inside the pagoda area, there is the guardian statue "Phee Nud" who guards the pagoda. Continue walking a little bit, we arrive at The Healthy Goddess Shrine where people believe that if we place the money on the goddess body where we hurt it will get better.

Kyaikpun Pagoda, Hongsawadee

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From Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, we are heading back to Hongsawadee again to visit Kyaikpun Pagoda which is an over 500 year temple. There is a big Buddha image with four sides in Mon style which was built by 4 sisters who spent their life for Buddhism and swear that they will not get in touch with any guys. Later on, one of the girl got marry, the Buddha image is suddenly broken and fallen down. Now they renovate this Buddha image so it looks new and more beautiful than others.

After that we have lunch at Kyaw Swa Restuarant. Food menus are the same in every restaurant which main ingredient is river prawn. Then continue to our next destination>>>>>

Shew Thalyang Buddha, Hongsawadee

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Shew Thalyang Buddha is an ancient place that is the second holy of Hongsawadee which was built by King Mengkatipa in 994. The Buddha image is quite beautiful but different from Thailand as the Buddha image here put the feet overlap each other but in Thailand will put the feet equally. People said that this is the Buddha image before he passed away. There is a story behind his back about the king who does not believe in Buddhism but believe in a giant. One day, while the king goes to the forest with his son. The prince sees a girl shower in the river and fall in love. The prince brings the girl back to the palace. The girl also brings the Buddha image with her that makes the king so angry. He orders his soldier to tight the prince and the girl and do execute. But villagers who believe in Buddha pray to help them "If the Buddha is real please them". Suddenly, the rope is broken and the giant image is exploded. So the king comes to believe in Buddhism and build the Buddha image.

After the war, Mon was lost and Hongsawadee was abandoned. Until in 1948, England came to Myanmar and try to build the railway, they found the Buddha image. So they renovated until the image became as today.

At this point, it is where we can buy souvenirs such as wooden sculpture, Sandalwood, embroidered fabric and printed fabric. I buy a sarong for only 150 THB as my sourvenir and to wear this evening^^.

Kyauk Htatgyi Buddha, Hongsawadee

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Heading to next destination, Kyauk Htatgyi Buddha at Wat Kyauk That Gyi which is the Buddha image with the red lips and very beautiful face. This Buddha image was built in 1966 to replace the previous one. The pattern of the image is iron with the length of 65 meters. This Buddha image is bigger than Shew Thalyang Buddha. There are 600 monk images around the temple which look so real. At the feet of Buddha has a pattern of sacred reasons 108. Moreover, there are many souvenir shops in front the temple.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon

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Finally, we are at the highlight of the day, Shwedagon Pagoda. Travelling to Yangon in the evening is very traffic especially at the pagoda area as all tour groups will come at the same time. Shwedagon Pagoda is a golden pagoda of the country with the age of over 2,500 years, the pagoda of Dagon or Takerng which the pervious name of Yangon. It is also the biggest pagoda of Myanmar. There is a pray area where you can leave your flowers, candles and joss sticks for praying for your luckiness. Moreover, there are Buddha images of each day located around the pagoda where you sprinkle some water on them for your luckiness. The pagoda has been renovated in many period of governed. It is a beautiful golden pagoda that is located in the middle of Yangon with the height of 109 meters and decorated with 544 diamonds and 2,317of other jewels. Moreover, there is a big diamond decorated on the top of pagoda. Shwedagon Pagoda is surrounded by 1,100 KG of gold. At the base of the pagoda there are surrounded by small pagodas. This is the Pagoda of Horse year in Chines Zodiac and it is one of the most holy places in Myanmar where very famous for both locals and foreigners. In the beautiful architecture of the pagoda, there is also story and history of it before it become the most holy pagoda of the country. For the Holy Bell which people believe that if you hit it three time and make a wish, you wish will become true. British soldiers tried to take the bell back to England but it failed in to the Yangon river and they cannot take it up until Burmese people help each other to bring it from the river and hang it back where it was. Then you can enjoy the light of the jewels when the sun shine and there are many Buddha images inside for people to worship.

Burmese people have truly believe in Buddhism as we can see that they will take off their shoes and socks when they are in temple area and there are people come to pray for Buddha all day long. At Shwedagon Pagoda, there are students come to clean up the pagoda area everyday.

Finally, we arrive to the restaurant, Bangkok Kitchen. Today we have a real Thai food because the owner is Thai.

After dinner, we go to the hotel which is Grand United Hotel.

Travelling the the agency is quite tired because they try to fit everything of the package in the limited of time so we have to sleep late and wake up early. But if we come by ourselves, we might not be able to go to all places like this or not as we planed and expense might be over expectation.

Yangon - Hongsa - Syriam - Inkwaen : To worship 3 of 5 the most holy places in Myanmar Part 1

Yangon - Hongsa - Syriam - Inkwaen : To worship 3 of 5 the most holy places in Myanmar Part 3 (The End)