Burma’s colonial past in Pyin Oo Lwin
The fireplace was enormous. The kind that could fit a reasonable sized tree – Minnie could easily stand upright, I wouldn’t have had to duck too much. It might have been our coolest stop in Burma so far, but it was still around 30C in Pyin Oo Lwin.
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Fortunately there were no fires flickering and the wooden chalet-style rooms at Hotel Pyin oo Lwin were nicely cool. In winter, this is one of the coldest places in Burma* with temperatures dropping to just below zero.
And as one of the cooler places in the hottest season, it’s not surprising that the British chosen this town as a sort of hill station in Myanmar, the equivalent of India’s hill stations during colonial days, thanks to its position 3,500ft above sea level.
Then known as Maymyo, it’s around 90 minutes from Mandalay’s airport up some incredibly twisting roads, where Burmese drivers practise their complex language of horn beeps and weird indicator flashes (a flickering left light can indicate you’re supposed to go past on the left), while I gazed out of the windows at villages and impressively immaculate Burmese women in vibrant coloured outfits, perched on the back of scooters.
After four nights in Bagan and Inle Lake, the two biggest tourist destinations in our trip and the busiest days of our itinerary, it was time to slow down.
So we headed over to Mandalay and up into the hills. I was intrigued by the colonial history and architecture, and Minnie – I thought – could do with some lower temperatures and a bit of a lazier time.
So that’s just what we did. Meeting up with my sister-in-law, nephew, niece and her family (in adjoining lodges, so my daughter could catch up with her cousins), it was quite a different experience from our sightseeing.
There was a lot of food (Burmese hospitality dictates I was fed at any opportunity: I barely protested), some unexpectedly nice red wine and a chance to discover another side to the country.
Here, we were told the hospital was once officially designated as England for those babies who were born on foreign soil (but whose parents had no question of their true nationality).
At the heart of the town is a 1930s clock tower, the Purcell Tower, which was made by the same people as those behind the clock tower on Gillete corner on the A4 in London, not far from my home.
That was perhaps the biggest culture clash for me. I didn’t feel a similar overwhelming colonial feel as somewhere like Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka, and the hotel buildings struck me as more reminiscent of Swiss chalets than anything quintessentially British.
But there’s no doubt there’s a feeling of manicured Englishness which sneaks in amongst the Burmese.
Nowhere more so than the Botanical Gardens. If Kew Gardens (on which it was modelled) had Buddhist monks, I could almost have been at home.
Well, even Kew can’t boast more than 50 species of bamboo, an extensive butterfly collection and peacocks. Also known as the National Kandawgyi Gardens, there are over 200 acres of beautifully kept gardens and a vast lake, as well as three museums, including those butterflies and some fossils.
There are also great views from the tower, but having ditched our little golf buggy to head into the aviary, where you can spot hornbills and parrots, we decided the smaller members of the group wouldn’t fancy the walk or climb.
Minnie had already skinned her knee tripping over her own feet and had a fullscale tantrum over the wrong colour straw.
As with most botanical gardens, it’s actually a lovely cool shady place to walk and stroll.
My nephew cooled off enthusiastically sprinting through the sprinklers, while I counterbalanced the number of monks asking for a photo of my three-year-old by requesting one from a Buddhist nun, who solemnly adjusted her robes and sash with exact precision.
Outside the hottest months, there are also some lovely walks to the waterfalls beyond the town as well as less strenuous views from the nearby hotel.
During the hottest months, they’ve all but dried up and it’s definitely not a trek to try with a three-year-old. Instead you can hop on board a horse and carriage ride around the town. They’re easy to find if your hotel doesn’t have its own, but be prepared to haggle for the fare.
Somehow our days seemed to fly by without ticking that off the list – although my nephew did get his own ride – in a blur of eating and relaxing. So where to eat?
Kandawgyi Lake has a few great places, including Feel restaurant which has several different menus from Japanese (the sashimi is not half bad) to Thai and more Western options (Minnie, to my everlasting regret, had a cheese sandwich).
I ate fish curry and mutton biryani with naan bread until I was full, and then still kept eating.
Or the unexpectedly named December Mini Farm grows fresh strawberries, has its own herd of cattle and some lovely shady outdoor tables to eat until you almost pop. It’s a mile or so outside town, and you’ll go through toll booths to get there.
For breakfast, Feel cafe (sister establishment to the restaurant but away from the lake) has a similar range including dim sum and traditional Burmese dishes, plus some local film poster decorations and an unexpected inside room with toilets as seats.
I never really discovered why.
But for somewhere to step off the main tourist trail in Burma, to discover history, welcome shade, plenty for kids to do and a distinctly quirky side, I loved Pyin Oo Lwin.
PIN FOR LATER: COLONIAL PYIN OO LWIN, BURMA
*My sister-in-law, who is from the country, calls it Burma. For simplicity, so do I.
Disclosure: My transfer to/from Mandalay airport was courtesy of Insider Journeys/Tour Mandalay. I also have very little idea of pricing for any meals or entry to the Botanical Gardens as I was very firmly not allowed to pay for anything while enjoying the hospitality of my brother’s lovely in-laws and their friends. Lonely Planet suggests it’s $5 for entry to the gardens for adults.
Images copyright MummyTravels
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I totally LOL’d at the part when you mentioned barely protesting against all the food you were served! Haha A friend and I always laugh and say “We’re only here for the fooood” – a reference to Ever After. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Haha! I figure it’s all part of the experience, right 🙂
Enjoying reading all your Burma posts Cathy. That last picture is very funny…the beauty of different cultures – you never know it could be setting the standard for a new interior design look in the UK!
Thanks! Just one more on the beach to go, I think – and the rest of that cafe was so traditional, or just what you might expect, that the random decor really tickled me!
