Pathein
Situated in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta about 190 km west of Yangon. Pathein is the capital of the
Ayeyarwaddy Division and the gateway to Chaungtha and Ngwe Saung beaches. The
port of Pathein is noted for the taste of its special snack `Pathein Halawar'.
Pathein has a few outstanding features such as its beautiful colonial buildings,
some of which are over 100 years old. Pathein is still an important port of
ferryboats servicing passengers or cargo plying between Yangon and the northern
and eastern parts of Myanmar. There are a number of Christian churches, apart
from the usual pagodas. The red-and-white-brick St Peter's Cathedral, for
instance, was built in 1872. Even older is the former St Joseph's Convent, now a
public high school and an elegant wooden house for the local clergy. The most
important pagoda is the Shemokhta
w Pagoda in downtown. The other pagoda is Lay
Kyune Mannaung Phaungdaw Oo temple. Pathein is also noted for its
umbrella-making cottage industry. You will find row upon row of burgundy-colored
umbrellas laid out in front of houses. Practically every household in the
village seems to be engaged in producing these umbrellas used only by monks. In
the bigger households, "summer " umbrellas painted in a variety of bright
colours adorned with flowers or village scenes are produced for ordinary use.
