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250NORTHERN MYANMAR MANDALAY TO LASHIOHanlin VillageVILLAGEComing all this way without visiting the archaeologicalsites would seem inexplicable,but Hanlin village is nonetheless a magicalplace in its own right. Unpaved ox-cart trackslink an incredible plethora of decaying oldstupas that create the feeling of an untouchedmini-Bagan. This is best appreciated whenthe scene is viewed from behind Maung SanMonastery with its obvious golden zedi.Near the market is a collection of inscribedsteles and stone slabs in now-forgotten Pyuscript. Within the Nyaung Kobe Monastery(donation expected), a museum room displaysvarious ancient, but unlabelled, archaeologicalfinds. Another minor attraction is thelittle hot spring area where villagers collectwater from circular concrete-sided well-poolsand bathe in two bigger basin-pools.8 Getting There & AwayHanlin is about 12 butt-kicking miles southeast ofShwebo. Follow the canal beside the bus stationfor 6 miles to Bo Tè village, then turn left (acrossthe canal) on the fi rst signifi cant road. This soondegenerates into an outrageously rutted ox-carttrack that is very slowly being regraded. Forkleft at the only other junction. Coming by car orthree-wheeler would be excruciatingly uncomfortableon these tracks. It’s marginally lesspainful by motorcycle: with a driver you’ll pay atleast K12,000 return from Shwebo.MANDALAY TO LASHIOFor an easy escape from the heat and smogof Mandalay, do what the colonial Brits alwaysdid – nip up to Pyin Oo Lwin. And onceyou’ve got going, why not continue furtheracross the cool Shan Plateau to discoversome of Southeast Asia’s most satisfyingshort hill-tribe treks from Kyaukme or Hsipaw.But bring a decent fleece: although daysare warm, it gets chilly after dark and canbe downright cold at 5am when buses departand markets are at their candlelit best.Pyin Oo Lwin¨p='wI"lâ='%085 / POP C70,000 / ELEV 3445FTFounded by the British in 1896, the town wasoriginally called Maymyo (‘May-town’), afterColonel May of the 5th Bengal Infantry andwas designed from its inception as a placeto escape the Mandalay heat. Following theIndian-raj terminology for such places, ithas ever since been known as a ‘hill station’,though in fact it’s almost entirely flat (just atraised elevation). After the construction ofthe railway from Mandalay, Maymyo becamethe summer capital for the British colonialadministration, a role it held until the end ofBritish rule in 1948. The name was changedafter the British departed but numerous colonialhalf-timbered buildings remain. So toodo the descendents of the Indian and Nepaliworkers who came here to lay the railway line.In later decades, Pyin Oo Lwin was famousmostly for its fruit, jams, vegetablesand fruit wines. And the huge militaryacademies, built here to train the soldiers ofthe Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army). However,as Myanmar gets a new breed of nouveauriche, Pin Oo Lwin is once again becominga popular weekend and hot-season getaway.The town is seeing a burst of investment,roads are getting busier and constructionis beginning to fill up the once generoustree-shaded spaces between mansions in thewealthy southern quarter. Come quickly toexperience what’s left of the old calm.1SightsGetting around town by horse and cart addsto the nostalgic atmosphere, and by suitablymanoeuvring the buggy you can addforeground interest to photos of the variouscolonial buildings.Town CentreMarking the town centre is the Purcell Towera 1936 clock tower which thinks that it’s BigBen, judging from its quarter-hourly chimes.Around 6am, the pretty Maha Aung Mye BonThar Pagoda insists on broadcasting Buddhistlectures through its loudspeakers just incase you weren’t already awake. The most importantcentral pagoda is Shwezigone Paya,though it’s not worth a special detour.The red brick, Anglican All Saints’Church (Ziwaka St; hservices at 8.30am Sun,7am Wed) was originally built in 1912 as theregimental church for Maymyo.GARDENS AREAoNational Kandawgyi Gardens PARKamY¬i"s;"kn'et;'äkI"wyY;w''(Nandan Rd; adult/child under 12yr/camera $5/2/1;h8am-6pm) Founded in 1915 (though onlyofficially recognised from 1924), this lovinglymaintained 435-acre botanical garden featuresmore than 480 species of flowers, shrubsand trees. For casual visitors its most appeal-