lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

66YANGONfabric-based products, including adorablesoft toys, cushions, rugs and other crafts.NandawunSOUVENIRS(Map p 48 ; cnr Baho Rd & Ahlone Rd; h9am-6pm)This house-bound shop spans two storeysand just about every Myanmar souvenir, fromlacquer vessels to replicas of antique scaleweights. The upstairs bookshop has a goodselection of titles on obscure Myanmar topics.Gallery Sixty FiveGALLERY(Map p 46 ; http;//gallerysixtyfive.webstarts.com; 65Yaw Min Gee St; h9am-8pm) Housed in a beautifulcolonial-era mansion, the ground floorof this private gallery is dedicated to revolvingexhibits of contemporary local art.LoftSOUVENIRS(Map p 42 ; 2nd fl, Monsoon, 85-87 Thein Byu Rd;h10am-10pm) Above Monsoon restaurant isthis craft shop selling high-quality productsfor prices that don’t send waves of shockthrough your body.J’s Irrawaddy DreamSOUVENIRS(Map p 42 ; 1st fl, Strand Hotel, 92 Strand Rd;h10am-8pm) This shop features high-qualityMyanmar textiles, clothes, lacquer and otherhandicrafts. It’s an especially good place tofind stylish women’s dresses.Elephant HouseHANDICRAFTS(Map p 48 ; Green Elephant, 519A Thirimingalar Rd;h10am-9pm) Attached to Green Elephantrestaurant, this shop sells a decent selectionof Burmese housewares, primarily highqualityand attractive lacquerware.Beikthano GalleryGALLERY(Map p 48 ; 133/3 Kaba Aye Pagoda Rd; h10am-8pm) Suburban gallery featuring the work ofcontemporary Myanmar artists.BookshopsIt’s worth checking out the many bookstalls(Map p 42 ) around Bogyoke Aung San Marketor along 37th St, which is also regardedas something of a university library for thepeople. Several stalls have small selectionsof novels and nonfiction books in English,French and German.English-language newspapers such as theBangkok Post and the International HeraldTribune are sold by vendors in front ofZawgyi House (Map p 46 ; 372 Bogyoke Aung SanRd), and a small selection of magazines isalso available at Black Canyon Coffee (Mapp 48 ; Ahlone Rd) . In addition to the followingshops, Nandawun (Map p 48 ; cnr Baho Rd &Ahlone Rd; h9am-6pm) also has a good selectionof English-language books on Myanmar.Bagan Book HouseBOOKSHOP(Map p 42 ; %377 227; 100 37th St; h9am-5.30pm)This Yangon institution has the most completeselection of English-language books onMyanmar and Southeast Asia, and owner UHtay Aung really knows his stock: we askedfor a book on the Shan language and werehanded an original text from 1887! The frontgate pulled across the entrance doesn’t necessarilymean the place is closed unless thedoor inside the gate is closed too.Monument BooksBOOKSHOP(Map p 48 ; 150 Dhama Zedi Rd; h9am-8pm) Thenewest branch of this Southeast Asian chainis Yangon’s most modern and well-stockedbookshop. In addition to a good selectionof books on topics local and international,there’s an attached café-restaurant.Inwa BookshopBOOKSHOP(Map p 42 ; 301 Pansodan St; h9am-6pm) Thisbookshop sells a small selection of Englishlanguagebooks as well as back issues of foreignmagazines such as Newsweek and theEconomist.MallsThere are a number of modern Westernstyleshopping malls selling everything fromhipster jeans to flat-screen TVs. The largestand most convenient:Blazon Centre(Map p 48 ; 72 U Wi Za Ra Rd)Dagon Centre(Map p 48 ; 262-264 Pyay Rd)MALLMALLFMI Centre(Map p 46 ; 380 Bogyoke Aung San Rd) Just eastof Bogyoke Aung San Market.MALLLa Pyat Wun PlazaMALL(Map p 46 ; 37 Ah Lan Paya Pagoda Rd) Not farnorth of the train station.MarketsShopping at the zei ( markets, often speltzay) in central Yangon can be fun, educationaland a chance to interact with the locals.Fans of fresh markets should make apoint of visiting the hectic morning market(Map p 46 ; h6-10am) along 26th St, adjacent toTheingyi Zei. Another photogenic morningmarket (Map p 42 ; h5-9am) unfolds along thesouthernmost end of 42nd St, and a tiny butlively night market (Map p 42 ; cnr Anawrahta Rd