lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

134SPIRULINAAn algae that grows in alkaline, subtropical lakes, Spirulina is named for its coiled spiral(or more accurately helix) shape, which you’ll only notice when looking through a microscope.Harvested and dried, Spirulina was once a food-source for Aztec people. Todayit’s a popular dietary supplement said to help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressureand counter hay fever. In Myanmar, Spirulina is best known as an ingredient of MandalayBrewery’s popular ‘anti-aging’ beer. You can visit a government Spirulina ‘farm’ at TwinDaung and buy a few Spirulina products at the government emporium (see p 21 ), upstairswithin a dowdy Monywa shopping centre.BAGAN & CENTRAL MYANMAR AROUND BAGANPaya, which has lovely views from its upperrim (climbed via an inner passageway).Carry your sandals to save your feet fromgravel dents on connecting roads.NORTH OF MONYWAWizened old neem trees and many an attractivestupa enliven the busy, well-paved roadleading north from Monywa. After 19 miles,Budalin is a small junction settlement witha basic noodle-shop, from which it’s stillrather a slog to reach the area’s minor attractions.But you’ll certainly be getting far,far off the tourist radar.Twin DaungCRATER LAKETwin Daung is one of four volcanic craterlakes in Myanmar, from whose swirling greenwaters Spirulina is cultivated (see p 134 ). Youcan visit the lakeside Spirulina factory (admissionfree, h8am-4.30pm Mon-Sat) to see theconcrete cultivation tanks, peer through amicroscope at the algae’s incredible spiralform and see a range of packaged Spirulinabasedproducts (manufactured elsewhereand not for sale here). The palm-frontedlakeside has a certain south-sea charm andviews from the crater rim are very wide withoutbeing enormously spectacular.Access is by a 13km unpaved lane thatdoubles back to the southwest, starting justa few yards after the toll gate as you arrive inBudalin from the south.PayagyiBUDDHIST MONASTERYThe large Payagyi stupa and its oversizedchinthe face an abrupt twin-peaked hill,topped with a stupa and castle-like rocky outcropand said to have an indelible footprintof Bagan-era King Kyanzittha at its base. Nowboxed within concrete walls and tin roof, theempty front prayer hall retains its 170-yearoldteak pillars. Its carved-stone floor tiles,telling Ramayana tales, have been moved forsafe keeping to a museum shed: notice number274 featuring Hanuman (the monkey god)riding a sheep and smoking a cheroot. Thelovable wooden monastery building seemsoversized for five novices, one monk and theyoung abbot (who speaks a little English).It’s 30km from the central junction in Budalin(marked by a golden horseback Bandulastatue, 500m north of the Twin Daungturning), where you veer left. Keep left againafter 3km then continue 22km to Ta Kook TaNel. Turn right after the little row of teahousesthen follow the track 5km to Payagyi. It’sa long way to come for one monastery, butthe rural scenes en route are very attractive,especially along the asphalted first 9km afterBudalin through cottonfields, sunflowersand Palmyra palms to Nyaung Kai/Ywathar,which has a massive Shwezigon pagoda in afield at its southeast edge.WEST OF MONYWAHpo Win Daung BUDDHA CAVE-NICHE COMPLEXfiu"vn'"et;='(admission $2) Monywa’s biggest draw forantiquity-hunters, this rural complex of 492buddha chambers was carved into a limestonehillside between the 14th and 18thcenturies. None of the ‘caves’ are more than afew yards deep, and many are just big enoughfor a single image but a few of the best (notablycaves 478 and 480) have retained somecolourful, well-executed murals. The areais fairly large and there’s no map so somevisitors prefer to engage an informal guide(around K4000) who is likely to be friendlybut not especially informative. Without aguide, just head up and left from the startingpoint and don’t worry – you don’t need toclimb nearly as high as the hilltop stupas thatloom high on the ridge above. Around thecomplex, cheeky monkeys are all too keen tolet you gain merit by donating to them food.Some 700m beyond the restaurants andsouvenir stands of Hpo Win ‘village’ liesShwe Ba Taung (admission $2), a smaller,contrastingly different set of 46 cave cham-