Really enjoying your Burma posts. I had never considered it as a destination before but its definitely on my list now!
Thanks! I’m glad I’ve tempted you.
I wonder if the toilet bowl room was inspired by the toilet restaurants in Taiwan (they take it a bit too far, I think!). We have (or maybe had) one here in Singapore too. It seemed a bit faddish to me, and those things don’t tend to last long.
It’s also interesting that your sister-in-law refers to it as Burma – I wonder if this is the general practice among the locals. I have friends working in Yangon and they refer to it as Myanmar and Yangon, but they’re expats.
I wondered that too – not Taiwan specifically, but I’ve come across them in Japan (and Korea, I think?). Very random.
From what she’s told me, names are often used interchangeably depending which is the most recognisable, especially for smaller places/streets. She does say Yangon though and I didn’t particularly come across people calling it Rangoon. The country obviously has more weight attached to the choice, which is one reason I specify why I use Burma rather than any particular political sensitivities.
Looks lovely, gardens and all. That tub! Sad that the political scene is difficult but I hope to visit one day.
Thanks, it’s a wonderful country – the people are so welcoming as well.
Haha, I laughed when I read that Minnie ordered a cheese sandwich! I love reading your posts on Burma, I really hope I can visit the country one day!
Thanks! And I know… you can take a preschooler to Burma, but you can’t make them eat 😉
Wow-you’re so lucky to have family you can visit in such an exotic location. And with kids too!
It all sounds fab – all except eating my lunch on a toilet seat! (Although, to be fair, it has happened many a time before in my own bathroom!!) #citytripping
We did stick to the tables at that one – I couldn’t resist the photo though!
Travels are the best when combined with family catch ups. I’m sure the cousins loved playing together. Those moments are priceless. #citytripping
Definitely – it’s nice now they’re at the age where they can start to as well.
stunning garden! a hospital for foreign babies? #city tripping
Not any more – only when the country was a British colony.
Oh my! How do you even pronounce “PYIN OO LWIN”? Burma, what beauty and you’ve captured its essence right to the T. It’s wonderful that you managed to photograph a peacock showcasing its tail feathers! I have seen many peacocks but never once with them spreading it wide to indulge us with its beauty.
I am #citytripping for the first time and had added my link to this week’s hop. Hoping to learn more about travels in other parts of the world where I haven’t been.
Thanks for linking up and welcome to #citytripping! The peacock was definitely a bit of a show-off, although the feathers are so majestic, I can’t blame it. And Pyin Oo Lwin isn’t quite as complicated as it looks, it helpfully sounds pretty much like it’s written.
Great post Cathy! You have transported me to Burma…sounds like a slightly more relaxing – and cooler – stay after a lot of travelling. The gardens are beautiful and I had to laugh about the clock tower by the Gillette Corner people…it is a familiar sight for me as it is smack bang in front of my work in a very unglamorous part of town…who would have thought there would be a replica in Burma of all places. Fascinating to read more about this city. Love the peacock and monk pics. #citytripping
Thanks! Definitely one of the few times when I’ve classed 30C as cool. And yes, the Gillete corner link made me laugh as well: in my brain it’s firmly linked with baby swimming classes and the soft play at the garden centre nearby, or battling through a massive supermarket – about as far away from the exotic east as you can get!
I’ve been enjoying your posts on Burma. it is somewhere I always fancied going to before the little guy came along. I just don’t think id be brave enough lol! #citytripping
Thanks! It’s definitely one we’ve been building up to – but definitely doable, especially if you’re happy to wait a few years.
It’s good to read about some of the lesser known places in Burma too. This sounds really peaceful and reminds me of some of the lovely hill towns I visited in India. Gardens are great for kids, wherever they are in the world!
I think it must be very similar in some ways, from what I’ve read of the Indian towns – I’ve only visited Sri Lanka’s hill stations, but there’s definitely a similar atmosphere.
The gardens look lovely…
But the restaurant? Ew. Not sure I could eat there…
#citytripping
Fortunately our table was a very traditional wooden table 🙂
I’m loving your Burma posts. The gardens look exquisite, and I always think traveling with relatives (or other families) makes the whole experience so much easier. The girls have travelled a bunch with their cousins and have such great memories – I’m sure the same for Minnie! #citytripping
Thank you! And yes, we’ve done a few trips with friends who have kids of a similar age as well as with cousins, and it’s a lovely experience for them all (and parents who have to do less entertaining)
What an amazing time! Always fun to be hosted by generous in-laws who love to show off their country! 🙂 Thanks for the link-up, and keep the Burma posts coming!
Absolutely – just one post left to write, I think, the beach finale to my amazing trip.
50 species of bamboo??? I never even knew there could be so many species of bamboo! You know.. That bath tub and toilet bowl dining table actually makes me want to visit it. I love quirky stuff like that! #CityTripping
I know! It boggles the mind just how much variety there is. And I definitely think the toilet bath combo divides people – everyone commenting either loves it or would be totally put off!
The botanical gardens look really special. I enjoy reading about your Burma travels 🙂
Thanks Ahila – they were lovely.
What beautiful pictures! It looks like a stunning and peaceful place to visit. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 Kathy xx
Forgot #CityTripping !!
Thanks! It was a lovely tranquil spot to slow down a bit.
What a special trip. Your Burma adventure sounds wonderful despite the odd toddler tantrum. How do they always manage to scrape a knee or trap their fingers in car park doors (real story from this week) when you’re feeling smug at having an otherwise pleasant day?! #citytripping
Oooh ouch! And yes, it was almost impressive the speed she went from running off gaily with her cousin to coming back grazed and in tears… As ever, looking back it’s the amazing experiences which do stick though.