Stay, Stray, Play and Feast: October 2018

Monday, October 29, 2018

The Level Lounge: Yangon’s Bird’s Eyeview at the Top of Melia (Yangon, ASEAN’s Jewel Series 9)

The Level Lounge
Yangon’s Bird’s Eyeview at the Top of Melia
Yangon, ASEAN’s Jewel Series 9

Our room in Melia Hotel Yangon being a Level Room,
came with an access at the exclusive The Level Lounge.

The Level Lounge is a private lounge
for The Level guests on the 24th floor,

…considered as the Executive Floor of the hotel.

Located at the top most floor,
it offers spectacular city views-

...from the scenic Inya Lake,

…to the Shwedagon Pagoda,

… that glitters to a golden splendor at night.

It is also the best place to view

the spectacular Yangon sunset.

It offers exquisite private breakfast,

...afternoon tea,

…and free drinks during cocktail hours.

Level room guests can also use

the Level Lounge’s meeting room,

…and this was great as we traveled with our

medical resident who would be presenting

a research paper for a medical convention.

We got to use it several times to practice

for her coming oral presentation for free-

...which helped her to have a superb

orals during her final presentation

The Level Lounge is a beautiful lounge and a
restaurant in one , that provides Melia Level guests,

…with a place of peace and quiet,

and free meals and snacks all day.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Sedona Yangon: Awesome Asian Late Night Buffet (Yangon, ASEAN’s Jewel Series 8)

Sedona Yangon
Awesome Asian Late Night Buffet
Yangon, ASEAN’s Jewel Series

Right beside the Melia Hotel where we
were staying is the posh Sedona Hotel.

We took advantage of the hotel’s

Asian Late Night Buffet offering,

…and we did not regret.

The buffet has a massive spread-

… of delectable Asian influenced dishes,

…from juicy and tender meats,

…veggies,

…fresh seafood,

…and indigenous desserts.

We were serenaded by a talented Filipino Duo,

...who even dished out Pinoy songs when

they learned that we are from the Philippines.

It was a relaxing late night buffet,

…and with ice cold Myanmar beer-

…perfect way to cap up the whole day

of touring the beautiful city of Yangon.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Shwedagon Pagoda: Yangon’s Golden Center of Faith (Yangon, ASEAN’s Jewel Series 7)

Shwedagon Pagoda
Yangon’s Golden Center of Faith
Yangon, ASEAN’s Jewel Series 7

The Shwedagon Pagoda is Mayanmar’s center of faith.

Like the Eiffel Tower dominating
the beautiful Parisian cityscape-

…it is the most visible structure and serves
as a towering backdrop to Yangon’s skyline.

But the similarities end there.

Also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda or
the Shwedagon Zedi Daw to the locals, it is
the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Yangon,

…and one of the most popular Bhuddist pilgrimage
sites not only in Myanmar but in Asia as a whole.

Situated on Singuttara Hill, to
the west of Kandawgi Lake

….it contains the relics of the four
previous Buddhas of the present kalpa.

These relics include a piece of the robe of Kassapa,

… eight strands of hair from the head of Gautama

…the staff of Kakusandha,

…and the water filter of Koṇāgamana,

It is also called the Golden Pagoda, as the temple gilded in gold
and precious stone. The stupa's plinth is made of gold plated bricks
and just above the base are terraces accessible only to monks.

Each level of the temple, from the bell-shaped part of
the stupa, the turban, the inverted alms bowl, inverted
and upright lotus petals, the banana bud up to the
umbrella crown, are gilded with genuine gold plates.

The topmost crown is tipped with 5,448 diamonds and 2,317 rubies,
and, the diamond bud, is tipped with a 76 carat, 15 grams diamond.

Queen Shin Sawbu (Binnya Thau), a Burmese monarch
in the past donated generous amount of gold and jewelries
as a start up to decorate the revered Shwedagon Pagoda.

The practice continues to this day with devoted pilgrims from
all over the country, donating gold to maintain the pagoda.

The pagoda is a breathtaking sight up- close.

Seen from afar, this bejeweled temple is
a shimmering, glittering splendor at night.

Shwedagon Pagoda is Myanmar’s most popular attraction,

...and should not be missed by any tourist visiting Yangon.